Mt. Zion Cemetery
Liberty #15 19750 553rd St.
Although it had not been used for many years, Mount Zion Primitive Baptist Church stood in Mount Zion Cemetery until 1979, when it was torn down.
Frank Myers has two interesting articles for this cemetery.. Click here:
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Mt. Zion Cemetery
(A foursome of Death)
On the first day of April 1893, there was a tragedy which is vividly remembered by many Lucas county residents. Henry McKinnis and his three sons were working on the engine of a saw mill a few miles northwest of Oakley. The water in the boiler was low and the father sent 12 year old Henry, Jr., up with a bucket of water to fill it. The explosion was heard for miles around. There were killed instantly. The body of Henry, Jr. was blown tree top high. John, 19, was found on the bank of Little Whitebreast Creek, still alive when his mother came. The four of them lie in Mt. Zion Cemetery, near the spot where the disaster occurred. Their tombstones are all of one piece and inscribed:”keep your lamps trimmed and burning for in an hour when he knoweth not, the Son of Man commeth.’
Each section has its own inscription. For Henry, Jr., ‘This boy went to the boiler’s top, obeying his father’s command. When he poured the cold water in, the flues did all expands.” For Billie Ted, 10 yes old, "Jolly, laughing little Ted. He was an angel on hearth, now he is an angel in heaven.” For John, “His party words I shall never forget. Said he, ‘Your time to die will come. It matters not whom we leave here yet, soon we will all be gathered home.’ For the father, Henry McKinnis, age 51, Co.B3 Iowa Inf.’Soldier Rest’ ‘Four loving ones from us have gone. Four voices we loved are stilled. A place is vacant in our home that never can be filled.
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Mt. Zion Cemetery is on the hill, sentineled by a great spruce tree. There, too, stands the church. We are indebted to John Stierwalt for the use of a remarkable set of records from which we have drawn for this bit of its history. In March, just one hundred years ago, four devout persons assembled to organize the ’Primitive Baptist Church’. They were: The Rev. W. S. Hughes, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Welch and Thomas C. Stone. The congregation grew and prospered and met in various places – school houses, the home of members and for several months in the station at Lucas until 1880 when they built the church at a cost of about $550. There were many strong pillars of that church thru the year, some of whose descendants are with us now and whose assistance has been invaluable in this collection of its history.
The Rev. W. S. Hughes was a preacher of great ability and was famed far and wide for that day. He was a prosperous farmer and he drove a carriage with fringe on top, drawn by a pair of sleek jet black horses. Primitive Baptist preachers received no salaries in that day but went about as near as possible in the manner and spirit of the early apostles on their own. Saturday was their Sabbath as late as about 1940. Their roster of membership has such names as Mr. and Mrs. Millard Musselman, grandparents of Lois Frank of Frank’s Tea Room; William and Martha Cottingham, parents of Mrs. Lewis Beem and Mrs. Roscoe Redigo; the Rev. Andrew Goforth; Mr. and Mrs. William James, grandparents of Ray and the late Delbert James; Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Burgett, grandparents of Glenn Burgett. (Mr. Burgett walked from Brown County, Indiana to Lucas Co. to make his home); William and America Skidmore from whom the four acre tract of land was bought for $1. They were grandparents of Mrs. W. C. Evans of Lucas. James F. Baugh and wife, Margaret Byrd Baugh, a descendant in the line of the Admiral Byrd family of Virginia, were the grandparents of Burdette Conrad of Lucas.
Today in our age of skepticism, cynicism and unbelief, it is refreshing and reassuring to read the pages and between the lines of ordinances and ritual of these devout people. They practiced the ritual of washing of the feet. Some of our citizens cherish the memory of witnessing this impressive lesson in humility. They girded themselves with a towel, took a basin of water, and performed the ceremony in humble accordance with the command in the Gospel of John. In the dawn of Christianity, the followers of Christ used the Jordan River as their baptismal font. In like manner, these Primitive Baptists used Whitbreast flowing near by. There is an entry in their record of June 1943 stating that a baptismal ceremony was so performed by Elder J. W. Vincent.
On the first Saturday and Sunday in June of each year, there was a conference of several churches of this denomination as far away as Grinnell, Iowa, and other distant places. They came in buggies, spring wagons and carriages for a week long convention. These were honored guests. Hospitality during these happy times was graciously extended in all homes round about regardless of church affiliation. There would be twelve to fifteen or more in each home and since no house was large enough to accommodate so many, the men would take blankets and comforts to the hay mow, sometimes to the corn crib, to sleep while the women and children were billeted in the house. This was enjoyed by all because guess brought news from the outside in a day when communication was scarce. As one pursues the carefully handwritten records of their worship services from the beginning to the early 1940’s one is impressed with the genuineness of their faith, their trust and their dedication. Verily, they possessed a gem of great price.
