Field Cemetery
Bedford County

The Field Cemetery at Purcell, Pennsylvania

(Recorded by Betty Jane Diggs assisted by her cousin, Myrtle Clingerman, on Sept. 24, 1995.)
This cemetery is located on a hillside above the intersection at Purcell. There is a house on the corner and a gravel road that goes up the hill to a trailer. This looks like a private road, and though I've used it, felt uncomfortable doing so. There is another dirt road a few yards further which seems more public. The cemetery is in a grove of pines. It is fenced in and at the time I copied it was well cared for by the descendents of the Mays who are buried here.

The gravestones are laid out in four rows; there are spaces between the stones and I have noted this in the text. Since the gate is at the left of the fence, I have listed the stones as if reading left to right, beginning with the first row.

1. E A M (a small stone, a little larger than a brick with no notation other than the
initials.)
2. B M (a similar size stone, no dates or other markings.)
3. (Name somewhat illegible... might be Sarah or Samuel ...of illegible
name) MAY, died June 17,1901
4. Susie daughter of G. F. and M.A. MAY b. Nov. 29, 1878 d. Apr. 7, 1905 age 26 yr
4 mo. 9 da
5. John P. son of George F. and Mary A. MAY d. Feb. 26 1891 age 14 yr 7 mo 3d
6. Eliza daughter of J. T. and M. A. COLLINS d. Mar. 25, 1885, 19 yr 8 mo 25 da. (M. A. Collins is the same individual as Mary A. Morse wife of George F. May. Her first husband was John T Collins who died in 1865 of illness resulting from service in the Civil War. (source: Pension record of George F. May)
7. Barbara daughter of C. F. and M. A. MAY d. Nov 20 or 29, 1880. age 5 or 7 yr
(somewhat illegible here) 9 mo and 11 da.
8. Mary A. MORSE wife of George F. MAY b. Jan 22, 1849 d. Dec. 9, 1922

Second row
9. Abram MAY b. July 5, 1809 d. Apr 141883
His wife Mary FORD b. Nov - 1803 or 1808 d. Aug. 9 1884
. (This stone is an obelisk with the parent's information on the front and the
information about the two children is inscribed on the side. Their graves are to
the right of the parents� and are marked with small stones and their first names.
10. Zilpha b. Sept 30, 1843 d. Jan 2, 1853
11. Noah b. Nov. 1 1847 d. Mar 19, 1848
(There is a space of about 10 feet between this stone and the next one.)
12. Delilah ROBISON b. Apr. 8 1833 d. May 29 1907 age 74 yr 1 mo 26 da
"Remember me as you pass by,
As you are so once was I,
As I am so you must be
Prepare for death and follow me."
13. Eve Ann wife of G. F. MAY d. Sept 251869 age 30 yr 7 mo 25 da
14. George MAY Co. K 82th PA Volunteers d. Apr 24,1901 age 66 yrs 2 mo 23 da
(There was an American flag in a metal holder which read GAR 1861-1865.)

Third Row
15. Eliza R. wife of Joseph S. SMITH d. Sept 19,1888 age 69 yr 9 mo 19 da.
Joseph SMITH d. Oct, 18 1899 87 yr 7 mo 15 da.
16. George son of J & E SMITH d. Jan 301863 10 yr 5 mo 29 da.
17. Thomas d. May 3 1863 11 yr 9 mo 3 da
18. Anjaline dau of J & E SMITH d. June 261863 2 yr _?- mo 26 day
19. There is a space of maybe 8 feet in row 3 before this stone which reads:
"In memory of George MAY his wife Zilpha MAY" (stone is not deeply incised; there are no legible dates and the inscription of several lines is unreadable.)

Fourth Row
(There are no stones at the left of the row. To the right of center is a very weathered stone):
20. Mary CLINGERMAN wife of P. CLINGERMAN SR. "Au" is legible, so assume it is
August 1858. aged 50 years.
(About 5 feet to the right of this stone is
21. Peter CLINGERMAN SR. d. July 24 1882 80 yrs 9 da.

Contributed by Betty Jane Diggs for use by the Bedford County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/~bedford/)

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