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The “almost 28 acres” of Blendon Central Cemetery formerly know as Central Cemetery or Old Church Pioneer Cemetery, had a most modest beginning. Early in the nineteenth century, Squire Timothy Lee donated to the Blendon Township Trustees one acre of ground on the northeast corner of Dempsey and Hempstead Roads. Although conveyed to the township trustee, the acre was designated for “church and burial purposes” of the Blendon Presbyterian Church. At the same time, Edward Phelps, Sr. donated an acre of land immediately across the road, on the northwest corner, for similar purposes. These two deeds were recorded in 1832, according to the Index of Deed in the County Recorder’s Office, Franklin County. The actual Record of Deeds, however, was burned in the Franklin County Court House fire on January 31, 1879. According to Attorney Fred Milligan, Sr., “ the deeds were undoubtedly signed and delivered March, 1832, and, in all probability, the date was March 27, 28, 29 or 30.” With legal matters not as carefully transacted as they are today, often, deeds were not recorded until several years after an agreement. With the many inconsistencies, land donated by Timothy Lee at the corner of Dempsey and Hempstead Roads become legally a site for “burial purposes” in 1832.
The name “Central Cemetery” was derived from the fact that the southwest corner of the cemetery lot is the geographical center of Blendon Township.
Today in 2013, we now have in excess of 13,000 graves in Blendon Central Cemetery with room for 50+ years of available property for potential gravesites. Please visit our cemetery, the headstones of our founders will create an interest in your own history.
This information was taken from “By One Spirit” by Lillian Brown Gossett.
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