Hickory Grove Cemetery

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Hickory Grove Cemetery was established in 1807 in Waverly, Pennsylvania. Elder John Miller helped to establish the cemetery and was located on part of his farm. Waverly, Pennsylvania was a major point on the Underground Railroad because of its location in the 1840s. As a result, many African Americans who escaped on the Underground Railroad are buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery. Civil War soldiers are also buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery when a lot purchase was made in 1883.

Images

An entrance sign that tells when the Cemetery was founded and who it was founded by.

Natural environment, Wood, Natural landscape, Vegetation

An historical marker for Hickory Grove Cemetery that gives a background about the cemetery's history.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Hickory Grove Cemetery was built in 1807 in Waverly, Pennsylvania by Elder John Miller. Elder John Miller built the cemetery on behalf of the First Baptist Church of Abington. He came to Waverly in 1800 and lived there until he died in 1857. Elder John Miller was an important figure in Waverly as he was the town's first teacher and first postmaster. Also, the cemetery was built on Elder John Miller's property and is located at what would later be called Miller Road. Hickory Grove Cemetery would go on to become a historical part of the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania.

Waverly, Pennsylvania was an important place for the Underground Railroad because of its' location in Pennsylvania. Waverly was centrally located, so it was important stop along the way because escaped slaves' could use Waverly to get to other locations. The Underground Railroad was a network of people who helped escaped slaves travel to the free states in the North. People would offer food and shelter to the escaped slaves as they made their way to the free states. Hickory Grove Cemetery represents the presence of the Underground Railroad in Waverly because most of Waverly's African American population during the time of the Underground Railroad were buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery.

Hickory Grove Cemetery was also the final resting place for Civil War soldiers. In 1883, a lot of land was purchased for the soldiers' burial. The Civil War occurred in 1861 and lasted until 1865. The war happened because the southern states were trying to secede from the Union due to the northern states wanting to outlaw slavery in the country.

Hickory Grove Cemetery has historical roots in African American and Civil War history. The African Americans burials represent the presence of the Underground Railroad in Waverly. They are also buried with Civil War soldiers who were fighting over African Americans' right to freedom.

Sources

Google. (n.d.). Civil War. Google. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com/.amp/topics/american-civil-war/american-civil-war-history.

Hickory Grove Cemetery, Waverly, PA. Hickory Grove Cemetery, Waverly, PA | House Divided. (n.d.). http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/33418.

History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). Underground Railroad. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/Black-history/underground-railroad.

Marking the Trail of History. Happenings Magazine. (2017, August 31). https://www.happeningsmagazinepa.com/2017/08/31/marking-trail-history-4/.

Reviello, G. L., says:, R. A. D., & says:, G. L. R. (2017, August 1). Memorializing Village History: The Hickory Grove Cemetery. Waverly Community House Archives. https://wcharchives.com/2017/07/25/memorializing-village-history-the-hickory-grove-cemetery/.