ZION METHODIST CEMETERY

Not to be confused with the Zion Evangelical Cemetery of an adjacent township.

The Zion Methodist Church, one of the leading (and one of the very oldest) rural  churches of the north-central Indiana county of Cass, is on the south side of State Highway 16 (the Monon-to-Huntington Road), and a little more than one mile East of LUCERNE, Indiana, and a quarter of a mile west of the crossroads known as LEASE’S  CORNER,  where said highway 16 is crossed by State Highway 17, the Logansport-to-Culver Road).  The Zion Methodist Cemetery is some 200 feet south (and also S.E.) of the present (September, 1942) church-edifice, a white frame structure which is the the fourth house of worship occupied by this [more-than-a-century-old] congregation.

Cemetery is in the N.E. ¼ of the N.W. ¼ of the N.E. ¼  SECTION 23 of Township 28 North of Range One East of the second Indiana Principal Meridan, and is in east-central  HARRIS TOWNSHIP of northern CASS COUNTY, and about 8 miles almost due north Of  the Court House in the county-seat city of LOGANSPORT.

Methodist preaching-services had been conducted in this immediate vicinity (in the log-cabin) of  Robert Bernett, a pioneer settler), by Rev. Burroughs Westlake as early as 1833; and in 1837, a church of this denomination was formally organized by Rev. Jacob Colclazer, a hewed-log house-of-worship being erected on land donated by George (later legally deeded by William Allhands, and a churchyard cemetery being started (with George Frushour clearing a small plot of ground and digging a grave for, it is said, the remains of  a Mrs. Mitchener Tucker).

On request of the Indiana Historical Society that a detailed record be compiled listing all persons buried in the marked graves in this historic old north-central Indiana cemetery, fieldwork was done on September 13, 1942, by

Robert Whitsett, Jr., of the Committee on Pioneer Cemeteries and churches of the

L’Anguille Valley Memorial Association of Logansport , Indiana

Assisted by Mr. Harvey Elliott of the Zion Methodist Church and Sunday School, who is a trustee of the cemetery. The following report was prepared---from the original fieldnotes---by Miss Helen Noel of Lucerne, Indiana (who did the typing under the direction of Mr. Harvey Elliott .Copying was checked by R.B.W., Jr. and A.C.W. on October 29, 1942), and is respectfully submitted to the Indiana Historical Society for deposit and permanent preservation in the Indiana State Library or other such depository of said state historical society.

HARVEY ELLIOTT,  R.R.1, LUCERNE , INDIANA

Zion Methodist Church Cemetery , Harrison Township , 3, Cass County , Indiana

“War Veterans buried in Zion   Methodist   Cemetery ."

From fieldwork, the cemetery's own records, and Historian Dr. J.Z. Powell's writing and other sources.

Transcribers Note: indexed last names 1^st. & added names missed or not included original list.

Allhands, Phillip L. --- Civil War Vet. -1846-1917 Corporal, Co.B, 46 Ind. Inf.

Baker, Wm.P.--- Civil War Vet.-Sgt., Co. B., 42 Ind. Inf.

Brown, John H.--- 2/12/1844 – 12/4/1888. Aged 45. First Ohio Flying Artillery.

Butler , James---Mexican War Vet.-1st U.S. Mounted Riflemen

 Editorial Comment: There is rumored to be buried somewhere in this cemetery an unmarked grave, a War of 1812 vet. (and former Ind. State legislater), of exactly this same name: James Butler.

Butler , James ---War of 1812,  Unknown location & unmarked grave 

Carroll, Jones J.---Civil War Vet.- Co., K., 142 Ind. Inf. & Co. F., 116 Ind. Inf.

Eckert , D.C. ---Civil War Vet. (no marker)

Hammerly, Joseph ---War of 1812-Aged 51

Hammerly, William ---Mexican War & Civil War Vet.- Co. G., 73 Ind. Inf.

Lyons, John---War of 1812, Grave unmarked & exact location unknown.

Mahaffie, Andrew H. ---Mexican War Vet.- d: 9/2/1869- Aged 89-1-23.

Needham , David--- Civil War Vet.-2/27/1838 - 2/14/1896 Aged 57. Co.K. 15(g or S ?) Ohio Vol.

Needham , John B.---Civil War Vet.- 8/20/1907. Aged 80--- Corporal, Co. K.15 (tape Mark)

 J.B.Needham- His remains were removed to Mt. Hope Cemetery in Logansport.

Powell, Jonah --- (Aka Jona H.)Civil War Vet.- 6/14/1823 – 12/21/1900 Marion Co., OH, G.A.R. Co.E.,37 Inf.

Stevens, L.C. --- Civil War Vet.- d: 11/19/1863 aged:28-9-21--- Lieut. Co. B., 46th Reg., Ind. Vol.   

Todd, Orville W. ---. WWI Vet. - d:10/22/1923. Corporal, 109 Mobile Hosp

Umbarger, Delmer C.---WWI Vet. d:10/19/1938  Private., 113 SN TN., 38 Div., Ind.

Walker, John T. --- Civil War Vet 1841-1912- Co. B, (tape mark)

Wilson, Harry F. ---WW1 Vet.- d: 5/25/1923- Farrier, Vet. Hosp. 12 Ind.

