Chapman-Summers Cemetery
"Old Dunker"
Prosperity, SC
3412.761 8135.348
This very old and tranquil cemetery is located several miles East of
Prosperity, SC. Going from Prosperity to Newberry, SC, on State Road 391
turn left across the railroad tracks at a Lutheran Church. Follow this road a
couple of miles till it dead ends. Turn left and go a short distance, the old
cemetery is along the right side of the road.
The cemetery is located on the grounds where once stood a
Universalist Church meeting house. The Rev Giles Chapman preached here.
This beautiful old cemetery has recently been cleared and
there is a mailbox there with a sheet 
for
visitors to sign, It also contains a directory of the graves located there.
"The oldest grave that can be identified is that of
Mary Summers Chapman (B.10/10/1758-D.10/15/1813),
wife of reverend Giles Chapman. This
grave is located near the right and
center portion of the Cemetery. The
most recent grave is that of Idalia Dennis Cousins (B. 6/22/1870-D7/13/56).
This grave is located in the left and back portion of the Cemetery.
Burials earlier than 1813 most surely occurred but the stone or other
identification has been lost. A
listing of known burials has been printed in Newberry County SC Cemeteries,
Volume one, sponsored The Newberry County Historical Society, 1985.
This document refers to the Cemetery as the “Chapman-Summers
Cemetery” or the “Old Dunker
Cemetery”. A Xeroxed copy of the names contained in this work is provided at
the end of this narrative.
The history is best told through a search of the life of
Reverend Giles Chapman (B.6/21/1748-D.4/15/1819) and his decedents.
Giles Chapman, a Quaker, came to South Carolina, to Newberry County, with
his father Samuel Chapman. The Annals
of Newberry refer to Giles Chapman as a native of Virginia, his father
having immigrated to this State and first located himself for a season at the
place of our town, presumably about 1760.
Young Giles Chapman, a saddler by trade, fell in love
with Mary Summers and married her in 1775.
Mary Summers was the daughter of Joseph Summers, a patriarch of the
nearby Tunker (or Dunkards) settlement. Because
of the marriage “out of unity” and the fact that he later served as Chaplain
in the Continental Army, Giles Chapman, on June 27, 1778, was dismissed from the
Quaker meeting. Again, the Annals of Newberry states that Giles Chapman
began to preach in 1782 and was the great preacher of what was called
Universalism, a following that included most of the leading Dunkers (Tunker or
Dunkards) in the settlement. He is
reported to have married more persons than any other clergyman, never charging
more than $1.00 for his service. He is familiarly called Uncle Giles and, whether right or
wrong, in abstract matters of faith and theology, was indeed a disciple of Him
who came into the world to save sinners.
The Annals of Newberry, dated 1892, indicate that
Giles Chapman lived at the place where his worthy son, Samuel Chapman, Esquire,
resided and that he lived there until his death in 1819.
The oldest deed documents of Newberry County confirm that Samuel Chapman,
Esquire, owned the property surrounding the Cemetery.
While other deeds refer to the Cemetery as “Paysinger” or
“Chapman” Cemetery, they unquestionably refer to the same place.
Most probably, this cemetery originated on lands owned by Reverend Giles
Chapman and was passed on to his son Samuel Chapman, Esquire.
Several references indicate the existence of a Meeting
House and burial grounds as far back as the 1700’s.
James Howe, a school teacher in the community, lies buried about the
center of the Tunker burying ground, where rest the remains of many members of
the old families of that part of the county.
It is on the place and near the house where S. S. Paysinger now lives.
So states the Annals of Newberry. In 1892 the oldest inscriptions found in this cemetery bore
the date of 1811 but some were known to be much older since it had been used as
a burying ground before the close of the century.
Samuel Chapman, Esquire, died august 6, 1876, and was
buried in the cemetery located on this property.
His grave is not far from that of his father Reverend Giles Chapman.
His daughter Rosannah Sophia Chapman had married Samuel S. Paysinger on
January 14, 1858, probably in the Meeting House located on her father’s
property. By January 1890, Rosannah
S. Paysinger had acquired all rights to her father’s plantation containing 180
acres of land and including the Cemetery. Deeds
trace the exact property to its present owner Elizabeth Paysinger Fulmer, who is
the great grand-daughter of Rosannah S. Paysinger.
