The
first church was founded in 1856 about a half of a mile west of
Xeon avenue on what is now county road 10. There was a small cemetery
west of the church. To my knowledge there have been no permanent
markers there and perhaps at this time no one really knows where
the plot was.
When
plans were being made to the construction of the second church,
burials were either made at Spirit Hill in Jordan or at the Concord
Hill Cemetery east of the present United Methodist church. Concord
hill was a public cemetery, organized under the jurisdiction of
what was known as the Concord Hill Cemetery Association.
During
the 1800’s there was a Presbyterian church just east of
the present cemetery. This church was later moved to Spring Lake
where it served as a Catholic Church later being moved to Prior
Lake. It is very probable that the cemetery was started when this
church was here because of its proximity to the church.
The
original cemetery was a gift of Reason Whipps to be used as a
public and burial ground. Checking how long ago I do not know,
but he was the great, great grandfather of the present Whipps
family who are near 80 years of age so it was perhaps 170 or more
years ago.
For
many years the Concord Hill Association consisted almost entirely
of members of the Lydia congregation. In perhaps the 1940’s,
a group of interested community citizens decided the cemetery
needed a bit of loving care for through the years brush and ivy
and thorns had grown and taken over. A day was decided on for
cleanup. Men and women came forth with axes, forks and steel brushes.
A general cleanup occurred. Brush and ivy were piled into piles,
and fires were made to dispose of the debris. Some of the older
stones were cleaned with steel brushes to remove the accumulation
of moss over the years, so the dates and names could be read.
At the end of the day it was with the spirit of pride the cemetery
was viewed. Hand powered lawn mowers were just becoming popular,
so it was decided anyone coming to cut their lots would cut a
bit more. The result was grass and weeds were kept under control.
The
decision was made by the association to ask for donations to start
a perpetual care fund to be able to hire a cemetery caretaker.
In
the 1940’s the first addition to the cemetery was purchased
and about that time anyone purchasing a lot was requested to also
purchase perpetual care. Since that time an additional addition
known as the second edition was purchased.
In
about 1975, the Concord Hill Association turned the care of the
cemetery over to the Lydia United Methodist Church. For several
years members of the VFW honor guard had Memorial Day services
at the cemetery, but after a few years, they were discontinued
due to the fact that many towns had their own services which caused
conflicts.
Several
years the Youth Fellowship held the Easter sunrise service at
the cemetery. They had the full program consisting of Bible reading,
singing of a hymn which was followed by cornet taps. Then followed
the Easter breakfast at the church. After a few years if inclement
weather, these services ceased and were transferred to teh church. |
