Pioneer Cemeteries and Their Stories,

Madison County, Indiana

Beech Grove Cemetery

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Green Township

Location: west side of SR 13, between I-69 and CR 800S

Just off the interstate, the Beech Grove Church of the Brethren's old frame house of worship, in the background, is to be torn down to make room for a gas-convenience station.  The congregation will receive a new, larger building located elsewhere.  The congregation's cemetery will remain and doubtless will still be used by church members and descendents of the Hoosier settlers buried here.

  

    Fifty-five members of the German Baptist movement in 1871 are responsible for the Beech Grove Cemetery.  They broke away from the Stony Creek Church, which they had attended, and purchased two acres from David Richards for their "Beech Grove Church" and accompanying burial ground.  Originally from Frederick County, Maryland, the Green Township settlers who founded this church were also known as Dunkards, Dunkers, Tunkers,  Brethren, or Old Order Brethren as well as German Baptists.  David Richards and John Armstrong were deacons; John Kalor was elder; Enoch Frey, Carlos Savage, and Israel Huntsinger were assistant preachers.  As of 1880, the congregation had grown to seventy-five members, and into the next century, the church continued to be a source of spiritual guidance for area residents.

George A. Main, 1825-1904, and wife Caroline Biser, 1818-1884, whose gravestone is pictured right, were some of those mid 19th century settlers from Frederick County, Maryland.  George and his brother William Henry Main, 1838-1915, and wife Margaret Martin, 1842-1880, moved to Green Township near the Beech Grove Church site.  They and their families can be found on the 1860 census.  The Main family descends from the German immigrant Johann George Mehn who settled in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1722.

    By the late 20th century, the congregation numbered several hundred.  Plans were made by the church's board of trustees to replace the 120 year old frame building with a new, more convenient facility at the same location.  However, when a building contractor made a tempting offer to move the building site to a nearby location and to help with the construction in exchange for property rights to the old site, the congregation was in favor of the move.  With a new building, the Beech Grove Church of the Brethren, as it is called now, starts a new phase in its Green Township history.  Its accompanying cemetery is to be left at the old location in the middle of what is now a major 21st century urban development, as representative of the township settlers who turned a wilderness into a thriving community.

The first burial at the Beech Grove Cemetery was Washington Pettigrew in the fall of 1872.  Washington Pettigrew and his family came to Green Township in the 1850s and developed an exemplary area farm for that time period.  Though not technically a pioneer, he and his family are considered early settlers and as such are documented in Harden's The Pioneer as well as in Forkner's History of Madison County, Indiana.

   

 

