Graphic rendering of the text AP HomeSlavery to
freedom
Afican American mourners accompany a horse-drawn carriage and casket circa 1900. Image created with the assistance of AI.  Graphic rendering of the text Rising Free, Free Persons of Color

Vibrant Black communities arise
from the ashes of slavery

Midland Cemetery~ 
Names of Persons Buried at Midland Cemetery

Newspaper Notices of Interments, 1904-1907

Midland Cemetery was rescued from neglect by local historian Barbara B. Barksdale, who began the Friends of Midland organization. That organization is the best source of information on the cemetery. They can be contacted at the following address:
Friends of Midland, P. O. Box 7442, Steelton, Pennsylvania 17113-0442.

Below are transcriptions of interment notices at Midland Cemetery published in local newspapers between 1904-1907. Notices are listed in chronologial order by date of publication.

Newspaper notices from 1894-1899 are here.

Newspaper notices from 1900-1903 are here.

This is not a complete list of the burials at Midland. Supplemental lists of names are listed below, and are added as we transcribe documents, interview persons, and discover new information.  Click here for an alphabetical list.


Porter, Sarah
Death of Mrs. Sarah Porter.
Mrs. Sarah Porter died Monday evening at her home, 129 Ridge street. She was twenty-seven years old. Interment will take place in the Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 23 March 1904

Hill, George A.
The funeral of George A. Hill, son of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Hill, was held yesterday from their home on Chambers street, services being conducted by Rev. R. H. Nickens. Interment was made in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 23 April 1904

Roebuck Child
A child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Roebuck died at the home of its parents, 304 Ridge street, last night, after a short illness of heart trouble. The funeral service will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, interment being made in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 5 May 1904

Morris, Charles
The funeral of Charles Morris, who died from the effect of injuries received in a stone quarry, took place from his late residence this afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment was made in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 26 July 1904

Brown, Barton
The funeral of Barton Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Brown, who died on Sunday from a severe attack of typhoid fever, took place from the residence of his parents on Chambers street yesterday afternoon. The services were held at the house. The remains were interred in the Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 17 August 1904

Norton, Harriet
Funeral of Harriet Norton.
Funeral services of Harriet Norton, who died at the county almshouse, were held this afternoon at the undertaking establishment of Dunkle & Knoderer. Interment was made in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 4 February 1905

Lewis, Annie
The funeral services of Mrs. Annie Lewis, age 64 years, will be held on Sunday morning at 11 o'clock in the A.M.E. church. Interment will be made in the Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 22 March 1905

The funeral of Mrs. Annie Lewis, who died on Tuesday evening, took place from her late residence, 170 Ridge street, yesterday morning at 11 o'clock. The funeral proceeded to the First A.M.E. Church, Second and Adams streets, where the funeral services were conducted by Rev. W. R. Gullins, pastor of the church, assisted by Rev. G. R. Cloverdale, of Carlisle, a former pastor of the A.M.E. Church of this place. The remains were interred in the Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 27 March 1905

Whitley, Clarence
The funeral services of Clarence Whitley were held this afternoon from the home, 46 Furnace street, Rev. W. R. Gullins officiating. Interment was made in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 23 May 1905

Bailor, Rachael
The funeral of Mrs. Rachael Bailor, who died suddenly on Tuesday morning at 8:30 o'clock from a heart trouble, took place from the residence of her husband, Washington Bailor, 216 North Front street, this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The services were conducted by Rev. W. D. Gullins, pastor of the A.M.E. Church, and Rev. Mr. Mattiott, pastor of the First Baptist Church, on Adams street. The remains were taken to Midland cemetery, near Enhaut and interred in the family plot.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 22 June 1905

Arrington, Thomas C.
KILLED BY SHIFTER.
Colored Man Struck While Wandering Along the Railroad Track.
Thomas Arrington, colored, aged about 35 years, was struck by a shifting engine on the Philadelphia and Reading railway branch, a short distance above Franklin street, about 1 o'clock this morning and died within half an hour.
The man worked at the open hearth department of the Pennsylvania steel works and had been around the Florence House early in the evening and had been drinking. He wandered alogn the railroad track later on. He had been a resident of Steelton for some time and boarded with a family named Lucker, at 133 1/2 Adams street. When the man was found he was still living, although he had a leg crushed and was terribly cut about the head. The ambulance was summoned and he was taken to the Harrisburg hospital, where he died a half hour later. No arrangements have been made for the funeral yet.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 27 June 1905

Arrington to Be Buried To-Morrow.
Thomas C. Arrington, who was killed by a shifting engine Monday night, will be buried to-morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock from H. Wilt's undertaking establishment, 55 South Front street, Steelton. The interment will be made in Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 28 June 1905

To Remove Body to Virginia.
The body of Thomas B. Arrington, who was killed on the Philadelphia and Reading railway siding on Tuesday, will be shipped to Culpepper Court House, Va., this evening by Undertaker H. Wilt. Friends of the dead man arrived in the borough last evening and made arrangement for the removal of the body.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 29 June 1905

Remains Taken Away.
The remains of B. W. Arrington, who was killed by a shifting engine on the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad in south Harrisburg a few days ago, were shipped to Washington last evening and from there to Culpepper Court House, Va., by his sister and a brother who came to this place yesterday at noon.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 30 June 1905

Balsley, Eliza
Funeral Yesterday.
The funeral of Mrs. Eliza Balsley, formerly of this place, but a resident of Rockville, took place from the residence of friends in this place yesterday. She died in Rockville on Monday and the remains were brought to this place yesterday and interred in the Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 6 July 1905

