Eschenbach Cemetery

Eschenbach Cemetery. This preserved family burial ground was started in the first half of the 1800's.. Born on December 25, 1745, Andrew Eschenbach, Jr. (Andreas, Jr.) lived most of his life in Philadelphia. At age 64 in 1809, he moved with his family to what was later named Tobyhanna Township. Andrew was among the first permanent settlers of our community and engaged in making wood shingles by hand. With an already large family, Andrew and Susan continued to grow their family by producing another son, Samuel Greenleaf, on May 14, 1810. , During the early years of our community, with less than a hundred residents, there were no churches, schools or cemeteries. When Tobyhanna Township was incorporated in 1830, there were still only 274 residents. Having nine sons, one daughter, and numerous grandchildren, the Eschenbach family cemetery became a necessity. , , The Lore of the Cemetery , Located near the Eschenbach homestead, its chosen location may have been determined by an existing gravesite. During the Yankee-Pennamite Wars between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, the Battle of Locust Hill raged on August 2, 1784. Documented accounts state there was one mortal casualty: Jacob Everett of the Pennsylvania militia was killed in action. , , Lore handed down through the generations, although lacking firm documentation, is that the final resting place of Jacob Everett is what later became the Eschenbach Cemetery. The Family Cemetery , , By 1860, there were six Eschenbach households and 37 family members living in the township. In the past 51 years, many lived here, died here and moved from the township. It is thought that there are some 20 graves in this cemetery. With no granite or marble available, headstones were of local field stone and slate. The etchings carved in the soft stone have not survived the test of weathering. One marker indicates the possibility of a child buried there. Many markers are sunk deeply into the gravesites. Passed down through the family over the years, Andrew, his wife Susan, and her family are buried here. Private Jacob Eschenbach, son of David and nephew of Samuel, lost his life in the fierce Battle of Antietam on September 21, 1862 during the Civil War. He was reportedly brought home and buried here. , , Building a Community , The primary occupations of the Eschenbach family were lumbering, making shingles and wood products with a sawmill, farming as the land was cleared of trees, and running boarding houses. Tax records show they collectively held upwards of 1,200 acres of land at one point in the mid-1800’s. They all contributed to the growth of the community, with Esquire Samuel Greenleaf leading the way. Appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania, S.G. served his first term as Justice of the Peace at age 26, serving five more terms thereafter. In 1863, S.G. served his first of several terms as a Tobyhanna Township Supervisor. He was also tax assessor for several years and a member of the local militia. He had a great deal of interest in the education of the youth of the township, having served as a school board director for seven terms. S.G. was also very supportive of his church. , , Visit the Clymer Library Local History Department and www.TobyhannaTwpHistory.org for genealogy and more family history. Funding for this Historical Display provided by the Monroe County Commissioners, 2019.