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Old Zion Methodist Church Cemetery
Hunter's Chapel Community
Bamberg County, South Carolina

This cemetery is located on a dirt road off Howell's Mill Road, about one mile west of Highway 362, north of Highway 521 (Ehrhardt Road).   This is about 10 miles southeast of Bamberg and about the same distance, southwest of Branchville.  At the crossroads of Howell's Mill Road and Hwy 362 is the Hunter's Chapel Baptist Church on the northeast corner and its cemetery on the southwest corner.

At the entrance of the dirt road, on your left if you are traveling west from 362, is a small home made sign denoting the cemetery.  This was the original location of the Zion Methodist Church which, according to a church member, was relocated around 1900.  The cemetery, which probably was situated to the right of the church at the edge of a cleared field, is now in a heavy pine forest and is not visible from the main road.

The area has been blanketed with 100 years of fallen limbs and pine needles and has been used as a dumping area for limbs and other yard debris.  The terrain is very rolling, causing me to wonder if some unmarked graves are now covered by pine needles and debris.  It is impossible to tell where the church building originally stood, but it is assumed to have been near the road.

There is one fenced plot where the fence is not in good repair and there are no visible gravestones.

I have photographs of the following graves:  Annie Gavin Raysor, William Moss Raysor, Nettie M. Berry, John E. Road (not legible), Nathaniel D. Road, Hannah S. Rhoad.

If anyone has access to a history or roster for the Zion Methodist Church, or has information that other individuals are buried here, please let me know.  Pat Sabin.
 
 

Fenced Plot: William M. Raysor Born Oct. 2, 1853 Died May 24, 1924 Annie Gavin Wife of Wm. M. Raysor Born May 8, 1856 Died Jan. 4, 1908

Fenced Plot: Lillian McKenzie Black Oct 5, 1879 June 20, 1948 Daughter of Dr. J. B. Black, Sr. and Martha Breland Black Wife of Lemuel C. McKenzie In Loving Memory of Our Mother Martha Breland Black Feb. 18, 1842 Oct. 19, 1929 Dr. J. B. Black, Sr. April 21, 1837 July 1, 1891 Emma Edwards Steedly Mar 26, 1841 Sept 20, 1897 Capt. Richard Joseph Steedly Feb 18, 1831 Nov 3, 1902 (Confederate Flag) Vivian and Ernest Children of J. W. and M. J. Steedly (no dates)

Nettie M. Berry Daughter of S. F. and M. F. Berry Jan 21, 1893 Mar 8, 1893 John E. Road Jan 13, 1847 Spet 18, 1868 Mary M. Wife of N. D. Rhoad Oct 2, 1821 May 10, 1896 Nathaniel D. Road Oct 9th, 1812 Nov 6th, 1886   Hannah S.  Wife of J. E. Rhoad Feb 16, 1848 Dec 25, 1896

Additional People Believed to Be Buried at
Old Zion Methodist Church Cemetery
(No Gravestones Visible)

Name / Dates	Person Contributing	Additional Information / Source of Information
Daisy Margaret Stokes b. Nov 10, 1870  d. Feb 15, 1891	Pat Sabin bambergsc@patsabin.com	Daughter of Jefferson Stokes and Mary Elizabeth Tatum StokesNotes of Maud Raysor's notes in the Stokes genealogy (Book of Stokes by J. Lemacks Stokes, 1915)
J. Rice Walker b. August 14, 1828 d. August 11, 1876	Jim Smith jimandedna@comcast.net	J. Rice Walker, b 14 Aug 1828, d 11 Aug 1876 is reported to be buried at Old Zion Methodist Cemetery. This is shown in the Book Southern linders Volume II, by Myrtle and Bill Linder. I have confirmed the information on the cemetery, except that Hanna S. was the wife of J. E. Rhoad (John E. Rhoad) I have a photo of the stone to prove this. Also for what it is worth Nathaniel D. Rhoad was the son of John Rhoad B 1768 and Mary M. wife of N. D. Rhoad was Mary Margaret Byrd.

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This file was contributed for use by the Bamberg County SCGenWeb Project  by:

Pat Sabin

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