Unfortunately the church that was affiliated with this cemetery is long gone, but unlike some other locations in the area, about half way up the hill to the cemetery is a flat area to the left side of the road where the steps of the church still remain in a roughtly 5X5' slab along with several sandstone corner blocks that served as the foundation, if you're interested in seeing a church with these same type of corner stones please visit Gravewalkers Cache - Siloam.
No for some history:
Pine Grove was established in 1878. A sign over the door read "Pine Grove Methodist Episcopal - 1878."
The land where the old church stood was donated by William Poffenbarger with the stipulation that if one year would pass with no services being held, the land would revert back to his heirs.
Pine Grove was a large church. Built by the community, the church was originally made of hand hewn logs measuring up to 22 inches wide and 35 to 40 feet long. The church was later sided over the logs. The pulpit and all of the pews were handmade. On each side of the church were three large windows of clear glass. Beside each window hung a pewter colored oil lamp with reflectors to reflect the flames. And from the ceiling hung two beautiful oil chandeliers. These were later stolen from the church by vandals.
On top of che church stood a bell tower. The church members took up a collection to purchase a bell from the K & M Railroad. Times were hard and money was hard to come by. Most people could only donate fifty cents or less. The bell is thirty two inches across and has a two and one half inch rim, after an attempt to steal it was made, it was placed in the Beech Hil United Methodist Church.
Acres of property was later bought by the govern
An interesting stone in the cemetery: In Pine Grove cemetery there is a stone which marks the grave of Henry Lewis, son of Jonathan and Malinda Lewis and Husband of Sula Edwards Lewis on which there are no carved letters of any kind for future viewers, but in its on way, no more appropriate memorial could be found. It is a huge rock put on his grave as a headstone at his request. FOr years this man and his family owned and lived on a farm narby buy when the government bought htis land in the 1940's to be used for the Chief Cornstalk Reservation, it was necessary for the families to relocate. On the front gate of the Henry Lewis home this rock, wrapped in chains was used as a gate weight, on Upper Nine Mile Farm (The path you see extending from the parking area is Middle Nine Mile or rather what is left of it). Before Hery and family moved to Gallipolis ferry he took this huge gate weighting rock to Pine Grove Cemetery and left it to be used for the headstone for his own grave. The stone has deep markings made by opening and closing the gate.
I hope that you enjoy your visit to theis beautiful old cemetery, so peaceful and serene atop this hill, nearly forgotten in a place so out of the way.
Bring a pen, container holds log only.