Seventy-five duplicated copies of Record of Tombstone Inscriptions of the Old Hereford Mennonite Cemetery were issued in 1934. The authors hoped that "if later anyone is interested to carry on the work, this can be used as a start, and improved."
Record is organized by 18 "Rows" of varying length and eight appended,"Toward Meeting House." The originals are in German, but as the preface explains, "the inscriptions are copied as closely as possible as they appear on the tombstones, and for the benefit of the future generations, the German was translated to the English as closely as possible."
As to errors "made unaware," there is variation in the spelling of some names affecting the count of 59 families given in the preface.
This typescript was discovered in the estate of the granddaughter of Henry S. Mack (1854-1946), Anna Elizabeth Reiff Young (1910-2005). Henry Mack lived with his granddaughter and daughter, Anna Mack Reiff (1880-1970) from 1936 to 1944. "Henry S. Mack was born near Bally, Pa., June 20, 1854; died at the home of his son (Philip), Cornwells Heights, Pa., Oct. 23, 1946; aged 92 y. 4 m. 3 d. Over seventy-two years ago he united with the Bally, Pa., Mennonite Church, where he retained membership the rest of his life, serving as chorister for sixty years."
RECORD OF / TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS / OLD MENNONITE CEMETERY / OF THE / HEREFORD CONGREGATION OF MENNONITES / IN THE / BOROUGH OF BALLY / BERKS COUNTY / PENNA.
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The record of the inscriptions on the following pages are listed in the order in which the graves appear, and the rows numbered, running along the highway, beginning at the southwest corner.
The inscriptions are copied as closely as possible as they appear on the tombstones, and for the benefit of the future generations, the German was translated to the English as closely as possible.
The object when this was started was to have this in print in book form, however, because of the expenses involved no one was interested at the time to finance it. Therefore, it was done by duplicating for a start, and if later anyone is interested to carry on the work, this can be used as a start, and improved. No doubt, there are errors that have been made unaware, and possibly someone may later take up this work.
The work of transcribing this and reading the proofs of the inscriptions was done in the summers of the years 1932, and 1933, by the following:
Mrs. Joseph Beidler, Bally, Pa.
Bertha Lizzie, and Amy Gehman, Bally, Pa.
Mr. and Mrs. David Gehman, Bally, Pa.
Master copies, with 75 duplicate sets, and the following statistics, were compiled during the Winter of 1934, through the courtesy of Gehman Knitting Mill, Bally, Pa., with Ralph Berky, Clayton, Pa., cooperating:--
The first Mennonite Colonists settled in Eastern Berks from 1725 to 1730. The earliest probable death date, legible, in the Hereford Cemetery is “1758 A.D.,” on a brown stone marker. The earliest birth date, legible, is that of Chasber Bauman “1724—1789.” The earliest complete record is that of “Peter Eshbach, 1762—1774.” Other interesting date observed:--
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Number of markers with death dates, legible, prior to the year 1800 17
Number of markers with inscriptions wholly or in part legible 613
Number of markers illegible 10
Number of markers on Cemetery 623
Highest age recorded, Maria Gehman, wife of Rev. John Gehman,
95 yrs. 9 mos. 5 days.
Oldest couple buried on Cemetery, Rev. John Gehman, 89 yrs. and
wife Maria, 95 yrs.
Number of ministers buried on Cemetery 7
Average age of ministers 73
Average age of ministers’ wives (6) 79
Number of nonagenarians – 13 women, and 1 man 14
Number of octogenarians ---35 women, and 34 men 69
Number of septuagenarians – 40 women, and 35 men –
Attaining age of 70 or more
-- 88 women, and 70 men -- 158
Number of family names represented 59
Number of Bechtels buried on Cemetery 78
Number of Stauffers buried on Cemetery 65
Number of Moyers buried on Cemetery 41
Number of Baumans buried on Cemetery 40
Number of Oberholtzer buried on Cemetery 36
Number of Eschbachs buried on Cemetery 34
In two hundred years the Hereford Congregation has laid to rest in “God’s Acre” more than 600 bodies. Of this number, 158, or approximately 25%, attained the allotted three score years and ten. “Truly God is good to “Hereford.” (Israel) Ps. 73:1.
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Resolved—That we establish a separate fund to be known as “THE BURIAL GROUND FUND” the income of which only, is to be used to keep the burial grounds belonging to the Meeting House of the Hereford Congregation of Mennonites of the Franconia Conference District, in the Borough of Bally (formerly Hereford Township), Berks County, Pennsylvania, in perpetual good, neat and clean order, condition and repair.
Resolved—That all money or property given, bequeathed, devised or conveyed to the said congregation to be used for the said burial grounds, shall constitute the said Burial Ground Fund, shall be under the control and management of the Board of Trustees of the said congregation.
Resolved—That the Board of Trustees shall not, at any time expend any part of the principal of said Burial Ground Fund, and no part of the income thereof except on orders granted by said trustees on the treasurer of said fund.
Resolved—That the Board of Trustees shall annually exhibit to the congregation a statement showing the receipts and expenditures on behalf of the said Burial Ground Fund for the preceding year, and where and how the principal thereof is invested.
Resolved—That the said trustees shall have no power or authority to expend any part of the principal of said Burial Ground Fund, but if the annual income from said fund should at any time exceed the necessary expenditures for the same year, this congregation may, in its discretion direct such excess to be added to and become a part of such principal.
Resolved—That the Burial Ground shall be under the control and management of the Board of Trustees and that no person or persons shall grant any permission except by the consent of the Board of Trustees, and that the Board of Trustees of the aforesaid Burial Ground shall at all times be under the control and management of the above mentioned congregation.
Adopted by vote of The Hereford Congregation of Mennonites on Aug. the 11th A.D., 1929.
Signed by the Ministry and the Board of Trustees Of Mennonites as follows:
Ministry (John Kriebel
(Abraham Ehst
(Elias Kulp
Trustees (Daniel Schantz
(Solomon Gehman, Treas.
Compare, at 19th-Century Obituaries
