Cemetery
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St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church was established in 1769 (originally named St. John's German Lutheran Church), with services held in members' homes. The first church was built in 1773, and interments in the church cemetery began in 1775.
Some of the earliest burials were unknown Revolutionary War soldiers who were wounded during the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. After the battle, General Washington's forces retreated from Germantown up Skippack Pike. St. John was one of the churches that they used as hospitals along the way. Soldiers who died here were interred in the church cemetery in unmarked graves. There are also 14 named Revolutionary War veterans buried in St. John cemetery.
On April 29, 1923, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Valley Forge Chapter, dedicated a memorial boulder to "Honor the unknown dead from the Revolutionary War", in the oldest section of the cemetery. A marker was installed in 1927 on the lawn under the flagpole near Skippack Pike that honors the unknown revolutionary soldiers.
St. John cemetery has the gravesites of 10 Civil War veterans. A plaque on the wall outside of the church sanctuary honors 36 members who served during World War II. During WWII, a flag was carried up the sanctuary aisle by parents of soldiers every Sunday.
Here are a few random items from our history pages. The cemetery was once enclosed with a wall, then an iron fence and gate. The price for a grave in 1867 was $10.00 for three graves. Family members of the deceased were responsible for keeping up the appearance of the gravesite, such as mowing around the headstone, until 1954 when the church assumed this responsibility. Under a layer of grass there are several stone driveways.
Today there is a dedicated Cemetery Committee made up of church members whose mission is to restore and maintain the condition of our historic cemetery, and to facilitate both genealogical and historic research concerning those interred here.
In 2014, a memorial brick walkway was installed as lovely entryway into the cemetery grounds. If you are interested in purchasing a memorial brick, please download an order form here and submit to the Church Office.
Some of the earliest burials were unknown Revolutionary War soldiers who were wounded during the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. After the battle, General Washington's forces retreated from Germantown up Skippack Pike. St. John was one of the churches that they used as hospitals along the way. Soldiers who died here were interred in the church cemetery in unmarked graves. There are also 14 named Revolutionary War veterans buried in St. John cemetery.
On April 29, 1923, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Valley Forge Chapter, dedicated a memorial boulder to "Honor the unknown dead from the Revolutionary War", in the oldest section of the cemetery. A marker was installed in 1927 on the lawn under the flagpole near Skippack Pike that honors the unknown revolutionary soldiers.
St. John cemetery has the gravesites of 10 Civil War veterans. A plaque on the wall outside of the church sanctuary honors 36 members who served during World War II. During WWII, a flag was carried up the sanctuary aisle by parents of soldiers every Sunday.
Here are a few random items from our history pages. The cemetery was once enclosed with a wall, then an iron fence and gate. The price for a grave in 1867 was $10.00 for three graves. Family members of the deceased were responsible for keeping up the appearance of the gravesite, such as mowing around the headstone, until 1954 when the church assumed this responsibility. Under a layer of grass there are several stone driveways.
Today there is a dedicated Cemetery Committee made up of church members whose mission is to restore and maintain the condition of our historic cemetery, and to facilitate both genealogical and historic research concerning those interred here.
In 2014, a memorial brick walkway was installed as lovely entryway into the cemetery grounds. If you are interested in purchasing a memorial brick, please download an order form here and submit to the Church Office.
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Cemeteries take a lot of care and funds to keep them well-maintained. If you would like to make a donation to our Cemetery Endowment fund, we would greatly appreciate your support. You may visit our online store HERE or write a check and mail it to our Pastor at our church address. We thank you for your support of our history.
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Cemetery Regulations
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