William was the second child of eight and second son of William Birnie and Mary Watson Birnie. He arrived in the United States with his parents and three siblings on 13 July 1869. Shortly after arriving in New York City Mary gave birth to William's sister and the whole family departed for St. Petersburg, PA, presumably to participate in the worlds first oil boom.
According to a family account, William died at age 17 after being "overcome by oil fumes at an oil well." This burial location is according to a PA-Roots.com record and although PA-Roots.com can not tell me where the record came from all of the accompanying information rings true. The St. Petersburg Cemetery Association was contacted and they don't have any burial records prior to 1900. They also don't recall seeing a headstone with the Birnie name on it and suggest that it might be one that has worn off over the years. Could the PA-Roots.com record have come from the elusive 1811-1883 Peter Jackson, St. Petersburg Cemetery inventory mentioned in the 1887 History of Clarion County?
According to a family account, William died at age 17 after being "overcome by oil fumes at an oil well." This burial location is according to a PA-Roots.com record and although PA-Roots.com can not tell me where the record came from all of the accompanying information rings true. The St. Petersburg Cemetery Association was contacted and they don't have any burial records prior to 1900. They also don't recall seeing a headstone with the Birnie name on it and suggest that it might be one that has worn off over the years. Could the PA-Roots.com record have come from the elusive 1811-1883 Peter Jackson, St. Petersburg Cemetery inventory mentioned in the 1887 History of Clarion County?
William was the second child of eight and second son of William Birnie and Mary Watson Birnie. He arrived in the United States with his parents and three siblings on 13 July 1869. Shortly after arriving in New York City Mary gave birth to William's sister and the whole family departed for St. Petersburg, PA, presumably to participate in the worlds first oil boom.
According to a family account, William died at age 17 after being "overcome by oil fumes at an oil well." This burial location is according to a PA-Roots.com record and although PA-Roots.com can not tell me where the record came from all of the accompanying information rings true. The St. Petersburg Cemetery Association was contacted and they don't have any burial records prior to 1900. They also don't recall seeing a headstone with the Birnie name on it and suggest that it might be one that has worn off over the years. Could the PA-Roots.com record have come from the elusive 1811-1883 Peter Jackson, St. Petersburg Cemetery inventory mentioned in the 1887 History of Clarion County?
According to a family account, William died at age 17 after being "overcome by oil fumes at an oil well." This burial location is according to a PA-Roots.com record and although PA-Roots.com can not tell me where the record came from all of the accompanying information rings true. The St. Petersburg Cemetery Association was contacted and they don't have any burial records prior to 1900. They also don't recall seeing a headstone with the Birnie name on it and suggest that it might be one that has worn off over the years. Could the PA-Roots.com record have come from the elusive 1811-1883 Peter Jackson, St. Petersburg Cemetery inventory mentioned in the 1887 History of Clarion County?
