DANN BURIAL PLACE

UNION TOWNSHIP, PA

more properly known as the "Swamp Cemetery"...
The area that now encompasses "Union Center" was originally known as "Swamp". The grange hall which adjoins the cemetery to the south was originally the "Swamp Baptist Church" and the "Swamp Schoolhouse" was accross the main road from the church. There was also a dance hall accross the dirt road from the church; it was skidded over to the back of the grange hall and appended to it.

...and a note, 4-28-07: This was one of the original pages of the site, and it is in great need of an update. It is in the works...

In late 1992, an old fellow came to the door, and asked my wife if she was the lady who made jam. She replied that she was probably not the person he was looking for, but a conversation ensued. It turned out that his name was Lynn Dann, and we determined we were cousins of sort.

We talked about many things, and some of them made it to the notes below. Several days later he showed me the "old Dann cemetery" at Ogdensburg, Union Township, PA. I will introduce Lynn, give directions, and throw in a few pictures...

Lynn Dann is 88 years old. He grew up in Coopers Plains, had 7 brothers and 3 sisters (2 were half sisters). He farmed in Addison and Woodhull. Worked as a brakeman on the NYCRR from age 40. Owned the Townsend Grocery during and after the RR years; the grocery property was once 160 acres, farmed too.

He had to give his wife the Addison farm (80 acres of bottom land) to get rid of her before she made him crazy.

Lynn's father was Clayton, who was the son of Alpheus. Alpheus was the brother of Andrew Jackson Dann. Clayton's sister (Anna) married Ray Borrow, who got Alpheus' farm in Ogdensburg. They had many kids.

Alpheus fought in the Civil War, got sick and was returned to home. He died in Elmira, en route.

Lynn said that Dann Reunions were always at Eldridge Park, starting prior to 1910 and running consecutively to 1939. The last reunion was the first one that anyone brought beer to...no deviltry, but it sounded like it was the final straw. note: Dotte questions this, and says " I really question the sentence, "Reunion always at Eldridge Park". Certainly I was not around in 1910 and the pic I have does not indicate location. Once I went to a reunion w/my Aunt Ida and it was at a place w/ above ground swimming pool. I did go to Eldridge Park for other events when older and am sure that is not where I went w/ Aunt Ida. Eldridge Park had the horse statue by 1930s I'm sure and that is something I'd remember from my very early childhood!! I think either Delos or Barbara Horton had mentioned Brand Park. Again, I need to check my accumulated notes.

He told of looking forward to the reunions and talked of them being fun as a kid. Most of his memories of F.O. and family are from the reunions.

Fred Dann had bushy eyebrows.

Dorothy Dann looked a lot like her mother

Gladys was a beautiful girl.

Lynn knew A.J. mostly from his visits to Coopers; AJ would stop by for 1 or 2 days from time to time. (what was he doing that he could do that??)

Gene Dann. Lynn's father's cousin. a vegetable farmer in Pine Valley.

10-10-92

The Dann Cemetery in Ogdensburg is known as the Swamp Cemetery. It was poorly kept for many years, but now is neat. It appears that many stones were lost through neglect. The following stones are present in the Dann plot:

Philip Dann and his wife Mary Anne. NOTE: Philip and Mary Anne are A.J. Dann's parents.

Orlando Dann, their son.

Marvin Dann, "

Emma Dann Budson, their daughter

Alpheus, their son, and his wife Margaret

Cassius Dann, son of Alpheus and Margaret

Robert Barker, infant son of Ambrose and Mary. Ambose and Mary Barker are the parents of Margaret Barker Dann

Willie Myers, infant son of William and Mary Christina Myers. Mary Christina was a sister of Margaret.

Robert and Willie were the first burials in the cemetery, and it would appear that it was initially a Barker cemetery. Tha Barker family at the time lived just to the south of the cemetery, and adjoined it.

Ambrose Dann... Lynn said that he thinks this is the uncle who took sick and the doctor told him to chew tobacco as a cure. He couldn't do that, so he died. Ambrose is a son of Alpheus.

For lack of a better place to mention this, AJ's brothers George and Anson fought in the Civil war, per Dotte. they are not in this cemetery. Also: Polly Dann Harrington, a sister of A.J. might have been somewhat of the family historian... Some of her descendants (if we ever come accross one of them) may have information of AJ's siblings.

Directions to the cemetery: through Caton on PA 14, turn west on PA 414. There is a fancy Texaco station at the intersection. 414 takes you to Ogdensburg.

The cemetery is on a road that goes north from 414 about 1.2 miles east of the Ogdensburg 4 corners. There is a grange hall at the northeast part of the corner. A farm is the northwest corner. The cemetery is a stone's throw north from 414. It is hard to describe the intersection; perhaps the picture will help. You may end up going to the Ogdensburg 4- corners and coming back the 1.2 miles!

From US 15 at Blossburg, take a turn to the east at the First United Methodist Church at the North end of town, and cross the steel arch bridge, The road is SR2017, and signs read "Morris Run". The road that you turn on seems to be the old US 15 that went thru town. SR2017 takes you to the Ogdensburg 4 corners. Make a left and go 1.2 miles, cemetery road is on the left.

This is a picture I took of the cemetery and the intersection with PA414 in 2003. The cemetery is at the left center, sort of accross from the barn. The picture "looks" to the east; north is left.

This is a picture of the Ogdensburg 4- corners. I can't help but wonder what it looked like in the mid- 1800s. This picture "looks" to the west; north is to the right.

A map of the area. Blossburg is at the upper left and Canton is on the upper right. The cemetary is the dot near the center, and an arrow points to it.

AJ and Angeline are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery along with Edith Dann Root and her husband Levi.

Angeline's parents are buried in the Central Valley Cemetery just north of Hornby Forks. Walking in the gate, the stones on the right are Eddy, then VanHoesen.

Myron Eddy married Helen VanHoesen, a sister of Angeline. Other sisters Mary (Morris) and Melissa (Stanton). Freddy VanHoesen in the cemetery is an infant brother.

Some other family is at the West Hill Cemetery (corner with Rogers Road) and the cemetery on Roloson Road (Off Rogers between Dyke and Hornby Forks.

A.J. had time to wander because he was a lumberman. He bought three farms with considerable timber, which he cut. At one time he had a contract with Corning Glass to provide wood for their furnaces. When they went to other fuels, he built a large number of small houses on Norton and Hall streets in Elmira with the lumber. He rented these and lived off the rent.

He lived on W. Gray street, the house where Maurice was brought up. It is now a house of 4 large apartments.

Angeline wanted an indoor toilet, and A.J. condecended to install one, on the promise that she would flush it only once a day. Nobody ever knew of a water shortage... he was just tight.