Wolford, Philip—Civil War Vet.-1846-1917- Co. F., 12 Ind. Vol. Cavalry

Worstell, Otis --- Civil War Vet.-Co.H, 1^st OH Inf.

Zion Methodist Cemetery transcription Notes:

Found several instances where ink smeared or key didn't strike so unable to decipher.

Allhands, Nancy (Mrs.Geo.) "Although you got the first release, I now shall join you there in peace. In praising God in strains above, saved thro Christ's redeeming love."

Binney, Charles -Not yet carved (Sep.1942)

Blackburn , J.L. & M "Our grief we sincerely express, This call all are bound to obey. She passed from this scene of distress, quietly, meekly away."

Castle ,  Esther .  "As you are now, so once was I, But as I am, you soon must be. Prepare for death and follow me."

Castle, Jane: "Happy infant, early blest, With her Redeemer gone to rest."

Deck, Amanda: typist questions if w/o J.H. or J.B. but gives infant ( Lydia ), dau's parents as J.H. & Amanda Deck.

Deck, Leonard: "Suffer little children to come unto me."

Enyart, Cyrus " Who knoweth not in all these tht the Hand of the Lord hath wrought this."

Enyart, Mary "Remember, friends, as you pass by; As you are now so once was I. As I am now, so you must be; Prepare for death and eternity."

Foglesong, Harry E.:"A little flower of love that bloomed but to die, Transplanted now above To bloom with God on High."

Powell, Jonah b:Marion Co., OH, "Children dear, assemble near here, a Father and Mother's graves to see, not so long ago I dwelt with you; You soon must dwell with me."

Stevens, Jas.N. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from hence forth Saith the Spirit, "They rest from their labors and Their works do Follow them."

Stevens, John J. "This marble marks the place of one to us most dear,  a sinner saved by grace, His prospects bright and clear."

Stevens, Mariah (Mrs.Jas. N.) "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."  Mariah or possibly Maria H. 

Stevens, Minnie M. & Martha A.-ss/stone but typist put father as C.S. on one & C.W. on the other so don't know if it's the same father for both.

Tucker, Barbra was rec'd 2x in orig same dates, etc

Wickard, Melvin E.:"Hard it was from thee to part, Yes, it rends the aching heart. But an heir of Glory is gone, Let the will of God be done."

Winn, Gilbert: "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep from which none do return."

Winn, Richard Sr. "Angels, watch his sleeping dust, Till Jesus comes to raise the just. Then may he wake with sweet surprise And in his Savior's image arise."

Winn, Thomas E.:"Weep not, father and mother, for me. For I am waiting in glory for thee."

Wringer, Jacob S. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

Graves with No Surname

Metal & Glass Markers with missing cards-49+ unidentified graves

Benny: "Sweet little bud, for earth too fair, has gone to Heaven to blossom there."

B.F.P. bur. Between Lafayette Powell & John J. Carrel

Crites, J.W. & Eliz.—card missing from metal marker between them.

Crites, Geo. & A.F. Michael-between them.

Foglesong, 2 cards missing from metal on plot with Claude E.

G.D.F.2- lot cornerstone after M.K.(Mrs. Leonard) Fiedler

I.P. – Buried between Benjamin & David Powell

J.G., T.H.P., D.I.H., G.M.B., S.(N.or W ?)W. & S.A.J.-- 6 (footstones ?) stacked against a tree

J.H.D. no data bet. John A. Stevens & Jefferson H. Frushour

J.J.C. (G?): No dates but loc. Next to "Jones J. Carroll" may be a footstone for him as he also has a veteran stone.  

J.J.S. bur. Next to Marion L. Powell

J.P. on tiny stone  but the 2 cards are undecipherable loc. bet.Ind. Montgomery & H.W.Brown

Montgomery , Andrew-grave with no marker next to him

Montgomery, Edgar-metal marker, card missing next to him

Mother bet. Nancy A. (Mrs.J.D.) Oldham & Lide Baker (no data)

R.D.  bur. between Luey Hathaway & Celia E. Michael

R.W. a small stone no data

Stevens, Jas. M.  Metal card not readable on the same grave plot

U.A.I. located bet. Loren & Charles H. Frushour

Winn (no 1st name & no data bur. w/J.W.,  M.J. & Harold.

Between- Un-named Jones & J.E. Winn is “Harriet” no last name, 1913-1934

Buried  between- A. L. Rowan (dau.) & O.Frushour-2 sturdy bottoms on this lot, not inscribed.

Buried  between- O. Frushour & F.A. Burrough-displaced narrow slab, no inscription.

Two pine trees & an iron fence-like enclosure (may contain 1 grave)

Beside- W. Thomson is bottom of a missing slab giving poetry but no name or dates

Buried between- B. & M. Enyart " at the foot of a tree is an old slab reading "aged 23yrs., 11 mos. and 29 days."

Buried between- David (Witters ?) & L.A. Whitfield, “Mary”- Douglass firm of Royal Center may have data.

Transcription volunteer is Pat Fiscel and webpages by Debby Beheler for the Cass County INGenWeb.

26 December 2006 - first upload

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