The headstones at the Morrison Cemetery - First cemetery of the Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church, Drumore township, Lancaster County Pa. This cemetery is in Hensel, Pa in a Farmers field April 8th 1998 Clyde Shoemaker and Marie Malark took the inscriptions of the remaining stones at the cemetery they are as follows
Dec 2000 - While typing newsclippings from a scrap book donated to the society I came across a news clipping about Morrisons cemetery. This small piece of paper fills in names of others buried in this cemetery whose stones no longer exist today. Some of these were not even on the earlier transcription list for this cemetery. There was no date on this clipping but the preservation of these names and dates is deeply treasured.
The following is the above named newspaper clipping
The Ancient Grave-yards of the "Lower End" Morrison's near Centerville, Drumore townhip, Lancaster County - Revelotionary Patriot Interred Therein - Early SettlersBuried Here - The Steeles, Morrisons, Kings, Ewings and many other of Scotch - Irish Fame
"Beneath those rugged elms, that yew trees shade .Where heaves the turf in many mouldering heap Each in his narrow cell forever laid The rude forefathers of the Hamlet sleep What is known as Morrison's graveyard, and another of like area deeded to Little Britain Church by Thomas Carmichael, now on the farm of Thos. P. King, Fulton township, are two of the oldest places of interment in the southern end of Lancaster county . The former is situated a short distance south of the village of Centerville, Drumore township. For many years it was secured by a mural enclosure, but this becoming dilapidated, it was removed and a strong board fence substituded instead. Passing by this last resting place of the forefathers of the hamlet, we enlighten from our carriage , and if not, like "Old Mortality", to rescue from oblivion, at least to read the weather torn epitaphs as they appear on the acient headstones
The oldest marked mound was that of a child, and for ought we know it may have been the first body placed here. The headstone is a fine slate and was imported from Wales; the date proving that it was placed here long before the manufacture of slate commenced in this country. We copy the following:
In Memory of
William Mitchell Jun
who dec'd Sep'r 7th , 1743
age 4 years
The next in order of internment is one who in all probability was the ancestor of many now living of the same name, in this part of the county, The headstone is also of slate and contains the following Epitaph:
Here Lies the Body of
John Jamison
who died May 3rd , 1751, age 44yrs
Omnia mors aequat
The third in order is the grave in common of two, persons among the early settlers of Drumore, and will be recognized by a number of our readers as the ancestors of many of the present inhabitants of that township. This grave is marked by a marble slab resting on a brick structure and is the work of descendants who have taken care to see that the grave of their kindred is kept in repair. From off this marble slab we copy the following:
In Memory of
Walter Penny
Who departed this life
May 24, 1754
in the 69th year of his age
and
Margery Penny
who departed this life Dec. 30th, 1760
age 78 years
Hard by is another monument, simular in every respect. It points the burial place of one of the "Men of'76", here is the epitaph:
In Memory of Robert King, Esq.
A Revolutionary officer,
who departed this
the 14th day of August 1827
aged 82 years
Also
In memory of
Jannet
wife of Rob't King
who departed this life
July 22, 1825aged
68 years
Robert King was a lieutenant, fifth of that rank, in the battalion of Lancaster county Militia, 1777. Jas. Watson was colonel. Among the officers of this battle were Robert Kings neighbors. John Scott, and Jas. Patterson, who were captains, and Thomas Clark and John Caldwell, as held the same commision as himself. Robert King was the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Jennet McCollough of Oxford, Chester county ,and Mrs. Ellen Sides , of Fairfield Lancaster county, and father of the late Robert King of Lancaster , Pa.
The Steeles were quite a noted family in the Revolutionary history of this country. Archibald Steele, John Steele, and William Steele were very prominent men in their day, all three brothers being in the army under Washington and Benedict Arnold. One of the family of Steeles we noticed is intered in this grave-yard, and may of been the father of these revolutionary heros
Here
Lies the Body of
Samuel Steele
who dec'd July the 31st
1764
In the 34th year of
his age
Two acient stones,
"In memory of Robert Polk, who departed this life, December 9th, 1761 age 21 years"
and "Here lies the Body of Margaret Rippey who died April ye 10th 1764 age 17 years. " are to us unknown. There may be those living who are decendants , and can trace out their family genealogy.
Two more ancient looking headstones - much the worse of the weathering- designate respectively the last resting place of Alexander Ewing and Moses Black, names yet recognized in this vicinity
In memory of
Alexeander Ewing
who departed this life
April 25th, 1758
age 66 years
_______
Here Lieth the
body of
Moses Black
who departed this
life March 8th
1768 age 35 years
Although this is called Morrison's grave-yard we find the name but of one, and this not of the earliest pioneers, It runs thus:
Sacared to the memory of Mrs. Rachel Morrison, who departed this life January 3rd 1830, aged 43 years, 3 mo, and 28 days The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible" 1st cor 15,22
With those epitaphs we shall close our article from notes taken during a half hours ramble in one of the oldest of our repositories for the ...(last word unreadable)
**note of person transcribing this article, The Steele brothers mentioned were sons of William and Rachel Carr Steele. Their children including the above mentioned brothers being born between 1740-1768, the above named Samuel being to be young to be a parent to most)