A Disciples church was organized and a church house built in 1856. It was called the Range Line Disciples Church. This church building has long since been removed. The cemetery is back of where the church once stood, on a ridge of ground rising above Me-to-ci-nah Creek. The plot is fenced. Flowers and beautiful trees make this a beautiful resting place for the pioneers who made early history for Washington Township.
The above was written by the DAR in the 1940's.
This cemetery, known by both names, and even sometimes referred to as the Watson, is located in the W. 1/2 of the N.W. 1/4 of Section #6 Range 8 E. Twp. 25 N. on E00W just south of 700 N.
The following narrative was taken from "Whitson's History of Grant County" - 1914.
"Range Line (Disciples) was built in the northwestern part of the township in 1856. The first trustees were John Lobdell, William Martin and Timothy Green. The Lobdell, Hummel, Busick and Melick families are among the pioneer names that worshipped here. Ebenezer Thompson was the first minister."
This church was just northwest of this cemetery. It is no longer in existence but many of the names of the trustees and families that worshipped in this church are found in the adjoining cemetery.
I read this cemetery April of 1994, about 50 years after the DAR read it. The condition of this cemetery has deteriorated greatly. Not by vandalism, but by neglect and the elements. It is on private property, and not seen easily from the road that passes close to the west. Me-to-ci-nah Creek flows around three sides of this ridge, like a horseshoe bend. The banks are very steep, and several feet straight up, so there is only one way into this cemetery, across private property. Animal burrows are abundant and have caused many stones to topple over. Many trees are down also adding to the deterioration. There seems to have been some recent effort to clean up this cemetery. I applaud their efforts. We need to use great care and consideration in preserving the final resting places of the pioneers who made this land inhabitable for themselves and for all future generations.
The last burial I found in this cemetery was that of Constantine Hummel. She died 9 July 1912. Remarkably I found almost all of the stones recorded by the DAR fifty years ago. I also found a few they didn't find, as you can see by comparison.
*Denotes a stone not found at this time.
Lobdell/Hummel/Watson Cemetery
Armstrong, Martha died June 3, 1894 aged 54y.8m. S/S with Henry G. Curtis "Our parents." "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." "Dearest loved one we have laid thee in the peaceful graves embrace But thy memory will be cherished Till we see thy heavenly face." Bane, Eliza J. dau of Henry & Mary Bane died Dec. 24, 1839 aged 3 days Henry died Jan. 10, 1865 aged 52y.6m.5d. Mary wife of Henry Bane died June 1, 1877 aged 70y.6m.7d. Curtis, Henry G. died Aug. 23, 1860 aged 23y.4m.21d. S/S with Martha Armstrong (see Martha Armstrong above.) Eviston, Sarah L. wife of T.J. Eviston died June 4, 1870 aged 33y.6m.23d. Fox, Albert T. died Apr. 1, 1875 aged 26y.4m.20d. Burr son of A. & E. Fox died June 6, 1877 aged 1y.7m.28d. Edward died Feb. 13, 1885 aged 78y.6m.7d. Esther wife of John Fox died Mar. 22, 1860 aged 45y.5m.2d. Gross, * Mary J. wife of Joseph D. Gross dau of Abraham & Sarah died June 22, 1873 aged 24y.9m.18d. (Possibly-Abraham & Sarah Hedrick.) Hansley, Jacob died Mar. 26, 1872 aged 67y.8m.14d. John son of J. & E. Hansley