Overview

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As early as 1788, in the year in which he founded the town that now bears his name, David Mead recognized the need to establish a local burial ground. In 1811 he deeded land at the present day corner of Randolph Street and Park Avenue to the Presbyterian Church . In 1813 it was enclosed by a fence. At that time, it cost $0.50 to bury an adult, $0.25 for a child, and $1.00 for a "stranger".

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the limited size of the cemetery and its location in the middle of the growing downtown district suggested the relocation of the burial ground. Several leading citizens of the community agreed to take on the task and arranged for the purchase of land parcels at the end of Randolph Street, some in Meadville itself and many in what is now West Mead Township. They were successful, and the new grounds were incorporated as the Meadville Cemetery.

On March 11, 1852 the remains in the Randolph Street Cemetery were disinterred and moved to the present day location. Though they were placed in one large grave, the individual grave markers were also moved and may be found in a central section of Greendale. The original charter from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives still exists. You can view the document's outside, or you can view the inside.

In 1853 the area gained a new name as Greendale Cemetery and designation as both a park and a burial ground. Though a municipal project, it had been created by private citizens for the community. It would, in accordance with Pennsylvania law and its charter, be administered by an independent board of corporators and managers elected by that board and operate on a non-profit basis as a service to area residents.

The archway was built in 1865 at a cost of only $315. In 1874, the receiving vault was erected for $2,100. In 1875, the house originally built in 1856 for the sexton was moved within the gated area, and designated the superintendent's home.

In 1875 Herman Munz was hired to plant the grounds, and today over 1500 rhododendrons decorate the grounds.


Presidents:
  1.     John Dick: 5/17/1852 - 4/12/1862
  2.     Frederick Huidekoper: 4/12/1862 - 7/18/1865
  3.     Richard Craighead: 7/18/1865 - 5/14/1866
  4.     Arthur Cullum: 5/14/1866 - 4/11/1874
  5.     Jonathan Hammett: 4/11/1874 - 5/6/1889
  6.     James D. Gill: 5/6/1889 - 5/7/1894
  7.     Christian M. Boush: 5/7/1894 - 6/12/1899
  8.     Edgar Huidekoper: 6/12/1899 - 8/30/1929
  9.     E. P. Cullum: 8/30/1929 - 5/4/1942
  10.     J. George Heckman: 5/4/1942 - 9/21/1948
  11.     Carl A. Gilbert: 9/21/1948 - 6/22/1972
  12.     Mervin G. Shryock: 8/17/1972 - 5/19/1980
  13.     John J. Werle Sr.: 5/19/1980 - 6/19/1995
  14.     Richard Pierson: 6/19/1995 - 12/31/2002
  15.     Abe Finton: 1/1/2003 - 12/19/2006
  16.     John Werle Jr.: 2/20/2007 - 8/13/2013
  17.     James Patterson: 10/15/2013 - 12/11/2018
  18.     Chris Junker: 2/19/2019 - 8/13/2021
  19.     Jan VanTuil: 8/13/2021 - Present

Old time meeting minutes 

7/23/1854: Price of lots=$.05/sq. ft. (8/1/1860 price=$.10/sq. ft.)

10/24/1854: Corporators appointed a committee to procure a "sexton" and a house

10/30/1854: Herman Leo hired for one year (200 days work to be given at a price of $200.00); first job to repair all fences around the grounds and secure the same against all depredation of cattle and swine; 2 men to be employed to take down such trees as necessary.

Interment fees
Date - Adult - Child
Oct. 1854 - $2.00 - $1.50
Jan. 1857 - $2.50 - $2.00
Apr. 1865 - $3.00 - $2.00

12/1/1854: William Jones paid $4.50 for splitting 600 fence rails at $.75/100 rails.

5/1/1855: Lewis Perkins paid $15.00 for cutting 30 cords of wood; "resolved that the hewed posts be sold for $.08 each"

9/29/1855: Lewis Perkins paid $7.50 for making 500 stakes

5/31/1856: Lewis Perkins employed as sexton and superintendent of cemetery grounds at salary not exceeding $300/yr; approved building erected for use of sexton not to exceed $500.

11/1/1856: Clark and Stewart paid $485 in full for building sexton's house (original bid was $888)

3/28/1857 & 5/9/1857: Removal of bodies buried without authority

1/7/1863: Lewis Perkins' salary increased to $400/year

4/1/1865: Lewis Perkins' salary increased to $600/year

5/10/1867     
Price of Lots
Sections - Price
1,2,3 & 6 - $.15/sq. ft.
5 & 7 - $.20/sq. ft.

5/19/1867: Lewis Perkins' salary increased to $700/year

10/3/1870: Gates purchased for $315

7/2/1873: Price of lots in Section 1 increased to $.20/sq. ft.

4/8/1874: Bids received for erecting receiving vault; J.A. Grindrod: $2500, Carpenter and Matthews: $2546

4/11/1874: Death of Arthur Cullum, President, announced

7/25/1874: Superintendent home moved to location inside gates; moving and repairing house and excavating
cellar ($108); building chimney ($11); carpentry ork ($117.37); masonry work ($9.50)

8/17/1874: Superintendent instructed to procure and set 30 white oak hitching posts; plastering work to house ($116.66)

10/14/1874: Bill from Carpenter and Matthews for receiving vault ($1375)

?/?/1875: Lewis Perkins asked to resign as Superintendent effective June 1

5/31/1875: Lewis Perkins, Superintendent, disappeared; any claims for money paid to him for lots to be left with Board of Managers for action

?/?/1875: Perkins' resignation received; Herman Menz hired at $700/yr. ($58.33/mo.) and "free use of house"

4/14/1875: President and Superintendent authorized to appoint a grave digger at not to exceed $40/mo., to give all his time to the corporation and to be allowed no extra charges

4/29/1875     
Scale of prices for keeping burial lots in order per year
Sq. footage - Price
100 sq. ft. - $1 each
each addl. 100 sq. ft to 500 sq. ft. - $.75 each
for each 100 sq. ft. over 500 sq. ft. - $.50
for each 100 sq. ft. over 1000 sq. ft. - $.25

7/5/1875: Trust fund established

4/13/1876: Price for sodding and care of lots increased

7/6/1876: Herman Menz (Superintendent) and N. Weidenbaugh (Asst.?) authorized to arrest any person desecrating or destroying any property on the grounds, or for indecorous actions

5/3/1880: Memorial for Herman Menz

5/15/1889: Employed two men as "watchmen"; tickets sold for admission on Sundays

3/2/1891: Lease to Railway Company (New York, Lake Erie and Western Railway) for a reservoir and use of water; water from stream in ravine piped to railroad tracks at Center St. for use in engines

3/4/1896: Memorial for H.L. Richmond (?)

8/2/1897: Agreement to have St. Agathas attach to water line

8/30/1897: Contract with John Zimmerman for Superintendent's house ($1920)

6/2/1900: Complaint by Louisa Werle and others about Superintendent

5/6/1901: New by-laws adopted

11/2/1901: New rules and regulations adopted

11/11/1903: Secretary found to be $1877.06 short

4/1/1904: Superintendent recommends that Secretary "get the money and pay each man (on pay day) for good time is lost and besides men get too much whiskey which incapacitates them for rest of day"
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