In addition to Eastern Light Cemetery in Altoona, Union Cemetery in Hollidaysburg, and the Claysburg’s “colored” cemetery, the remains of Blair County black citizens can be found in Tyrone’s Fairview Cemetery, Altoona’s Oak Ridge Cemetery, St. Mary’s Cemetery, Rose Hill Cemetery, the former Allegheny Furnace Cemetery, Alto Reste, Hollidaysburg’s GreenLawn Cemetery Hollidaysburg Presbyterian Cemetery, Bellwood’s Logan Valley Cemetery, Old Canoe Creek Cemetery, Martinsburg’s Fairview Cemetery, Tryone’s Grandview Cemetery and more.
In the late 1860s, the AMEZ (African Methodist Episcopal Zion) and the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) churches’ cemetery known as the African Zion Union or Union Cemetery was moved from North Juniata Street to North Montgomery Street. Thanks to the Blair County Genealogical Society for finding and providing a copy of the deed of the cemetery. The land on North Montgomery was owned by “Colonel” William Jack. The trustees of the cemetery were William Nesbit, Moses Brown, and Daniel Williams, II. There was an iron fence around the cemetery, but it was torn down and melted so that the material could be used to make bullets in the 2nd World War. The descendants of Daniel Williams, II and William Nesbit moved from Blair County. Moses Brown’s grandson, M. Irvin Brown, died August 29, 1966, and was buried in the Union cemetery. After his death and the closing of the Hollidaysburg’s African Methodist Episcopal Church in the late 1980s, the upkeep of the cemetery was taken up by a few of Hollidaysburg’s black military veterans and a next door neighbor. In 2020, the Sons of the American Legion Squadron of Hollidaysburg took over the care of the cemetery. The graves include the Nesbits’, Grahams’, the parents of Dr. George Walker, Sr., and the Cuff family, among many others.
Moses Irvin Brown’s headstone (1894 to 1966)
Eastern Light Cemetery in Altoona was created in 1864 and the land which fronts 10th Street and Oak Ridge Cemetery was purchased by John Ferguson, George Hooper and John Alexander for African American citizens of Altoona. In addition, to these men, George M. Jackson, Henry Johnson, George Payne and Allan (or Allen) Hurley were its first stockholders. (J. Simpson Africa’s History of Blair County, pg. 180)
A number of local retired African American military citizens have overseen the upkeep of the Eastern Light cemetery.
Alt-Mirror-May-19-1890-pg.-1.
John Wesley Taylor, Samuel Taylor and William Taylor were buried in Baker’s Cemetery in Altoona (burial in 1864 and 1879), which is also known as Allegheny Furnace Cemetery.
In Claysburg, the “Colored Cemetery” ‘s first occupant was buried in 1929. Bill and Patti Sweet have maintained the upkeep of this cemetery.
In addition to Eastern Light Cemetery in Altoona, Union Cemetery in Hollidaysburg, and the Claysburg’s “colored” cemetery, the remains of Blair County black citizens can be found in Tyrone’s Fairview Cemetery, Altoona’s Oak Ridge Cemetery, St. Mary’s Cemetery, Rose Hill Cemetery, Grandview (Penn State Altoona/Juniata/Homer’s Gap area), the former Allegheny Furnace Cemetery, Alto Reste, Hollidaysburg’s GreenLawn Cemetery Hollidaysburg Presbyterian Cemetery, Bellwood’s Logan Valley Cemetery, Old Canoe Creek Cemetery, Martinsburg’s Fairview Cemetery, Tyrone’s Grandview Cemetery and more.
Fnd a Grave websites of Blair County cemeteries
Claysburg, PA Headstones of “Colored Cemeteries” on Hileman Road (off of “Old Route 22).