Names

ID Names Birth Date Death Date Cemetery
1512 ARMSTRONG, MIMA VIOLA 10D. AUG. 7, 1879 BEECH GROVE
3703 BECKNER, ALWILDA J. 1849 1916 BEECH GROVE
4803 BIXLER, FANNIE 2Y. 8M. 7D. JAN. 3, 1891 BEECH GROVE
4802 BIXLER, FANNIE   1894 BEECH GROVE
4805 BIXLER, JOHN F. 1861 1894 BEECH GROVE
4807 BIXLER, SARAH J. 2M. MAY 8, 1879 BEECH GROVE
6299 BRANSON, EMMA R. 23Y. 13D. NOV. 9, 1889 or 88 BEECH GROVE
6302 BRANSON, HENRETTA G. DEC. 4, 1844 SEP. 26, 1911 BEECH GROVE
6303 BRANSON, HERAN JAN. 20, 1840 APR. 13, 1914 BEECH GROVE
9628 CARTER, MIF 153 IN INF CO I   BEECH GROVE
12732 COTTELL, JANE PETTIGREW 1832 1878 BEECH GROVE
21402 FREEMAN, ELEANOR JEWELL 1938 1938 BEECH GROVE
22028 GARDNER, ABRAHAM C. 1846 1919 BEECH GROVE
22041 GARDNER, CARRIE T. 1871 1942 BEECH GROVE
22050 GARDNER, DUANE K. 1927 1927 BEECH GROVE
22055 GARDNER, ELMER L. 1866 1929 BEECH GROVE
22073 GARDNER, JANICE B. 1919 1920 BEECH GROVE
22085 GARDNER, MARY (CAMPBELL) 1892 1971 BEECH GROVE
22098 GARDNER, NANCY C. 1843 1926 BEECH GROVE
22890 GINDER, BERT L. 10Y. DEC. 24, 1899 BEECH GROVE
22891 GINDER, CLARA LOUIS   SEP. 16, 1923 BEECH GROVE
22892 GINDER, FANNIE 2Y. 4M. 10D. JAN. 3, 1891 BEECH GROVE
22893 GINDER, FRANK FEB. 4, 1856 MAR. 9, 1928 BEECH GROVE
22894 GINDER, GEORGE FEB. 3, 1829 AUG. 29, 1917 BEECH GROVE
22895 GINDER, JESSE EARL 1892 1965 BEECH GROVE
22897 GINDER, JOHN 3Y. JUN. 6, 1833 BEECH GROVE
22898 GINDER, JOHN FEB. 16, 1827 APR. 15, 1901 BEECH GROVE
22896 GINDER, JOHN 1889 1964 BEECH GROVE
22899 GINDER, MARY E. APR. 21, 1833 JAN. 8, 1908 BEECH GROVE
22900 GINDER, NANCY AUG. 27, 1858 AUG. 5, 1875 BEECH GROVE
22901 GINDER, RACHELL 1897 1941 BEECH GROVE
22902 GINDER, SARAH JANE 26Y. JUL. 15, 1881 BEECH GROVE
22903 GINDER, STEVEN 1954 1956 BEECH GROVE
22904 GINDER, VESSIE 1893 1970 BEECH GROVE
24337 GRINDER, BERT L. 10Y. 3M. 24D. DEC. 24, 1899 BEECH GROVE
24338 GRINDER, CLARA 24Y. 2M. 15D. NOV. 27, 1891 BEECH GROVE
24339 GRINDER, GEORGE FEB. 8, 1829 AUG. 29, 1917 BEECH GROVE
24341 GRINDER, JOHN 31Y. 5M. 5D. JUN. 6, 1892 BEECH GROVE
24342 GRINDER, MARGARET JUL. 16, 1830 AUG. 26, 1888 BEECH GROVE
24343 GRINDER, MARY E. APR. 21, 1833 JAN. 8, 1903 BEECH GROVE
24344 GRINDER, SARAH JANE 2Y. 10M. 20D. JUL. 15, 1887 BEECH GROVE
26872 HASKELL, AMMIE 84Y. 9M. 15D. MAR. 27, 1885 BEECH GROVE
26873 HASKELL, ANNIE E. 34Y. 9M. 15D. MAR. 27, 1885 BEECH GROVE
26876 HASKELL, EVERETT 1903 1960 BEECH GROVE
26877 HASKELL, GLEN 1900 1957 BEECH GROVE
