Livingston Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Caldwell Co., Ky.
Latitude 37.13'29"N Longitude 88.03'54"W
This cemetery is located on privately owned land off US 641 about 1 mile north of Fredonia, just south of Livingston Creek and very near where Livingston Presbyterian Church was founded in 1797 by the Rev. Terah Templin and a group of his followers. This cemetery is reputed to be the oldest known cemetery in western Kentucky. There appears to be a number of unmarked graves and many marked with sandstones. All inscriptions appear to be handcarved with the exception of that of Jane Johnson and the adjoining 1817 stone.
There is a legend that some of the unmarked graves are for Cherokee Indians who died on the Trail of Tears.
A newspaper article in the Princeton Banner on 5 August 1893, describes a visit to the cemetery and mentions only the tombstones of John Elder, William Hamiliton, Thomas G. Robinson.
This cemetery recording was made in July 1996.
Submitted by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CGRS
Western Ky. Journal
To Contact:
Brenda
Registry #0000228
PO Box 325
Newburgh, IN 47629-0325:
Mary Morrow
Dec Sept 1811
[leaning against a tree, along with 3 uninscribed headstones]
John Elder
Dec Oc 21 1799
[leaning against a tree]
In Memory of
Thomas Griffis
Robinson deceased
October the 31 ____ 01
Aged 15 years
[stone has a round, effigy-style top; bottom portion missing]
1828 [top of headstone]
Robert J Elder
Dec Sep 16 1815
Robert Elder
Dec Jen 14, 1821
[See photograph. The 4 is carved backwards]
View Photo
Hannah Elder
Dec Jan 3 1819
M.L. [footstone]
[the owner of the property stated the headstone was for Mary Leeper,
who died about 1816, had been removed]
Jane Johnson
wife of Dr. James Johnson
Born Mar 15 1782
Died
Dec 11 1818
Aged 31 [sic] yrs 8 mo & 26 days
[professionally carved with a willow tree and sheep at the top of the stone;
appears to be in the original location.
This stone may be of a period later than 1818.
Piles of sandstones may indicate a former stone wall around the grave.]
______ 1817
Aged 27 yr 8 mo
[top of tombstone broken and missing; appears to be in the original location beside
that of Jane Johnson]
Here lies the body
of William Hamilton
Departed this Life
October 27 1800
Aged 50 years
(See photograph.)
( Bottom portion of stone is broken off )
View Photo
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