Marker #20-11 : Friends Church / Friends Cemetery

Friends Cemetery side of marker - Side B uploaded by Linda Ellis

Name	User	Date
Friends Church - Side A of marker	Linda Ellis	08-02-06
Friends Cemetery side of marker - Side B	Linda Ellis	08-03-06
The Friends Church	Ohio Historical Society	07-31-06
The Friends Church	Ohio Historical Society	07-31-06
The Friends Church	Ohio Historical Society	07-31-06
The Friends Church	Ohio Historical Society	07-31-06
The Friends Church	Ohio Historical Society	07-31-06

Side A : "Friends Church"

Among the earliest settlers to Rush Township were members of the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers, who emigrated from the eastern states, mostly Pennsylvania and North Carolina. At first religious services were held in the homes of devout Quakers who in turn built a small-framed meeting house on this site in 1842. The present Friends Church replaced the original structure in the 1870s at a cost of $4,245. Although not a stop on the Underground Railroad, the church supported local ardent Abolitionists who helped runaway slaves reach freedom in Canada. An epidemic during the winter of 1850-1851 reduced the Friends' membership and led to several Quaker families relocating to Iowa. The final religious service was held here on October 26, 1997, after which the church was donated to the village of North Lewisburg.

Side B : "Friends Cemetery"

The cemetery of the Quaker Church lies to the west of this building and was used from circa 1846 through circa 1885. It was one of the earliest cemeteries in Champaign County with the first recorded burial being Moses Winder on August 5, 1846, and the last recorded burial on May 18, 1885 of Caroline S. Pim. Among those interred here are Civil War veteran William W. Fell, the first marshal of Lewisburg Harmon Limes, and one of the first trustees to serve Lewisburg Abner Winder Jr. As the church membership dwindled, the upkeep of the cemetery proved difficult and fell into neglect and disrepair. As with the Friends Church, the village of North Lewisburg took over ownership of the cemetery when it was donated in 1997.

Latitude / Longitude

40.13657 ° / -83.33536 ° - Map Marker

Address

141 Winder Street
North Lewisburg, OH 43060
Champaign County

Location Directions

141 Winder Street

Keywords

Churches, Quaker, Abolition movement

Categories

Cemeteries, Religion

Sponsor(s)

Village of North Lewisburg, Friends of North Lewisburg Branch of Champaign County Library, Champaign County Bicentennial Historical Marker Committee, and The Ohio Historical Society

Year

2005