During the Civil War in 1855, Mr. Russell Smith purchased land at Edgehill Heights, which is not far from today’s North Penn VFW 676 of Glenside.  

According to local historian Mike Leibrandt, one day in 1861 Russell’s daughter Mary was playing in the nearby woods and found a bayonet from the Revolutionary War. Upon further inspection, the family determined that she had found the grave of four Continental soldiers who had been killed during the defense of the Heights in 1777 during the Battle of Edgehill.  

In 1953, Xanthus Smith, Russell Smith’s grandson, allowed the four bodies to be exhumed and they were re-buried in front of the VFW. The 1953 re-burial included a Memorial Day celebration.  

In their honor, residents erected a memorial stone and plaque in the residential area where the soldiers were found. The plaque’s inscription wore off long ago but the memorial stone (pictured above) is still there.

Driving instructions to the site:

Proceed to Shoemaker’s Mill. Turn left onto Jenkintown Rd. and proceed to Washington Ln. (Jenkintown Rd. becomes Walnut along the way.) Turn right onto Washington Ln., left onto Township Line Rd. and right onto Old York Rd. Continue to Church Rd. Turn right onto Church Rd. and immediately left onto Shoemaker’s Mill site.

For more information about the Battle of Edgehill, you can visit this website about driving tours.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.