St. Jacob's Lutheran Cemetery

On State Road 38 west of Hagerstown, Indiana

 
This cemetery is on the north side of state road 38 1-½ miles west of Hagerstown, Indiana.  It was part of an acre of land donated by Jacob Kimmel for a church and burial grounds in the 1830s.  The first burial was that of his wife Ann Mariah in 1835.
 
Jacob had a Union meeting house built, which was completed in 1838 and became known as St. Jacob's church.  In 1860 the church joined the Lutheran faith.  In 1884 a second St. Jacob's was built north of Millville and meetings were held back and forth between the two buildings.  By the time the second church was destroyed by fire in 1925, the first church was no longer in use.  The members of the two "country churches" joined a new Lutheran congregation in New Castle.  In December 1934 the original old and dilapidated log structure was sold to a Muncie firm as an historic relic.  The only known picture (right) of the meeting house was taken sometime not long before it was disassembled and moved in January 1935.
 
After the merger of the congregations and sale of the old building, the cemetery was abandoned.  It is now being maintained under the authority of the township trustee at Hagerstown.
 
The grounds itself is well-kept.  Most fallen and buried headstones have been returned to an upright position and broken stones propped up since the 1993 review.  As of 1999 some repairs are still needed and most stones could use a good gentle cleaning to improve legibility and return their natural beauty.  Some stones need more support to be kept upright.  Much of the pipe railing with its decorative connections, though rusty, still surround the cemetery.
 

