Greenwood History

Incorporated by Wheeling’s Civil War mayor Andrew J. Sweeney, state founder Archibald W. Campbell, Dr. Eugene A. Hildreth, W. M. List, C. H. Berry, and other prominent citizens, 37.5 acres along the National Road became Greenwood Cemetery in March 1866. Prior to the first interment on July 22, 1866, several bodies had been removed to Greenwood Cemetery from other cemeteries. Greenwood operated as a for-profit business until 1919 when it became a nonprofit corporation, as status it still maintains to this day.

Laid out in a park-like style popular with cemeteries in the mid-19th century, Greenwood was designed by civil engineer James Gilchrist. Stone cottages which can be seen in the photo above flanking either side of the main entrance gate were built to house the cemetery groundskeepers.

Since incorporation in 1866, Greenwood Cemetery’s grounds expanded to nearly 100 acres. More than 37,000 people are now buried in Greenwood Cemetery, many of whom were re-interred from other cemeteries taken that were lost to highways and building projects. 

Greenwood Cemetery is a non-denominational cemetery maintained and operated by the Greenwood Cemetery Association.

 Location

 ▶ 1526 National Road, Wheeling, WV 26003

 Images

 Prominent citizens interred in Greenwood Cemetery

▶ BACHMANN, Carl G	1890-1980	U.S. Congressman
▶ BECK, Peter Raul	1822-1893	Partner in Reymann brewery
▶ BERRY,  Leon "Chu"	1908-1941	Tenor jazz saxophonist
▶ CAMPBELL, Archibald	1833-1899	Leader in the West Virginia statehood movement, editor and part owner of the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer newspaper
▶ CARLIN,  John	1823-1887	Captain of "Carlin's Battery" during the civil war
▶ EOFF, Dr. John	1788–1859	Early Wheeling doctor, builder
▶ FARIS, Frederick	1870–1927	"Dean of Wheeling architects"
▶ FRANZHEIM, Dr. John	1866-1942	Wheeling Architect
▶ FRISSELL, Dr. John	1810–1893	Surgeon and physician
▶ HOLLIDAY, Gail Hamilton	1872–1969	First female classroom teacher in the state to obtain a doctoral degree
▶ HAZLETT,  Dr. Robert	1828-1899	Doctor and businessman
▶ HUBBARD,  Chester	1814-1891	Businessman and politician
▶ HUBBARD,  Dana	1845-1893	Newspaperman
▶ LIST, Henry K.	1821–1900	Merchant and banker
▶ LIST,  John	1815-1865	Steamboat captain
▶ MAXWELL, James	1821–1885	Early Wheeling entrepreneur
▶ NORTON,  Captain George W.	1815-1868	Iron manufacturer, Riverboat captain
▶ PAXTON,  James W.	1821-18962	Businessman, Leader in West Virginia statehood movement
▶ PETERSON, William F.	1788-1866	Businessman
▶ POLLACK, Augustus	1830–1906	Banker and cigarmaker
▶ REYMANN,  Anton	1837-1924	Brewer
▶ ROGERS,  Clara West	1887-1972	Dean of Women at West Liberty State College
▶ SCHMULBACH, Henry	1844–1915	Brewer
▶ STEENROD,  Blanche Dunlevy	1872-1939	Editor of the Pot Pourri page in the Wheeling News-Register
▶ STIFEL,  George E.	1849-1931	Founder of Stifel & Company
▶ SWEENY,  Andrew J.	1827-1893	Civil War Colonel, Early Wheeling mayor
▶ SWEENY,  Michael	1809-1875	Co-founder of Sweeney Glass Company
▶ STEBER, Eleanor	1914-1990	New York Metropolitan Opera soprano singer
▶ THOMAS, Jacob C.	1822–1898	Founder, Stone & Thomas department store
▶ WELLS,  Edgar W.	1850-1890	Architect
▶ WHITE,  Robert	1833-1915	Attorney General of West Virginia
▶ WILKENSON,  Edith Lake	1850-1890	Artist

 Related resources in our library

LOCATION:	▼ Wheeling Room (non-circulating) ▼
	The Cemeteries of Ohio County, West Virginia (Dillon, Glenna A., 2007) CALL NUMBER:  Wheeling 9293.5 D587c
	Greenwood Cemetery Tour [1991] (Greenwood Cemetery Association, 1991) CALL NUMBER:  Wheeling 9293.5 G856