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.