Photo taken Fall 2007 by Drew Wright.

Cooley Meeting House Cemetery

The following is as quoted in "Washington Township Cemeteries", page 414.

Section 28 T2N R3E. At an early date, John Brewer owned a large tract of land. When it became necessary to establish a burial ground, Brewer donated one acre of ground which adjoined Edward Cooley's farm, two miles south of Salem on the Shiloh and Martinsburg Road.

A Methodist meeting house was built about 1818, known as the Cooley Meeting House, In the grove adjacent to the meeting house was a campground where camp meetings where held prior to and subsequent to 1824. Reverend John Brewer⁴ was one of the active preachers.

This church was an important one in the old Salem Circuit. As a church, it is now a thing of the past.

Cooley's Meeting House

The following is from pages 880-881 of History of Washington County.

The influentual denomination bearing the name of Methosist Episcopal Church is emphatically a mighty power, religiously speaking, in the old county of Washington. Soon after settlements began Methodist preachers found their way to log-cabins and began to proclaim "Christ and Him crucified" to the early immigrants. The loss of records and the decease of so many pioneers take away the written and traditional stories of trials and labors met by those who first taught, preached and prayed. Without these the thrilling story of Methodist work in Washington County cannot be completely told. The economy and policy of the Methodist Church in its various operations render it impossible to measure its history by township metes and bounds. A society may be partly in one township and partly in another. A circuit may include several townships and parts of several counties. Hence, simply "township" will fail in exact justice to Methodist work. A careful look at the men of pulpit and pew may, in some measure, remedy the main difficulty. The church at Salem was established, it may be, as early as 1818. Adjoining Edward Cooley's farm. or perhaps on a portion of his farm, at quite an early date, a meeting-house was built and a burial yard laid off. In the grove attached to the meeting-house was a camp-ground, where camp-meetings were held prior and subsequent to 1824. This meeting-house was on the Jefferson road, two miles south of Salem. Old settlers say that an annual Conference held its sessions at Cooley's Meeting-house prior to 1823. Thus is appears that Cooley's Meeting-house was once a very important point in early Methodist operations in south Indiana. The point was an important one in the Old Salem Circuit. As a church it is now among the things that were. The old city of the dead. apart from the rubbish. is the only thing that remains.

Love's Church, Stokes County, North Carolina

One would clearly suspect that Edward was a practicing Methodist but I think this Stokes County NC deed clinches it. I found the citation at http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=grantpinnix&id=I119368. Furthermore, Edward sold land to the Methodist Church in Stokes county in 1809 (Stokes County Deeds, volume 5, page 314).

December 30, 1797
Stokes Co., NC
Thomas TUCKER and wife Ann, deeded to JAMES LOVE SR., Edward JEAN, William JEAN,¹ James LOVE, Jr., Edward COOLEY, Robert FULTON and Arch CAMPBELL² one acre of land located at the head of a small branch called Rocky Branch, for the purpose of establishing a Methodist Church. The church was established with the devisees as trustees. It is now known as Love's Church. He provided that no other then a Methodist minister should be allowed to preach in the church to be built on the land. The church is located in Walkertown, N.C. The church still owns the land but has added to it and has a large congregation at the present time.

A transcription of the complete deed is also found on Grant's website.

This indenture made the thirteenth day of December in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven, Between Thos. Tucker of Stokes County, State of North Carolina and Ann, his wife, of the one part and James Love Sr., Edmund Jean, William Jean, James Love, Jr., Edward Cooley, Robert Fulton and Archibald Campbell, Trustees in Trust for the uses & purposes herein after mentioned, all of the County and State aforesaid of the other part; Witnesseth that the said Thomas Tucker and Ann his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings specie to them in hand paid at and upon the sealing and delivery of these presents the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged: Have given, Granted, bargained, sold, Released, confirmed and conveyed and by these presents do Give, Grant, Bargain, Sell, Release, Confirm and Convey unto the said James Love Sr., Edward Jean, William Jean, James Love Jr., Edward Cooley, Robert Fulton & Arch Campbell and their successors Trustees as aforesaid, all the Estate, Right, Title, Interest, property, claim and demand whatsoever either in Law or equity which they the said Thomas Tucker& Ann his wife, hath in or upon all and singular, a certain lot or piece of Ground situate in the County of Stokes aforesaid, lying and being on a small Branch of that fork of Muddy Creek commonly known by the name of Rocky Branch: Beginning at a stone at the root of a hickory fifty three rods east to a stone at he Root of a Red Oak, South thirteen and a third rods to a stone amidst Persimon pointers at the head of the branch, West twelve rods to a stone at the root of a Red Oak in said Brown's line then with his line thirteen and a third Rods to the beginning. Containing One Acre, together with all and singular the houses, Woods, Waters, Ways privileged, waters or appertaining thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining, To have and to hold all and singular the above mentioned and described lot or piece of ground situate lying and being as aforesaid, together with all and singular the houses, waters, Ways and privileges thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining unto them the said James Love Sr., Edward Jean, William Jean, James Love Jr., Edward Cooley, Robert Fulton and Archibald Campbell and their successors in office forever in trust that they shall Erect and build or cause to be erected and built thereon a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America and in further trust and confidence that they shall at all times forever hereafter permit such Minister & Preacher belonging to the said church by the General Conference of the Ministers and preachers of the said Methodist Episcopal Church or by the yearly conference, Authorized by the yearly conference and none other to preach & Expound God's Holy Word therein and in further trust and confidence that as often as one or more of the trustees herein mentioned shall die or cease to be members of the said Church according to the rules of discipline, then and in such case it shall be the duty of the Minister or preacher authorized as aforesaid who shall have the pastoral charge of the said church to call a meeting of the Remaining Trustees as soon as Conveniently may be and when so met said preacher shall nominate one or more persons to fill vacancies provided the person or persons so nominated have been one year Member or Members of said Church immediately preceding such nomination and at least 21 years of age and the Trustees so assembled shall proceed to elect and by a Majority of votes to appoint the persons so nominated to fill vacancies in order to keep the number of Seven trustees and in case of an equal number of Votes against such nomination the stationed preached to have the Casting Vote, Provided nevertheless that the said trustees or their successors be Obliged to pay any sum or sums of Money they or a majority of them shall be authorized to Raise said Money by a Mortgage on the said premises or by Selling the same after Notice given the pastor or preacher who has the oversight of the Congregation attending Devine Service. If the money be not paid to the trustees or their successors within one year after such notice given and such sale take place, the said Trustees or their successors, after paying the debt and all other charges which are due from the Money arising from such sale, shall Deposit the Remainder of the Money produced by said sale in the hands of the Stewards of the Society belonging to the said Congregation which surplus shall be at the disposal of the next yearly Conference according to the best judgment for the use of the said society and the said Thomas Tucker and Ann his wife by these presents Warrant and Defend all and singular the above mentioned and descried piece of ground with the appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the said trustees & their successors forever against the claim of all persons whatever. In testimony whereof the said Thomas Tucker and wife have hereunto set their hands and seals, date as above
Thomas Tucker Seal
Ann X Tucker Seal
Mark