UNION CHAPEL CEMETERY

	A United Brethren church know as Union Chapel was built on the Solomon
Thomas farm.  This is three miles south-east of Fairmount and on land which is now
(1944) owned by David L. Payne.  Mr. Thomas laid out the grave-yard which comprises
about a half acre and donated it to the Union Chapel Church.  The church building was
erected in 1843 or 1844.  Many of the pioneers of that section of the county are buried in
this cemetery but there is only one stone to bear evidence of the fact.  The inscription
reads:  Alvah, son of Elijah & Rachel Herrold, died May 25, 1844 age two years, 8m.25d. 
Others who are known to have been interred in this cemetery are:  Anna Brewer wife of
Aaron Brewer, Martha Creek (daughters of Solomon Thomas), James Montgomery,
Isaiah Edgerton, Thomas Edgerton, William Edgerton and Harmon Lytle.
	This plot is covered with a tangle of shrubs, vines and briers.  Several large native
trees and some pines keep mute vigil over the pioneer dead.  The church house which was
erected north of this cemetery has long since been gone.
	Referring to Grant County Marriage Records - 1832 to 1864 - we find that Martha
Thomas married Isaac Creek June 30, 1842.  In 1849 he married Martha Moore.  Our
conclusion is that the first wife died sometime between June 1842 and Dec. 27, 1849. 
Feb. 1, 1849, license was granted to Aaron Brewer to marry Anna Thomas.  James
Montgomery was given license to marry Hannah Thomas Nov. 26, 1833.  Harmon Lytle
was given license to marry Nancy Wilson Aug. 26, 1843.
	Whitson's history says that the second husband of Hannah Thomas Montgomery
was Jehu Moore but the marriage records show that on Nov. 12, 1846 John Moore was
granted a license to marry Hannah Montgomery.
	The old Atlas of 1877 show this graveyard to be in the north-east corner of
Section 4, Fairmount Township.
	The above was written by the DAR in the 1940's.
	This cemetery is located on what was the Indianapolis to Fort Wayne Road
established in 1823.  Much of this road has long been gone.  But there are still portions of 
it, improved for transportation, left in our county in 1995.  The 1860 Plat Maps show a
very small section of this road passed through Section # 4 in the extreme northwest
corner, cutting off perhaps 20 acres more or less.  Today (1995) you will find the
cemetery on County Road 1100 S. just a few rods west of 200 E., on the John Vetor farm. 
He tells me he grew up in this area, and when a young boy there were still a few stones
left at this sight.  Although there is nothing there now, he still leaves it alone when he
farms the fields surrounding this cemetery.  When you go down his road and look south
west of his home, there is a small patch of ground right down his fence row that is not
plowed up and that is the sight of what was the Union Cemetery.  The graveyard was just
south of the church.  Not much can be seen at this sight today.  The roads have almost all
been moved prior to 1912 to the section lines, leaving hardly any remnants of the past left. 
The church was erected in 1839, by Solomon Thomas, and deeded to the United Brethren
In Christ on 1 October 1843 "for the consideration of free good will and esteem and
confidence that I have in the church United Brethren and Christ."  Charter members were
Solomon Thomas and his wife, Isaac Anderson and wife, Carter Hasting and wife, William
Hall and wife, John Buller and wife, and John Smith and wife.  Mr. Vetor tells me they
had intentions of having a town at this sight at one time.  There were several small
businesses in this area, a store and a blacksmith shop, to name just a few, before the turn
of the century.  When they abandoned the Fort Wayne to Indianapolis road it destroyed all
possibilities of ever having a town there.

...Original page by Sheila D. Watson