All photos below were taken by B.J. Rivers Peters for those who have ancestors who were among the first families to worship in the Whatcoat UMC congregation. Matthew Stevens has given his time to the recording of the many epitaphs. Some of the individuals buried in our cemetery weathered the storms of war back to the Revolutionary War and Civil War period.
This virtual cemetery is a work in progress. More stones and information from the tombstones will be added in time.
Since creating this page the website “Find-a-Grave” has added Camden’s Whatcoat Cemetery to its ever growing archive of tombstone photos. You can check the page HERE.
If you’d like to see the cemetery monument of Rev. Richard Whatcoat click HERE.
|
|
|
|
|
| Ann, wife of Thomas SIMPSON and daughter of William and Miriam WALTON. She died March 6, 1857. | Thomas SIMPSON was born May 23, 1804. He was aged 66 yrs. And 9 months when he died on February 23, 1871. His stone is very tall. | ||
| “The town of Camden was incorporated by an act of Legislature passed February 16, 1752. By the act it was provided that a town-meeting should be held on the first Monday in March next, for the election of three resident freehold commissioners, and that a plot and survey of the town should be made and recorded in the recorder’s office in Dover.” A gentleman named Thomas Simpson is listed as a Clerk for the town in 1867, and Treasurer in 1852. He was Collector in 1858, and an Assessor in 1858, 1865 and 1887. Whether this is this same Thos. Simpson is unknown at this point in time. In fact, the various positions could have been held by two gentlemen of the same name. Source: Scharf, Thomas J., History of Delaware, 1609-1888. Volume Two- pp. 1130-1147. Chapter 61 – North Murderkill Hundred |
|||
| Rev. Daniel LAMBDIN (alternately spelled Lambden in other writings) and his wife, Elizabeth. As you can see in the first photo below at left, the stones are weathered and Daniel’s was all almost completely buried beneath a shallow depth of soil. It was so, no doubt, from past flooding of the cemetery. I didn’t move his stone, but simply brushed it gently to uncover it.
To read more about this family click HERE. Click the photos below to see the larger sized photo. |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Joseph HAIRGROVE, father of Lida and Joseph, husband of Hettie, died at age 32 yrs., 10 mos. and 1 day on July 27, 1867.
Epitaph reads: The face which duly as the sun |
Lida B. HAIRGROVE was only 1 yr. & 7 mos. old when she died on March 16, 1864. She was sister to Joseph L. HAIRGROVE who shared her tombstone. He died at age 11months and 18 days on July 10, 1865. They were both the children of Joseph & Hettie HAIRGROVE. A small lamb lies atop their stone. | ||
|
|
|
||
| Samuel LOCKWOOD was born in 1802 and died in 1870. He shares a stone with Maria LOCKWOOD who was born in 1813 and also died in 1870. The stone was sitting on the grass and moved to sit atop its pedestal. To read more about Samuel LOCKWOOD and his family click HERE. | Lydia Latchem WALTON‘s stone is a little more weathered than others. I’m guessing it has to do more with the type of stone that was used. She died August 18, 1859. She was daughter of William and Miriam WALTON. She was 10 years, 2 months and 20 days of age at death. | ||
|
|
|
|
|
| Charlie Barton CLARK was the son of __risby B. & Tamsey June CLARK. He was aged 16yrs., 11 mos and 2 days when he died on March 14, 1869. The majority of his stone was covered by a layer of soil just a few inches thick.. The remainder of the stone will be exposed at a later time. | Sacred to the memory of Robert McCLYMENT (McClement?) who departed this life March 21st 1811 aged 51 years 1 month and 19 days | ||
| “The Union Academy,” a brick structure about twenty by forty feet, was organized in 1815. On the 20th of June, of that year, Samuel Newbold deeded fifty-three square perches of land, “adjoining to the Methodist meeting-house lot,” to Dr. James FISHER and Samuel EDMONDSON in trust for the purposes therein named. On the 13th of January, 1816, the academy was incorporated by act of General Assembly, with Samuel EDMONDSON, Nathaniel COOMBE, Henry MOLLESTON, James FISHER, Joseph G. ROWLAND, Samuel MIFFLIN, Thomas LATCHEM, Thomas COURSEY and Cornelius BATTELL as trustees. This institution for a long time was one of the most successful in the State. There the young people of Camden and the adjacent hundreds received a classical and academical education at the hands of some of the best instructors in the United States. It continued in successful operation down to the year 1857. About that time the public district school-house was burned, and the commissioners rented the old academy building, which they still occupy, and now own.
