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mcc-jrr_371-012

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Williams - Scott Cemetery, 37-1 Summary Report, page 12

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While the Methodist Episcopal Church was meeting on the Lanford land in Section 22 in the early 1820s, it had no other known name. Therefore, there is nothing other than the “Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery” or the “Lanford - MEC Cemetery” that could be suggested to more properly replace the Williams - Scott name for the cemetery. After meeting for a period of about 6 years on the Lanford land, the church moved to a “more suitable” site on Bartholomew Jordan's land. The parcel that “Batt” Jordan deeded to the church, which thereafter became known as Jordan's Chapel, was located in Sections 4 and 9 of Township 4, Range 1 West. The little cemetery that became the Chapel's burial place and gravesite of Bartholomew Jordan himself, is today believed to be located on the eastern edge of the grounds of Morris Elementary School, just at the fence to the Botanical Gardens property on the south side of Bob Wallace Avenue. The site of the Chapel itself is thought to be on the north side of Bob Wallace Avenue, about 200 to 300 yards north of the cemetery site. However, before the church relocated to this area in the late 1820s, it would have likely established a cemetery for the 6 years at its original location in Section 22, the Robert Lanford site. When the church left the site, the cemetery probably became a “de facto” community cemetery and continued in use. It is considered very likely that what is called the Williams - Scott Cemetery was originally the Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery, and not a single family cemetery at all. Prepared by John P. Rankin, September 6, 2005 (Digital photos of the deeds for the Lanford and the Jordan lands to the Methodist Episcopal Church are shown below for reference.) 1 < 1 I* r.v 12 - (1805)    

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