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Rev. Michael Schenck I and his family came to land one mile east of the present-day Howard near Bald Eagle Creek in December 1795. When one of the children died in 1797, a graveyard was started near the family dwelling. As other deaths occurred in the family and neighboring families, more interments were made. Many of the earliest graves were marked with shaped fieldstones and no inscriptions or initials only. Many of these stones were lost over time.
On Saturday, June 8, 1895, a meeting was called to form a cemetery association. It was called to order by Balser Weber in the Howard Furnace Schoolhouse. A constitution was drawn up before the meeting, " was discussed, put to a vote, approved, and adopted as read." The constitution designated the name "Schenck's Cemetery Association" The stated purpose was 'to enable the said Association more effectually to extend and prosecute her particular purpose of a benevolent association. For the advancement of science in beautifying the Schencks Cemetery and the graves of our sacred dead, who are buried in these grounds which is desirable to be in respectable condition and place of beauty'
The constitution provided for a board of the Association consisting of the officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Trustees. The first officers elected for a three-year term were: Pres., David B. Schenck, Vice Pres., B. F. Holter; Sec'y, Jonathan Schenck; Treas., Balser Weber; Trustees: John F Schenck, H. C. Holter, Albert Schenck.
Anyone could become a member of the Association by paying an annual fee of twenty-five cents. Twenty people became members at the organizational meeting in 1895. Life membership was $5.00 Leah Schenck Krouse became the first life member by contributing $10.00 to the Association in 1898.
The Association gave the right and privilege to the survivors (husband, wife, or family member) of those already buried in the 'Old Original Part' to be buried beside their loved ones, free of charge. Before the formation of the Association, some lots had been laid out by Emmanuel Schenck heirs. The Association then laid out the vacant and unoccupied ground in lots and offered them for sale at $6.00.
In 1898, the five surviving members of the Mennonite Church, namely Jacob Holter, Anna Weber, S.S. Pletcher, Sarah Pletcher, and Mary Daugherbaugh donated the balance of money ( after payment of expenses) received from the sale of the Mennonite Church. It had been sold to Rudolph Pletcher for $200.00.
In 1900 and 1903, additional land was purchased from Emmanuel Schenck heirs for $80.00 and $40.00 respectively. At that time lots 12' by 13' were sold for $18.00. An iron fence was erected around the cemetery in 1901. In 1908, a corporation seal was purchased.
On March 5, 1927, perpetual care on lots was offered at $100.00. In 1939 this amount was reduced to $50.00 so more lot owners could take advantage of it. In 1952, it was decided and voted on to include the fee for perpetual care in the price of the lot.
After a question was raised concerning the fate of the cemetery if and when the Blanchard Dam project was completed, the following resolution was adopted in 1963 and published in the local newspapers: Resolved, that if Schenck's Cemetery is to be moved, because of the construction of the Blanchard Dam (later renamed Sayer Dam), it shall be moved as a whole, intact, but with improvements, such as a double driveway. It was further resolved, ' that the Schenck's Cemetery be relocated in this valley, and that it should not become a part of some other cemetery.' it became evident in 1964 that relocation of the cemetery would be necessary. During the next three years, countless hours were spent in planning and choosing a new site for relocation; negotiating with representative of the U. S. Government; listing all lots and number of interred bodies on each lot, and locating the next of kin or other relative to whom ' Grave Relocation Permits' could be sent. Victor Thompson and Blair Pletcher were in charge of relocations for the Association.
The cemetery relocation took place in 1967. The site for the New Schencks Cemetery had been a field, previously owned by Preston Roband and comprising 10.52 acres. The north half of the area was developed at the time of the relocation. All lots were made uniform in size (10' by 20') and numbered in sequential order (1 through 715). 1,131 bodies from the former location of the Schenck's Cemetery were reinterred at the new site. Also, there were 61 bodies from three other cemeteries, namely Rupert Cemetery, located in Liberty township, Neff Cemetery and the lower part of Sand Hill Cemetery, both located in Howard township. Clara K. Poorman and Dorothy Thompson were buried in the new cemetery before the moving began. W. Robert Neff serviced as Funeral Director and Reverand William B. Starr served as clergyman for the removal.
The South half of the cemetery has been developed with one section having flat markers only. The cemetery is very well kept.
Directions: Schenck Cemetery is located 6.0 miles from exit 23 (Milesburg on I-80 off of route 150 and .9 miles to Rt 26 turnoff into Howard. N41 0.585' and W77 40.689'
Sources:
Weber, Catherine Pringle, Howard, PA: The American Revolution Bicentennial.
2. which is repeated in The Cemeteries of Curtin, Howard, and Liberty Townships, Centre County, PA printed in 2002 by the Centre County Genealogy Society. Pages 79-80