Pine Ridge

Finding the Pine Ridge cemetery & church has been interesting. Not knowing anything about the cemetery I was surprised how things started to fall into place with in a week. It started January 2005 after a fellow researcher Maria Summa not only a researcher but a great author told me about it. I found some records telling me the cemetery was part of the Pine Ridge Methodist Church 1838. The church also used as a school pictured was moved from it's orginal spot down the street to Bushkill a foundation added under it, it became the home for Bushkill fire dept. for many years. The building now part of the National park is used as an office building.

We found the cemetery right away located off Bushkill Falls Road it is situated on the outside of a large fence. The posted sign on a large fence that was in back of the cemetery indicated that the property was owned by Charles Peters. A road leading into the fenced area was gated and looked to be an area for trash collection. A phone call to Bushkill Falls for more information resulted in a very rude an unfriendly conversation with the general manager who indicated that I would need to write a letter and that the cemetery is on the Peters estate and no one would answer my questions with out a letter and she also said "it was very historical".

The cemetery, unmaintained contains about 30-40 graves and maybe more. It looks like at one time a stone wall surrounded the cemetery, remnants of an old fence and gate are still visable. We plan on retuning when the temperature is above 20. We found only 3 readable stones the rest slate stubs sticking up here and there.

Joseph Runyon 22 Jan 1803-29 Jul 1878

Catherine nee Benson w/o Joseph b. 1808

M.E. foot stone

Margaret ? - 12 Apr 1860 56y

Charlotte L. ? - 11 Jan 1852 16y

Peter N. Benson ? - 22 May 1905 64y

I found no stone for Peter a record of his death was sent to me from the register of deaths, Pike co., Pa. Pg 162 Interment date 25 May 1905 . He was a widower from Lehman Twp. futher research was found that his wife Alice was from Walpack N.J. there in 1895.

Further research on Joseph & Catherine Runyon show that Joseph was 33 years senior to Catherine. He was born in New Jersey a farmer and can be found on census records starting in 1860. There are some other Runyon family memebers living in the neighborhood. Julia 20, Almidia 16, Aaron 28 a farmer laborer and his family and Vincent 26 a laborer and his family.I have been unable to find those family members after the 1860 census. I am assuming those listed above were children of Joseph but the 1880 census lists that Joseph was only married one time.

The surname changes in the 1880's from Runnion to Runyon. We find that Joseph tombstone indicated he died in 1878 but Joseph & Catherine living in Lehman Twp., in 1880, he is ill but were counted on the census that year, so this would mean he died some time after 1880.

My friend & fellow researcher Randy Brown, had sent me an e-mail to check to see "What was happening" and I told him about my freezing fun cemetery hunting in January and about my findings. Imagine my surprise when a returned e-mail told me he was related to Jospeh Runyon!!!!. Joseph his ggg-grandfather did have a 1st wife named Margaret Poyers.He discovered a hand written note at Monroe Co., Hist. Assoc that discribes this cemetery and added burials. He knows of 8 children born to Joseph & Margaret; Simeon Shotwell, Charlotte, Joesph, Aaron, Vincent (his relative), Mary Elizabeth, Julia & Almedia Gertrude.