On the 7th of March, 1885, the trustees of “The Camden Union Academy,” viz.: Edward LORD, Dr. John W. SHARP, John G. GRAHAM, William H. SARDE, Andrew K. BAGGS, Frisby B. CLARKE, William B. CLARKE, Jonathan H. LOWBER and Alexander JACKSON, Jr., conveyed the right and title of said trustees in said academy to “United School Districts Nos. 22 and 99,” and it is now the public property of the State for school purposes. Frisby Clark(e) is also mentioned in this source as being a Trustee of Whatcoat UMC in about 1888 (when this passage was written by Thos. Scharf) To view the 1860 census image for the household of Frisby Clarke click HERE. |
|||
|
|
|
||
| William H. WALLACE was the son of Benjamin & Susan WALLACE. He was aged 18 years, 6 months and 2 days old when he died on July 5, 1853. His stone was discovered lying as you see it above completely concealed by approx. 4 inches of soil. While attempting to dig a small trench in the ground in which to stand another tombstone, BJ Peters felt stone beneath the soil. As she began to move the soil away, thinking this might be the pedestal on which the stone was supposed to sit, more and more of William’s stone began to appear. As you can see in the photos above, a rather large root about 3″ across had grown atop of the tombstone.
To read more about this family click HERE. |
|||
|
|
Susan A. WALLACE, wife of Benjamin Wallace. She was mother of William who’s stone is shown above. | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Margaret COURSEY died on December 30, 1810. |
Eunity Lockwood JACKSON | ||
|
|
|
||
| Luther Swiggett | Annie Swiggett | ||
| “Free man of color Mitchell Anderson died intestate, leaving a lot and small house in KentCounty that escheated to the state of Delaware. Luther SWIGGETT argues that the property will be an expense to the state. Promising to pay the costs incurred by the escheator in making the Inquisition. SWIGGITT asks for title and interest in the property.” Source: RACE, SLAVERY, AND FREE BLACKS: Series I, Petitions to Southern Legislatures, 1777-1867 – Delaware; Pub. 1999 by University Publications of America To read more of Luther Swiggett click HERE. |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Mary QUILLEN was born in 1814 and died at age 70 in 1884. She shares a stone with Sallie QUILLEN who was born in 1807 and died at age 80 in 1887.To view the 1860 census image for the household of the QUILLEN sisters click HERE. Also present on the same census page is the Frisby Clarke family. |
|||
|
|
|
||
| Hannah, wife of David McBride departed this life June 9, 1859 Aged 43 Yrs 1 Mo & 12 days. This is the dying testimony of the above whose memory is inscribed I ______ in whom I have believed. And though He slay me, Yet will I trust in him, And though I pass through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for though art with me.
To read more about Hannah click HERE. |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Alexander son of Charles and Betsey B. ARGOE Died Nov 22nd, 1863 Aged 25 years 4 Mos. and 13 Days. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. To read more on Alexander and his family click HERE. |
Piner Mansfield son of John R and Louisa CLEMENTS died July 17, 1857 aged 2 years 9 months and __ days. There is a Delaware record for the marriage of John Clements to Louisa Mansfield on 4 May 1849 in Kent County. |
||
|
Lida Daughter of Baynard and Lizzie Wheatley died June 26th 1861 aged 1 mo. and 26 days. To read more about Rev. Baynard Wheatley and his family click HERE. |
T. Freddie Jakes Born Sept. 6, 1857 Died Aug. 8, 1858 |
||
|
|
|||
|
Henrietta M. GOODWIN, nee Cooper |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Thomas RAWLEY died February 2, 1855 aged 32 years 3 months & 13 days. Remember me as you pass by. As you are now so once was I. As I am now so you must be. Prepare for death and follow me. If you’d like to read more about Thomas Rawley click HERE. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Cornelius Dewees Born March _ ____ Died November 16, 1851 |
|||
|
|
|||
|
For the Union of States Charles E.son of William & Eliza A. Carrow died January 23rd 1864 aged 23 years, 2 months and 23 days. He was a member of company C 3rd Reg 2. Del Vols. and died while in the service of his country. He was good as he was _____ and beloved by all who knew him. He was a kind and dutiful son and an affectionate and loving brother.” There’s a possibility his mother’s maiden name was Prettyman. Many thanks to Mr.Eldon Riter for correcting the record here so Corporal Chas. Carrow will be properly recognized for giving his life to his nation. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
In memory of George Murrell Born in the County of Norfolk England died in Kent Co. De. Nov 20th 1868 Aged 36 years. |
|||
