This is a great story. One of the original home owners in this historic district had a daughter who witnessed the burying of troops who died as a result of the Revolutionary War. She told her father and so the story passed for hundreds of years until it became folklore. When a developer wanted to have a crack at the property which had been untouched (not surprisingly, given the perpetuated legend of a mass burial plot), Anthropologists were called into check and secure the site. Nothing was found until at the very end when some old nails were discovered lined up in the shape of a coffin. Michael Stewart, a Temple University anthropologist, found features of 29 graves with evidence suggesting that the remains were of American soldiers. The rest is history.
Years later, in 1992, some land developers wanted to build a parking lot on the burial site. At this point, it was only town legend that a grave yard existed and the townsfolk fought to keep it in tact. As these things go, legend was not good enough, and unless it could be proven, a parking lot would be made. As luck would have it, they found the diary of the great-nephew, detailing what his great-aunt had witnessed. This was fought by the developers as "here-say" and again, it had to be proven.
The townsfolk were given just four days to prove that a military burial site existed somewhere in that area. On the fourth and final day of excavating, they were rewarded for their efforts. While digging, they found rows of rose-head nails (used during that time period) in patterns, indicating where the coffins were buried. Core samples were also taken, which proved to be decomposed wood, nails, and bits of bone. Unfortunately, no clothing was discovered because Revolutionary soldiers were usually buried naked in order to save clothes for the soldiers still fighting. Because the soldiers were buried in a swampy area, it became common for the townsfolk to have to rebury them each year after the coffins became unearthed. It's no wonder only nails and core samples were found during excavation!
Today, thanks to the residents of Langhorne, the integrity of this grave yard was saved and a monumental piece of our country's past is forever preserved.
SOURCE
The Borough’s Planning Commission and Borough Council hired Dr. R. Michael Steward, of Temple University’s Department of Anthropology to chase down the documentary evidence, but he stated that it is very rare that such tales can be documented. The crew returned many times over a period of weeks and were beginning to think it was just another town story. About to give up, they tried one more time near some shrubs and found the first evidence about a foot below the surface, a series of 18th century hand-wrought rose-head nails were found, all pointing in the same direction – evenly spaced and outline a coffin. Several bone fragments and teeth were found. They estimated there were about 30 to 50 more graves.
Establishment for stewardship by Langhorne Borough began when Woods Services, Inc. dedicated this parcel to Langhorne to be preserved forever. The site occupies an area 65’ x 100’ . The site is encircled by a period farmers’ fence, flagpole, memorial bench purchased by Four Lanes End Garden Club and a granite monument noting a brief history. A Pennsylvania State Marker stands at the entrance. It has been placed in public hands for future generations to visit, learn and honor.
SOURCE
In the little town of Langhorne, sits one of the only Revolutionary burial sites in existence for such a large amount of soldiers. During those times, when soldiers were fatally wounded, where they fell was where they were buried, if they were lucky enough to be buried at all.
There is a terrific marker at the site which reads:
Buried here are soldiers who died from wounds suffered in the two Battles of Trenton, Dec. 1776-Jan. 1777, and from disease incurred during the harsh winter. After the battles, Washington's troops occupied four hospital buildings in this village, known then as Four Lanes End. Archaeological excavations in 1992 confirmed the fact that a burial ground existed here; written accounts indicated that around 166 soldiers were interred. SOURCE
The cemetery is located at the Intersection of Bellevue & Flowers Ave., Langhorne Borough. The cemetery is listed as a contributing structure to the Langhorne Historic District. There is an estimated 30 to 50 graves here.