Sherwood near Cincinnati in Hamilton County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Clough Baptist Cemetery

Newton Cemetery

— “The Little Stone Church” —

The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

1. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

Inscription.

The Clough Baptist Cemetery. Newton Cemetery.

Old Clough Church Yard. Here there is no bell peeling No vaulted tower Only the crumbling walls and a spring flower, No prayer is heard No audible word Only the winds singing And heartbells ringing, April has come again To this ancient place With tears of pain And a smiling face, Samuel Schierloh

Revolutionary War Veterans. Some of the most notable people buried at the Clough Baptist cemetery include several veterans of the Revolutionary War. According to the Official Records of the Soldiers of the American Revolution compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution, these veterans include James clark, Stephen Davis, Jonathan Gerard, and Stephen Sutton. According to family records B.G. Abbot also fought in the Revolution. To honor these brave soldiers, local American Legion members assemble at the cemetery to salute and honor the soldiers annually on Memorial Day with a 21-gun salute., . B.G. Abbot (Dates unknown): According to family records fought in the Revolution. No futher information known. . James Clark (September 3, 1765 – September 4, 1852): Tradition says he served as a drummer boy at the Battle of Yorktown at the age of 16. He is likely the son of John Clark who served in the Revolutionary War for Virginia. . Stephen Davis (January 26, 1754 – May 26, 1828): Dates from headstone. . Jonathan Gerard (March 31, 1763 – June 26, 1837): Born in Berkley County, Virginia. . Stephen Sutton (December 15, 1760 – September 12, 1846); Born in New Jersey of English descent. He served for 3 years during the Revolutionary War. The father of 14 children, his first wife was Hannah Wood (died 1809) and second wife was Deborah Justin (died 1869)., Unless otherwise noted, the above information is from the Daughters of the American Revolution., History. The Clough Baptist Cemetery is all that remains of the Clough Baptist Church founded by Reverend John Corbly, Jr. in February 1802. At that time there was only one other place of worship in what is now the Anderson Township area. Corbly felt that another church was needed and chose a location midway between Salem and Mercersburg (known today as Newtown) to build his church. The deed for the chosen site shows the original owner, David Kelly, sold the acre and a half property to Corbly and the Trustees of the Regular Baptist Church for just three dollars. After the church was built, the original structure stood for about 18 years, but in 1820 burned to the foundation. A new stone structure was built later that same year using stones from the nearby Clough Creek. The building was known from then on as “Little Stone Church” by the locals of Anderson Township., The last record of a formal church service is dated May 18, 1839, but the building served as a meeting hall for a number of church groups and community gatherings for many years after. It is unknown how long the church remained in use, but a fire, estimated to have taken place in the early 1900s, destroyed the roof of the building sending the “Little Stone Church” into a lonely state of disrepair., The walls and foundation remained for years, slowly falling apart as rain dissolved the mud plastered on the inside walls of the church. A number of years ago, the more desirable stones were salvaged to construct a façade for the California Methodist Church. At an undetermined date, the remaining ruins of the church were cleared away and grass slowly grew over the stone foundation. But on very dry summer days, the grass above the stone, due to the shallowness of the soil, will turn brown and the outline of the foundation of the “Little Stone Church” can be seen.

Old Clough Church Yard
Here there is no bell peeling
No vaulted tower
Only the crumbling walls
and a spring flower

No prayer is heard
No audible word
Only the winds singing
And heartbells ringing

April has come again
To this ancient place
With tears of pain
And a smiling face

Samuel Schierloh

Revolutionary War Veterans
Some of the most notable people buried at the Clough Baptist cemetery include several veterans of the Revolutionary War. According to the Official Records of the Soldiers of the American Revolution compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution, these veterans include James clark, Stephen Davis, Jonathan Gerard, and Stephen Sutton. According to family records B.G. Abbot also fought in the Revolution. To honor these brave soldiers, local American Legion members assemble at the cemetery to salute and honor the soldiers annually on Memorial Day with a 21-gun salute.

• B.G. Abbot (Dates unknown): According to family records fought in the Revolution. No futher information known.
• James Clark (September 3, 1765 – September 4, 1852): Tradition says he served as a drummer boy at the Battle of Yorktown at the age of 16. He is likely the

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son of John Clark who served in the Revolutionary War for Virginia.
• Stephen Davis (January 26, 1754 – May 26, 1828): Dates from headstone.
• Jonathan Gerard (March 31, 1763 – June 26, 1837): Born in Berkley County, Virginia.
• Stephen Sutton (December 15, 1760 – September 12, 1846); Born in New Jersey of English descent. He served for 3 years during the Revolutionary War. The father of 14 children, his first wife was Hannah Wood (died 1809) and second wife was Deborah Justin (died 1869).

Unless otherwise noted, the above information is from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

History
The Clough Baptist Cemetery is all that remains of the Clough Baptist Church founded by Reverend John Corbly, Jr. in February 1802. At that time there was only one other place of worship in what is now the Anderson Township area. Corbly felt that another church was needed and chose a location midway between Salem and Mercersburg (known today as Newtown) to build his church. The deed for the chosen site shows the original owner, David Kelly, sold the acre and a half property to Corbly and the Trustees of the Regular Baptist Church for just three dollars.
After the church was built, the original structure stood for about 18 years, but in 1820 burned to the foundation. A new stone structure was built later that same year

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

2. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

using stones from the nearby Clough Creek. The building was known from then on as “Little Stone Church” by the locals of Anderson Township.

The last record of a formal church service is dated May 18, 1839, but the building served as a meeting hall for a number of church groups and community gatherings for many years after. It is unknown how long the church remained in use, but a fire, estimated to have taken place in the early 1900s, destroyed the roof of the building sending the “Little Stone Church” into a lonely state of disrepair.

The walls and foundation remained for years, slowly falling apart as rain dissolved the mud plastered on the inside walls of the church. A number of years ago, the more desirable stones were salvaged to construct a façade for the California Methodist Church. At an undetermined date, the remaining ruins of the church were cleared away and grass slowly grew over the stone foundation. But on very dry summer days, the grass above the stone, due to the shallowness of the soil, will turn brown and the outline of the foundation of the “Little Stone Church” can be seen.

Erected 2009 by Eagle Scout Project of Sam Heywood and volunteers, Anderson Township Historical Society.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is May 26, 1828.

Location.

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

3. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

39° 5.578′ N, 84° 21.955′ W. Marker is near Cincinnati, Ohio, in Hamilton County. It is in Sherwood. Memorial is at the intersection of Bridges Road and Clough Pike on Bridges Road. The marker is in the Clough Baptist Cemetery (also called Newton Cemetery). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6941 Bridges Road, Cincinnati OH 45230, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Clough Pike (approx. ¼ mile away); Clark Stone House (approx. ¼ mile away); Miller - Leuser Log House (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Church / The Founder (approx. 1.8 miles away); Blockhouse (approx. 2.1 miles away); Garard / Martin Station, 1790 (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Madisonville Site (approx. 3.4 miles away); Columbia Baptist Cemetery / Columbia (approx. 3½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cincinnati.

Additional keywords. Daughters of the American Revolution

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

4. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

5. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, March 30, 2021

6. The Clough Baptist Cemetery Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on December 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 31, 2021, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 224 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on December 30, 2023, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 31, 2021, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.