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Old Beaver Cemetery

Milestones Vol 14 No. 4

In the old graveyard at Beaver, there was a Mexican War soldier buried who died on a boat coming up the river. He was buried with the honors of war. His name was William Thomas, a member of Captain Joe Hill's Company D, 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers. His company records at Harrisburg show him as mustered in January 4,1848; deceased July 12 the same year, 'from disease contracted in the service". A buddy of his came to Beaver later and enlisted the citizens of the town to raise funds for a suitable headstone. This was done and the stone's top was broken off obliquely, indicating premature death of a soldier. The inscription read: "William Thomas, native of Philadelphia and a member of the 1st Penn. Vols., died on his return from Mexico, and buried here with military honors in August 1848. (Error - it should have been July)