Back in April we posted a story about “The King of the Peninsula”, Joe Root. It was at that time we launched our AskJoeRoot column. The column is intended for readers to ask questions about Presque Isle that “Joe Root”, the foremost expert on Presque Isle, would then answer. Well, we recently had a question that we …I mean, Joe, has not been able to answer. So, we turn to you, dear readers, for any possible help you can give to answer the inquirer’s question. The inquiry is “Where is Joe Root’s final resting place?” Here is an excerpt from the e-mail we received: I have been trying to locate Joe Root’s final resting place. I have sent e-mails to the Warren and Erie Historical Society. I also dropped an email to the head of the Erie cemetery association. He did not find Joe.
So, does anyone know where Joe Root is buried, or if he has any remaining family? Please post any information or suggestions in our comments section or e-mail us at PINaturally@gmail.com Thanks in advance for any assistance you are able to provide.
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Joe Root was placed in North Warren State Hospital circa 1910, where he died. Maybe the records at NWSH may have a clue to where he is buried. There may have been a burial area on the grounds.
Thanks for your comment, Dale. I do have an e-mail and phone call into the administrator at NWSH and have been told by a friend who used to work there that there is a cemetery on the grounds. I suspect that that is where he is laid to rest. We’ll keep everyone posted as to what we find out.
Re: Joe Roots Final Resting Place:
The PA Office of Mental Health suggested I write a formal request to Dr. Aiden Altenor. He is the Director of Community and Hosp. Operations at OMHSAS…In PA.
I included all the background and dates I could find.
Regards,
Brian
Where he is not: North Warren State Hospital Cemetery. Where he might be: I have one respondent who states that Joe Root is buried in the North Orwell Cemetery. I have yet to confirm but that is a good place to go from here.
I feel that there should be a monument or state historical sign post to honor Joe and also to tell his story as Presque Isle’s first care taker. We are fast approaching 100 years since his departch in 1910 and Death in 1912.I thnk it would be grand to have a life size bronze of him like I have seen in other places in my travels.
Still no word for the State…
The Warren Historical Society reports they can not find Joe Root. Hmmmm.
The information I received by word of mouth is that the State of Pa was not so kind to Old Joe. Word has it he was driven off the peninsula as a squatter and fears he would claim the land as his own. Since they determined he was a pauper and homeless he was sent to the “poor house” which at that time was somewhere west on Rte 5. It would be interesting to find out what really happened to this man.
We agree that it would be interesting and important to find out what happened to this man. It appears that he was born and lived at several different times at the “poor house” you mentioned. It will be 100 years ago next year that he was allegedly sent to North Warren where he died two years later. It would be nice to have this solved sometime before then.
I am left wondering if Joe ever returned to Erie. If he did he may have taken shelter at the old Alms house located at 23rd and Pittsburgh Avenue.((( He had lived their with his monther off and on.))If so he would have been burried in the Alms house cemetery. To complicate matters this cemetery was moved to Girard. However I read that some gaves were left in place as they were under railroad lines and paved areas. I did see a listing of names assocated with the old Alms house cemetery. Joe Root was not listed. They relocated in 1977. I recall watching the workers unearth the graves as a youth.
Still no word from the PA OMHSAS. I wrote a fromal request as instructed to do so my Warren and Others.
I agree it would have ben good to be able to do something for Joe on the 100th year of his banishment.
The PA historical soc. sent me an application for a state historical sing. However they suggest Joe was more a regional figure…not a state wide or national figure. So they would not grant him a sign. Thye suggest perhaps something could be done locally.
We found out what happned to Joe Root.I got an e-mail from Brian Gula and Environmental Ed Spec. at PI. He said that the practice of the time was to send bodys to the the anatomical board in Philly for scientic study. The remains of several people were placed together in a box and burried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Philly.
Now we know. Sad.
Brian perhaps we can still see if it would be possible to do some kind of a memorial or marker for Joe Root on a local level. He is a legend and has an interesting story.
Perhaps…However I imagine some might not want to be reminded of what are community did to Joe.
Interesting My wife and I took a drive to Warren, early Summer This Year. We actually look for his grave at the State Hosp Cemetary. were unable to find it. I think It would be great to find him and have him placed on Presque Isle. Where He truly belongs. Also have often Thought there should be a statue of him standing beteen the entrance and exit of the Park Greeting people. Joe Was railroaded by the State and Community…….
I agree with David. While finding Joe’s remains does not seem possible a statue welcoming folks to the park would be grand.
