Zion Reformed United Church of Christ
Zion Reformed United Church of Christ, originally The German Reformed Church, was founded in 1770 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The church was the first within town limits. It is the oldest church building in Washington County, Maryland that has been in continuous use as a church since its construction. When Capt. Jonathan Hager laid our his town, he gave two lots on North Potomac Street to the Zion congregation. He was tragically killed on December 6, 1775 when a heavy beam being lifted to the ceiling of the church slipped and fell, crushing him. He is buried in the churchyard and his gravesite is a local landmark. During the Civil War, the church's bell tower was used as a lookout by Union troops under the command of General Custer.
The church history is on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_Reformed_United_Church_of_Christ
Burial space adjoining the church was provided for early members of the congregation. Members of many families, whose ancestors are buried here, made substantial contributions to an endowment fund, the income from which is to be used for the care and upkeep of the graveyard. Other members made yearly contributions to be used for the same purpose. The oldest burial is that of Peter Rench, who died in 1771. By 1900 no more lots were available; the last burial in a family lot was in 1991. In 1997, the congregation established a memorial garden for cremated remains of members. Currently 708 are buried in Lots 1 through 390, Sections 1 through 4; additionally, 8 are interred in the memorial garden. The churchyard has become the final resting place for veterans of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the American Revolution (1774–1781), the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War (1848), the Civil War (1861–1865) and World War I. Two plaques in the church’s narthex give the names of the "sons of Zion" who served in World War I and World War II.
The church graveyard is home to the ashes of Jonathan Hager, founder of Hagerstown, who gave the lot upon which it stands. He was killed on December 6, 1775, when a heavy beam being lifted to the ceiling of the church, slipped and fell, crushing Capt. Hager.
Location: 201 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD. 21740
Contact: Zionrucc@myactv.net or via Phone: 301-739-7277
Website: https://zionreformed.church/history
We visited the Cemetery on June 15, 2015. The cemetery was locked and all of the photos were taken through the fence. Click here to see our photos.
Zion Cemetery
In the cemetery of the Reformed Church, which was provided for early members, some of those interred here:
Alexander Armstrong 9.8.1798 to 10.29.1870
John S. Barr dod: 7.6.1856
George Beall 4.10.1796 to 5.1843
Ellen Beall 7.8.1809 to 1.18.1840
Samuel Beeoher dod: 10.8.1821
Ludwig Carl Bodman 11.29.1752 to 4.1.1828
John Bragunier dod: 2.11.1879
Susan Bragunier dod: 4.24.1871
Samuel Bragunier 5.30.1788 to 1.16.1838
Elizabeth Bragunier dod: 11.22.1875
Daniel Burgesser dod: 3.14.1865
Frederick Bryan dod: 7.26.1871
Jonas Cramer 10.14.1755 to 8.14.1835
William Freaner dod: 4.12.1870
John Gruber dod: 12.29.1857
Catherine Gruber dod: 9.15.1859
Jacob Gruber dod: 9.16.1875
Michael Hammond dod: 11.13.1857
Gen. Daniel Heister, " the patriot, the soldier, and the statesman 1747 to 3.7.1804
Rosanna Heister (daughter of Jonathan Hager) 1730 to 1.11.1810
John Henneberger dod 9.11.18596
Catherine Henneberger dod: 8.11.1869
William Heyser dod: 9.10.1836
John E, Hoffman 10.23.1789 to 3.6.1870
Catherine Hoffman 8.28.1793 to 12.12.1877
Peter Humrichouse dod: 2.13.1837
Mary Ott dod: 10.7.1839
Frederick Humrichouse 7.6.1791 to 10.5.1876
Hannah Humrichouse 1.29.1791 to 4.25.1800
Philip Keller dod: 9.19.1846
Ann Keller dod: 1.7.1841
Andrew Kershner 4.12.1787 to 10.6.1857
Elizabeth Kershner 10.31.1791 to 9.10.1860
Jacob Knode 9.26.1751 to 2.2.1828
Margaret Knode 4.10.1750 to 7.15.1824
William Kreps dod: 2.28.1822
Elizabeth Hager Lawrence 8.1.1785 to 8.5.1867 (only grandchild of Jonathan Hager, founder of Hagerstown, and the wife of Upton Lawrence)
Benjamin Leight dod: 10.14.1848
Alexander McCamman dod: 4.5.1869
John McNamee dod: 8.11.1858
Margaret McNamee dod: 12.26.1873
Daniel Middlekauff 8.6.1794 to 10.23.1855
John Gottleib Mittag 3.7.1776 to 11.4.1828
Susan Mittag dod: 10.18.1853
Henry Middlekautf 10.18.1766 to 3.13.1837
Margaret Post dod: 3.7.1810 (wife of Rev. Christian F. Post)
Jonathan Rahauser, pastor 12.14.1764 to 9.23.1817
John S. Rahauser 2.23.1794 to 6.29.1818
Daniel Rench dod: 12.2.1831
Martin Rickenbaugh 4.3.1793 to 2.16.1874
Col. David Schnebly 5.8.1770 to 10.4.1842
Mary Schnebly 2.15.1773 to 11.17.1876
Jolin Seitz dod: 3.30.1831
Jacob Stahl 2.2.1762 to 9.6.1831
Sarah Thornburg 12.17.1796 to 12.9.1830
John Tice, Sr. 11.26.1770 to 7.27.1833
John C. Ulrich dod: 3.4.1848
Andrew Wagoner dod: 8.22.1872
Johannes Weller dod: 1.1.1800
Isaac S. White, Sr. dod: 1844
Ann Williamson dod: 8.16.1857
Elizabeth Wingert dod: 12.12.1806 (wife of Peter Wingert, and daughter of David Hager)
Philip Wingert 1.11.1784 to 8.30.1861
Martha Wingert 1793 to 1.20.1833
Frederick Wolfersperger 5.8.1780 to 12.6.1821
There are 708 souls buried here. The oldest burial is of Peter Rench in 1771. The last burial was in 1991. There are no spaces available, however, the church has established a memorial garden for cremated remains of members. The ashes of Jonathan Hager are interred here.