The beautiful IOOF cemetery just above the city of Marion on the banks of the
Mississinewa has many points of historical interest. On December 9, 1825, John Ballinger
entered a part of Section 8. This was later owned by Isacc Jay In the fall of 1828 a
small log house was built on the John Ballenger farm and used by the Society of Friends as
a meeting house. This was called the "Mississineway Meeting" and according to
Quaker custom a cemetery was adjoining or near the church house.
The church house was later moved away but the cemetery continued to be used for
some time. "John Ballenger who was buried where the Friends cemetery is now, was the
first deceased Friend and the second person buried in the first cemetery of the county.
Samuel Adamson, his son-in-law, being the first."
Historical Atlas of Grant County, pg. 19
Mr. James hood who wrote a pamphlet called " The History of Mississinewa
lodge # 96, IOOF, tells on pg. 31---"Eli Thomas was one of the early settlers of this
vicinity and a prominent worker in the Quaker Church. the writer a few years ago met his
son Marcus M. thomas in the Friends part of the cemetery. At that time Mr. Thomas pointed
out the site of the graves of the first two buried there. They were John ballinger and
his son-in-law, Samuel Adamson. The graves are in the south east corner of the old
cemetery and are unmarded. this info was given to Mr. Thomas by his father.
On September 24, 1944, Mr. Hood stood at this spot, pointed out to him
by Mr. Thomas and I took a picture of him.
The old cemetery was on the plank road leading to Jonesboro and in
1856 was one mile south of Mrion. At that itme the land was owned by Isaac Jay.
Near the entrance of the IOOF cemetery is a marker erected by the
Junior Historical society of Marion High School which reads, " First Church erected
in gRant County in 1830 by the Mississinewa Meeting of the Society of Friends. Used until
1837."
The earliest dates on tombstones are Aug. 19, 1844, Eli Harman, and Dec.
17, 1840, on the stone of Nancy Hiatt, wife of Jonathan Davis.
Since this was a Friend's burying ground many graves were unmarded.
According to their belief that we need be known only to God at the time of Judgement. and
that it made no difference whether or not any human knew where we were resting in death.
In March of 1855, a committee was appointed by the Odd fellows Lodge to
select a piece of ground that might be purchased for the purpose of locating a cemetery.
This committee decided that some land adjoining the Old Quaker Cemetery on Isaac Jay's
farm was a desirable location but being unable to find the gentleman at home asked that
the committee be dismissed. In August of 1855 another dommittee reported that it had been
successful in contacting Mr. Jay. He was willing to sell 3 acres lying immediately south
of the Friends Cemetery on the plank road to Jonesboro for $150 per acre. Nothing was done
by the lodge until March 28, 1856 when another committee was appointed. Other committees
were appointed and reported their findings and finally on June 11, 1858, a resolution was
presented and adapted. this provided for the purchase of three acres from Mr. Jay.
The date of the purchase is June 30, 1859. This acreage has been
increased until there is now a little over 78 (1940's) acres in this cemetery. The
unplatted part had been uncared for and presented a bad appearance and was a source of
regret to members of the church. Finally the trustees of the tow organizations took the
matter up and came to an agreement whereby the lodge took over the care and management of
the Friends part of the cemetery. by the terms of the agreement the church paid the lodge
$600.
The above was written by the DAR in the 1940'a
JCT