26878 HASKELL, LUCY H. 62Y. 1M. 9D. MAR. 27, 1880 BEECH GROVE
26879 HASKELL, MARY 8M. 2D. AUG. 13, 1887 BEECH GROVE
26880 HASKELL, MAY 8M. 21D. AUG. 13, 1887 BEECH GROVE
29885 HORNING, ANDREW J. 1886 1962 BEECH GROVE
33182 JONES, GOLDIE 1889 1905 BEECH GROVE
33295 JONES, LANNIE 1879 1905 BEECH GROVE
33307 JONES, LENNIE 1879 1903 BEECH GROVE
33346 JONES, MARGARET 1854 1910 BEECH GROVE
36793 LAWRENCE, HENRY OCT. 26, 1767 APR. 15, 1825 BEECH GROVE
39352 MAIN, C. A. WAYNE     BEECH GROVE
39353 MAIN, CAROLINE 64Y. 8M. 29D. JUL. 3, 1884 BEECH GROVE
39356 MAIN, EMMA SEP. 6, 1881 MAR. 14, 1888 BEECH GROVE
39358 MAIN, GEORGE A. NOV. 30, 1825 AUG. 3, 1904 BEECH GROVE
41607 MCFARLAND, ANDERSON 1831 NOV. 24, 1903 BEECH GROVE
41610 MCFARLAND, CARTER     BEECH GROVE
41613 MCFARLAND, DELLA 1872 1917 BEECH GROVE
41621 MCFARLAND, JOHN 1872 1911 BEECH GROVE
41796 MCGUIRE, MORRIS 8 IND CAL CO E JUL. 16, 1921 BEECH GROVE
41973 MCKINNY, ARTHUR RUL 1908 1970 BEECH GROVE
41974 MCKINNY, MYRTLE ELLEN 1913 1967 BEECH GROVE
42815 MICHAEL, HENRY LAWRENCE OCT. 26, 1869 APR. 15, 1925 BEECH GROVE
42816 MICHAEL, JACKIE L. 1934 1934 BEECH GROVE
42821 MICHAEL, JOHN WESLEY OCT. 30, 1853 APR. 20, 1938 BEECH GROVE
42826 MICHAEL, MARION A. 1916 1916 BEECH GROVE
42829 MICHAEL, MARY ANN MAR. 6, 1856 SEP. 12, 1933 BEECH GROVE
42831 MICHAEL, MARY E. 1914 1950 BEECH GROVE
42835 MICHAEL, OLIVER E. 1890 1949 BEECH GROVE
42844 MICHAEL, VIOLA 1929 1929 BEECH GROVE
42845 MICHAEL, VIRGIL O. 1912 1951 BEECH GROVE
42859 MICHELL, JOHN FEB. 22, 1849 FEB. 15, 1911 BEECH GROVE
42860 MICHELL, LUCINDA (LAWRENCE) FEB. 23, 1864 JAN. 30, 1937 BEECH GROVE
42997 MILLER, CELANA J. 1842 1920 BEECH GROVE
43254 MILLER, OLIVER 1835 1915 BEECH GROVE
48685 PETTIGREW, ARON 1890 1899 BEECH GROVE
48704 PETTIGREW, GEORGE W. MAR. 26, 1830 DEC. 27, 1882 BEECH GROVE
48720 PETTIGREW, MARY 84Y. 2M. 27D. or 29D FEB. 19, 1891 BEECH GROVE
48722 PETTIGREW, MARY PARSONS OCT. 20, 1807 FEB. 1892 BEECH GROVE
48724 PETTIGREW, ORAN SEP. 2, 1898 AUG. 21, 1890 BEECH GROVE
48723 PETTIGREW, ORAN AUG. 26, 1890 SEP. 7, 1899 BEECH GROVE
48739 PETTIGREW, WASHINGTON 75Y. 10M. 27D. SEP. 28, 1877 BEECH GROVE
51676 RICHARD, CHARLOTTE E. 1859 MAY 28, 1935 BEECH GROVE
51677 RICHARD, D. R. NOV. 3, 1840 JUN. 14, 1912 BEECH GROVE
51678 RICHARD, DAVID 1840 1912 BEECH GROVE
51679 RICHARD, EMILY C. 40Y. 8M. 15D. SEP. 27, 1884 BEECH GROVE
54204 SAUBERT, J. MARIE 1911 1939 BEECH GROVE
54205 SAUBERT, JOHN W. 1908 19 BEECH GROVE