Inscriptions and Condition of Headstones as of July 1993

    Most inscriptions on the headstones were on the side facing west towards where the church once stood.  Listed here in rows from west to east, and headstones from north to south.  In additions to the headstones,  brick is scattered here and there throughout the cemetery.
    A couple dozen bricks and one base to a headstone are piled in the northwest corner.  Also ten footstones, all unmarked except one with the initials M.A.H.  Trees--mostly black locust--grow in the northern part of the graveyard and around the west, north and east borders.  A double billboard shelters it from the east.
Row 1:
Stone 1:
West
MARY A. SMITH // DIED // SEPT. 26. 1889. // AGED // 18Y. 1M. 25D. // [inscription illegible at base] -- block piller style sandstone headstone with curved top sits on a base and that on a larger base;  found tipped over and in pieces due to ground shifting; confirmed died 9/26/1889 per Henry Co., IN death record
Stone 2:
West
MORISON // HENRY // son of // Philip [&] // Sarah C. // PIPHER // DIED // Mar. 15 1873 // Aged // [  ?  ] -- pillar style sandstone headstone with peaked top; lettering lightly engraved and losing legibility, a lamb is embossed above the name; sic "Morison"
Row 2:
Stone 1:
West
KUTZ -- stocky pillar style polished schist headstone, peaked on four sides around a pointed dome, "KUTZ" embossed and the names on sides engraved.  Two small unmarked slabs were lying with the headstone.
North
JOSEPH KUTZ // DIED // JAN. 29. 1889 // AGED // 80Y.4M.24D. --polished surface badly scarred from a rubbing making lettering difficult to read.  Joseph and wife Martha lived a mile north of Millville.
South
MARTHA KUTZ // DIED // OCT. 11. 1875 // AGED // 57Y.9M.10D.
Stone 2:
bottom part of slab headstone, no inscription.
Stone 3:
cement frame for a headstone in ground just north of Margaret Kutz's headstone.
Stone 4:
West
MARGARET E. // Daughter of // [ Joseph &  ] Martha // KUTZ // died // June [? ] 18[54] // Aged // 2y. [  ?  ] -- tall slab style curved top sandstone headstone with engraved lettering much of which has become illegible from lichens and weathering.
Row 3:
Stone 1:
very tall narrow pillar type sandstone headstone on a base on a larger base; engraved on three sides; a tree has grown immediately beside it.  Lichens make the verses at the bottoms difficult to read.  As it stands (1993,1999) the verse for Sarah is under John's name facing west, John's verse is under Sarah facing east and the Henninger name faces north away from the highway.  The stone needs to be restacked with the family name facing west toward the church as the other stones all do.  Below is transcript arranged as the stone should stand.
West
CHILDREN OF // WILLIAM AND / MARGARET HENNINGER -- William was in Liberty Township, Henry County in 1860, a farm laborer for Jacob Zook.  At the the time of the deaths of their children John and Sarah, the Henningers were living in Stony Creek Township, Henry County.
North
JOHN H. // DIED // APR. 17. 1881 // AGED // 16 Y's. 6 M's. // & 6 D's // A light is from our household gone, // A voice we loved is stilled, // A place is vacant at our hearth, // Which never can be filled.
South
SARAH C. // DIED // APR. 13. 1881 // AGED // 10 Y's. 5 M's. // & 12 D's. // Weep not my parents no longer repine, // I am in beauty transcendent your daughter doth shine, // But dry up your tears and prepare soon to come, // To join in the praise of Father and Son.
Space:
Two small unmarked slabs found lying south of the Henninger stone.
Stone 2:
West
MARY ANN // Wife of // Peter Miller // DIED // Feb 19 1869 // Aged // 78 ys. 8 ms. [20?] ds. // [several narrow lines of verse are illegible] -- 20 days per "Tombstone Inscriptions in Wayne Co., Indiana," by Bevery Yount 1970.  Slab style with rounded top textured sandstone headstone with clasped hands embossed in depressed circle above a impressed square above the name.  Most of text is damaged by lichens coating the headstone.  This headstone is at the north position of a double grave lined with brick.  There is no evidence of a south headstone.
Stone 3:
West
FREDERICK // YAUKY // DIED // Nov. 5, 1885 // AGED // 79y.8m.29d. -- Stocky pillar style sandstone headstone on a marbled sandstone base.  Double grave lined with brick.   One footstone found buried in the north grave.  Some lichen growth.
North
Bible embossed into a depressed circle.
East
MAGDALENE // wife of // FREDERICK // YAUKY. // DIED // Apr. 18.1900 // AGED // 86y.5m.15d.
Row 4:
Stone 1:
West
LEWIS // son of ]] DAVID & // CHRISTENA // SHELL // Died // Aug [30 1850 ] // AGED // 2y. [  & 6m?  ] -- Slab style sandstone headstone.  Lettering largely illegible from lichens.  Fallen. Death date 8/30/1850 per "Tombstone Inscriptions in Wayne Co., Indiana," by Beverly Yount 1970.
Stone 2:
West
