FREE METHODIST CEMETERY, YORK TOWNSHIP
Photo and History Provided by Steven Lavey.
The Free Methodist Church Cemetery Index
Excerpt from "The Centennial History of the York Center United Methodist Church (1880-1980) and the Town of York (1857-1980)", 1980, pages 93-94:
In the late 1800’s, it is told that some of the members of the Methodist Church at Wilcox (York Center) wanted an organ for the church. Arguments arose as some of the congregation were absolutely against having music in the church. The church was soon divided with those who wanted an organ and those who didn’t.
It was about 1897, as Rollie Benedict recalls it, that the two groups parted company. George Lindsley, Hattie Turner’s dad, took their organ from home and put it in the church. At that point, the people who didn’t want the organ left and formed a new church which was called the Free Methodist Church.
The people who left the church were Mr. and Mrs. John Palmer, Mr. and Mrs. William Windsor, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Rogers, Mrs. Augusta Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bolton, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Garvin.
They built their new church where Orville Luchterhand’s house now stands. Most of the land was still covered with woods in those days.
After about two years, Mel Turner gave them the use of some land with the stipulation that when there was no longer a church on the property, it would revert back to the owner. (It now belongs to Steve Lepori). They moved the church to the new location and also built a parsonage east of the church and added an entryway and put brick veneering on the church.
West of the church was a cemetery where they laid to rest Mr. and Mrs. Dave Rogers, Mrs. Arlo Davis, four of the children of C.H. Young who died of scarlet fever, and infant of Henry Sischo, and an infant of William Rogers. The cemetery is still there, north of Highway H, a short distance east of the H and K corner.
In 1970, the Jolly Workers 4-H Club, assisted by their leader, Mrs. Violet Mechelke, found the cemetery forgotten and unkempt so they took on the job of cleaning it up. They worked hard cutting out the brush and weeds. Then they mowed the grass and painted a sign which read "Free Methodist Cemetery." The club has continued to keep the cemetery in good repair.
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