The "Old Stone Methodist Church" was one of the pioneer churches in the northwest part of Beaver County. It was founded in the spring of 1796 in the home of Abraham Powers, who had come to the area from Westmoreland County. The families of Thomas Stratton, and James Welsh were among the first few members. Abraham Powers and his wife Phoebe Winans were natives of New Jersey. His son James Powers (1779-1849) married Ruth Pumphrey April 28, 1809, daughter of Caleb Pumphrey, another local preacher. Thomas Stratton and his wife Elizabeth became a Methodist in the Ligonier Valley about 1790. Thomas Ross and Jacob Gurwell served as local preachers until the congregation became part of the Shenango Circuit after 1800.

The church was built in 1810 on the farm of Thomas Stratton out of native sandstone and was 25 feet by 20 feet in dimensions. It was 200 feet east of the present Shenango Road and 1 3/4 miles south of Summit Cut Bridge. The church served the congregation until it burned during a Sabbath service in 1848. Although damaged, the Old Stone Church" may have been used until a second and larger church was completed in 1857 on a lot on Darlington Road. The Chippewa Community Methodist Church is the modern successor of the "Old Stone Church" congregation.

Burials in the cemetery date between 1798 and 1921. A listing of actual tombstone inscriptions listed in order of burial, was first published in "Chippewa Community Methodist Church, Historical Sketch, 1798-1952," by Clare W. Neely, Historian. In the files of the Beaver County Research Center in Beaver Falls is an alphabetical list apparently compiled from the 1952 list. This utilizes the alphabetical format.
 

Anderson, Hartford, d. June,3, 1866, age 1 year, months & 28 days, son of A. & M. Anderson.

Anderson, Willie A., d. Nov. 11, 1865, Age 5 years, 2 months & 13 days, daughter of M..A. & M. Anderson.

Beacom,---------- (Wife of W.W. Beacom) d. Sept. 7, 1866, Age 28 years, 2 months and 9 days.

Beck, Ann,Eliza. d. Aug. 6, 1855, Age 3 years, 6 months & 19 days, Daughter of A.T. & M.E. Beck.

Beck, Mary Ellen, d. Apr., 30, 1861, Age 29 years, 10 months & 5 days, Wife of, Frederick T. Beck.

Beck, Eva, b. Apr. 24, 1883, d. Dec. 18, 1886, Daughter of R.N. & E. Beck.

Boon, Jane, d. Dec. 6, 1824, Wife of John Boon. Age 26 years & 9 months.

Crawford, John C., d. Mar. 30, 1862, Age 26 years & 9 months.

Crawford, Nancy P. d. Dec. 18, 1878, Age 71 years, 7 months & 29 days.

Crawford, Peter. b. Jan 8, 1797 d. June 19, 1871.

Dessau, Adolphus, d. July, 26, 1885, Age 41 years, 3 months & 2 days.

Dillan, Barbara A. d. Apr. 10, 1891, Age 66 years & 26 days. Wife of James Dillan.

Dillan, Beersheba, b. Sept. 6, 1799 d. May 27, 1845. Wife of Matthew Dillan.

Dillan, Francis M. d. Aug. 1, 1870. Age 21 years. Son of J. & B. Dillan.

Dillan, Isabela, Who departed this life July 3, 1843, Age 7 months.

Dillan, John W. d. Dec. 4, 1889, Age 21 years, 8 months & 14 days.

Dillan, Joseph. Who departed this life Aug. 1837.

Dillan, Margaret J. b. July 12, 1857 d. Nov. 28, 1904.

Dillan, Mary d. Dec. 22, 1850 Age 2 weeks, Child of James & Barbara Ann Dillan.

Dillan, Matthew b. Jan. 19, 1795. d. May 31, 1854.

Dillan, "Our twin babes" d. June 27, 1844, Children of John & Jerusa Dillan.

Dillan, Strud B. Departed this life Sept. 2, 1844. Age 20 years, 1 month & 23 days.

Dillan, William F. d. Nov. 9, 1881, Age 15 years, 5 months & 14 days. Son of J. & B. Dillan.

Dillon, James, d. Apr. 6, 1897, Age 78 years, 6 months & 26 days.

Douthitt, Ann Marie d. June 15, 1849, Age 69 years, 10 months, & 11 days. Wife of Joseph Douthitt.

Douthitt, Matilda. Who departed this life April 24, 1825, age 8 days. Daughter of Thomas & Eliza Douthitt.

Douthitt, Robert, Who departed this life Sept. 24, 1833 in the 4th year of his age. Son of Joseph & Jane Douthitt.

Dunlap, Eliza Jane. d. Nov. 9, 1836. Age 5 years, 6 months & 11 days. Daughter of G. & E. Dunlap.

Dunlap, Elizabeth. d. Jan. 26, 1818, Age 41 years, 4 months & 25 days. Wife of James Dunlap.

Fowler, Sinthy, d. Apr. 2, 1850, Age 38 years & 7 months, Wife of Florinda Fowler.

