Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Mary Ann (WALKER) SNOOK



Grave of Mary Ann (Walker) Snook, Row 2, Grave 4, Brungart Cemetery, Miles Twp., Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Photographed by Storres Myers, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Pennsylvania and privately held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Spokane,Washington. 2010.

Two weeks ago I received a notice from Find A Grave that my photo request for the tombstone of my husband's 3rd-great-grandmother, Mary Ann (WALKER) SNOOK, had been fulfilled. Needless to say, I was thrilled because I hadn't even been sure there was a marker for her grave! I had put in the photo request so long ago, that I had completely forgotten about it. The main reason I doubted there was a marker was because I'm pretty sure that Mary Ann died during or shortly after childbirth, leaving her husband, Reuben Wohlford SNOOK, with about nine little mouths to feed. Reuben married shortly thereafter to Elizabeth NEARHOOD, and between them they created another eight or nine little mouths! I figured with all these mouths to feed, Reuben probably couldn't afford to buy a marker. I suppose it's possible that his family and in-laws helped him out, for as you can see, this is a beautiful and quite large marble obelisk. The base reads:

MARY A.
Wife of
R. W. SNOOK
Born May 7, 1835
Died June 4, 1870
Aged 28 ys. and 28 ds.
---
Blessed are the dead which
die in the Lord.
First Corinth 15 C 57 V
But, thanks be to God
which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus
Christ


Although the marker does not say it, the first phrase, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord" is also from the Bible; Revelations 14:13.

If you look carefully at the first photo, you can see to the left of Mary Ann's grave is the grave of Margaretha "Margaret" (WOHLFART) SNOOK, Mary Ann's mother-in-law. The photographer, Storres Myers, sent me some information on the cemetery which gives some history and lists all the known graves:
St. Luke's Evangelical Church, also known as Brungart Church, was founded in 1868 on a lot donated for the purpose by George Brungart, who was the son of the early immigrant Martin Brungart from York County. The cemetery was begun at that time. After the church was discontinued, the building and property were sold in 1948. There is no one assigned the responsibility for the care of the cemetery, however, someone does mow the grass occasionally.

Storres has promised to take any photographs I request at this cemetery. Since several generations of both Mary Ann and Reuben's families are buried here, I think I've hit the jackpot! Thank you so much for your assistance, Storres!

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