Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument Pavia PA

by Steve Fogel
(Bakersfield CA)

LOST CHILDREN'S MONUMENT

LOST CHILDREN'S MONUMENT

I took this photo of the Lost Children's monument in Pavia PA about 10 years ago. It is quite a hike through the woods off the beaten path to find it. Well worth the trip to see this monument to a family tragedy.

Comments for Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument Pavia PA

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starstarstarstarstar 		A story becomes a legend
by: Harry Whysong

The story of the lost children has been a part of our family for generations. No doubt McCarthey's writing is the closest to fact but may still be sprinkled with conjecture. In my opinion, what's etched in stone is the only "stuff of which legends are made."
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starstarstarstarstar 		Address
by: Shannon

I am trying to find a way to map out the drive from where ill be at to this monument, but i cant seem to find an address.. Can anyone help?
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starstarstarstarstar 		Lost children
by: Rosemarie

I have only discovered the sad story of the lost children after hearing the song of Alison Kraus. It is one of the saddest stories ever. I would dearly like to know how far the children were found from their home, actually? How can be explained that thousands of men (with dogs? what about the family dog? Sure he would have found the boys' scent?) did not manage to find the poor children? What about the rumour that a woman heard a child crying from the forest? Any info about that? Did she call out to the children? It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear the song.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Book
by: Anonymous

My great grand father James A Sell wrote a book about these boys
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starstarstarstarstar 		The Cox children
by: Jeff Stone

I too had never heard of this tragedy until Allison Krause sang the song "Jacobs Dream". What a beautiful but haunting song/story about two young boys lost in the Alleghenies. I would like to visit this site and their grave marker someday as well! Does anyone know how far away the boys were found from their cabin? I havent been able to find that info as of yet, any help would be appreciated.
bodeine427@gmail.com
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starstarstarstarstar 		Story on my Website
by: Patricia

You can find the story of the Lost Children of the Alleghenies on my website at:

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com/lost-children.html.

Patricia
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starstarstarstarstar 		Lost Children Story
by: Susan Gargon-Centineo

Can someone tell me the story? I am coming in late here, and I see comments as I scroll down, but not the story itself.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Story
by: SK

I had heard Alison's song and her story of how it came to be. At the time she was with Union Station and it was a private session although it was recorded. After she had sang the song i looked it up and found that the story and when i read it. i cried and i still do to this day. i feel so sad for them boys. i also do wish to see the marker & grave marker in person someday soon.

Sincerely,
SK
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starstarstarstarstar 		My fourth great grandmother?
by: Katie

My fourth great-grandmother was Mariah Cox, born is Spruce Hollow, PA - I am trying to discover if she was an ancestor of the lost children of the Alleghenies...she is the last missing link in my maternal family. Any information would be wonderful!
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starstarstarstarstar 		From Altoona Pa
by: kevin skelley

My mother told me a couple of years before she past away that we were related to these children. I wished today I had that information since I have been working on a family tree. I have been to the site many years ago and would love to go there again.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Family?
by: mary Brown

My sister and I came across this monument while visiting where our family lived and cemetaries of the area. We have Cox,s in our family and an original book that was written for The Lost Boys. Our family tree includes Rice, Cox, Walter and Brown. All lived in the vicinity. Our Great Aunt Susanna Rice told us of this story growing up. Mary Ada Brown daughter of Charles Brown and Betty Louise Brown (Walter) you may contact me at mabrown5876@yahoo.com
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starstarstarstarstar 		Brought back memories
by: Katie

I am from that area and remember that story well. We used to stop and see the monument every time someone new was with us that had not seen it. I have not heard that ballad so will try to find it. I'm not sure the original monument showed the names of the men who found the boys and I guess my memory is faulty as I thought a women was said to have dreamed of the location of the boys. I will ask my aunt she always told us that story as a bedtime story, along with singing Two Little Orphans, Barbara Ellen, Mother Dear come Bath my Forehead and a host of other "songs to put us to sleep".
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starstarstarstarstar 		Children's laughter
by: beth in Pa

My cousin and I are huge fans of the Allison Krauss song about the lost boys so we decided to try and find the lost boys memorial. While we were there we both heard little children laughing. My car was the only one in the parking area and when we walked a little but beyond the site along the path the laughter stopped. When we turned and walked back toward the site and my car we heard the laughter start again. It sounded like two small children laughing. I decided to take a picture of the site and felt a small hand touch my leg. When I looked down to see who was touching my leg and there was no one there.
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starstarstarstarstar 		relative of Jacob
by: gramanomad@yahoo.com

my grandmother was a Dibert and I know she was related to Jacob, her name was Cora (Dibert) Foreman. She lived in Bedford, Pa. I have heard this story since I was a little child
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starstarstarstarstar 		Walking with the Lord
by: Lyle Van Cleave