(A foursome of Death)
On the first day of April 1893, there was a tragedy which is vividly remembered by many Lucas county residents. Henry McKinnis and his three sons were working on the engine of a saw mill a few miles northwest of Oakley. The water in the boiler was low and the father sent 12 year old Henry, Jr., up with a bucket of water to fill it. The explosion was heard for miles around. There were killed instantly. The body of Henry, Jr. was blown tree top high. John, 19, was found on the bank of Little Whitebreast Creek, still alive when his mother came. The four of them lie in Mt. Zion Cemetery, near the spot where the disaster occurred. Their tombstones are all of one piece and inscribed:”keep your lamps trimmed and burning for in an hour when he knoweth not, the Son of Man commeth.’
Each section has its own inscription. For Henry, Jr., ‘This boy went to the boiler’s top, obeying his father’s command. When he poured the cold water in, the flues did all expands.” For Billie Ted, 10 yes old, "Jolly, laughing little Ted. He was an angel on hearth, now he is an angel in heaven.” For John, “His party words I shall never forget. Said he, ‘Your time to die will come. It matters not whom we leave here yet, soon we will all be gathered home.’ For the father, Henry McKinnis, age 51, Co.B3 Iowa Inf.’Soldier Rest’ ‘Four loving ones from us have gone. Four voices we loved are stilled. A place is vacant in our home that never can be filled.
***************************
Mt. Zion Cemetery is on the hill, sentineled by a great spruce tree. There, too, stands the church. We are indebted to John Stierwalt for the use of a remarkable set of records from which we have drawn for this bit of its history. In March, just one hundred years ago, four devout persons assembled to organize the ’Primitive Baptist Church’. They were: The Rev. W. S. Hughes, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Welch and Thomas C. Stone. The congregation grew and prospered and met in various places – school houses, the home of members and for several months in the station at Lucas until 1880 when they built the church at a cost of about $550. There were many strong pillars of that church thru the year, some of whose descendants are with us now and whose assistance has been invaluable in this collection of its history.
The Rev. W. S. Hughes was a preacher of great ability and was famed far and wide for that day. He was a prosperous farmer and he drove a carriage with fringe on top, drawn by a pair of sleek jet black horses. Primitive Baptist preachers received no salaries in that day but went about as near as possible in the manner and spirit of the early apostles on their own. Saturday was their Sabbath as late as about 1940. Their roster of membership has such names as Mr. and Mrs. Millard Musselman, grandparents of Lois Frank of Frank’s Tea Room; William and Martha Cottingham, parents of Mrs. Lewis Beem and Mrs. Roscoe Redigo; the Rev. Andrew Goforth; Mr. and Mrs. William James, grandparents of Ray and the late Delbert James; Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Burgett, grandparents of Glenn Burgett. (Mr. Burgett walked from Brown County, Indiana to Lucas Co. to make his home); William and America Skidmore from whom the four acre tract of land was bought for $1. They were grandparents of Mrs. W. C. Evans of Lucas. James F. Baugh and wife, Margaret Byrd Baugh, a descendant in the line of the Admiral Byrd family of Virginia, were the grandparents of Burdette Conrad of Lucas.
Today in our age of skepticism, cynicism and unbelief, it is refreshing and reassuring to read the pages and between the lines of ordinances and ritual of these devout people. They practiced the ritual of washing of the feet. Some of our citizens cherish the memory of witnessing this impressive lesson in humility. They girded themselves with a towel, took a basin of water, and performed the ceremony in humble accordance with the command in the Gospel of John. In the dawn of Christianity, the followers of Christ used the Jordan River as their baptismal font. In like manner, these Primitive Baptists used Whitbreast flowing near by. There is an entry in their record of June 1943 stating that a baptismal ceremony was so performed by Elder J. W. Vincent.
On the first Saturday and Sunday in June of each year, there was a conference of several churches of this denomination as far away as Grinnell, Iowa, and other distant places. They came in buggies, spring wagons and carriages for a week long convention. These were honored guests. Hospitality during these happy times was graciously extended in all homes round about regardless of church affiliation. There would be twelve to fifteen or more in each home and since no house was large enough to accommodate so many, the men would take blankets and comforts to the hay mow, sometimes to the corn crib, to sleep while the women and children were billeted in the house. This was enjoyed by all because guess brought news from the outside in a day when communication was scarce. As one pursues the carefully handwritten records of their worship services from the beginning to the early 1940’s one is impressed with the genuineness of their faith, their trust and their dedication. Verily, they possessed a gem of great price.
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