Jacob Hugus: Another case of Moving Graves

     I wrote about Jacob Hugus in an earlier post.  He had several patents about stills or making wine.  He also was well known for making Grandfather clocks.  There are currently several of his clocks that are still in working order.  A number of years ago I missed by a few months a clock that was up for auction.  I hope that if any come up for sale in the future that I can afford to purchase it or at the very least see it.
    Jacob Hugus died in 1835 and was buried in the Old German Cemetery in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.  The German cemetery was probably laid out by the German Reformed and Lutheran congregations¹.  But if you were to drive to Greensburg today then you won't find the Old German Cemetery.  Instead you will find this parking lot.


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     In 1890 the city of Greensburg passed an ordinance which prohibited burials inside city limits.  After 1890 the cemetery fell into disrepair.   Around 1937 the city took possession of the property.  After moving some of the remains the land was turned into a city park.  An acquaintance of mine used to play at the park when he was young. Around 1957 the park was changed into a parking lot.  Photo of Old German cemetery/park 
     There seems to be some uncertainty whether Jacob and his wife were among those whose remains were moved.  There is a list of those not moved. These may not have been moved.  However there is a picture of a gravestone for both he and his wife in Saint Claire Cemetery on Findagrave.  Jacob Hugus Stone in Saint Claire Cemetery  List of old burials.  I guess when I visit Greesburg I will need to visit both locations, parking lot and cemetery.


1.  Boucher, John N.,  History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania,  The Lewis Publishing Company,  New York, Chicago, 1906