Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-05-08
BOyhOOd RGCOlIeCtiOnS
OF
The Five Churches OF POCOmOkG
City
By EBEN HEARNE
No. IL
Real Estate Holdings of
Salem Methodist Church


Excepting the ground upon which /
the Presbyterian Meeting House stood
at the foot of the present Willow
Street. which Meeting House was es-
tabHshed by Rev. Francis Mackenzie IN
the 168O's, the first land in Newtown
that was occupied by permanent
church is the lot located at the corner
of the present End and Walnut
Streets. This site was purchased by
the first Board of Trustees OF the
Salem Methodist Episcopal Church OF
Newtown. The lot was bought from
Levin Houston of Somerset County
and George Houston and wife OF Wor-
cester County and it was part OF
tract of land called wooden I'm
drage." The deed was dated Sept. II,
1908 and was signed by the Houstons,
and was witnessed by two very prom-
nent citizens of this part of Worces-
ter County, Edward Stevenson and
John William. The former was the
oreat-grandfathe of the late John 5.
McMaster and the latter was the
brother of the at-grandmother OF
the writer, Mrs. Betsey Williams
Stevenson. The above deed was made
to the Trustees, who at that time
18O8) were James Melvin, James
Dickerson, Joshua Sturgis, John Hall,
Levin Mills. William Wheeler and
James Tilghman.
The ground surrounding this church
was the only burying ground within
the town from 1908 to the time Beth
any Methodist Cemetery was pur-
chased in 1886.
For the record of the above describ-
ed deed, See Liber J. c. n. No. H.
Pages 486-87-88.
The Salem parsonage lots on the
corner of End and Walnut Streets OPP
posite the Church was purchased from
the late James H. Young and the deed
to the same was dated July II, 1867
and signed by James H. Young and
Mrs. Emmeline J. Young This second
wife) and made out to the following
Trustees: Thomas N. Williams. Thos.
Henderson, James Murray, Samuel S.
Quinn, VIM. S. Matthews and James
S. Primrose.
On this lot parsonage was built
during the pastorate of the Rev John
w. Pierson (1864-67) and after under
going alterations and additions under
subsequent pastors it was burned IN
the summer of 1923, while Rev. j. R.
Bicking was pastor. The present par
sonage was built during the pastorate
of the late Rev. Ransom P. Nichols,
(1924-26). For the deed record, (See
Liber G. H. R. No. 3, Page 34).
There being no space for addition
al burials in the Salem Church yard,
She Trustees were compelled to select
a site for a new cemetery. They Sc
lected a portion of the land adjoining
the present Presbyterian cemetery.
The land was acquired by the Salem
Methodist Church by deed from the
late, Mrs. Sallie E. Hearne and the
deed was dated October II, 1873 and
made out to the following trustees:
VIM. S. Matthews, Thomas J. Blaine,
VIM. F. Jones, Edward T. Ards and
Noses Payne and was witnessed by
John Corbin, Justice of the Peace.
(See Liber I. T. M. No. 3, Page CD
The above described cemetery was
in use less than ten years but during
that period there were several bur-
ials that took place in it. Eventually
in 1882 it was found necessary and
advisable to seek another location for
a cemetery, as the one in use was
not suitable for the purpose for which
it was intended. 1t was surrounded
partly by swamp land and branch
and owing to the inaccessibility of its
location, it was decided to abandon
and purchase better site, and to re-
move the remains of the dead there
In buried to the new cemetery which