Today I wanted to post a cemetery that really means a lot to me. This is the burial place of my 3rd-great-grandparents.Lutheran Church Cemetery(church no longer stands), northwest of Bardstown, Kentucky. Take Highway 245 to Lutheran Church Rd, left and the cemetery is 1/4 mile on the left.
I visited this cemetery July 2008. I was rather disappointed to see how much vandalism had taken place here. I wish I lived closer so that I could do more for it. In the second photo, the row on the right, the 2nd and 3rd headstones are of my relatives. I was also disappointed to see that my great-great-great-grandfather, Samuel Heffley, did not have a military headstone. From what I've been told from family, he was a Kentucky Sharpshooter and served with Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. It was sad not to see "War of 1812" noted or even a flag at his grave. In fact, much of the cemetery seemed to have the surname of "Heffley", and certainly they are all cousins of mine.
My 3rd great-grandparents:
Samuel B Heffley Sep 20, 1792-Aug 13, 1965
Elizabeth Mathis Heffley Jan 3, 1798-Jan 20, 1891
And I also found buried here who I believe are Elizabeth's parents(4x great-grandparents):
Conrod Mathis Jun 16, 1746-Sep 6, 1832
Mary Magdelena Sep 19, 1750-Jan 13, 1833
(these markers CLEARLY show CONROD although all records I find list the names as CONRAD, and MATHIS, though it is spelled other places as MATHEWS)
And a brother of hers and his wife:
Conrod Mathis March 5, 1787-March 26, 1832
Mary M [Streit] Mathis Aug 26, 1789-May 8, 1844
**I am researching this on other sites as I type this**
And I find that possibly Conrad Mathews(Mathis), 1746-1832, may have served in a Maryland unit during the Revolutionary War-which makes this another in my list of Revolutionary ancestors! And his father came from (shock!) France-though technically, Alsace was part of Germany at times so it is more likely that they were 'technically' German(as are nearly all of my ancestors). Elizabeth's mother, Mary, has the maiden name of Weller, and there are quite a few of her brothers and their families buried here as well. Apparently many of the Weller and Mathews and Heffley familes moved from the Frederick County, Maryland area to Nelson County, Kentucky sometime between 1790 and 1800.
Some of the other surnames found here are Lutz, Shoptaugh, and Miller(I really only photographed Heffleys and the older markers).
Hi, You have produced an fascinating blog on an interesting subject. If you accepted followers, I'd sign up at once. Very impressed with it and I will tell my followers to take a peek!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Laurie (England)
I was just down to Bardstown this past Monday to get some records of my ancestors. My ggg/grandfather, Samuel Osburn/Osborn, and his 1st wife are supose to have donated the land for the Old Lutheran Church and cemetery.
ReplyDeleteI am going back to see the cemetery next month. I have some information that the cemetery is about 4 miles east of Bardstown off of Shepherdsville Road. Is this the same cemetery that you wrote your blog about?
Thanks for such a nice blog. To say that I was shocked to run across it on the net, is an understatement!
The information about the directions to Old Lutheran Cemetery I posted are incorrect. I got that information at the Nelson Co., KY Library, but, this cemetery is as you described. It is north of Bardstown, not east.
ReplyDeleteI have given you proper recognition on the Ancestry.com website for this photo...sorry.
ReplyDeleteAlso, since you have Conrad and Mary Magdalena Mathes in your line, I'd say we are cousins also! My g-g grandfather Jacob Lutz married Catherine Mathes, also daughter of Conrad and Maria Magdalena (Weller) Mathes.
Hefley was certainly one of the common names I came across as these early pioneers came into Nelson Co.
Carl Lutes (Lutz)