This cemetery is located in Jefferson Twp., Miami Co., Indiana. On a treeless, slightly rolling, high ground about three miles down Eel River from Mexico, IN. and less than a mile east of the Cass Co. Line. The Cemetery is across the road from the site of a widely known early New Light Christian Church, brick, which for many decades had one of the largest and most aggressive congregations in the county.
Note for 1887 history of Miami
Co., p.668 and Bodurtha’s 1914, gives considerable information about
the church for which in 1843, this Cemetery was named a church which
previously had been known as “Christian Salem Church”. It is said to
have been the earliest “New Light Christian Church”. This denomination
has since merged with the Congregationalist to form the Congregational
Church, in Miami Co. After meeting for years in various log cabins and
other homes and barns, etc, the congregation built, in 1843 a sturdy
frame church, and in 1882 replaced with a rather fine larger brick
structure. Some decades ago, this was razed, the congregation having
transferred to nearby Peru, Mexico, New Waverly, Hoover and other
churches. During the world war period, the erection of a large
Ordinance Plant employed large numbers of persons and engaged in day
and night work with highly dangerous explosives, along the nearby track
and sidings of the C&O R.R. greatly lessened the advisability of
having church or other public meetings in this locality. Among Pioneer
families which organized or belonged to this church in its earliest
period those surnames: Cox, Gallahan, Skinner, Reed, Pearson, Myers and
Branaman. 1st early clergymen involved were Rev. Adkins, Whiteman and
West. All or most of these surnames are well represented in foregoing
reports on the cemetery which lies just across a gravel road from the
site of this church. During it heyday, this church was found to have
people coming to it in horse and buggy, ox cart, on horse back, or on
foot.
Beginning at the cemetery’s southwest corner and working north along
the west edge.
Eel River Chapel Cemetery, Miami County, IN Data contributed by Kim Edgerton; Photos by Debby Send Mail to: Debby Beheler Links to: Miami Co. INGenWeb; Miami Co. Cemetery List; USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation without permission of the author. This notice must be included on any reproduction. |