The Renbarger plot is surrounded by a thick stone wall probably four foot in height. Inside it are many of the favorite old fashioned flowers, evidence of the thought and love held by some one in a by-gone day.
This is a difficult place to locate. Three miles due north of Marion, then west of the Lagro Road. Through the fields and over the fences, through briars and vines, climbing a steep hill and over in a pasture field the heavy stone fence comes in sight.
The above was written by the DAR in the 1940's.
I visited this cemetery Sept. 1, 1996 and it is not nearly as difficult to find as stated by the DAR.. It is located near the Washington - Pleasant Twp line, west of the Meshingomesia Country Club. The best way to locate this cemetery is to leave Marion on State Road 9 north and turn left on the Lagro Rd. just east of the Mississinewa River. Go past the Meshingomesia Country Club to the Harreld Road and turn left (west). Follow this road all the way to the Mayo Road. Just a few feet north of this junction is a driveway. Here is where I got permission to park, while I went back to the cemetery. On the south side of this property is a small pond made from damming up a ravine, the same ravine that lays along beside of this cemetery. You have to walk around the south side of this pond and a small woods and on to where the cemetery lays, just a short distance from the river.
I found 6 stones outside the stone wall surrounding the Renbarger plot, but I could only read 2 of them. I believe from what was previously written that the Kretzingers were originally on the outside of the wall, but I found their stones leaning against the wall on the inside of the Renbarger plot. David Hamaker and Rebecah Finkle were the two stones outside the wall that I was able to read. The stone for Rebecah Finkle lead me to look a little deeper and I found David Finkle husband of Rebecah on the 1860 census in Center Twp.
One other interesting find here was on the stone wall. It had an inscription on the top of the southwest corner. Someone had spread cement and inscribed the following:
To my knowledge the death of Margaret, dau of Henry and E. Renbarger is the earliest marked burial in our county.
Finkle, Rebecah wife of David Finkle died Dec. 23, 1845 aged 17y.8m. "In Memoriam" (This stone was not previously recorded by the DAR.) Hamaker, David son of J. & E. Hamaker died May 12, 1844 aged 20y.2m.26d. Also found a footstone with the initials D.H. Kretzinger, Henry R. son of N. & R. Kretzinger died Oct. 11, 1850 aged 3y.8m.5d. John W. son of N. & R. Kretzinger died Nov. 18, 1850 aged 7y.7m. NOTE: The following was offered by Jason Kurtz: I believe the two Kretzinger markers in the Renbarger cemetery are the sons of Noah and Rebecca (Prickett) Kretsinger. Noah’s brother Henry was married to Matilda Renbarger, September 16, 1849, in Grant Co., IN. Why they were buried in the Renbarger Cemetery will remain a mystery, but one could speculate that it was because these boys were the nephews of Matilda. Renbarger, Ch. Aug.- 1908 R.B. Sept. 7, 1861 This inscription was on top of the stone wall, on the southwest corner. Following is exactly as it read on the wall: " Aug. - 1908 R.B. Renbarger Sept. 7, 1861 Ch. Renbarger" (I am not going to try to decipher what it may mean, I'll leave that to the family genealogist.) Elizabeth wife of Henry Renbarger died July 12, 1837 aged 43y.7m. Also found a footstone with the initials E.R. Henry died Sept. 25, 1872 aged 79y.4m.26d. Also found a footstone with the initials H.R. Margaret dau of Henry & E. Renbarger died Jan. 10, 1830 aged 6y.9m. Also found a footstone with the initials M.R. Nancy C. dau of H. & S. Renbarger died Oct. 24, 1859 aged 5y.22d. Also found a footstone with the initials N.C.R. (Interesting to note here is the fact that Nancy's stone has been changed from Sept. 20, 1859 to Oct. 24 1859. This was probably done in 1859, but we have no way of knowing this for sure. Maybe there had been a mistake made by the stonecutter.) R.B. Sept. 7, 1861 Ch. Renbarger Aug. 1908 This inscription was on top of the stone wall, on the southwest corner. Following is exactly as it read on the wall: " Aug. - 1908 R.B. Renbarger Sept. 7, 1861 Ch. Renbarger" (I am not going to try to decipher what it may mean, I'll leave that to the family genealogist.) Susannah wife of Henry Renbarger died Mar. 20, 1862 aged 48y.3m.7d. Also found a footstone with the initials S.R. Renbarger
...Original page by Sheila D. Watson
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