The Dye Family cemetery was originally located on what was locally known as the Ocsar Hunnel Farm (Now property owned by Consolidated Coal), in Wayne Township, along the Brave-Jollytown road (State Route 3012). The precise location of the cemetery however is unknown. Sometime in the past, when the Hunnel's still owned the property the stones were moved from the burial sites and placed around the base of a large tree on the bank of Dunkard Creek. This tree has since been cut down, but the stones were undisturbed. Some stones still remain there today, at approximate GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 39.72970, Longitude: -80.28890. The Stones that Remain are two markers for Mary Dye, Wife of James, and a Marker for James and Mary Dye's son Rezin. There is also a base in the ground that could perhaps be the lower portion for Mary Dye's Marker, and a couple rough stone markers. At some time in the past, 1967 according to Bernard Patrick Meighen, in his "The Meighen Sept in America and Ireland", James' Marker was moved to the Meighen Cemetery (In Gilmore Township along State Route 3008) where it still stands today. James' daughter Priscilla, wife of Peter Meighen, is buried in this cemetery, as well as many of her Children and Grandchildren.
James Dye was born in New Jersey, December 1st 1769 to Andrew and Sarah (Minor) Dye. Andrew was the son of James and Sarah Dye, and Sarah (Minor) Dye was the Daughter of Steven and Athalia (Updyke) Minor, and a sister to Col. John Minor "The Father of Greene County" The Andrew Dye Family was among the earliest Settlers of Greene County Pennsylvania, and were, before settling in the western part of Greene County, members of the Goshen Baptist Church. Andrew continued west, and eventually settled in Miami County Ohio, where he died on the 5th of July 1835. The Minor Family has a very long and well recorded History, going back to Thomas Minor, who was born in 1608 in Chew Magna, Somersett County England. Thomas left England in 1629 and came to the colonies, eventually settling in Stonington Connecticut where he died in 1690.
James Dye was married on the 15th of October 1786, to Mary Knight, Daughter of Thomas and Margaret Knight. To this union, 9 children are known:
Andrew Dye
Sarah Dye
Mazy Dye
Cassandra Dye
Lytle Dye
Mary Dye
Minor Dye
John Dye
Rezin Dye
Mary (Knight) Dye, died on the 15th of June 1821, and is Buried in the Dye Family Cemetery with two markers. The first, placed around the time of her death is a simple hand carved stone marker, and the second, placed later and Matches that of her Husband James who died in 1842.
On the 17th of March 1822, James took a second wife, Anna Henderson, daughter of James and Sarah (Foster) Henderson. Anna was born the 26th of August 1801 and died sometime around 1845. She is likely also buried in the Dye Family Cemetery, but no marker for her has ever been found. To this union 6 children are known, they are:
William Dye
Priscilla Dye
Elizabeth Dye
Malinda Dye
Lucretia Dye
Amasa Dye
James Dye was an early and Prominent Justice of the Peace in Greene County and though many of the details of his daily life have been lost time time, he was surely a very well respected man in his day. He still has many descendants in the area, though now the surname Dye is uncommon, his children married in the the Meighen, Cumberledge, Long, Siles, Bradford, Mundell and many other families.
This Medallion is placed on James Dye's Marker in the Meighen Cemetery, in Gilmore Township, Greene County PA, to record what is left of the the Dye Family Cemetery, and record this history of how James Marker came to this location. It is my earnest hope that someday the other markers can be saved and brought to this Cemetery, so that they too can be viewed by Dye Descendants and preserved for generations to come.
Matthew W. Cumberledge
Brave Pennsylvania
22 June 2011
UPDATE:
On 6 July 2012, I obtained a liscense agreement with Consolidated Coal, to preserve these stones, and move them to the Meighen Cemetery so they can stand along side James Dye's Marker. The preservation measures are in progress, and to see a photo slideshow of the current progress, please go to the "Video" tab above or click the Flickr link under the "Additional Info" tab. More updates will follow.
MWC
8 July 2012
UPDATE:
On 15 September 2012, Both Headstones for Mary Dye were moved to the Meighen Cemetery, and Set in place. Please see the "Photo" Tab for updated pictures.
MWC