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Cemetery name: |
Lebanon Pioneer |
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Also known as |
Old Baptist, Old Methodist, Old Presbyterian |
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Township: |
Turtlecreek |
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Date Started: |
1799 |
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Status: |
Inactive |
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Dimensions: |
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Cemetery History: |
From Beer's History, pages 471-477: "The first burials of the early settlers of Turtle Creek Township were made in the graveyards connected with the two earliest churches. There was a graveyard connected with the Turtle Creek Presbyterian Church at Bedle’s Station, and one connected with the Turtle Creek Baptist Church east of Lebanon. Other old burying-grounds were established, generally in connection with a church, but occasionally a lonely grave was to be seen in the forest, or a family place of burial on some neglected hillside. On the 7th of September, 1806, Jonathan Tichenor and Abner Smith, as Trustees of the Presbyterian Church at Lebanon, in consideration of $40, purchased of John Shaw a lot, which is now in the western part of Lebanon, for a graveyard, and is known as the Old Presbyterian Graveyard. This is the oldest graveyard at Lebanon. It is much older than the date of the deed to the Presbyterian society would indicate, as it is known that it was used as a place of burial as early as 1799. There are no inscriptions upon the tombstones marking the earliest graves. Capt. Robert Benham was buried here, but there is no inscription upon his tombstone. The grounds have long been neglected, and are grown up with weeds and briers. Many remains interred here have been removed to the Lebanon Cemetery. Among the names of well-known families of Warren County, the following are found on the tombstones in this yard: Beller, Ferguson, James, Randolph, Dill, Perlee, Dunlap, Halsey, Monfort, Miller, Blackburn, Beedle, Braden Bone, Brown, Liddell, Krewson, Cowan, Perrine, Tharp, Goodwin, McCrary, Dunham, Crane and Benham. About 1811, the Baptists removed their church from the site east of Lebanon to a lot in the western part of the town, as since enlarged. The churchyard from that time was used as a burying-ground, and is still known as the Old Baptist Graveyard. Here are the graves of Judge Francis Dunlevy, Elder Daniel Clark, Judge Joshua Collett, Judge Matthias Corwin (the father of Gov. Corwin), and Keziah Corwin (grandmother of the Governor). In this yard was buried a daughter of Henry Clay, the inscription upon whose tombstone is as follows: "In memory of Eliza H. Clay, daughter of Henry and Lucretia Clay, who died on the 11th day of August, 1825, aged twelve years, during a journey from their residence at Lexington, in Kentucky, to Washington City. Cut off in the bloom of a promising life, here parents have erected this monument, consoling themselves with the belief that she now abides in heaven." What is known as the Methodist Graveyard, which adjoins the Baptist burying-ground on the south, does not seem to have been used as such until about 1820. There is now no line marking the boundary between the two yards, both being within the same inclosure, and the whole comprises a square within the corporate limits of Lebanon. Although some of the remains have been removed to the new cemetery, the grounds are still kept in good preservation, and no steps have as yet been taken for their abandonment as graveyards.
Note: Most of those named were born prior to 1800. Some of the tombstones marking the graves of the pioneers have fallen down, and on others the inscriptions are almost illegible. Many graves are marked by rough stones, without any inscription. In a few instances, the date of death and age have been ascertained from other sources than the tombstones. The square occupied by the old Baptist and the old Methodist graveyards remains as a cemetery now called the "Pioneer Cemetery". The square does not contain the old Presbyterian graveyard which no longer exists. The grounds of the old Presbyterian graveyard are now occupied by an automobile dealership. |
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Directions: |
NE corner of West Main and West Streets in Lebanon. |
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Cemetery transcriptions: |
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Tombstone images: |
The Warren County Ohio GenWeb Site is providing a place to post tombstone photos for Warren County Cemeteries. To submit images of tombstones in this cemetery, click here. |
