Kelton Church of Christ Cemetery - Partial Survey, Chester Co., PA Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Fred Kelso Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* Kelton Church of Christ Cemetery Route 796, South Of Kelton, Penn Twp. 335 S. Jennersville Rd. ---------------------------------- Tombstone Images for this cemetery are located at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/chester/keltoncc.htm Kelton Church of Christ This is an active church with a medium-sized cemetery. This congregation is said to have been organized as the Chestnut Grove Church of Christ in 1838 or ‘39. From Futhey & Cope’s History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1881: “The Campbellite Society (they call themselves Disciples of Christ) oranized in this county in the year 1839, at which date one of their ministers, named George Austin, came from Baltimore, Maryland and began preaching in a barn. services were held, converts made, and the new sect so increased in numbers that in the year 1841 they resolved to erect a meetinghouse. In that year they built a small stone edifice at Chestnut Grove, in penn Twonship, about a mile and a half from the village of New London… They have had but two pastors, Mr. Edward Orvis and Mr. Somers, who each remained but a few years, the first about 1852 and the last left in the spring of 1880. The rest of the time the worship was conducted by some of their own members, with occasionally a preacher coming from Baltimore and preaching daily for a week of two [these were known as “Protracted Meetings”]. At such times converts would generally be made, which kept up their membership, which is said to number 60. The present officers are Thomas Slack, J. W. hammond, John Miller and Isaac Vandergrif.” President James A. Garfield, who was a minister of this denomination, is asid to have preached at Kelton sometime in the 1850’s. Daniel Sommer, a major figure in the history of this denomination, served the Kelton congregation from 1874 to 1880 [“He has been called the "Father of Extremism" within Churches of Christ, and to this present day for one to be labeled a "Sommerite" is very rarely regarded as a compliment”, Al Maxey, http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx213.htm]. Sommer increased membership from 50 to 70 and personally hewed the timbers for a new building to replace the existing stone structure, which he deemed to be too small. He finished the construction in 1879 and moved to Reynoldsville, Ohio in 1880, but returned regularly for meetings. In fact he was still coming back in 1939!: Oxford Press, May 17, 1939 “Gospel Preaching at the Church of Christ, Half Mile South of Kelton, by Daniel Sommer, Ninety-year-old Evangelist, Meetings start Sunday May 21, Meetings at 10 a.m. and 7.15 p.m., and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights at 7.15 Standard. Come and hear this grand old preacher proclaim the pure gospel of Christ.” Last Name First Name Middle Name Birth Death Comment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ATWOOD Annie B. Oct. 7. 1827 Dec. 12. 1876 BAKER Evan H. 1831 1911 Co. H, 1 Penna. Rifles, "At Rest" BAKER R. Emma 1838 1918 DANCE Josiah DANCE Anna DANCE William M. GRIFFIN Joseph 1864 1929 GRIFFIN Lavinia A. 1867 1955 HAMMOND Lydia Pusey 1829 1885 Wife of J.W. HAMMOND HAMMOND Mary A. Oct. 14th 1805 Jan. 18th 1883 HAMMOND Nathan B. May 24, 1868 Age 67 years [GAR CW Marker] Additional Comments: 1860 US Census Data, New London Twp., Chester Co., PA: Nathan B HAMOND, 59 MD farmer Mary 54 PA Anna B 28 PA William B 22 PA Mary 57? MD Charles Howard 17 farm labor DEL Carolin Johnston 21 PA servant HUTTON Benjamin K. Oct. 18, 1918 Co. M, 1st Penna. Mounted [WWI Marker] IRONSIDE Ann J. 1821 1879 Wife of William IRONSIDE "Thy Will Be Done" IRONSIDE Jane H. 1832 1902 Aunt IRONSIDE William W. 1819 1905 Father McGURK Wm. E. July 8, 1878 Jan. 5, 1905 At Rest PATCHELL John X. 1853 1921 PATCHELL Mary R. 1859 1955 POWLEY Anna E. Apr. 22, 1918 wife of William Powley POWLEY William Dec. 2, 1891 Dec. 31, 1963 RUDY Henry 1842 1906 RUDY Jennie 1849 1924 SLACK Thomas March 30, 1817 Dec. 30, 1897 SLACK Lavina S. May 2, 1822 Jan. 6, 1925 Wife of Thomas SLACK SMITH Franklin 1860 1931 SMITH M. Stella 1865 1943 VANDEGRIFT Burrows 1831 1911 [GAR CW Marker] VANDEGRIFT Anna 1840 1918 His Wife Last Updated: 8/3/2008 This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/chester/cemeteries/keltoncc.txt