William
Marcy Barnhouse
(1856-1874)
William
Marcy Barnhouse was born in 1856 in Fayette County, PA, the son of Harrison
and Catherine (Minerd) Barnhouse. Tragically, he died at age 18, the same year his
father passed away.
William lived with his parents in East Liberty (Dickerson Run), near Vanderbilt, Fayette County, PA. He was a popular member of the Sunday School class of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church and today is memorialized on the church's website.
On Aug. 11, 1874, at age 18, William passed away. The cause is, unfortunately, unknown.
In mourning, the Secretary of the Sunday School wrote a 5-paragraph "Resolution of Respect that was published in the Uniontown Genius of Liberty. The resolution stated that he was " our brother, ... a loving friend, a diligent and respectful member of the school, and a warm-hearted Christian of bright promise for future usefulness and honor." The resolution also extended to "the bereaved family the warmest sympathy of our hearts, and that we hereby pledge them our prayers that they may lovingly and meekly bear their present affliction." In closing, the resolution ordered that "we drape the rostrum of the school room in mourning for thirty days."
The
following month, the Genius reported that "We are pleased to learn
that many friends and acquaintances of Wm. M. Barnhouse, deceased, are about
purchasing a nice set of tomb stones for a memento."
The marker was placed at his grave at the
East Liberty church. Rediscovered in 2001, the marker is legible but
broken. Seen at left, in the foreground, it lies flat in a stack of other broken grave markers, toward the back
of the small fenced cemetery.
Click here to visit a national Barnhouse family webpage, with broader information than just for those cousins belonging to our family.
Copyright © 2000, 2003 Mark A. Miner