St. John Lutheran Church
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Cemetery

Click on each picture for full size photograph.
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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.

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.

Cemetery Regulations

cemetery_regulations.pdf
File Size: 153 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon!


OFFICE Hours

Tuesday - 10 am to 3 pm
Thursday - 10 am to 3 pm

Telephone

610-277-1086

Email

Office
​stjohn1802@gmail.com
  • HOME
  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Our Cemetery
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Staff
    • Our Leadership
    • Becoming a Member
    • Advocacy
    • Newsletter
    • Rentals
  • Worship
    • Past Services >
      • 2020 >
        • March 15
        • March 22
        • March 29
        • April 5
        • Maundy Thursday
        • Good Friday
        • Easter Sunday
        • April 19
        • April 26
        • May 3
        • May 10
        • May 17
        • May 24
        • May 31
        • June 7
        • June 14
        • June 21
        • June 28
        • July 5
        • July 12
        • July 19
        • July 26
        • August 2
        • August 9
        • August 16
        • August 23
        • August 30
        • September 6
        • September 13
        • September 20
        • September 27
        • October 4
        • October 11
        • October 25
        • Reformation Vespers
        • Christmas Services 2020
        • November 1
        • Election Eve
        • November 8
        • November 15
        • November 22
        • November 29
        • December 6
        • December 13
        • December 20
        • Christmas Eve
        • December 27
      • 2021 >
        • January 3 2021
        • January 10 2021
        • January 17 2021
        • January 24 2021
        • January 31 2021
        • February 7 2021
        • February 14 2021
        • Ash Wednesday 2021
    • Lent
    • February 21 2021
    • February 28 2021
    • March 7 2021
  • Music
    • The Arts at St. John's
  • Learning
    • Bible Study Groups
    • Pub Theology
  • Nursery School
  • Youth
    • Sunday School
    • Middle School Youth
    • High School Youth
  • Serving
    • Advocacy >
      • Advocacy Event
    • Collections
    • Quilters
    • Boy Scouts of America
  • Events
    • Yoga
    • Book Club
    • Visual Arts Program
    • 2021 Meeting
    • Zoom Coffee Hours
  • Contact