ALLEGHANY COUNTY, VA - CEMETERIES – Pinnell Cemetery ----¤¤¤---- Source: Library of Virginia Digital Collection LVA Titled Files: Survey Report, Pinnell cemetery: 1936 Nov. 15 Research made by L. Blanche Bess Cemetery Location: 22 miles southwest of Covington, Virginia and 2 miles southeast on the old pike. From Covington, go 22 miles southwest on Route #18 to Sizers; thence 2 miles on the old pike towards Fincastle. Alleghany County OWNERS: (1936) J.L. Bess Estate HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: At the time of Rev. Joseph Pinnell’s death, there were not many cemeteries in this section. Whether by request or because his heart-broken wife felt that she wanted his body laid to rest where it would be near so that she could visit the grave often and care for it, we do not know, but his body was laid to rest on a hill only a short distance from the house. This was the beginning of the Pinnell Cemetery, where part of the fifth generation of Pinnells now rest. There are preachers, teachers, stage drivers, and Confederate soldiers buried there. Some have markers of hand-hewn mountain stones with inscriptions chiseled thereon which have grown very dim. There is one Government marker, erected three years ago. Rev. Joseph Pinnell born April 10, 1767 died January 14, 1849 aged 81 years, 8 months, 25 days Harriet Pinnell (wife of Joseph {Pinnell) born May 1800 died May 28, 1874 aged 74 years 12 days Harriet E. Lynch (grandchild of Joseph Pinnell) born _____ died May 7, 1889 Rev. John B. Lynch born Feb. 11, 1825 died May 20, 1893 aged 68 years, 3 months, 2 days Catherine Jane Lynch died Sept. 12, 1862 aged 11 years, 11 months Joseph P. Lynch died Feb. 1869 aged 6 months John Lee Bess Co. G, 22 Va. Inf. C.S.A. Mary F. Bess born Feb. 18, 1847 died May 2, 1925 ************************************ A short account of the life and death of Elizabeth Pennell, mother of Rev. Joseph Pinnell. Elizabeth Pennell was born in the year of our Lord, February 2, 1749. She was educated according to the rules of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Her father, Joseph Wright, was clerk of the N. Church in Brunfield Parish for many years. She was married Oct. 20, 1765, to James Pennell, in Culpeper County, Virginia. She had such a concern for religion in her early days that she was very conscientious in her life. In the year 1783 she was favored with Methodist preaching and church priviliges. From that time she walked worthy of her vocation, enjoying a justified state until the year 1810 when she obtained, professed and enjoyed sanctification, which favor she kept until her death. She was subject to nervous affections through life, so that the great anxiety for the welfare of her children and others, often overcame her until she professed sanctification. In February 1813, she was struck with a violent pain in her back which caused her to fall to the floor. She was confined to her bed until her death, which was nearly eight months. Her pain was so severe that it distorted her breast bone. Yet she could say that good was the will of the Lord in all things which she might suffer, and true it is, that great suffering often attends great grace. She often desired to have all her children with her at one time, and although her eldest son, Joseph, was traveling the Monroe Circuit and her son William, was living near Lynchburg, yet providence brought them together with all the rest of the children, except one son whose wife came fifty miles to represent him, to see her last struggle with pain and to witness her triumphant death, which was Saturday, about one o’clock, October 9th, 1813. About thirty-eight hours before she departed, she called her husband to her, took her leave of him, then her children and friends one by one giving them a parting kiss and such counsel as their several cases seemed to require. She then composed herself for death and breathed her last without a groan. She raised twelve children and saw the youngest one married. Four of her sons were regularly ordained ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and two others were class leaders. She left but one child who had not professed justifing faith in Christ. Her funeral was preached by Rev. James Charles, and her remains were interred on Sunday evening before a large and solemn assembly and it may be reasonably hoped she will in the morning of the resurrection see her children with their numerous train of sons and daughters in the Gospel at God’s right hand. I might in justice to my mother, say much more, but brevity on this subject becomes her son, ..... She had forty-five grandchildren, all of whom she had seen. Six great- grandchildren, living in love with her now surviving husband, almost forty-eight years and now in his