SMITH'S METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY (OLD), Anderson County, SC A.K.A. Smith's Methodist Church #2 Version 2.3, 1-Dec-2003, A083.TXT, A083 **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula Seneca, SC, USA Anderson County SC GenWeb Coordinator Anderson County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scanderson2/ **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Dec-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Dec-2003 G.P.S. MAPPING . : ____________ at ____________ in _______ HISTORY WRITE-UP : A. Deason Smith at adeasons@gogenesis.com in Dec-2003 IMAGES ......... : ____________ at ____________ in _______ LOCATION WRITE-UP: A. Deason Smith at adeasons@gogenesis.com in Dec-2003 TRANSCRIPTION .. : A. Deason Smith at adeasons@gogenesis.com in Jul-2000 **************************************************************** CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ Matt Brown Rd - the road ends at a gate to the pasture. The cemetery is through the gate and on the right a couple hundred yards up a dirt road. It is set in a group of trees. Latitude N x Longitude W CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ The above church was located off county road #200 which in turn leads off the Air Line Road below Miller's grocery. The first deed to this church was made on Sept. 4, 1833 by John and Mary McPhail. The trustees named were WILLIAM ELROD, SR.; JOHN ELROD; Archibald Keaton (He is buried in Ebenezer cemetery); Anthony Mauldin; Joseph E. Manning and Thomas Taylor. The deed was for 1 acre...(there were 2 more deeds with different trustees ADS) This church closed before the turn of the century. There must be thirty or more graves in the old cemetery. Went to Anderson on July 20, 2000 and found the Smith Methodist Chapel # 2 Cemetery. William Elrod was listed as a trustee of this church when land was given for the cemetery. I did not find a tombstone with his name. The cemetery is in the middle of a cow pasture. The owner of the land has not taken any pains to take care of the cemetery. It is in sad shape. Headstones are broken, knocked over or buried under. Would make you cry. I believe at this point that my William Elrod could be buried there. All the other stones with names are people who are connected with the Elrod family. o----------o I have the information that is attached below about Abraham Coffin and his family. we visited the cemetery in 1985 but was unable to find the grave of Henry Andrew as mentioned in the note. All of the other information is the same as I have that was handed down to me by my grandfather (Information from a notebook kept by Abraham Coffin) A few years after the war of 1812 Abraham moved with his family from Nantucket Island to the Greenville District of South Carolina. (He and his family are listed in the 1820 New York State census as living in Oneida County.) Sometime after 1820 He moved to Anderson County South Carolina. He and Rev Levi Garrison, a Methodist preacher, founded a church on the site now occupied by Smith's Chapel M. E. Church, South, in Anderson County S. C. They could not get cooperation from the neighbors and citizens of the community in their endeavor to build the church, so they themselves erected a building of logs and gave it the name "Independence" indicating their independence of the help of others. He and his wife are buried in the churchyard at this place. Abraham's youngest son, Henry Andrew drowned in Beaverdam creek near a place known as Broyles mill. His grave was the first one made in the churchyard of what is now known as Smith's Chapel (then Independence) M. E. Church. By: J. D. Coffin at j-coffin@juno.com in 23-Jun-2006 TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife John McPhail died March 19, 1868 Marion McPhail died Jan. 3, 1869 Robert Findley born Sept. 1, 1827 died Nov. 12, 1864 Elizabeth Martha (Mason) Murff (w/o Robert Findley) born July 25, 1828 died Nov. 17, 1895 Robert Baxter Duncan (s/o B. F. & T. E. Duncan, age 14 yrs., 14 days, & 5 mins.) born Oct. 13, 1864 died March 1878 William Pinkney Duncan (s/o B. F. & T. E. Duncan) born Jan. 25, 1855 died Sept. 26, 1872 Talitha Emaline (Smith) Duncan (w/o Dr. B. F. Duncan and d/o Samuel Smith) born March 20, 1826 died Feb. 21, 1891 Dr. B. F. Duncan (Benjamin Franklin) born June 21, 1821 died July 21, 1891 Infant Son of B. F. & T. E. Duncan John Wesley Duncan (s/o B. F. & T. E. Duncan) born June 23, 1850 died Jan. 1, 1880 Thomas Hanna born Dec. 15, 1788 died Dec. 10, 1878 Priscilla Hanna born Feb. 14, 1788 died July 15, 1889 C. E. Dixon died Aug. 30, 1882 Jane Smith (w/o Samuel Smith and mother of Talitha Emaline Smith Duncan) born May 1, 1805 died April 6, 1872 Samuel Smith born Jan. 6, 1802 died Jan. 21, 1868 Martha Lutitia Smith (d/o Samuel & Jane Smith) born July 7, 1839 died Oct. 28, 1856 Dr. Benjamin Franklin Duncan's parents are buried in a family cemetery. I will have to try and located directions. There is only one tombstone which was erected by son, Benjamin Franklin Duncan. I have a picture somewhere. Robert Manson Duncan, Sr. born Feb. 2, 1776 (Scotland) died July 23, 1849 Elizabeth Elrod born Sept. 10, 1783 died 1835