Therefore, the Cemetery, as it stands today, has remained in the
possession of decedents of Reverend Giles Chapman for four (4) generations.
No reference was found that suggests what might have
happened to the Meeting House. The
road that bordered the Cemetery in the east was known as the Old Charleston
Highway. It has since been replaced
by the present highway, St. Lukes Church Road.
Old deeds also refer to “Paysinger Crossroads”.
This was probably an intersection of roads located near what is now the
intersection of Clara Brown Road and Fire Tower Road.
Undaunted, time marches on!" The above quoted dissertation
and Research completed March, 1999, by Robert C. Fulmer.
This is the final resting place of my 3rd Great
Grandfather Rev. Elijah Linch (
born June 28, 1773 and died August 10, 1842 ) and his wife
Elizabeth Chapman Linch ( born June 17, 1775 and died November 4, 1855 - note on
her grave the name is spelled Lynch, further validating the confusion in the
spelling of the Linch/Lynch name ). Elizabeth's father, Joseph Chapman (
1740-1820 ) as well as her grandparents, Giles Chapman ( 1701-1789 )
and Sarah Jackson ( 1709-1789 ) are 
also
buried here. A good many of the early Summers and Chapman
families as well as other early settlers of Newberry County are buried here.
The Cemetery, as you see it now lies totally on property
owned by Elizabeth P. Fulmer. Although
references to the Cemetery can be traced to the late 1700’s, no documentation
can be found setting aside this property as belonging to anyone or any
organization other than the owner of the tract of land on which it resides.
Apparently, there was never a plat, a deed, or any description rendered
concerning the shape or size of the cemetery.
During
the early to middle 1900’s, the Cemetery was maintained by close relatives of
those buried there. From about 1850
until 1985, care and cleaning was done by various relatives, Harold C. Fulmer
(the property owner), and the county of Newberry.
In the intervening years between 1985 and 1998, Mr. Fulmer being in
declining health and the County discontinuing such service, the Cemetery
received minimal care only from those relatives who chose to maintain a
respected area. In December of
1997, Carol P., Harold M., and Robert C. Fulmer, Sons of Harold C. and Elizabeth
P. Fulmer, undertook the task of completely clearing and maintaining the
Cemetery. Through their work the
Cemetery appears as you see it now.
The Cemetery cannot be maintained
without cost. Chemicals are
expensive and, combined with cost of application, could amount to as much as
$200 to $300 per year. With funding, additional improvements that would benefit
the Cemetery as a whole could be made. Those
who cleared the Cemetery most recently have shouldered the responsibility and
cost to this point and will continue to lend their efforts to maintain the
cemetery in the future. If you
would care to lend your financial support, a check made payable to Robert C.
Fulmer, Cemetery Fund, would be helpful. Contribution
may be left in the mailbox or mailed to the following address:
Robert C. Fulmer
7500 St. Lukes Church R.
Newberry, SC 29108
If
you have concerns about the use of these contributions, contact Dr. Fulmer at
803-276-7998 or the address above. A full account of the Cemetery Fund can be
provided. Offers to personally
assist with the labors of maintenance will be also appreciated.
KNOWN
GRAVES
Elizabeth,
w/o
William H Knight
7/6/1839-6/11/1859
William
C. Thomas 5/18/1782-8/26/1839
Dr.
John Edwards
Bobo 7/17/1796-1/4/1860 (Univeresalist )
Mrs.
Helen Summers
widow of Captain
Hezekiah Summers
10/10/1785-2/4/1836
Captain
Hezekiah Summers
3/11/1780-1823
William
Summers Sr
10/12/1823 aged 67 yrs
Rosannah
Summers, consort/o John Summers
d
11/13/1840, 68 years 8 months 17 days
John
Summers
6/29/1763 - 3/22/1836
Cassandra
Clary, w/o
Timothy Thomas, Sr 4/17/1752 - 12/13/1825
Timothy
Thomas Sr.