DAVID // SHELL / Died // [   ?   ] 188[4?] // Aged // [  ?  ]. 11d. -- large block sandstone pillar on large base with stone cloth with tassels at each corner draped over the top with a stone Bible on top of that; all lettering engraved and all but name illegible; earlier found tipped over and in pieces; evidence of a footstone.  Included in a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.  David and wife Christena lived 1-¼ miles east of Millville.
Stone 3:
West
CHRISTENA. // wife of // DAVID SHELL. // DIED // Nov. 12, 1855. // Aged // 5[?] Yrs. & 15d. -- large slab style sandstone headstone with a peaked arch carved into its design, an open Bible embossed in the arch and over the name and a rose embossed into each top corner.  First name embossed and rest of lettering engraved.  Included in a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.  In lower right at ground level:  Ladow. & Hamilton. // Dayton, O.  (Ladow  & Hamilton Marble Works in Dayton, Ohio)
Row 5:
Stone 1:
West
BENEDICT DULL // AGED // About 76 yrs -- narrow rounded slab style (limestone?) headstone.  Headstone found buried 1993; stone frame found buried 1999.  Engraved text very clear; actual site of grave it goes with uncertain.
Stone 2:
West
-- very tall square pillar style sandstone headstone with a peak, on a base on a wider low base.  Open Bible embossed into a depressed circle on west side.  Stone cracked into two pieces but repaired before the 1993 reading.  Lettering worn to being nearly illegible, some lettering filled with lichen.  Marks two of a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.  Two footstones broken at the ground.
North
SUSAN WISE // DIED // May 13, 1882 // AGED // 83y [1] m [13] d -- open Bible embossed over her name, the lettering engraved.
South
PETER WISE // DIED // Aug 11 1876 // AGED // [?]y 6m & [?]d
 -- Peter's daughter Catherine married Jacob Kimmel's son Henry.  The town of Petersburgh that once stood a few miles northwest of the church, was named for him.  Peter lived about four miles northwest of the cemetery.  Known children of Peter and wife Susanna: Henry, Daniel, Joseph, David, Catharine (Kimmel), Peter W., Eli, John, Jacob and Phebe (Ratheon)
Stone 3:
West
CATHARINE // MILLER. // DIED // DEC. 12. 1855 // AGED 91 YS // [8] MO 18 DS -- slab style sandstone headstone with first name embossed letters and the rest engraved; parts including the month number and parts of the death year, YS and DS are worn away.  Some lichens, not affecting legibility.  Included in a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.  "8" months per "Tombstone Inscriptions in Wayne Co., Indiana," by Beverly Yount 1970.
Stone 4:
West
SALLEY A. // WISE // DIED 18[44] // AGED [3?]ys // & 2 M's // DAU. OF P [& S.] -- small peaked slab style sandstone headstone with first name and initial embossed, the rest engraved.  Lichens have effected legibility.    Footstone reads "S.A.W."   Included in a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.  Death year 1844 per "Tombstone Inscriptions in Wayne Co., Indiana," by Beverly Yount 1970.; stone has been broken into two pieces and detail other than name worn to being illegible since 1993 review.
Stone 5:
West
ELIZA A. // WISE // DIED 1844 // AGED 8Y'S // & 2MO. // DAU. OF P. & S. -- small peaked slab style sandstone headstone with first name and initial embossed, the rest engraved; unmarked footstone;  since 1993 review north side of stone has become badly worn and most of footstone is gone.  Included in a group of six graves lined with stone and cemented over.
Row 6:
Stone 1:
West
MICHAEL // SON OF // Jacob & Catharine // KESSLER // DIED // June 19, 1858 // Aged 3ms -- slab style sandstone headstone with ascending dove embossed in depressed circle above name.  Stone fallen and lying under Sarah Faust's stone.  Jacob Kessler married Catherine Faust in 1856.
Stone 2:
West
SARAH // Wife of // MICHAEL FAUST // DIED // April 12, 1877 // Aged // 70y 8m & 9d. -- slab style sandstone headstone with peaked top; lettering worn but legible.
Stone 3:
West
MICHAEL // FOUST // Died // Aug. 5, 1886 // Aged // 83y. 1m. 3d. -- slab style sandstone headstone with peak; fallen, with parts of peak worn away and lettering faded.  Sic "Foust."  Nephew of Ann Mariah (Faust) Kimmel.
Row 7:
Stone 1:
West
CHARLOTTE E. // DAU. OF // D. & M. FOUST: // DIED // SEPT. 26. 1884. // AGED // 17Y'S 6M'S. 18 D'S. -- slab style sandstone headstone with rounded top with embossed flower and leaves design in depressed circle above name, all lettering engraved;  sic "Foust." Parents Daniel and Margaret Faust.
Stone 2:
West
INFANT // SON OF // D. & M. FOUST: // DIED // APR. 30. 1873. // Aged 7 d's -- slab style sandstone headstone with peaked top; found tipped. Sic "Foust."  Parents Daniel and Margaret Faust.
Row 8:
Stone 1:
-- tall ornate marbled sandstone pillar on a base on a larger base; inscriptions engraved only on north and south sides.  Double grave lined with stone.
North
CATHARINE // KIMMEL // DIED // Apr. 20. 1886 // AGED // 79y. 1m. 3d. -- Lichens make the lettering difficult to read.  Catharine was daughter of Michael and Anna Hillegas.  She and Joseph married in 1831 in Miamisburg, Ohio.
