✣ Longswamp Union ✣
Located just across the border of Lehigh County in eastern Berks, the church and older section of the cemetery sit at the top of a slope with a beautiful view of farmland stretching out in the valley towards Alburtis. The congregation was founded in 1734, and the first log church at the site was built in 1748. It’s unclear when the first interment occurred in the adjacent graveyard, but the earliest death date seems to be circa 1759. An entry at Find A Grave lists an earlier date of 1754 for the death of Johan David Mertz, however it’s not confirmed that individual was buried in this cemetery.
The church was bequeathed a generous gift to use for its upkeep upon the tragic death of Althea Walbert, who was murdered along with her daughter in 2011. The Morning Call reports that the condition of the building was dire prior to receiving those funds, but they’ve allowed the church to do many renovations on the 1852 structure. I noticed many headstones were broken and toppled over. It would be wonderful if some of Althea’s money can be used towards the maintenance of the graveyard too. Althea is buried in this cemetery, as are her parents, daughter Jeanette, and husband Woodrow.
✣ Additional resources: ✣
➺ Find A Grave
➺ Longswamp Township Historical Society
➺ US GenWebs Archive - a listing of those interred
➺ Longswamp UCC
✣ 200 Clay Road Mertztown, PA 19539 • Longswamp Township, Berks County ✣
✣ The Angels of Longswamp ✣ Longswamp Union cemetery boasts a selection of Victorian-era angels, from winged figures placed in small niches to ones sculpted in shallow relief.
➺ 1 & 2: Maria Butz Volck (1792-1862) ➺ 3 & 4: Henry Wagenhorst (1842-1864) ➺ 5: Lizzie Emma Master (1871-1873) ➺ 6: Anna Maria Bortz (1797-1867) ➺ 7: Solomon Bortz (1793-1860) ➺ 8: Jimmy Wertz (1874-1875) ✣ The Flora of Longswamp ✣ There are several lovely examples of florid, Victorian-era gravestones in this cemetery.
➺ 1: Anna Walbert Haas (1808-1861) ➺ 2: David J Herzog (1801-1866) ➺ 3: Rachel Egner Wagenhorst (1787-1867) ➺ 4: Willoughby S Schwartz (1844-1872) ➺ 5: Jacob Wagonhorst (1789-1851) ➺ 6: Annie Gertrude Haas (1878-1881) ➺ 7: Daniel Lang (1781-1840) ✣ Three Little Birds ✣ Doves are perched atop these three headstones belonging to Ellen Bollmer, William Bollner, and Luise Schwartz.
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