Go and walk with the lord boys. What a sad and uplifting story of life and the grace of God.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Jacob's Dream
by: Anonymous

I am a huge Alison Krauss fan and I heard her talk of this story- never realizing it is on one of the cd's of her's that I own- I have been haunted by the bittersweet sadness of the words and have some relief knowing the real story- i cry evertime I hear it.....
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starstarstarstarstar 		BLUE KNOB, PENNA.
by: FINKSTER

THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORY, I GREW UP IN THIS AREA YOU HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED. THE CHILDREN OF THE MONUMENT IS A SAD STORY WE AS CHILDREN WERE WELL AWARE OF. LOCAL FOLKLORE, BUT A TRUE EVENT.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cox's Children
by: Drew

I am from the area and I have always known the story of the Cox's boys. I was taught about it in school and will pass the story on to my future children. I love hearing of the many people who came to aid in the search. The same holds true today about the people of this area and they will go out of their way to help one another.
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starstarstarstarstar 		SAD!!!!!!!
by: kelsii

I live not to far from this i walk it in the summer just to go back and visit the site its a very beautiful place and such a sad story to here. Every time i listen to the song and read about it, it brings tears to me and fills me with sorrow for those little boys. All they wanted to do was come home but lost there way. Its really comforting to know that that many people acctually care and wanted to help the family out. Rumors are just rumors and they found out the hard way. Jacob dibert and Harrison Whysong are and will always be heros to those little boys.
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starstarstarstarstar 		great great great uncles
by: Candice Price

I first discovered this story a few weeks ago when i was looking up my family genealogy, saw the family tree, and discovered that I am the great great great niece of the boys because they had a sister who was my great great great grandmother. The story touches me because so many people were involved and cared about the boys. The song by Alison Krauss is also very beautiful. It's sad that such a tragedy was suffered.
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starstarstarstarstar 		The Cox Boys
by: Mario Mathis

I just learned of this story about the Cox boys. My heart breaks for those two boys who died there.

"We're so cold and hungry and our feet are tired and sore... We promise not to stray again from our cabin door..." ~Alison Krauss

Mario Mathis
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starstarstarstarstar 		THE LOST CHILDREN
by: john

this is a great story, although very sad, it's wonderful to know that so many people can care. i never knew about this until the song. thank you for bringing the story to lite with this picture.
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starstarstarstarstar 		sad
by: abbi

this is a sad,sad,sad story. it makes tears come to my eyes as i listen to the the song dedicated to this tragedy.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Amazing
by: Lyn

What an extraordinary story! The song is so beautifully written and sung.
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starstarstarstarstar 		wow
by: Renee Boris

this has to be one of the saddest stories i've heard in my life! how awful for the family.
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starstarstarstarstar 		How terrible!!
by: Anonymous

what an awful story. I heard of it at my summer camp, and have been mesmerised with it since. I've never been to the monument, but it is a trip I would indeed like to make someday!
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starstarstarstarstar 		Times Remembered
by: Scott Kegarise

As a young boy I remember visiting a roadside plaque with a brief description of this event. Listening to Allison Krause's rendition of Jacobs dream for the first time brought back an image of that site. At the time I was unaware that her song was based on the event but after listening many times and researching I was suprised to learn that it was about this. A hauntingly beautiful ballad about a family tragedy. Almost 50 years have passed since I stood before that plaque funny how life is a circle. Although no longer a resident of PA I still visit from time to time.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Heard this story 70 years ago.
by: Unc. Don

It is not hard to get to the Monument, only a short walk off of the road and a foot bridge across the creek. Grave site is in the hamlet of Lovely, also not hard to find. The old headstone has broken in half but a new marker was put in it's place.
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star 		blue
by: Anonymous

i did not enjoy this at all.
i hated the walk there and the drive down, it's always foggy up in that joint, so i sat there and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes and chilled real hard.
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starstarstarstarstar 		family?
by: connies517@yahoo.com

My great grandfather was Harry Cox of Bellwood, PA. Do you have any geneology of the lost boys? How do I find the monument in person?

Thanks
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sad
by: Anonymous

This is a sad story but it's an interesting one thank you for posting this picture this is a great way to keep the ghost of the two young boys to rest when I was 5 or 6 my mother read this story to me and at that young age I cried for them and I've wanted to see this for myself. Thank you for posting this image by the way I'm only 15.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Lost Children of the Alleghenies Monument
by: Patricia

Thank you so much Steve for submitting the pictures you took of The Lost Children of the Alleghenies Mounument. It's so nice to be able to read the inscription close-up. I never realized that on the monument it actually states who found the children.

Yes that is hike into the forest to find the monument. I was there once and when in the area it almsot feels sacred.

Patricia

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