Missouri Society Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard Photo Gallery
Lybarger Revolutionary War Memorial Lybarger Reunion Madley, Pennsylvania July 2012
Pictured here is Jesse Lybarger at the Lybarger Revolutionary War Memorial in Madley, Pennsylvania. The story behind the Lybarger Revolutionary War Memorial is most interesting and symbolizes the dedication of Lybargers to their country and their family heritage. The project was initiated on May 2, 1927 when the officers of the Lybarger Memorial Association resolved that the remains of the early pioneering families be moved from nearby family burial grounds to the Lybarger Cemetery at the Lybarger Lutheran Church, Madley, Pennsylvania. Specifically, the remains of Ludwick Lybarger Sr. and his daughter were to be moved from the William Corley farm plot; the remains of Ludwick Jr. and family were to be moved from the Edward Wills farm; and those of Henry and family from the Jasper Luman farm. The officers meeting on that day were Aaron Nelson Lybarger, Milo Monroe Lybarger, Donald Fisher Lybarger, John Albert Lybarger and Mae Gervasius Lybarger (Poorbaugh).
On November 4, 1927 the Lybarger Memorial Association officers met again and decided to purchase a bronze tablet to identify those reburied at the Lybarger Cemetery. It was secured and embedded in the stone monument in 1929 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The removal of the remains began on the same day. The old gravestones were brought from their various places and placed in a concrete form at the foot of the graves. Those who carried out the work of removing the remains were Aaron Nelson Lybarger, Elyria, Ohio, Milo Monroe Lybarger, Weston, Ohio, John Albert Lybarger, Madley, Pennsylvania, and William Lybarger, Brazil, Indiana. When the work was finished on November 11th an American flag was placed at the head of each of the five Revolutionary War soldiers graves by Mae Gervasius Lybarger (Poorbaugh).
Lottie Bockhouse, of Manns Choice, Pennsylvania recalls to this day her memories of the project. “What I remember best was collecting the history of the families, much of which lay in the graves scattered over the farms in the Madley area. Now, what to do about them? A decision was made to open the graves and those remains that could be recovered would be moved to the Lybarger Cemetery at the Lybarger Lutheran Church. I was a teen-ager (15) at the time and very curious. I did not see them opening all the graves, but one I do remember vividly. It was a cold and rainy day. That did not stop the work that Aaron Lybarger spearheaded. I can still picture him down in a wet muddy grave digging with his hands to find a few bones which were then placed in a shoe box. The stones that marked the graves were moved to the cemetery along with the bones.”
“It was the general opinion that a large stone should be placed in the cemetery as a lasting memorial to all the founding persons of the Lybarger clan. And what could be more appropriate than one from the mountain in the area where the Lybargers first settled? A huge stone weighing many tons was quarried from the Leaps Gannister Rock Quarry (visible on the other side of the creek from the Lybarger church). It was taken off Buffalo Mountain by tram track. The big problem started at the foot of the hill. How to get it to the cemetery? The only means available was to pull it by teams of horses. But it could not be pulled or dragged on the ground; hence a rail track was laid a little bit at a time until it reached the top of the cemetery hill. I wonder how they lifted it up in place. It was a real accomplishment, a lot of ingenuity, work and patience.” At the 1928 reunion the stone and flagpole were dedicated with a beautiful service. How proud we were to see Old Glory flying so majestically over the very ground where our forefathers struggled to establish a wonderful nation.
Left Photo: Compatriot Jesse Lybarger at the Lybarger Revolutionary War Memorial in Madley, Pennsylvania.
Center Photo: Lybarger Revolutionary War Memorial Marker in Madley, Pennsylvania.
Right Photo: Compatriot Jesse Lybarger at the Lybarger Lutheran Church in Madley, Pennsylvania.
