Historical Background

Historical Background of The Old Methodist Cemetery

Under Construction

The Old Methodist Cemetery (1809), is set set off from busy Main Street by a wooden picket fence. It's rectangular lot is dotted by trees and about 70 gravestones dating from ca. 1814 - 1986. The old Methodist Cemetery survives as a primary historic landmark at the east end of main street which has been transformed into a commercial strip in the modern period.

The Methodist Churches in Falmouth

"Rev. Joseph Snelling, early Methodist Missionary, wrote in his memoirs in 1808 I had a meeting at the house of Dr. Hugh George Donaldson and there I formed the First Methodist Society in Falmouth. A preacher was sent ... Rev. Erastus Otis, who preached from a tavern on the shore."

In 1811, Dr. Donaldson gave or deeded his land to the Falmouth Methodist Episcopal Society of Falmouth, with the intention a church be erected on that spot. The church or Meeting House was built but never finished on the former Donaldson land and was moved about 1829 to land deeded by William Nye. In 1840 the first church was re-built on the former Nye land and dedicated early 1848.

The cemetery has been previously documents by Col. Oliver B. Brown in 1970 and again by Gordon and Alice Todd in 1985.

The first known recorded reading of the Old Methodist Cemetery was by Col. Oliver B. Brown in May of 1970. Col. Brown added Vital Record information on names of persons born 1850 or before from the Town of Falmouth Vital Records before 1850. This additional information is indicated on the individual record in this maroon color. There are times when the Vital Record information is different from the information on the gravestone, both are noted on the Individuals Record.

Methodists Propose To Move Graves On East Main Street, Falmouth Enterprise Mar 28, 1958

John Wesley Methodist church as asked permission of the board of health to exhume and move 14 bodies ... Involved are the remains of the following persons:

Studley: Edward L. Studley, Ellen Studley, Freeman Studley, Edgar Studley, George Studley.
Nyberg: Emigil Nyberg, Olgot Nyberg, Peter Nyberg.
Sabens: Isaac Sabens, Elizabeth Sabens, Herschel Sabens
McLane: Olive A. McLane, Henry S. McLane, Lida Mclane. (The remains of this family were moved to Oak Grove Cemetery.)

1983 the Will of Ruth Donaldson "I direct my executor to add ONE HUNDRED and 00/100 (1.00.00) DOLLARS to the perpetual care ... Donaldson burial lot in the Methodist Cemetery ... in addition to pay ... a sum not exceeding ONE HUNDRED and 00/100 (1.00.00) DOLLARS for the repairs of memorial stones on the Donaldson lot in said cemetery ... such repairs are necessary."

Photograph 1994

A second reading was conducted by Gordon and Alice Todd in November of 1985. "The cemetery has 79 plots, ..., two of which have missing stones. The cemetery was established as a family burial site on the Donaldson's farm property in the early 1800's."

A third reading was complied by the Falmouth Genealogical Society in 1997, and never published..

This, the fourth reading of the Old Methodist Cemetery, has the most information. All prior reading are available from the Falmouth Historical Society and are included with the Old Methodist Cemetery original survey forms at the Falmouth Public Library in the Genealogy Area.