Although the date is not clear when it first became a cemetery, and no name is legible, the oldest tombstone dates back to the early 1840’s. Among the people buried there is an historical figure to Clarion, Captain John Loomis. He was the original owner of the Captain Loomis Inn, which is still in operation on Main Street. Captain Loomis was killed at Reem’s Station, Virginia during the Civil War and is buried toward the front of the cemetery, facing 2nd Avenue. On October 28, 1940, Judson Burns of Philadelphia, a native son of Clarion formally presented the entrance gates to the Clarion Cemetery Association. The association has purchased over 30 acres and many locals take advantage of the tranquil surroundings to take a leisurely stroll or to watch the beautiful sunsets.
In March of 1855, Rev. Josue M. Young, Bishop of Erie, purchased the first acre of what is now the Immaculate Cemetery of Clarion. Ignatius Hauwiller was the first recorded death in the cemetery in 1856 and the oldest headstone is of two year old Thomas Donahue, son of J. and B. Donahue who died in 1856.