died Dec. 1, 1860 aged 24y.8m.17d. Hedrick, Abraham died Jan. 25, 1894 aged 88y.20d. Catherine S. died June 2, 1898 aged 61y.4m.21d. David N. died May 22, 1857 aged 39y.3m.18d. Hedrick, Liza J. dau of David N. & Sarah Hedrick died July 8, 1871 aged 19y.2m.2d. "Dearest Sister thou hast left us Left a world of pain and care And a crown of glory wear." Maria M. wife of John Hedrick died Jan. 4, 1864 aged 85y.1m.6d. "Gone to inhabit fairer climes' Where streams of bliss Fresh issue from the throne." Sarah C. wife of Abraham Hedrick died Sept. 23, 1885 aged 78y.9m.1d. "Come go with me." Hummel, Bellsina A. 21 July 1852 - 23 Feb. 1879 "In Memoriam" Charles died Dec. 16, 1882 aged 78y.2m.26d. S/S with Zenobia "Our Father and Mother" Clarissa died 1881 Constantine L. 16 Sept. 1846 - 9 Jul. 1912 Dolly E. dau of C.L. & B.A. Hummel Nov. 15, 1876 - Feb. 17, 1877 Eleanor wife of Henry Hummel died Sep. 1, 1851 aged 72y.3m. S/S with Henry Henry died Dec. 17, 1849 aged 80y.5m.26d. Henry son of C. & Z. Hummel died Oct. 6, 1837 aged 4y.8m.10d. Jackson died Oct. 28, 1875 aged 45y.8m.28d. "Precious in the sight of the Lord the death of his saints." Jesse W. died 1886 Minnie E. died 1881 Zenobia died Oct. 18, 1874 aged 63y.5m.7d. Johnson, Henry S/S with William M. (no dates) William M. S/S with Henry (no dates) Kennedy, Sarah F. wife of J.E. Kennedy Dec. 7, 1850 - Jan. 25, 1911 Lobdell, Amanda dau of J. & P.A. Lobdell died Sept. 26, 1854 aged 7y.8m.3d. Lobdell, Christena wife of Robbert Lobdell died June 15, 1863 aged 17y.3m.17d. John died Nov. 13, 1890 aged 81y.1m.2d. S/S with Plesand A. "Our Parents" Melissa dau of J. & P.A. Lobdell died Sept. 22, 1851 aged 3y.4m.1d. Plesand A. wife of J. Lobdell died Dec. 15, 1897 aged 79y.9m.1d. S/S with John Sarah Jane dau of P.A. & J. Lobdell died Feb. 11, 1859 aged 15y.5m.14d. William son of J. & P.A. Lobdell died May 3, 1846 aged 8m.4d. Martin, Nancy wife of Joel Martin born Mar. 20, 1820 died Jan. 3, 1901 aged 80y.9m.13d. McDanel, Catharine wife of John McDanel died Feb. 19, 1876 aged 71y.8d. Elizabeth dau of J. & C. McDanel died June 1, 1844 aged 19y.3m.17d. Infant sons and daughters of J. & C. McDanel - 6 in number - no dates. John born Aug. 1, 1803 died Aug. 24, 1874 aged 71y.23d. Roland son of J. & C. McDanel died Apr. 17, 1856 aged 22y.13d. Melick, Belinda dau of J.W. & H. Melick died Apr. 3, 1862 aged 5y.5m.12d. Eleanor 1841 - 1902 Elizabeth dau of J.W. & H. Melick died June 18, 1857 aged 22y. 9m.28d. Harriet (Watson) Melick 1815 - 1889 John W. 1808 - 1870 S/S with Harriet William son of J. W. & H. Melick died Jan. 29, 1861 aged 12y.20d. Strieb, Sarah E. dau of J. & C. Strieb died 6 Mar 1862 aged 4y.29d. Wagoner, Catherine wife of John Wagoner died July 13, 1866 aged 84y.6m.13d. "Our mother here lies underground the dearest friend we ever found But through the Lord unbounded love We'll meet again in realms above." Ward, * William died Oct. 3, 1863 aged 52y.10m.3d. Watson, Elizabeth wife of Thomas Watson died Aug. 27, 1869 aged 74y.2m.28d. Harriet (Watson) Melick 1815 - 1889 Thomas died Sept. 10, 1856 aged 67y.3m.8d. "When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory" "I am gone - I am gone." NOTE: I found one stone, still standing, that was totally obliterated. Nothing could be read on it. It is possible that it's one of the two stones, Mary Gross or William Ward, that I didn't find.
...Original page by Sheila D. Watson
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