The Old Stone Church
The Cemetery
A Few of the People Interred Here
Buried within the cemetery grounds are people involved in the Indian campaigns of the late Colonial Period, soldiers and patriots of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Indian/Creek War of 1815-16, the Civil War, and all major American wars.
Turner Bynum
The historic intent of some church elders has not always survived to the present. Turner Bynum, the loser in a famous antebellum duel between newspaper editors was denied burial within the graveyard -- being allowed instead to rest outside its walls. With the expansion of the cemetery over the years, he is now near the center.
Jane Lemant Walker
Jane Lemant Walker was born in Ireland. A teenager during the Revolutionary War, she served as a courier for General Thomas Sumter. Walker, a seamstress, carried messages in her double-heeled stockings.
Eliza Huger
according to a long told story, Eliza Huger, a member of a prominent Charleston family, moved to New Orleans. Even by the standards of that city, her actions were considered scandalous. The story tells that Eliza's brother shot her and her lover. Buried within the cemetery was allowed only on the condition that an enclosure be constructed around the site. Her grave lies within high stone walls.
John Rusk and Mary Sterritt
Re-marking graves or having special programs to celebrate the life of a particular person buried in the cemetery is common. John Rusk, the builder of the Old Stone church, and his wife Mary Sterritt, were honored in 1936 with new tombstones erected by the State of Texas. This recognized the important role that Thomas Jefferson Ruck played in the history of that state.
Reverend Dr. Thomas Reece and Reverend James McElhenny
Representing the early Presbyterian ministers who served the Hopewell Congregation are the Reverend Dr. Thomas Reece and the Reverend James McElhenny.
Andrew Pickens
General Andrew Pickens, an elder at Old Stone Church, was an Indian fighter and a noted militia leader during the Revolutionary War. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General for his role in the Battle of Cowpens. Following the war, he was a United States Commissioner to negotiate treaties with various Indian nations and served as a member of Congress. Pickens District (now Oconee and Pickens Counties) was named for him. Tories repeatedly harassed his wife, Rebecca Pickens, who is also interred in the cemetery.
Colonel Robert Anderson
Colonel Robert Anderson served under Pickens during the Revolution, was a Brigadier General in the state militia following the war, and was a member of the legislature and Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He held many other public appointments and served as an elder at the Old Stone Church. Anderson District (now county) was named for him.
Osenappa
One of the oldest graves is that of Osenappa, a Cherokee, who died in 1794. In addition to the marker, a cairn (piled stones) identifies the grave. He is the only Native American buried here. His role in this South Carolina frontier remains undiscovered.
Civil War Soldiers
Over 40 Civil War soldiers are found in the cemetery. Several are members of the Lewis family were in battles in Fredericksburg and Manassas. They are buried together under a unique mini-ball marker.
Marker is on Anderson Highway.
Courtesy hmdb.org
