Hynson Chapel Cemetery Old
Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, USA
An abandoned early nineteenth century Methodist-Episcopal cemetery on private land.
William Gill, an intinerant Methodist preacher, was buried here in 1788.
From a Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form at:
http://www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/028000/028200/028284/pdf/msa_se5_28284.pdf
"Four or five grave sites are marked with readable inscribed stones; they date from 1817 to 1854. One crudely inscibed stone appears to date from 1800. There are numerous field stones, probably indicators of other graves."
"Site of Old Hynson's Chapel (also Kent Meeting House, Kent Chapel) near Fairlee.
On a site now a woods southeast of Ricaud's Branch Road, several hundred feet from its western junction with Route 20, Kent County's first organized Methodist society in 1774 erected the first Methodist place of worship to be built on the Delmarva Peninsula. Meeting first at the home of (John?) Carvill Hynson, the society was organized and nurtured by Francis Asbury, Methodism's best-known itinerant, who became known as the "Father of American Methodism." By 1806, Asbury reported that a "new, neat chapel" had been built. Virtually nothing is known of either building, and there are no remains above ground. The first seems to have been frame; it was reported that opponents of Methodism came at night to tear down the framework and it had to be rebuilt. Early nineteenth-century camp meetings reportedly were held in Hynson's Woods near the chapel, and on the lower-lying land across the branch an "African Meeting House" was erected by 1860 on a small parcel deeded to the trustees of that independent or semi-independent group. This congregation probably was the first black Methodist congregation in the Rock Hall area. A cemetery is located to the rear of the possible building site of Old Hynson's and contains both marked and unmarked stones. Two early itinerant Methodist preachers are buried there. Apparently the victim of both the success and divisiveness of nineteenth Methodism, though the precise reasons are unknown, the remnant of the Old Hynson's congregation relocated in 1863, building a new Hynson's Chapel two miles to the east at Baker's Lane.
Old Hynson's Chapel is important in the history of Methodism in both Kent County and the region. While not the location of the first "appointment," or regular preaching place, on the eastern shore or in Kent County (the first was near Worton), the first chapel on the site was the first building erected by the Methodists on the Delmarva Peninsula for a place of worship (1774). It was the only Methodist-built chapel on the Peninsula that predated the Revolution. The group that met at the (John?) Carvill Hynson's home near the site before the erection of the chapel was the first organized Methodist society in Kent County (1773), the next stage of development after an appointment. The best known itinerant, and "Father of American Methodism" Francis Asbury, brought Methodism (originally a reform movement within the Church of England) to this area of lower Kent County and organized the society. Two notable early itinerant Methodist preachers, William Gill and John Smith, are buried in the chapel cemetery. The site may have archeological significance because of the two chapels built here by the Hynson's congregation. An "African Meeting House," perhaps utilizing the original Hynson's building, was located nearby according to a 1860 map. It was one of the county's earliest independent or semi-independent Methodist chapel for blacks. Not only was Kent County important in the early history of American Methodism as an area of strong, early growth, but Methodism during the nineteenth century came to be the county's dominant religious group and remained so in the twentieth century."
An abandoned early nineteenth century Methodist-Episcopal cemetery on private land.
William Gill, an intinerant Methodist preacher, was buried here in 1788.
From a Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form at:
http://www.msa.md.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/028000/028200/028284/pdf/msa_se5_28284.pdf
"Four or five grave sites are marked with readable inscribed stones; they date from 1817 to 1854. One crudely inscibed stone appears to date from 1800. There are numerous field stones, probably indicators of other graves."
"Site of Old Hynson's Chapel (also Kent Meeting House, Kent Chapel) near Fairlee.
On a site now a woods southeast of Ricaud's Branch Road, several hundred feet from its western junction with Route 20, Kent County's first organized Methodist society in 1774 erected the first Methodist place of worship to be built on the Delmarva Peninsula. Meeting first at the home of (John?) Carvill Hynson, the society was organized and nurtured by Francis Asbury, Methodism's best-known itinerant, who became known as the "Father of American Methodism." By 1806, Asbury reported that a "new, neat chapel" had been built. Virtually nothing is known of either building, and there are no remains above ground. The first seems to have been frame; it was reported that opponents of Methodism came at night to tear down the framework and it had to be rebuilt. Early nineteenth-century camp meetings reportedly were held in Hynson's Woods near the chapel, and on the lower-lying land across the branch an "African Meeting House" was erected by 1860 on a small parcel deeded to the trustees of that independent or semi-independent group. This congregation probably was the first black Methodist congregation in the Rock Hall area. A cemetery is located to the rear of the possible building site of Old Hynson's and contains both marked and unmarked stones. Two early itinerant Methodist preachers are buried there. Apparently the victim of both the success and divisiveness of nineteenth Methodism, though the precise reasons are unknown, the remnant of the Old Hynson's congregation relocated in 1863, building a new Hynson's Chapel two miles to the east at Baker's Lane.
Old Hynson's Chapel is important in the history of Methodism in both Kent County and the region. While not the location of the first "appointment," or regular preaching place, on the eastern shore or in Kent County (the first was near Worton), the first chapel on the site was the first building erected by the Methodists on the Delmarva Peninsula for a place of worship (1774). It was the only Methodist-built chapel on the Peninsula that predated the Revolution. The group that met at the (John?) Carvill Hynson's home near the site before the erection of the chapel was the first organized Methodist society in Kent County (1773), the next stage of development after an appointment. The best known itinerant, and "Father of American Methodism" Francis Asbury, brought Methodism (originally a reform movement within the Church of England) to this area of lower Kent County and organized the society. Two notable early itinerant Methodist preachers, William Gill and John Smith, are buried in the chapel cemetery. The site may have archeological significance because of the two chapels built here by the Hynson's congregation. An "African Meeting House," perhaps utilizing the original Hynson's building, was located nearby according to a 1860 map. It was one of the county's earliest independent or semi-independent Methodist chapel for blacks. Not only was Kent County important in the early history of American Methodism as an area of strong, early growth, but Methodism during the nineteenth century came to be the county's dominant religious group and remained so in the twentieth century."
Nearby cemeteries
Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, USA
- Total memorials2k+
- Percent photographed84%
- Percent with GPS11%
Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, USA
- Total memorials13
- Percent photographed77%
- Percent with GPS0%
Rock Hall, Kent County, Maryland, USA
- Total memorials24
- Percent photographed67%
- Percent with GPS0%
- Added: 15 May 2012
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2449415
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