This is a small cemetery that many local people think used to be a Church Cemetery. However, most people, to whom I have spoken, can't remember what the name or denomination, of the Church, was. However, I feel it must have been the Presbyterian Church since that is what is recorded in the Book, "Armstrong County Pennsylvania, Her People, Past and Present...," Volume I, J.H. Beers & Co., Chicago, Ill., 1914, pp281-283. And now, today (27 Aug. 2009) I have spoken with the Rev. Mary Marks-King and Russell Snyder, both long time residents, of Cowansville and they both inform me that this cemetery is indeed the Rich Hill United Presbyterian Cemetery. Mary is the current Reverend of the Union First Presbyterian Church, which is in front of the Cowansville Cemetery and Russell is an avid local historian; also one of the members of the Cowansville Cemetery Foundation. Also, Rob Minteer has done some valuable research into this place and has discovered that it most likely started out as the Rich Hill Seceder Church and later bacame Presbyterian. (See the RICH HILL SECEDER CHURCH listing, with findagrave for that History.)

The Presbyterian Church, in Armstrong County was first established in Slate Lick and very shortly thereafter, in what would become Cowansville. (Slate Lick in late 1798 and Cowansville in 1799) And the Cowansville Church was known, to most, as Boyd's Meeting House, in reference to the Rev. John Boyd, its' first Pastor, who founded both Churches. Indeed, according to this document, this church was the First Church in Armstrong County. Now Rev. Boyd first established his Pastorate, with the Presbyterian Church, in Slate Lick, in late 1798, and that is, most likely, why the Church in Cowansville was referred to as the "Upper Meeting House." This Cowansville Presbyterian Church was called Boyd's Upper Meeting House as late as 1847, even though Rev. Boyd had left the Pastorate, in 1810. The Church, in Cowansville, was used, officially, as the meeting of the Presbytery on 2 June 1802 and later, in the same year, formed into the Union Presbyterian Church and this was 47 years before the town of Cowansville was even laid out.

Now the Church, which stood on this plot of land was known as the Rich Hill United Presbyterian Church and this is not to be confused with the Current Union first Presbyterian Church, about a quarter mile down the road from this cemetery. This Rich Hill Church is the one mentioned in Beers as being founded in 1810. A century later, in 1910, according to Russell Snyder, the old church had not held a service in a number of years, membership had dwindled and the building had fallen into great disrepair. In that year, there was a town celebration, where a Church Service was held, a picnic or a dinner was attended, speeches given, the 100th anniversary of the Church was hailed and, at the conclusion of the festivities, the Church was dissolved and disbanded. Subsequently, the church building and property were sold and the remaining membership of the Rich Hill United was merged with the Union First Presbyterian Church, "down the road." All that remains today is the old cemetery where the majority of the markers are in fairly good shape for as old as they are.

Cowansville was initially known as Middlesex and was named this, by it's founder, William McClatchey. But the residents insisted on calling it Cowansville, in honor of the land's former owner, John Cowan, who by the way, was a Presbyterian and is buried in this Cemetery! Now, no one has yet been able to tell me when the town officially became Cowansville and there are reports of people referring to this place, as Middlesex, well into the 20th century and indeed, some of the "Old Timers" still use that referrence. However, today it is oficially recognized as Cowansville and even has a Post Office, by that name

Now, on the day I was there, I took some photos and if one looks at the upper part of the first Cemetery Photo, where one can see the Woodline...I discovered, on the ground, an outline which looked like it was a "Greener" spot, in the grass. Now, this outline is in a perfect rectangle of about 60 or 70 feet in length and about 40 feet wide. This would probably be the remains of an old foundation, if it was dug up. This "greener outline" corresponds to the measurements, given in the Armstrong County History book, as to the dimensions of the first log church. Also, inside this "greener" rectangle was another "Green" outline and it is a perfect two foot square, which is located about in the place an old chimney foundation would be if a wood stove was placed in the building. This rectangle outline, on the ground, is probably the location of the "Old Church." It is my opinion that two things are true: 1st - this cemetery is the one, which was described in the Armstrong County History book, that was adjacent to the Church and 2nd - that it is the "Old" Rich Hill United Presbyterian Church Cemetery, which may have sometimes been known as the 1st Midway Church Cemetery. (Although it is easy to see why this name confusion existed, since the Midway Church was a different Church (also another Presbyterian Church) and stood, about 2 miles distant, on Present Day Route 268, in the vacinity of the old Country Paradise Park...the Midway Presbyterian Church was about "Midway" between the Union Church and the East Brady Church.)

Driving directions: From the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 268 and Business US Route 422, in West Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA, drive north and west on PA 268 for 6.52 miles, thru the village of Cowansville, to the intersection of Route 268 and Pence Road. At this intersection, turn left, off 268, into the field where this cemetery is.