58638 SPALL, ALFRED SEP. 30, 1867 OCT. 8, 1923 BEECH GROVE
58639 SPALL, ALICE A. 1885 19 BEECH GROVE
58640 SPALL, ARVA L. AUG. 26, 1890 DEC. 7, 1897 BEECH GROVE
58641 SPALL, ARVA R. or AREVA R. DEC. 26, 1890 DEC. 29, 1897 BEECH GROVE
58642 SPALL, EVA R. or P. SEP. 24, 1894 DEC. 7, 1897 BEECH GROVE
58643 SPALL, GUY L. AUG. 31, 1898 or 96 DEC. 13, 1897 BEECH GROVE
58644 SPALL, J. ORVILLE 1882 1923 BEECH GROVE
58645 SPALL, SARAH M. SEP. 14, 1869 JAN. 3, 1932 BEECH GROVE
59269 STANLEY, ERNEST FEB. 17, 19__ APR. 25, 1920 BEECH GROVE
59348 STANLEY, MARY ANN NOV. 25, 1899 AUG. 27, 1919 BEECH GROVE
59370 STANLEY, RACHEL MAR. 16, 1907 MAR. 12, 1931 BEECH GROVE
60145 STINSON, (INFANT SON)   FEB. 18, 1895 BEECH GROVE
60144 STINSON, (INFANT SON)   OCT. 23, 1895 BEECH GROVE
60148 STINSON, ABRAHAM C. JUL. 19, 1847 MAY 15, 1929 BEECH GROVE
60167 STINSON, ELIZABETH JAN. 10, 1818 AUG. 22, 1913 BEECH GROVE
60191 STINSON, JAMES LE ROY NOV. 2, 1892 AUG. 20, 1894 BEECH GROVE
60198 STINSON, LEORA A. 21Y. 20D. MAY 1, 1881 BEECH GROVE
60212 STINSON, MARY E. NOV. 8, 1857 FEB. 10, 1904 BEECH GROVE
60218 STINSON, NATHAN E. MAR. / FEB. 19, 1852 FEB. 4, 1904 BEECH GROVE
60460 STOTTLEMYER, ________ OCT. 1, 1899 APR. 12, 1903 BEECH GROVE
60461 STOTTLEMYER, ________ DEC. 12, 1904 JAN. 20, 1906 BEECH GROVE
60462 STOTTLEMYER, ________ NOV. 6, 1906 MAR. 6, 1907 BEECH GROVE
60467 STOTTLEMYER, FANNIE JUL. 2, 1812 MAR. 14, 1892 BEECH GROVE
60470 STOTTLEMYER, GLADYS OCT. 1, 1898 AUG. 12, 1903 BEECH GROVE
60474 STOTTLEMYER, HELEN NOV. 17, 1910 FEB. 25, 1912 BEECH GROVE
60475 STOTTLEMYER, IDA 11M. 27D. ? SEP. 22, 1812 BEECH GROVE
60478 STOTTLEMYER, JOHN H. 1843 1925 BEECH GROVE
60483 STOTTLEMYER, LENA G. MAY 10, 1892 JUL. 31, 1899 BEECH GROVE
60491 STOTTLEMYER, ROBERT JULY 29, 1908 SEP. 20, 1908 BEECH GROVE
60493 STOTTLEMYER, ROSETTA   AUG. 11, 1883 BEECH GROVE
60496 STOTTLEMYER, TANNIE MAR. 14, 1894 JUL. 20, 1891 ? BEECH GROVE
60497 STOTTLEMYER, TORRE 4M. 7D. DEC. 3, 1874 BEECH GROVE
61975 TEETERS, (INFANT) AUG. 7, 1895 AUG. 14, 1895 BEECH GROVE
61978 TEETERS, CLARENCE MAR. 7, 1890 JUN. 1891 BEECH GROVE
61981 TEETERS, ELIZA A. FEB. 14, 1854 DEC. 28, 1917 BEECH GROVE
61994 TEETERS, LUCINDA DEC. 16, 1884 AUG. 13, 1890 BEECH GROVE
62000 TEETERS, MILAN M. JUN. 19, 1848 JUN. 30, 1904 BEECH GROVE
62682 THRAP, ALYRE MAR. 24, 1923 SEP. 21, 1954 BEECH GROVE
67015 WHETSEL, IDA M. 1888 1956 BEECH GROVE

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