History of the Ebenezer A.M.E. Church on Bacton Hill Rd. Researched and written by Daniel P. Baker as partial fulfillment for the Eagle Scout Award Troop 65, Exton August 1989A stone building, delapidated and crumbling from the outside in, still stands on Bacton Hill Road, some 500 ft. from Route 401, the former Conestoga Turnpike. The gravestones which surround the building clearly show that it is a church. Nearly all the headstones have fallen downhill and lie, face up, crumbling from the wind and rain, Records show that this church, formerly named the Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, was built in 1832 on what was originally known as the Yellow Springs Road... A celebrated gospel church, it was regularly attended by Negroes who lived and worked on Bacton Hill. Very few of the lives of these people, who were once a great part of the history of East Whiteland, have ever been chronicled Early tax records for Chester County show a listing of "free men." Actually, these “free men" were colored slaves who had been given their freedom from bondage when they reached they age of 38. Later on, the age of freedom was lowered to 23 years of age and finally a state law granted that any person bon in the state of Pennsylvania was a guaranteed free man, The farmers of the Valley Hills would often give these free men, after their term of bondage was up, a small plot of land for their own upon the hills in Becton. On these, the former slaves built small log cabins or stone buildings. Many ran small farms while still Working during the day timbering the summit of Bacton Hill and carting lumber down to the Great Valley for the lime kilns Evidently, this group of Negroes who lived and worked on Bacton Hill erected a meeting house for religious services, Deeds of land show the plot changing hands around 1832 in order that a stone church building could be built. Gravestones around the building dating back to the 1830's show that burial services and, most likely, church services were held throughout this period. Apparently, because of riots and disturbances from 1848 to 1870, the church was hardly used and gradvally fell into a bad state of repair. During the summer of 1872, however, the old church was brought back to life and was reopened on December 8th amidst a number of important clergymen. Records show that it was tededicated on June 22nd of the next year as the Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, oti te i ietng errs obit Best ei RAE ee or, wil eopaued on ay Silat ‘Euicuted eo Sunday. Jese ae ws aS Decent” a Miner, eomiaell erry vile reenatou dusts‘The Church went on to be used through the late 1800's and early 1900's. Quarterly meetings were held in the building and were publicized in the local papers. One such announcement went as follows: "EBENEZER A. M. E. CHURCH East Whiteland township-Rev. R. L. Patterson, Pastor-Quarterly Meeting, 9.30 a.m. love feast. 10.55 a. m., preaching by Rev. Lewis Hood, of Norristown. 1.15 pm., Sunday School, will be addressed by Rev. Hood. 2.15 p. m., preach- ing by Rev. Lewis Hood. Holy Communion ad- ministered at the morning service. Come one; come all." Regular services were reported to be held up until 1910 and the most recent date on a headstone is from 1916. After this the church was not known to be used until the 1940's, Reports from residents, or former residents, of East Whiteland Township say that sometime during this period there was a sort of gathering at the church. People from all over Chester County as well as prominent clergymen from the A.M.E. Church came together to celebrate one more time. Sometime during this time frame the building itself must have been redone once again, possibly in preparation for this event. Electrical wiring and sockets for lamps are clearly evident on the inside of the church and in the photograph from the 1940s the receptor and box for the wiring can also be seen (see attached page). But after this brief spark in its fading history, the church and surrounding cemetery fell into disuse and a wooded forest grew up around them. ‘The only record of a man living during the 1800's and being buried in the Ebenezer (Cemetery is that of Hiram Woodyard. Listed in the history of the Conestoga Tumpike (Stuart H. and Catherine C. Quillman) as Hirman Woodward, his tombstone lies with unmistakable lettering statin "HIRAM WOODYARD DIED Dec 20 1900 In his 76 YEAR" Woodyard was known to have ben respected for his six foot muscular frame and his service in the Union Army as a teamster, Having lived in Bacton and gone to the EbenezerAME. Church he was also the object of many stories. Most were told of his travels crossing miles of muddy lumber trails with a team of six horses or mules and