The first Shiloh was on the west edge of the Irish Settlement.They began holding religious services in a log church in 1817.This log Cumberland Presbyterian Church was one-quarter mile southwest of the present Hillsboro Cemetery.  Church services and campgrounds were at this site until 1839 when Shiloh moved to its present site. This location is about a mile and a half southeast of Ireland and two and one half miles west of Jasper. Click here for directions and map. Camp meetings and religious services continued. Here a new set of log camps was built.  With the exception of the camp of Robert Dickson, all camps were but one story.  Dickson's camp was a two story building, which stood at the southeast corner of the four rows of camp buildings.  Among others having camps were: Thomas Payne, James Stewart, Madison Armstrong, David Anderson, Andrew Anderson, John Shandy, Andrew Morgan, Andrew Kelso, Louis Green, Samuel Dillin, Sr., Mordecia Hopkins and many others. 

     Among the ministers who conducted the meetings at the two campgrounds were Reverends William Harris, Alexander Chapman, John Barnett, William Barnett, Finis Ewing, Dr. James Johnson, John M. Berry, Aaron Shelby, David Lowry, Henry Delaney, Hiram Hunter, William Lynn, Thomas Porter, William Long, Alexander Downey and James Ritchey, Sr.

    The camp meetings, as they were known in the early days, came to an end when the 1849 Shiloh Meeting House was erected.  James Stewart was head carpenter for the building of the meeting house.  All the lumber was sawed by water power, but the weather boarding and the finishing lumber was hand planed.  At the time it was built and for many years afterwards, Shiloh was known as one of the finest country churches in the southern part of the state.

    The name Shiloh is a Hebrew word meaning "a quiet place".  It is found frequently in the Bible and is a favorite church name among all denominations.

    Church Services were held on the first Sunday of the month.  Reverand A.J. Strain served as the first minister of Shiloh. He served for 26 years.  During his tenure, the Shiloh Cemetery was begun.  The first burial was that of Miss Minerva Edmondson in 1860.  Carter Reynolds, March 28, 1861, was the second burial.  Jane Stewart, who died April 3, 1861, was buried in the third grave.  The first soldiers to be buried at Shiloh were Madison and Ashier Greene, sons of Thomas and Eliza Greene. Madison and Ashier died during the Civil War.  They died in the battle of Shiloh in Corinth, Mississippi.  They were brought back and buried in the same grave.  A list of all known burials in the cemetery is on this website.

    The first hearse seen in Ireland was used for the funeral of Joanna Dillin in 1868. Prior to the year 1888, all burials were made in wood coffins.  At that time, Isaac Alexander, Ireland undertaker, brought two metal caskets to his establishment.  The first person buried at Shiloh in such a casket was Mrs. Phillip (Sadie) Wineinger in 1889.

     Rev. A. J. Strain served as many as 10 churches in the area.  His means of transportation was his horse.  During a week of many rains, he became sick. Rev. Strain developed double pneumonia.  He died on February 2, 1873.  It is documented in the Jasper Courier, that over 1500 people attended the funeral.  The people met in Ireland and followed the procession to Shiloh where he was buried.  It is believed Rev. Strain's influence in educational and religious circles was probably greater than that of any other pioneer in Dubois County. The rural graveyards of indiana are full of the honest, sincere, truthful, loving, God fearing pioneers.  They were indeed the salt of the earth.  The remains of many of the most prominent pioneer families associated with Jasper and the Irish Settlement are at rest at Shiloh.  It is the sacred duty of the present and of the future generations to improve, preserve and beautify this hallowed spot.  These pioneers leave with us the lesson that it is not necessary for people to live in marble halls and speak a language of perfection to have richness of character and hearts that are warm and true.   

     With the passing of Rev. Strain came the passing of regular services at Shiloh.  Services continured to be held at Shiloh more or less regularly until September of 1885.  The congregation had built a new Presbyterian church in the town of Ireland.

    With the congregation moving to Ireland, the cemetery and building did not receive the attention it deserved.  It was not until September of 1927, that this problem was resolved. It was then that the official name of The Shiloh Cemetery Association of Ireland, Indiana, Inc. was given and the association was formed.  The association was and still is comprised of a board of directors and a slate of officers.  The board set out to beautify and restore the meeting house and cemetery. The cemetery has been maintained throughout the years and remains in excellent shape.  In the Shiloh bylaws it states that the cemetery is open at all times for the burial of the dead, irrespective, of faith, sect or denomination, for the use and benefit of the general public.  Shiloh is a public cemetery and may be used by all beliefs and denominations.  E-mail  junebug@fullnet.com for more information.

      The first board of directors included: Earl Stewart, President, Theodore Glezen, Vice-President and Dr. Eugene Norman, Secretary/Treasurer. These gentlemen were elected on January 2, 1928.  They voted to meet the first Tuesday night of each month at 7:30pm at the law office of Horace M. Kean in Jasper, Indiana. After meeting for 6 straight months, it was found that the board had progressed the restoration of the church and grounds sufficently that the board voted to meet twice a year or upon call by the President.

