Harrisonburg Methodist Church Cemetery - Rockingham County, Virginia - Harrisonburg Rockingham Historical Society

Cemetery	Harrisonburg Methodist Church Cemetery
Location	Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia. Corner of So. High and W. Water Sts., Harrisonburg, Virginia. The church was originally Methodist, then Brethren and now Mennonite. The marker, with 23 names on it, is on the North front end of the existing Community Mennonite Church by the steps that lead to downstairs. Note: On Oct 27, 2003 the contents of the crypt with the 23 names were moved to Woodbine Cemetery at the corner of Ott and West Market St. The Daily News Record of Oct 28 described the ceremony.
Notes	The marker has 23 names that are listed as grave 001 thru 023. It only lists the names. All dates, ages, remarks and graves 024 thru 027 are taken from J. Robert Swank's records of 1967 and from a paper titled "The Old Methodist Burial Ground" located in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society files. When the church was enlarged the next of kin moved their relatives to other cemeteries and the remaining burials were put into one grave with the above marker. Mr. Swank noted "Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Rodgers of KY told me 5/4/1969 at monument that his grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Rodgers were buried in the Methodist Church Cemetery on High St. His father, Nevelle Gordon, was buried out in Dayton during Civil War. The home stood where the Schrum Brickyard later was located." Notes from the paper "The Old Methodist Burial Ground" (no indication who wrote this) are as follow: On the Southwest corner of the square, according to the original plat of the town, Lot No. 12, containing one acre, (this site now being occupied by (the Church of the Brethren) was deeded in 1789 by Robert & Rebecca Harrison to David Harner, Jeremiah Ragan, Richard Ragan, John Hicks, James Mitchell, John Harrison, & Joseph Denny, Trustees of the Methodist Meeting House. Upon this lot, and built of logs, was the first school in Harrisonburg; used also & being the first Methodist Church in Rockingham County, being completed for use in 1794. Previous to this, services were held in the open air & in private residences. Later on - March 10, 1805, a larger and more commodious building was projected, & by August 10, 1806, was completed & ready for use; at which time Bishop Asbury was present and preached the first sermon. He makes mention of the occasion in his journal, giving the size as being, 40x48; also saying the building would hold from 1,600 to 1,800 (a rather large estimate, and showing that it is easy for wise men to be mistaken). Under the shadows of this dear old church was what, perhaps, may be said to be the first burial ground cemetery in Harrisonburg, there were private burial grounds in those early days in the town. Much Methodist history centers around this place and some of the great men of Methodism preached from its high pulpit. Here Bishop Asbury held Conference in 1809; Bishop McKendree being present also, and Christopher Frye, the preacher in charge and host to the conference used for fairs etc. and as a drilling place for military companies. On Sunday, Sept. 19, 1865, it fell with a tremendous crash which startled the town and scared the boys who had gathered there for their usual Sunday feats of daring, climbing and general gymnastics. But the old church was king even until the last and with its dying groans warned the boys of their danger in time for them to get away. Note: On Oct 27, 2003 the contents of the crypt with the 23 names were moved to Woodbine Cemetery at the corner of Ott and West Market St. The Daily News Record of Oct 28 described the ceremony.
Survey Date and Recorder	21 Feb 2002 Bob & Lois Emswiler

Cemetery Index

Surname Index

Surnames are sorted by section / plot / row / grave - only sections and rows are shown

Row	Surname	Given Name & MI	Birth Date	Death Date	Headstone Notes	Remarks
	Harrison	Thomas				No visible marker. Note: An article from an unkown newspaper or date and written by W.S. Pallis? - stated; Thomas, founder of the town, was probably buried here but if so his grave has no legible inscriptions.
001	Moore	Mary		12 Oct 1842	Aged 73rd yr	w/Reuben
001	Gilkeson	Mary	22 Feb 1785	31 May 1842		Born in Augusta County, VA
001	Rohr	Deborah	1 Sep 1780	5 Nov 1845	Aged 65 yrs	w/Jacob
001	Jones	Gelia A.	15 Sep 1795	26 Jun 1869		w/Robert
001	Swecker	Mariah		2 Jun 1852	Aged 22y 6m 3d	w/William; Mariah E.
001	Smith	Polly	11 Apr 1795	19 Nov 1832		w/Abraham
001	Rutherford	Sibald		10 Sep 1830	Aged 58 yr
001	Rutherford	Jane		2 Aug 1833	Aged 64 yr
001	Harrison	Reuben		15 Aug 1840	Aged 86 yr	Note: An article from an unkown newspaper or date and written by W.S. Pallis? - stated; born 1752 died 1840, Soldier of the Revolution and one of the proprietors of the town after father 'Thomas' death in 1785.
001	Mathews	Agnes	23 Feb 1746	7 May 1828		w/Solomon
001	Harrison	Melvina	3 Feb 1808	12 Nov 1929
001	Harrison	Jenetta	21 Nov 1813	3 Mar 1832
001	Herron	Catherine		5 Oct 1825	Aged 26y 11m 5d
001	Kindel	Margaret A.	22 Oct 1828	28 May 1831 (?)
001	Kindel	Perry H.	26 Dec 1829 (?)	6 Jun 1831
001	Baker	Nancy	17 Dec 1790	31 Jul 1833
001	Moore	Reuben		20 Nov 1835	Aged 66th yr
001	Rodgers	Gordon		19 Nov 1838	Aged 70 yr
001	Irick	Margaret	17 Nov 1782	24 Dec 1831		w/Peter
001	Jones	Alemono E.
001	Jones	Robert E.
001	Hal	Mary Jane
001	Spottswood	Ida H.
001	Cravens	Joseph		8 Feb 1817(?)	Aged 1y 5m 18d	Not on stone - recorded by Swank in 1967; s/Joseph & Mary
001	Rodgers	Mrs. Gordon				In 1967 Swank recorded "his wife also buried here"
001	Harrison	Mary	3 Jul 1772	5 Apr 1854		Not on stone - recorded by Swank in 1967; w/Reuben. Note: An article from an unkown newspaper or date and written by W.S. Pallis? - stated; Mary Matthews Harrison 1772 - 1854 daughter of Solomon Matthews.
001	Whartmann	Laurence		11 Apr 1840	Aged 66 yrs; Released from all his cares & woes He rests in calm and sweet repose.	Not on stone - recorded in paper "Old Methodist Burial Ground". Note: An article from an unkown newspaper or date and written by W.S. Pallis? - stated; Laurence Wartmann was born 1772, died 1840 - the German printer who in 1822 began publishing the Rockingham Register in a building that stood upon the lot now occupied by Hawkins Hardware store.

Rockingham County Virginia Tombstones by Cemetery