Hunter, Emma
FUNERAL YESTERDAY.
The funeral of Mrs. Emma Hunter, a well-known colored woman, who died on Friday, took place from her late residence, 852 North Front street, yesterday afternoon. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. E. Marriott, pastor of the First Baptist Church, on Adams street. The remains were interred in the family plot in the Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 17 July 1905

Angrey, Jane MRS. JANE ANGREY DEAD.
Mrs. Jane Angrey, after a very brief illness, died at her residence, 919 Cumbler's Row, early yesterday morning. Funeral services were held at Mt. Zion's Baptist Church, on Locust street, this afternoon. The remains were interred in the Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 26 July 1905

Madden, Rebecca
MRS. REBECCA MADDEN
Mrs. Rebecca Madden, aged 35, died Saturday at her residence, 409 South Front street of pneumonia.
Several weeks ago the house adjoining her's took fire and her home was flooded with water. She contracted a cold which developed into pneumonia. She is survived by several sisters. The funeral will take place from the residence to-morrow. The body will be interred in the Midland cemetery near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 15 January 1906

Clark, Blake McNeal
BLAKE McNEAL CLARK.
Blake McNeal Clark, aged one year, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russel Clark, died yesterday of pneumonia. The funeral will be held to-morrow at 10 o'clock from the home in Oberlin. Interment will be in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 7 July 1906

Benson, Charles
BOY ELECTROCUTED
Caught in Wires and Killed Instantly
Eleven-year-old Charles Benson, colored, who lived with his parents in Cumbler's Row, in the East End, was caught in some electric wires and electrocuted yesterday afternoon, shortly after 4 o'clock.
Young Benson was going to the Y.M.C.A. field to watch the candidates for the football team practice and it was while climbing up the steep hill that he met with the accident. Working men were stringing the wires to the field for lighting purposes for the team to practice at night and it is thought that he caught the wire to assist himself up the hill.
When the members of the High school team were going to the field the boy was found lying on the ground. His hand was still clutched about the wire and his body was all drawn up in a heap. The boys at once recognized the boy as young Benson. He had been dead apparently for at least an hour.
Fearing to come in contact with the current one of the boys took a large stick and pushed the wire away to a safe distance. The boys notified some of the employes of the quarry and the body was taken to the Benson home.
No arrangements have been made for the funeral.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 29 September 1906

The funeral of Charles Benson, the colored boy who was electrocuted at the Y.M.C.A. field Friday afternoon by grasping an electric wire, took place from the residence of his parents in Cumbler's Row in Upper Swatara township this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The body was iinterred in Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 1 October 1906

Blakey, Bernard
FUNERAL OF BERNARD BLAKEY
The funeral of Bernard Blakey, one of Steelton's foremost colored residents, who died on Sunday morning, took place from his late residence, 200 Adams street, this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The funeral services were held at the First Baptist church on Adams street and were conducted by Rev. N. A. Marriott, pastor of the church, of which deceased was a prominent member, assisted by the colored clergy of Harrisburg. Many floral tributes were sent by friends. The remains were interred in Midland cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 16 January 1907

James, Mrs.
FUNERAL YESTERDAY
The funeral of Mrs. Charles R. James, who died on Tuesday, took place from her late residence, 409 Lebanon street, yesterday. The funeral cortege proceeded to Mt. Zion's Baptist church on Locust street, where funeral services were held. The services were conducted by the pastor of the church, Rev. Mr. Crittenden. The remains were interred in the Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 25 March 1907

Fields, James L.
FUNERAL OF JAMES L. FIELDS
The funeral of James L. Fields, janitor of the Felton school for years, who died on Tuesday, took place from his late residence, 446 Ridge street this morning at 10 o'clock. The funeral was in charge of Swatara Lodge, No. 1901, G.U.O. of O.F., of which deceased was a charter member. He was also a member of Grand Lodge of G.U.O. of O.F. of Pennsylvania. The funeral cortege proceeded to the new Monumental A.M.E. church, Adams and Second street where services were held by Rev. Dr. Johnson, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Harrisburg, assisted by Rev. Dr. Gullins, pastor of the new Monumental church. The services were impressive and the funeral the largest held this year among the colored people. The remains were interred in the Midland Cemetery.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 30 March 1907

Jefferson, John B.
Funeral of John B. Jefferson.
The funeral of John B. Jefferson, who died at his home on Adams street on Monday, was held this afternoon at 2 o'clock from Mt. Zion Baptist church on Locust street. Rev. Thomas C. Crittenden, conducted the services. Interment was made in Midland cemetery. Swatara lodge of G.U.O. of O.F. and the Gallilean Fishermen attended in a body.
Harrisburg Daily Independent, 19 June 1907

Bailor, Washington A.
FUNERAL OF MR. BAILOR.
The funeral of Washington A. Bailor, who dropped dead Tuesday morning, took place this afternoon, at 2 o'clock, from the residence of his daughter, Mrs. William Johnson. The funeral services were held in Monumental A.M.E. Church, and in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Mr. Gullins, who is on his vacation, Rev. Richard Johnson conducted the services. The remains were interred in the Midland cemetery, near Enhaut.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 29 August 1907.


Additional Burials at Midland

Additional Names, List B
Additional Names, List C
Additional Names, List D

More Midland Pages

The Civil War Burials at Midland
African American Burial Traditions at Midland
World War Burials at Midland
Gallery of Home Crafted Tombstones
Gallery of Plot Boundary Markings
Artifacts of a Historic Cemetery

Other Pages

Steelton Death Certificates, 1892-1893
About the Friends of Midland

The People of Midland

Clayton E. Carelock

Return to Midland Introduction

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