11/8/1747-10/12/1825
Mary
Chapman, w/o
Rev. Giles Chapman
10/10/1758 0 10/15/1813
Rev.
Giles Chapman
6/21/1748 - 4/15/1819
Giles
Chapman Jr. Feb. 1791- 9/l/1831
Elizabeth
Elmore
2/13/1784-2/22/1839
Thomas
A Elmore
4/20/1776-7/15/1825
James
Clarence, s/o
H. & E,S. Knight
June 28, 1859, 3 mo old
William
Rufus, eldest child of
W.H. & E.S. Knight
3/26/1858-9/13/1859
Nancy
Wilson
2/19/1813 - 6/10/1861
Mary
Catherine Nelson
8/l/1828-8/19/1909
Margaret
Josephine Whitman
5/28/1850-12/22/1906
Alan
Luther Whitman
7/5/1852- 5/20/1906
Martha
Lester
w/o Allan Lester
11/25/1801-1/14,/1859
Tempenance
Whitman
3/18/1813-9/17/1896
Elizabeth
Whitman
D 12/12/1860
Alan
Lester
10/22/1883 92 years old
June
Hawkins
10/13/1851
Nancy
Whitman
11/3/1887
Anna
Eliza Whitman
9/16/1884
Margaret
Whitman
11/28/1787 - 5/9/1859
John
Samuel, s/o J J & N E Paysinger
12/12/1855 - 12/17/1879
Kate
Eliza,
d/o J J & N E Paysinger
Frances
Permelia, w/o George McDuffey Sligh,
d/o J J & N E Paysinger
11/14/1853 - 10/20/1880
Nancy
Ellen Chapman, w/o J J. Paysinger, d/o Samuel Chapman &
Elizabeth Worthington
2/20/1831-11/20/1988
John
Jacob Paysinger
1/16/1825-2/7/1896
Eleanor
Madison Chapman,
d/o John A. & Mary A.
Chapman
9/9/1860-10/l/1903
Mary A
Chapman, d/o Samuel
& Elizabeth W. Chapman,
w/o John A. Chapman
10/22/1820-4/16/1.889
John
Abney Chapman
3/9 1821 - 9/9/1906
John
Chapman, s/o
S-S- & R.S. Paysinger
2/21/l859-4/28/1915
Samuel
S Paysinger
12/2/1835 - 10/23/1905
Rosanna
Chapman,
w/o S S Paysinger
10/19/1839 - 9/24/1920
Rev
Elijah Linch
8/10/1842, 69y 6 months 10d
Elizabeth
Lynch, w/o
Rev- Elijah Linch
11/4/1855, 80y 4m 18d
Elizabeth
Chapman,
w/o Samuel Chapman Esq.
8 10/1801 - 6/10/1880
Samuel
Chapman,
s/o Rev. Glles & Mary,
his wife
d 8/6/1876, 80 yrs
Frances
Elmira Kibler,
w/o Jacob Kibler
7/27/1833-8/15/1875
Jacob
Kibler
2/3/1816-12/21/1890
Jacob
Frances P. Kibler d 12/22.1880, 7 mos
Elizabeth
Kibler, d/o Jacob & Frances Kibler
6/18/1857-10/31/1897
Samuel
R Chapman
7/17/1837-2/21/1869
John W.
Chapman
d 10/31/1851, 29Y 3m 3d
Margaret
A. Chapman
d 9/9/1837, 10 mo
Samuel
W Bowers
3/23/l946-10/19/1849
Samuel
Kibler, s/o Jacob
& Frances E. Kibler
d 9/2/1868, 2y 7d
Sidney
Kibler, s/o Jacob
& Frances E. Kibler
d 9/10/1873, 4y 6mo 23d
Infant
of
H. & Phebe Sheppard
Nancy J
Shepard, d/o
H. & A.R. Sheppard
10/23/1857-11/30/1857
Prudence
Hawkins
Peter
Hawkins
Phebe
Shepard, w/o
Honorias Shepard Jr. & d/o Jamns & Prudonce
Dennis. July 4, 18O9, married to her surviving
Dec. 27, 1827 - Juno 7, 1855
Honorias
Shepard,
s/o William & Nancy Shepard
8 /19/1807 - 4/11/1861
Mrs
Rhoda Araminta,
widow of H Shepard
d/o Mark & June Hawkins
10/10/1839 - 5/31/1862
William
Taylor Dennis
7/28/1835 - 8/31/1907
Joseph
Warren Dennis
12/5/1837-6/22/1864, Confed.