Funkhouser, Harriet. b. Feb. 19, 1851 d. May 26, 1884. Wife of Samuel

Funkhouser, Samuel b. Apr. 1, 1844 d. Nov. 3, 1888.

Hites, Elizabeth Veon b. Apr. 18., 1828 d. Apr. 8, 1921.

Hites, Smiley d. July, 13, .1894, Age 76 years, 4 months & 29 days.

Inman, Ann d. Feb. 14, 1846. Age, 40 years 1 month & 1 day. Wife of Azariah. Inman.

Inman, Caroline d. Nov. 18, 1856. Age 26 years & 6 months. Daughter of A. & E. Inman.

Inman, Elizabeth. d. Nov. 25, 1855. Age 26 years & 6 months. Daughter of A. & E.-Inman.

Inman, Ester d. Dec. 30, 1830. Age 63 years & 3 months.

Inman, Henry d. May 27, 1845. Age 86 years, 8 months & 2 days.

Inman, John Who departed this life 1798, Age 10 years, 8 months & 20 days.

Inman, John d. Dec. 6, 1860. Age, 23 years; 7 months & 4 days.

Inman, Mary Ann d. Nov. 6, 1860 Age 21 years, 8 months & 19 days.

Inman, Matthew H. d. Oct. 11, 1860, Age 26 years, 5 months & 7 days.

McClure, Beulah C. d. Nov. 3, 1870 In her 54th year. Wife of S.J. McClure.,

McClure, Mary Ann, d. Sept. 15, 1856, Age 9 years, 2 months & 15 days. Daughter of S.J. & B. C. McClure.

McClure, Samuel J. d. Feb. 18, 1880. Age 66 years, 1 month & 3 days (Civil War Veteran)

McKinley, James Henry d. Apr. 15, 1850. Age 4 months & 12 days. Son of William & Ruth McKinley.

McKinley, Ruth Ann d. May 26, 1844. Age 9 months & 24 days. Daughter of Thomas & H.S. McKinley.

McMillen, Esther d. Jan 3, 1876. Age 50 years & 3 months. Wife of C. McMillen.

Muller, Edward John d. Sept. 15, 1847. Age 1, year & 22 days. Son of J.E. & Ann Calhoun Muller

Paul, Addie J., D. May 23, 1862. Age 11 months & 23 days.

Pennell, Arminta d. Apr. 3, 1854. Age 17 years, 6 months & 2 days.

Pennell, Eleanor d. July 31, 1855. Age 61 years, 5 months & 23 days. Wife of James Pennell.,

Platt, Jane d. Feb. 3, 1852. Age 1 year & 15 days. Daughter of Johah & Elazan Platt.

Platt, Millissa d. Feb. 3, 1852. Age 1 year & 15 days. Daughter of Johah & Elezan Platt.

Powers, D.W. d. Nov 31, 1851. Age 33 years, 4 months & 25 days.

Powers, James d. Nov. 26, 1848. Age 77 years & 11 months.

Powers, John. d. Aug. 20, 1839. Age 69 years, 5 months & 25 days.

Powers, Ruth d. Aug. 28, 1854. In her 67th year. Wife of James Powers

Stratton, Andrew W. d. May 12, 1870. Age 25 years, 8 months & 23 days.

Stratton, Elizabeth. Departed this life May 12, 1845. In the 88th year of her age. Consort of Thomas Stratton.

Stratton, Ethelonda. Departed this life Feb. 24, 1842. In the 8th year of her age. Daughter of Samuel & Jane Stratton.

Stratton, Evaline. Departed this life Aug. 1, 1830. In the 3rd year of her age. Daughter of Samuel & Jane Stratton.

Stratton, Hiram M. Departed this life Apr. 7, 1819. In the 3rd year of his age. Son of Samuel & Jane Stratton.

Stratton, Jane b. Sept. 16, 1802 d. Sept 10, 1879. "Our Mother"

Stratton, John d. Oct. 30, 1840 Age 35 years.

Stratton, John W. Departed this life Aug. 8, 1843. Age 4 months & 4 days. Son of Samuel & Jane Stratton.

Stratton, Joseph Jordan. Departed this life Aug. 8, 1843. Age 4 months & 4 days. Son of Samuel & Jane Stratton.

Stratton, Samuel C. b. Oct 6, 1802 d. Oct 21, 1875 "Our Father."

Stratton, Thomas. Departed this life Aug. 30, 1846. In the 89th year of his age. (Revolutionary War Veteran)

Thompson, Kate B. b. Feb. 13, 1894 d. March 29, 1904. Age 10 years, 1 month & 14 day. Daughter of James & Barbara Dillan.

Welsh, Andrew d. Dec. 29, 1864. Age 71 years.

Welsh, Mary. Who departed this life Apr. 21, 1822. Wife of James Welsh.

Wild, Mary Jackson. Departed this life Sept. 12, 1826. (age unreadable)

Published: Gleanings, Beaver County Genealogical Society, 
Vol. XVII No. 3 March 1993
 

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