seventy-fifth year. They had been married more than forty years before there was a death in the family. (Written by John Pinnell, brother of Joseph Pinnell, and copied from Joseph Pinnell’s Commentary, by L. Blanche Bess) ( May 21, 1926) Account of the Death of Joseph Pinnell as it was published soon after his death by John W. Start. Rev. Joseph Pinnell departed this life at his residence in Alleghany County on Sunday the 14th. of January 1849, at 2 o’clock, A.M. in the 82nd year of his age. Father Pinnell was born in Culpeper County in this state April 10th. 1767, born again (of God) in 1790, entered the itineracy January 1795, traveled Contentrer, Farriner, Portsmouth, Haw River, Bertic, Cumberland, Camden, and Caswell circuits, after which he was stationed at Wilmington. At the close of his time there he was appointed to Orange as Superanuary, thence to Bedford and Amherst. From these last circuits he was called by Brother Stith Mead to fill his place on Richmond District, while he attended to some temporal business in Georgia. He presided the first year, three months; and the second year, nine months; the next two years following, filled the place of presiding elder on James River and Meherrin Districts, by appointment of Bishop Asbury. Located February 1810, he traveled for two years thereafter by appointment of presiding elders, William Wright and Joseph C. Fry. Married November 18, 1819 to Harriet, daughter of Mathew and Esther Rayhill, by whom he had one child, who with her mother, still live to mourn their unparalleled loss. From the dates above given you will perceive that the deceased was among the earliest Methodist preachers, a real pioneer in the cause of God. His travels were extensive, embracing the larger part of the territory now embraced in the Baltimore, Virginia, and North Carolina Conferences, from the mountains to the seaboard. They were not only extensive but severe. Methodism was then a novelty, its friends few, its foes many. Hunger and thirst followed in its train. Those who preached its holy doctrines, did so at the risk of their reputation and ease, if not at the risk of their lives. Among this number stood Father Pinnell, who with a holy zeal for the cause of God, regardless of suffering and toil, went up and down preaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the last twenty-five years, though sustaining a superanuated relation to the church, he had been traveling up and down our valleys and across our mountains through Greenbrier, Monroe, and Alleghany Counties, preaching with most happy success, and it was not until last fall that he could be induced to relinquish the work. When he could no longer preach in the congregation, he would preach around the fireside by holy converse, and by holy living. A life thus spent in the service of God, is generally crowned with a triumphant death, and so it was with Father Pinnell. He lived the life of a Christian and died a Christian death. The last time I was permitted to see him was on New Years Day. He was then feeble and low, yet his skies were clear. I inquired respecting his future prospect, his reply was, “What to choose. I wot not, for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”. Such was his dying experience, in it there was no ecstacy, no joy, but peace, sweet peace, crowned the whole scene and gave it its peculiar triumph. In all the relations of life as husband, father, citizen and friend, he won the confidence and esteem of those who knew him. He was universally beloved, is universally lamented. Thus let me live and thus let me die. John W. Stark. Obituary. Lynch - Harrier E. Pinnell, was born near Potts Creek, Alleghany County, June 14, 1828. She professed faith in Christ and united with the M.E. Church at an early age, and lived a consistant christian life in the church of her choice. She died in May 1889. The funeral was held at her home in Virginia, and was conducted by Rev. John Davis. Her life was one of great moral force and heroism. She possessed a remarkable degree of courage and self reliance, which was nevertheless was mingled with the simplest faith in God’s providence and the most perfect resignation to his will. Throughout all her suffering she was very patient. She died as she had lived in peace, holding fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. She married John Brownlee Lynch in 1846. Eight children were given to them, three of that number still living. The others were taken at an early age. Rev. Charles Lynch of New City, Kansas, is the only son. J.R. Ramsey. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joan Renfrow NOTICE: I have no relationship or further information in regards to this family. ___________________________________________________________________