While going back through my travel notes I found this interesting story.
9 May 1994 I had a visit with Robert L. “Booter” Cessna on RR 4, Bedford, PA Robert said he grew up on the Cessna Farmstead but sold it in 1955. He then lived Two houses North. From the Cove Methodist Protestant Church, as you stand in the door, the Major John farm is 200 yards SW. The land just south of the church is part of it also. Robert remembered a large stone house just south of the present house (which was built by his father, Thomas L. Cessna, in 1922.) The stone house had several additions. The oldest part had gun ports built into the heavy plank doors and windows which had wide, hand forged hinges. He remembered the stone foundation of a log cabin just east of the stone bank, close to Cove Creek. Robert remembered the old cemetery being about 300 feet NNW of the present house. It was on top of the bank, above the flood plane. But it disappeared and been farmed over since he sold the land. A marker is at the Cove Methodist Church Cemetery which comments that those buried in that plot. He said the cemeteries for the families of Rose’s and Resslers have been lost in a similar manner…stones destroyed and land farmed over. He states that the farmstead was bought by John Cessna II from Mr. McClay. He did not know if it was John II or John III who first lived there. Robert was in his 80’s. He was the custodian of Cove Methodist Church and it’s cemetery.
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AuthorBill Cissna Archives
June 2023
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