One writer shared that often folks who died at the state hosp….having no attachements…were sent to philly for medical use. Then when they were done with the bodies they was burried in the odd fellows (name less) cemetery…which I think has been since relocated. uhg!
I did contact the state about perhaps placing one of those historical signs up. However they said Joe Root was more a local…and not state wide persons of historical interest.
Again Dave’s idea sound great.Now all we need is money.
I am so happy yo find this thread. I have long discussed among friends that we should bring Joe home. They brought Harry Burleigh back to Erie in the 1990s. He was in NYC. Let’s bring Joe back. I think we can find him. I am going to speak to some people. If you guys are serious, I am in…
Angus, thank you for your comment. We are serious and thanks to Brian who spearheaded this quest. We know it will take time and we just need the right contacts.
I wrote a letter to the editor of the Erie Times today. Perhaps he will print it or investigate further. This group seems to feel a plaque or something is good ideas, Maybe those within the large community might make things happen.
I am attempting to write a screenplay based upon the life, and subsequent arrest of Joe Root. If anybody has any links they can supply me reagrding historical documents or your own personal attempts to find out what really happened to Joe Root, I would be greatly appreciative!
I work for the Commonwealth at Warren State Hospital. We do have a cemetary on grounds which has been refurbished and mant new markers have been placed. If you are still looking I could see if he was buried here.
I work for the Commonwealth at Warren State Hospital. We do have a cemetary on grounds which has been refurbished and mant new markers have been placed. If you are still looking I could see if he was buried here. Some of the graves have grown over but there are records and the Hospital hopes to mark all the graves in time.
Aaron, thanks for the offer and feel free to look if you wish, but I’ve been told by the current administrator at the facility that Joe Root is not buried in the hospital cemetery. Other commenters here have also reported no luck finding Joe at WSH cemetery. Most speculation leans toward his remains being sent to the Philadelphia area for medical research.
What happened that Joe was committed? What act of violence occured??
Dan-The story surrounding Joe’s incarceration is foggy at best…during one of his trips into Erie there was some sort of physical altercation with another individual and as a result Joe was convicted and sent to WSH. Most accounts of the story say that Joe was “railroaded” and that the fight was a set-up by local officials who feared Joe, as a squatter on Presque Isle, would claim squatters right to the land.
Thanks for keeping this conversation alive. We may still figure out some way to commemorate Joe at Presque Isle. I guess in a way Brian Gula is a living commemoration as he portrays Joe Root in his interesting and informative presentations for the DCNR. I do hope that Bob Bohen, who commented back in May, does write a screenplay about the life and times of Joe Root.
His story is wonderful and sad. I have been writing a musical theater piece based on the last two years of his life. My deadline is Oct of 2012 the 100th anniversary of his death. I would like to stage a preview and start generating a local buzz in the public awareness of Erie starting April 14,2011, one-hundred one years to the day he was removed. If all goes as planned, it would be a good time to push for a statue somewhere in Erie. I’ll do the song and dance to get their attention. Let’s be ready to move on the statue.
You’re the second commenter who mentioned working on a stage piece about Joe Root. I guess he truly is an inspiration.
Odd Fellows cememtery in Philly was paved over in 1950′s and a housing project built on it. Supposedly all the bodies were moved at that time but in late 1990′s they tore down the housing project and in the process unearthed bones, caskets etc etc. The story continues……
Yes, I guess it does:( Thanks for the information. I am afraid we will never really know what happened to Joe Root…unless maybe I can get 20/20 or 60 Minutes to do some digging. Hmmm.
While researching Joe Root before naming my restaurant after him, I found a file on him at the Blasco Library and there are 42 pages on him at the Erie County Historical Society on State St. David Frew a local author has information on Joe Root that I didn”t find elsewhere. I have a number of unpublished photos of him that customers have brought in over the years.
That’s great! I’d love to post some of the unpublished photos if you’d be willing to scan and e-mail any to me. This blog post has gotten far and away the most response and is definitely an area of interest in this region. Our initial thought in writing the piece was to try and find Joe Root’s final resting place. We also want to make people aware of Joe’s role in the folklore and history of Presque Isle. We still don’t know for sure where he is laid to rest but most indications are that his remains were sent to a medical research facility in Philly and buried there. Short of knowing exactly where his final resting place is, we’d like to see him at least get a “monument” of some sort on Presque Isle. In the meantime, I think your restaurant serves as an excellent tribute! We’ve had our Mother’s Day dinner there for the past several years and I highly recommend it to people looking for a great place to eat near Presque Isle.
Joe Root is buried in Odd Fellows Cemetary in Philadelphia PA, according to what I read.