never once getting stuck. ‘There are also other men buried in the cemetery who had fought in the Civil War. One such stone which stands close to the back of the church tells of a man who was a private in the war. The following appears on his tombstone: “Joshua Johnson 1846-1916 PVT. CO. K 45th U.S.C.T. Civil War" Other stones show the names of a family named the Reasons who were buried there. A ninth month old baby, Walter Curtis, is buried amidst the graves of his grandparents, William and Mary A. Reason. Reportedly a family of the Reason name still lives in Malvern. ‘The Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church was a very important place in the 1800's and early 1900's. It was a meeting place for the numerous hard-working Negroes who lived and worked amidst the Valley Hills. Famous clergymen from Chester County and the surrounding area came to participate in the services of this celebrated gospel church and many brave men and women were buried within its outer limits. The church was also a place of refuge from the aberrations that occured during the mid 1800's. It was aplace to hide from the evils of slavery which abounded in the land. And even though the writing on the stones continues to wash away with every rain and the walls of the old stone building continue to crumble inward, the memories, as well as descendants, of those who lie beneath the rich Bacton Hill soil will live on.2 Methodist Church e, 194 sbuth of the Conestoga on Bacton Hill Road. Servic century. Courtery of Robert Swayne ‘The Ebenezer African Methodist Church in 1989. Property was cleared as part of an Eagle Scout Project-4- Listing of Names, Dates, and Epitaphs, pa + nown Gravestones NG 1) Alice Cassaway 1867-1911 Alice Cassaway Died Aug 28, 1911 C 5 In her 44th year. ates 2 Hiram Woodyard ‘1824-1900 Hiram Woodyard DE Died Dec 20, 1900 & |éern In his 76 year. 3 - - 4) Joseph Thomas 1810-1849 In memory of Joseph Thomas who died Sept. 10th 1849 Aged 39 years (2) 8 days (Rest is ineligible) 5) 6) yn 8) 9) 10) 11) Ellen Williams 1786-1841 In memory of ELLEN wife of SAMUEL WILLIAMS who died April 21st 1841 in the ‘55th year of her age. 12) =~ - a 13) ‘Anna E. Hooper 1821-1868 ANNA E, WIFE OF WM. C. HOOPER. DIED FEBRUARY 23. 1868 AGED 47 YEARS. Blessed are the dead which dic in the Lord. 14) E.W. E.W.15) 16) 172) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 21) 28) 29) 30) 31) 32) 33) 34) 35) 36) Mary A. Reason William Reason Clara B. Jones 1879-1880 WALTER, Son of, Samuel & Catherine Curtis, and grandson of William & Mary A. Reason. Died March 1880 Aged 9 months, 1823-1888 MARY A. REASON Died July 30, 1888 Aged 65 years. 1817-1892 WILLIAM REASON Died Nov. 26, 1892 Aged 75 years, 1874-1886 CLARA B. JONES. Died July 16th 1886. Aged 12 yrs. 1 mo. 82 days37) 38) 39) 40) 41) 42) 43) 44) 45) 46) 47) 48) 49) 50) 51) 52) 53) 54) 55) 56) 51) Joshua Johnson 1846-1916 JOSHUA JOHNSON 1846-1916. PVT. CO. K 45th US.C.T. CIVIL WAR Jane Cocins 1849-1887 Dear Sister JANE COCINS, wife of ‘Mosses Davis Died 1887 Aged 38 years. Meet me in Heaven Mary Ann Hooper ‘1812-1889 MARY ANN HOOPER Died June 22. 1889 In the 77th year of her age (H2)ooper 21847 (H2)00PER died 184758) 59) 60) 61) 62) 63) 64) 65) 66) 67) 68) 69) 70) 7) 72) 73) 74) 75) Harriet Edwards 1809-1839 In memory of HARRIET EDWARDS wife of ABRAHAM AMERICA who died December, 25th 1839 in the 30 year of her age. HLA. = HA. Ann Brown 1811-1901 ANN BROWN, Died Feb. 5, 1901, ‘Age 90 years M.A.H, M.A. H, James Bently 1819-1849 IN memory of JAMES BENTLY who died June 12th 1849 in the 30th year of his age. ‘The year of the Lord is upon me. (Remainder is illegible) LRE, IB. who died March 6th 1852 in the 64 year of her age.” (Ulegible) (Ulegible) In memory of (legible) June 27th16) 71) 78) 79) 80) M.LT. ME.Information obtained from: "A Brief History of East Whiteland Township" written by J. Gilmore Wilson, 1965. “History of the Conestoga Tumpike" researched and developed by Stuart H. Quillman, written by Catherine C. Quillman, 1987. Chester County Historical Society Many thanks to Mrs. Eleanor Buchanan St. Paul A.M.E. Church Mom, Dad, Nicole, Justin, Edward Stephanie, Neal, and Geoffrey ‘This project was completed as partial fulfillment for the Eagle Scout AwardBarton Hill Road I Placement of Headstones at the 3Ln Ebenezer A.M.E. Church ae bes i a 10 23 3. | aso 16.0 m4 | 5. a 26.9] 5 om 144 say 3 ul HIS. ogg 25 [x I BB 37, +] aban 3] 224) gos, Wee. 6." aul "20 35 71 12.0 a Coal Pite 160 Is 1 rs. wo. & oO 150. 153. 1 bl | 52, sz, Grave Numbers 4 through 60 sap ssn P| 154842. B39. | 3. & a7 36.0 Con. —— 9§——- -—— 67 kee 164. Iss. Placement of Headstones at the Ebenezer A.M.E. Church (Goxx.) [ro 7] uo, M71 Iss 2. 1. Grave Numbers 61 through 80