      Since the beginning of Shiloh in 1817, Shiloh has held an annual event to honor the dead and especially the veterans.   During the second meeting of the board, it was decided to continue an annual Gathering on Memorial Day.  This tradition holds true yet today. Presently, the secretary sends out over 400 letters to 26 states giving notice each year of the annual event.  The Gatherings draw about 130 persons each year.  The event is held on the Memorial Day week-end Sunday at the Shiloh Meeting House.  The event begins at 1 pm EDT. with a one hour program.  Desserts are served following the program, please bring your own drinks.  If you wish to remember Shiloh with a donation: please send it to, Shiloh, 7154W-150N, Jasper, IN  47546-8957.  Also, please tell other interested "Friends of Shiloh" about this website. The 2008 program will be published soon. 

       Mary Linclon is coming!, And The Overbeck  Strings"!, to the annual Shiloh Gathering.  The Gathering will be held at 1:00 pm EDT on May 25, 2008 at the Meeting House.  The public is invited.  Bring a dessert and enjoy the fellowship after the Gathering.  The Overbeck Strings are led by Edna Peters Overbeck, who will be 88 soon.  Also there is Martha Overbeck Feldmeyer, Ann Overbeck Fierst, and Darlene Borman Padgett. They specialize in American and British Isles Folk, and Christian hymns.  Mary Linclon will share her lifes experiences in and around the White House in the Linclon years.  She will also hold a press conference afterwards.

     The Shiloh Meeting House and Cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historical Places on July 29, 1982.  This placement qualifies Shiloh for protection by the Department of the Interior.  Shiloh is a well kept cemetery with no restrictions on who may be buried there.  Shiloh is an on-going public cemetery with many plots available.    

      Much time has passed and many boards have presided, however, the beautification of the cemetery and meeting house continues on a timely basis. The present day board consists of: Ken Brosmer, Sandra Bubenzer (Wisconsin),  Steve DuCett, Richard Edwards, Leroy Gehlhausen, Delbert Himsel, Jr. (President/Treasurer), Margaret Henson, Brent Kellams, R.Thomas Kellams, Arnold Nelson, Janice Partenheimer, Mary Alice Parks (Secretary) and Rev. Don Smith (Vice-President).      

      The meeting house has the new (old) look as it proudly sits surrounded by trees on Shiloh Road in Dubois County. The directions to Shiloh are: Go east on Hwy. 56 out of Ireland for approximately 1 1/4 miles to Shiloh Road (a blue state historical marker along the highway precedes Shiloh Road), turn right (south) on Shiloh Road, follow Shiloh Road for approximately 1 1/8 mile, you'll see the meeting house on the right.  From Jasper, go west on Hwy. 56 about 3 miles to the historical state marker sign (which precedes Shiloh Road), turn left (south) follow the same directions as above from there. The official 911 county address for Shiloh is: 4060 W. Shiloh Road, Jasper, IN 47546.  The reason a lot of the Ireland and Ireland area addresses have Jasper on them simply is: Ireland never did have a rural carrier-and if you don't have a box number at the Ireland Post Office-you will have a "Jasper" address.  If you wish an Ireland address, go see the present Ireland Postmaster, Cindy Schlachter.

     Shiloh also has the destinction of having one of the very few pet cemeteries in the state.  Shiloh has land on both sides of Shiloh Road.  The pet cemetery is by itself on a small knoll on the north side of the road.  Shiloh Road divides the Shiloh Cemetery and the Shiloh Pet Cemetery.  There is a pet cemetery marker to designate the site.

      George R. Wilson, famous Dubois County historian, along with *Forrest R. Anderson wrote in 1929 that Shiloh Cemetery was one of the best kept American cemeteries in southwestern Indiana. At that time, in listing in 1929, he indicated that around 1000 persons were at rest at Shiloh, but it seemed not half the graves had stone markers.  Not to find a name in the list must not be construed as evidence someone is not buried here.  The person may be, but the grave might be unmarked or, if marked, the inscription could not be read at the time.  The above is what he wrote in his listing at that time.  Forrest R. Anderson worked with Mr. Wilson on many projects in Dubois County, including finding and getting military markers for the Revolutionaly and War of 1812 veterans.

     The next listing was done in 1980 by Eugene and Eleanor Gutzweiler, Natalie Baker and Lillian Doane. This listing was included in what is known as the Shiloh book which also contained various histories of Shiloh.  This book was compiled in 1982.

      The current listing of Shiloh Cemetery was done in 2001-2002 with the two-fold purpose of updating the listing and preparing same for a website.  This listing was done by Sharon Himsel, Mary Alice Parks and Jane Nelson. This list is an updating of the earlier list done in 1980.  George R. Wilson's 1929 list was also used to verify that all graves are included to the best of our knowledge.  We also used records from the Dubois County Courthouse and Jasper Courier newspaper clippings to list persons believed to be buried here, but have no stone visible.  Only graves with markers are included in the numeration of the stones.

      This alphabetical listing of the burials at Shiloh is as follows: Shiloh Pioneer Cemetery Index

LINKS

Obituaries

Sherritt Cemetery

Madison Township Cemeteries

ADAMS, COOPER, DILIN, GREEN, RITCHEY FAMILIES

Weathers Family