Graveyard Tour – Shiloh Lutheran Church

The Old Cemetery

The final stop of the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour that was held on May 2, 2009 was The Old Cemetery at Shiloh Lutheran Church, the oldest congregation in Lewisville, and the oldest Lutheran Church in Forsyth County. Located a quarter mile east of Shiloh Lutheran Church — tucked away in a peaceful nook in the woods — The Old Cemetery offers a bit of “revolutionary” history and local legend for all who walk that sacred ground. The site of the original church is located further into the woods, not too far from The Old Cemetery.

Preserving History

Terry Dull, a long-time member of Shiloh Lutheran Church, hosted the last portion of the Historic Graveyard Tour. About eight years ago, Terry and his wife Bette began researching the history of the church and the old graveyard. They wanted to preserve the church’s rich history for future generations. In 2002 Terry and Bette published their findings in a 36-page booklet titled The Old Deutsch Meeting House Graveyard, just in time for the church’s 225th anniversary.

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Historic Graveyard Tour – Lewisville UMC

More History Lessons

The fifth of six stops on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour that was held on May 2, 2009 brought us to Lewisville United Methodist Church.

In 2003 Ruth Reynolds Hartle wrote a series of articles on the history of Lewisville United Methodist Church that appeared in the church’s monthly newsletters, leading up to its 125th anniversary celebration in October 2003. (Ruth’s sources for the articles were the church archives and the book, The History of Lewisville United Methodist Church 1878–1988, written by her brother, the late G. Galloway Reynolds.)

While reading Ruth’s articles, it became clear to me why Ruth was the spokesperson for this stop on the graveyard tour. Ruth is not only a long-time member of Lewisville United Methodist Church and the sister of Lewisville’s foremost historian, G. Galloway Reynolds, but her writings reflect that she, like her brother, cherishes history and seeks out the lessons it can teach us.

UPDATE: Ruth Hartle passed away on May 7, 2015.

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Graveyard Tour – Lewisville Baptist Church

The Next Stop on the Tour

The fourth of six stops on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour that was held on May 2, 2009 in Lewisville took us to the graveyard at Lewisville Baptist Church. (Click to read the previous post on the Historic Graveyard Tour at Panther Creek Plantation.)

Although the graveyard at Lewisville Baptist Church is not as old as some of the other graveyards on the tour, such as the Shiloh Lutheran Church and the Concord United Methodist Church graveyards, it nevertheless holds historic significance.

Leading this segment of the graveyard tour was Mary Alice Warren, a member of Lewisville Baptist Church. Mary Alice concentrated her brief talk on the center portion of the graveyard that includes the gravestones of Lewisville’s founder, Lewis Laugenour, and his wife, Betty.

For more INFO, PHOTOS and AUDIO related to the LEWISVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH GRAVEYARD, please continue to the NEXT SECTION.
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Historic Graveyard Tour – Panther Creek

Williams Family Graveyard

The third of six stops on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour that was held on May 2, 2009 in Lewisville, North Carolina took us to the Williams Family Graveyard located on the (private) property of the historic Panther Creek Plantation on Double Springs Road. (Click to read the previous post on the Historic Graveyard Tour at Double Springs AME Zion Church.)

Leading our group on this portion of the tour was the owner of the property, Lanier Williams, who is 88 years old. In 1766 his great-great-grandfather, Joseph Williams, purchased several thousand acres spanning both sides of the Yadkin River and established what came to be known as Panther Creek Plantation.

Mr. Williams walked us through the graveyard, pointing out the graves of various relatives and telling us a little about them. For instance, his great-great-grandfather distinguished himself as an Indian fighter and a Revolutionary War colonel. And one of Joseph Williams’ sons, Lewis James Williams, served in both the N.C. Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.

The oldest grave in the Williams cemetery is Joseph Williams’ — he was born in 1748 and died in 1827. One unusual grave has a pair of little boots and socks carved out of the top of the gravestone, commemorating the tragic death of two-year-old Emily Kerr, who died in a fire.

Photos, Audio and Additional Information

Check out the links below to the PHOTO GALLERY (which includes photos of the grounds, as well as of the graveyard) and the 5-minute MP3 RECORDING of Lanier Williams.

For ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on the Williams family, you might want to read Williams: 300 Years of Leadership in America, A History of the Descendants of John Williams of Llangollen, Wales, published in 1997. I suggest checking with the Lewisville Library or the Lewisville Historical Society to see if either of them has a copy of this book, which I believe is now out of print.

Photo Gallery: Panther Creek Plantation and Graveyard Photo Gallery
Audio: Historical Intro – Panther Creek Plantation and Graveyard Recording (MP3, 5 MIN.)

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about the other local historic graveyards featured on this website.

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