Directions:

Facing the Court House (in Bellefonte) at the corner of Allegheny and High Streets, go left on Allegheny Street for one block turn right on to Howard St. go roughly 0.4 miles. The main entrance to the cemetery will be your right at the fountain.

Map of the Cemetery:

Map of the Cemetery with grave locations is in the photo section.

History:

The first Bellefonte cemetery was located on Linn St., the lot contained which contained 4 or 5 acres and operated from about 1796 to the early 1800s. Anecdotally those bodies were reinterred at Bellefonte Union Cemetery as well as other local cemeteries.

By 1806 James Harris and James Dunlop had set aside the "Bellefonte Graveyard" located where we find the Harris and Dunlop graves today adjoining the property owned by Dr. Constance Curtin who died in 1842, the property inhabited by his brother Roland Curtin who died 1850. 

Roland Curtin served as Coroner 1805-? He posted a bond to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for this position in November of 1805 along with Dr. William Harris. Dr William Harris died in April of 1806, and he is "supposed" as the first burial in Bellefonte Union Cemetery, buried near where Roland Cutin's home was in 1806, with no stone of record.

By 1808 the Dunlop's and Burnsides had their own burial grounds which bordered the Constance Curtin Property. In 1850 after the death of Roland Curtin, the Constanc Curtin Estate has a sheriff sale December of 1850, which includes the Cemetery Property. By 1856 the cemeteries combined, and an addition 4-to-5-acre property to the property.

The Bellefonte Cemetery Association's paperwork executed in Centre County Court on July 19, 1859. This combined the family burial grounds with the burial grounds on the property of Dr. Constanc Curtin. From this point on the cemetery is Bellefonte Union Cemetery.

Bellefonte Cemetery Association and Bellefonte Union Cemetery was always racially integrated and non-denominational. There are three governors of Pennsylvania buried here along with their wives: Andrew Gregg Curtin, governor from 1861-1867; James Addams Beaver governor from 1887-1891 and Daniel Hartman Hastings governor from 1895- 1899. 

Other notables in the cemetery include Lt Col. James Dunlop and James Harris, co-founders of Bellefonte; Dr Evan Pugh, the first principal of the Farmer's High School, later named Penn State University is buried in his wife's Valentine family plot; the Rev James Linn, pastor of Bellefonte Presbyterian for 58 years; George Harris, a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor in the Civil War; Anna Wagner Keichline, the first female architect; Andrew Gregg, a United States Senator and president pro tempore of the U. S. Senate; George James Irvin, who donated the land for Farmer's High school; and Hugh N. McAllister, a prime mover in the founding of Penn State. Dr. Danile Dobbins is the son of Rev. Alexander Dobbins of Dobbin House Gettysburg, PA. William Petrikin 1761-1821 who was instrumental in drafting and present at the ratification of what we call the Bill of Rights.

Noteworthy Features

The Barre Granite Fountain placed in 1954 to honor the Bellefonte founder, James Dunlop by his great, great granddaughter, Anna McCoy, was not functional for decades. Through generous donations, there is an expectation it will be recirculating water in 2025.

The Soldier's Circle is four burial plots purchased by the Local Grand Army of the Republic Post. With an addition of a wall placed in 1908, with concrete work done by the Bellefonte Lumber Company.

A third feature is Babyland. As a non-profit Cemetery, graves were frequently given to those who could not afford them. This Babyland area is where the interment of children and infants with no plot happened. Babyland is located where the home of Roland Curtin once stood 1805-1856. 

When the Bellefonte Cemetery Association formed in 1856, they moved the home and the entrance to the spot of the Gatehouse which was cemetery property at that time. The front left section of the gatehouse home visible from Howard Street is the original home that moved from Babyland. The entrance into the cemetery moved at this time and the association built the gatehouse as the new main Entrance to Bellefonte Union Cemetery. The right of way through the house remains today but the cemetery no longer owns the gatehouse. Rob Gannon, who was the archivist of the cemetery and championed the monument at Babyland also purchased the Gatehouse in 1987 for $8,000.

Sources:

1. Keystone Gazette, Nov 9, 1900 "Mending Historic Cemetery"
2. Centre Daily Times Feb. 3, 1997 page 3A "Union Cemetery Seeks Help"
3. Centre Daily Times Feb 4, 1997 page 1A and 8A "Cemetery must be Nuisance to get aid"
4. Centre Daily Times July 26, 2002 Page A1 and A10 "Of Grave Concern"
5. Aug 19, 2003 "Hallowed Groundskeeper"
6. Centre County, PA office of Recorded of Deeds, all to Bellefonte Cemetery Association 22 of them
7. The Cemeteries of Bellefonte, Centre County, PA printed in 2010 by Centre County Genealogical Association pages 4-209