The Rogers Burying Ground can be found on Twin Oaks Drive. The driveway blends into the landscape but for anyone looking, it stands out. The grass is cut and clearly the never used driveway leads to something.
At some point, one could have driven in the drive but a waist-tall white pole blocks the entrance now. The walk is short however and right now, the grass is still bright green and covered in beautiful yellow and orange leaves.
The thick woods are slowly dying which seems fitting for this forgotten cemetery.
Thomas Rogers, considered Pine’s original settler, purchased 200 acres in 1796. He built a small family cemetery. In 1935, a survey of the cemetery counted 21 graves. Today, very few graves remain intact and most are illegible.
This cemetery is so interesting from a local history perspective because it may well be the first one in Pine but there is a Revolutionary War veteran buried there.
His name is Thomas Mallison.
We know he was born in Connecticut in 1753 and was a sergeant. He enlisted at 23 and served in Captain Aaron Stevens’ Company of the 7th Connecticut Regiment.
The 7th Connecticut Regiment was raised in 1776. It merged with the 5th Connecticut Regiment in 1781 and was disbanded in 1783. According to Wikipedia the 7th Connecticut Regiment fought in the Battle of Brandywine, the Battle of Germantown, and the Battle of Monmouth.
Thomas Mallison enlisted the year America declared its independence and probably served in every one of the major battles listed above. The Battle of Brandywine was fought on September 11, 1777. More troops fought in this battle and it was the longest battle of the entire war. It lasted eleven hours. The British eventually won this battle and the Americans lost 1,300 soldiers.
The Battle of Germantown was another British victory and was fought on October 4, 1777. The Americans lost 152 soldiers.
The Battle of Monmouth does not have a conclusive victor and the Americans lost 350 – 500 soldiers.
Mr. Mallison was discharged in 1779 and settled in Pine on a farm off Pearce Mill Road.
As I write this I am interested to know if the Depreciation Lands Museum in Hampton knows more about this man as he probably purchased the land in Pine through that program. The Depreciation Lands was a program for Revolutionary War vets to purchase land in lieu of payment because the newly founded United States of America did not have the money that was due to the veterans.
My husband did a land grant and land patent search and was not able to find Mallison’s name. But he also couldn’t find Thomas Rogers, Pine’s founder either. We are going to investigate further and hopefully will have something to report later.
Mr. Mallison and his wife Amy Newton Mallison raised eight children here in Pine.
Thomas Mallison died on November 7, 1813. Although illegible now, his gravestone once said, “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, not in my flesh shall I see God.”
The other graves strewn about with most resting against trees and are mostly broken. Very few can be read anymore. One was completely covered with old grass and dead leaves that I almost missed it. Thankfully I uncovered it because it is Pine’s founder, Thomas Rogers.
The little that can be read says, “In memory of Thomas Rogers who departed this Life May 8, 1808 Aged 55 Years”.
It goes on to say, “These stones (illegible) James Steel (illegible) Catherine Rogers (broken) 1847.
Obviously the original headstone was replaced by Catherine Rogers, a known child of Thomas Rogers, and James Steel, his son-in-law. (Steel was married to Elizabeth Rogers, not Catherine.)
In the 1930’s a fence was erected for Mallison and his dependents and a gate was installed in 1979. Both still exist but are falling apart. Mallison also has a veteran’s marker and flags but when I approached the flags were on the ground illustrating how few people visit and natures attempts at reclaiming the land.
My final thought on Mallison’s grave is that it is in danger of being destroyed.
A large tree near the grave is dead and hollow. The branches are falling off the tree. One very large and very long branch hovers over Mallison’s gravestone. When it snaps, it will completely destroy his gravestone, his veterans’ marker, and the remaining fence.
Do the citizens of Pine care enough to use this opportunity to beg to save it? Can we save it? Any number of things could happen but the most imminent is that branch. I’d be willing to donate a small amount towards having that branch removed. Are you?
Thanks Joe Cummings for the information that led to this story. I hope you liked it.
A history of the graveyard was written in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on May 29, 1994. Judith A. Oliver writes Decorated by Time, which can be found on page NV-3. This article was brought to my attention by one of the neighbors on Twin Oaks Drive. I thank this new friend for confirming that driveway was in fact the entrance and going to her house to find the article.
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