Killed Petersburg, Va.
R H
Dennis
8/12/1806-12/12/1890
Miss
Rachel Emily Dennis, d/o R H- & Rachael Dennis
1/18/1840-5/24/1855
Rachael
Elizabeth Stilwell
7/25/1854-3/25/1855
Phoebe
Alice Stilwell
1/28/1861-11/14/1864
Mary
Dennis,
w/o T.T. Stilwell
2/14/1833-12/28/1910
Thomas
T Stilwell
4/5/1825-8/14/1891
Phoebe
Catherine Dennis
12/27/1851-9/3/1929
Infant
of J.H. & S.C.
Dennis, born dead
May 15, 1880
Augustus
Dennis
d 8/7/1879, 4m 22d
Beulah
S. Dennis
d
8/27/1877, lY 4m 2d
Viola
Dennis
d 7/2/1874, 5m 14d
William
Dennis
d 7/3/1869,1Y 2m 14d
Susannah
M Dennis
d 9/21/1866,2y 9m 3d
Joseph
Young Dennis, s/o James H. &
Susannah Dennis
6/19/1862-10/11,/1862
Susannah
Cureton,
w/o James H. Dennis
3/27/1838-2/2/1902
James H
Dennis
4/9/1831 - 2/11/1910 Confed
Leila
Alma Dennis
5/23/1866 - 6/11/54
Mrs
Idalia Dennis
6/22/1870 - 7/11/1956
Amanda
Prudence Dennis
3/15/1847 - 4/16/1927
Daniel
Luther Dennis
12/23/1844 - 10/16/19xx Confed
Elizabeth,
d/o F. & B. Price
2/22/1825-8/24/1832
P I
Hawkins
died 12/20/1848
Jane
Hawkins
2/6/1810-12/17/1848
Mark
Hawkins
9/l/1808-11/9/1860
E. P.
Hawkins
12/29/1843 died
M. Y.
Hawkins
7/22/1838 died
M. C.
Hawkins
3/17/1835 died
Rebecca
E. Whitman, d/o
John & Joannah Whitman
8/15/1855-4/21/1856
Drayton
Hawkins
1/16/1825-10/7/1827
Edward
Hawkins
1/31/1834, 58 yrs
Rebecca
Hawkins
6/l/1779-7/12/1868
Prudence
Hawkins
2/24/1804-7/5/1891
Joannah,
w/o John Whitmen
9/8/1822-5/26/1897
John
Whitman
12/12/1815-7/17/1892
Cassa
Thomas
5/20/1786-9/10/1842
Hattie,
w/o E.P. Whitman
& d/o W. & S. Lester
9/25/1849-6/6/1869
Elijah
P Whitman
9/13/1840-3/10/1912 Confed.
Ann
Thomas
6/16/1784-7/22/1846
Elizabeth
Thomas
7/30/1793-5/23/1869
Wesley
W Thomas
1/25/1809-12/2/1869
Sarah
H. Thomas
d 12/27/1862,72y 8m l4.d
Phoebe Pugh
1 /1/1813-11/20/1870
Mabel,
d/o T & AL Pugh
6/14/ 1891-3/9/1892
Infant,
s/o
J T & Mary Young
6/24/1891-6/29/1891
Infant,
s/o
J C & AC Paysinger
9/19/1899- 6/5/1900
Susannah
Summers,
w/o William Summers
d 10/7/1829, 68 yrs
M. Y. Hawkins 7/22/1838 died
M. C. Hawkins 3/17/1835 died
Rebecca E. Whitman, D/o John & Joannah Whitman
8/15/1855-4/21/1856
Drayton Hawkins 1/16/1825-10/7/1827
Edward Hawkins 1/31/1834, 58yrs
Rebeccah Hawkins 6/1/1779-7/21/1868
Prudence Hawkins 2/24/1804-7/5/1891