South
JOSEPH // KIMMEL // DIED // Feb. 15. 1861 // AGED // 50y. 6m. 1d. -- son of Jacob and Ann Mariah (Faust) Kimmel.  After Jacob's death Joseph purchased Jacob's land from the other heirs.  He later purchased more land to the north of Millville on which the second church was built.
Stone 2:
West
IN // memory of // REBECCA / Daughter of // J. KIMMEL // Died Agust 22th // 1845. // Aged 25 Years 3 // Months & 5 Days -- extremely tall brown slab style sandstone headstone with a dove embossed onto an indented top panel; August misspelled; initials "R. K." on footstone.  Sometime after 1993 review Rebecca's headstone was snapped in two at the base and the top part is now stuck into the ground behind the base and stands shorter than the identical stones of her brother John and mother.
Stone 3:
West
IN // memory of // JOHN // Son of // J. KIMMEL // Died July the 11th // 1845 // Aged 23 Years 4 Mo. // & 27 Days. -- extremely tall brown slab style sandstone headstone with a dove carved onto an indented top panel;  initials "J. K." on footstone
Stone 4:
West
IN // memory of // ANN MARIAH // wife of // J. KIMMEL // died Sept. 18th // 1835 // Aged 52 Years 5 // Months & 12 Days. -- extremely tall brown slab style sandstone headstone with a dove embossed onto am indented top panel; fallen in 1993, now (1999) standing; sic Ann Mariah; initials "AN. M. K." on footstone with most of last letter broken off.  Maiden name Faust.
Stone 5:
West
JACOB KIMMEL. // Died // June 10 1851 // Aged // 68 Y. 11 M. 10 D. -- short slab style sandstone headstone with name embossed and rest engraved.  Headstone broken in two.  Reasonably legible in 1993, Marking has since (1999) deteriorated to nearly illegible lichen coated. Unmarked footstone.  Children:  Susanna (Waltz), Elizabeth (Lesher), Jacob, Sarah (Lesher), Michael, George, Catharine (Lengel), Rebecca, John and Henry.
Stone 6:
West
MOLLIE KIMMEL // DIED // Aug. 11. 1870 // AGED // 67y. 10m. 12d. -- slab style sandstone headstone with curved top and Bible embossed into an impressed circle above  the name.  Found fallen in 1993.  Unmarked footstone.  Jacob and Ann Mariah's daughter Magdalena, her birth is recorded at Zion "Red" Church near Orwigsburg, PA.
Row 9:
Stone 1:
West
KATHARINA // wife of // August Heidman // DIED // Sep. 15. 1851 // AGED // 38 ys 1m. & 3d. -- tall slab style sandstone headstone with curved top and clasping hands embossed above first name.  Lettering engraved.  Lettering loosing legibility from weathering and lichens. 
Stone 2:
West
CATHARINE // wife of // PHILIP PHIFER // Died // Oct 4. 1847 // Aged 71y. 3m. // & 4ds. -- slab style sandstone headstone with first name embossed and the rest engraved.  Headstone fallen and worn from weathering and lichens.
Stone 3:
West
SUSANAH // wife of // SAMUEL STOMM // Died // [  ?  ] // [  ?  ] -- short slab style sandstone headstone with first name embossed and the rest inscribed.  Very difficult to read; lichens hide much of what lettering is left.  Worn footstone.  The Stomms lived in Jefferson Township in Wayne County.
Stone 4:
West
PHILIP PIPHER // DIED // DEC. 6. 1883 // AGED // 91y. 9m. 8d. -- slab style sandstone headstone with rounded top.  Lichens on stone don't effect legibility.  Philip died in Jefferson Township, Wayne County.
Row 10:
Stone 1:
West
TOBIAS // PIPHER // DIED // Aug. 31. 1851. // Aged // 69ys. 8ms. // 12 ds. -- tall slab style sandstone headstone with rounded top; fallen & found partially buried; lettering lightly engraved and extremely hard to read in 1993; nearly illegible in later years.
Row 11:
Stone 1:
West
JACOB SHERRY // DIED // Nov. 5 1870 // [62Y. 11M. 11D] -- tall narrow pillar style textured white sandstone headstone on a base on a larger base. Lettering engraved. fallen and in pieces. Becoming difficult to read.  Jacob and wife Catherine raised their family in Liberty Township, Henry County.  Andrew Sherry married Catherine Kimmel, daughter of Michael and Hannah (Bankus) Kimmel and granddaughter of Joseph Kimmel.
Stone 2:
West
CATHARINE M. // Daughter of // John & [Sarah] // [Hutchinson] // Died // Sep [11 or 17] 1863 // Aged // 2ys 1m & [13?] d // Gone But Not Forgotten -- tall slab style sandstone headstone narrowing to a rounded top; fallen and found buried in the ground; design of hand holding flowers embossed in a depressed circle above the engraved lettering, all of which has become illegible from lichens.

Most earlier members of St. Jacob's Lutheran Church lived between the church and the town of Millville to the west.  Most of them came from Pennsylvania by way of Miamisburg in Montgomery County, Ohio.  Many of their children moved to the Lancaster and Polk Townships area of Huntington County, Indiana after land opened there in the mid-1830s.  Later church members lived mainly north and east of Millville, inspiring the building of the second St. Jacob's north of that town.