Read time: 7 min.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Chris Flook wrote a great article about the Delaware County hamlet of Macedonia as part of his “ByGone Muncie” series in The Star Press. It’d been a while since I’d visited the place, but his piece inspired me to take the familiar drive out towards the forgotten hamlet. As a teen, you see, I was present during a pivotal moment in the history of its cemetery.

No one really knows who founded Macedonia. Chris says it probably just sprung up around a cluster of homes at the intersection of County Roads 700-South and 200-East, which was once known as Macedonia Pike. By 1881, the village was home to a general store, blacksmith¹, and post office², along with Monroe Township’s District 7 schoolhouse. At some point, a United Brethren church was established at the northwest corner of the intersection³.

The Macedonia Cemetery was established in 1840 and predated all of that growth. Later nestled between the church and schoolhouse, it probably provided an eerie backdrop for kids playing nearby! I grew up near a pioneer cemetery that could be seen from the school bus. Macedonia’s must have inspired a ghost story or two if kids in the 1800s were anything like I was a hundred and fifty years later.

A pioneer from Carroll County, Virginia, named James Shockley died near Muncie in 1849. He seems to have been the first person buried in Macedonia Cemetery. Over time, more Shockleys, Johnsons, Mendenhalls, Ogles, Rectors, and Turners -good Monroe Township names all- eventually joined him. The most recent burial I saw was of Barbara Rector Johnson, who passed away at eighty-two in 1940. 

Of the cemetery’s forty-six markers, one of most prominent belongs to David Ogle. A pioneer who died in 1879 at the age of 77 or 78, Ogle was the first European settler to enter Section 24 in the southeast quadrant of Monroe Township⁴! His bleached-white obelisk has stood solitary in the cemetery’s corner for more than a century.

Another of Macedonia Cemetery’s most notable markers is that of Robert Turner, who died in 1884 at 54. His headstone is adorned with a carved motif of a pointed finger, a common, but evocative, symbol in old-time funerary art. The motif often represents the soul’s journey to heaven- the upward-pointing finger signifies divine ascent and hope for eternal life.

The majority of Macedonia Cemetery’s other markers are simple affairs, rectangular and arched. Enclosed by a wall adorned with four decorative urns, the place was once picturesque! Unfortunately, half a century without any burials took its toll on the burial ground. By 1995, four massive trees had grown into the block walls, causing them to tumble. One of the urns was crushed and another disappeared entirely. Broken monuments got stacked in a remote corner, leaving a vast lawn without any visible markers⁵.

Sadly, the neglect seen at Macedonia Cemetery was all too common among pioneer burial grounds. State law requires townships to maintain cemeteries within their borders but offers little to no funding to support the effort⁶. Fortunately, things changed for Macedonia in 2007. That year, the Delaware County Historical Society’s Pioneer Cemetery Preservation Committee partnered with the township trustee and a dedicated group of volunteers to restore it.

A $5,000 donation from the Mary Kate Pantry Fund of the Community Foundation of Muncie-Delaware County provided a crucial boost that helped spark widespread community support. Cowan’s volunteer fire department and Lions Club organized a fish fry and other fundraising efforts, and individual donations further ensured the restoration could move forward⁷.

The work was completed by fall, and Macedonia Cemetery was rededicated on September 15, 2007. Barbara Stone, president of the Indiana Department of Daughters of the Union Civil War Veterans, laid wreaths on the graves of soldiers Elijah Bell and John Snider. The Delaware County Veterans Honor Guard presented the colors, while Reverend Jim Ballenger of Harris Chapel Church of the Nazarene led a prayer⁸. Officials and volunteers shared brief remarks as the Cowan High School band accompanied the ceremony with music.

My story intersected with Macedonia’s because I was part of the band that day. As I recall, we played a mix of patriotic standards alongside songs by Josh Groban and Eric Clapton. Performing at the cemetery rededication was an unusual experience for a high-schooler, but my inner history geek hadn’t fully come alive just yet. At the time, the rededication felt more like an opportunity to spend some time with Cowan friends after I’d transferred schools to Concord, then Burris.

Looking back, I actually appreciate the significance of the event. It wasn’t just about playing music or hanging out: the rededication was about honoring the legacy of those buried in Macedonia Cemetery and recognizing the community’s effort to restore a piece of history. I didn’t fully grasp it then, but being part of that day planted a seed of curiosity and connection to my community’s past. I had no idea how much it would grow in the years to come.

Covering roughly half an acre or about 23,000 square feet, Macedonia Cemetery is only slightly larger than the footprint of Cowan High School’s gymnasium. Though modest in size, the small plot of land holds an abundance of history for those willing to visit. Every trip offers a chance to uncover new stories, connections, and insights into the lives of those who came before us like David Ogle, Robert Turner, and Elijah Bell. With an enduring legacy since restored, I hope Macedonia Cemetery remains for another 180 years or more.

Sources Cited
1 Flook, C. (2019). Lost Towns of Delaware County, Indiana. The History Press [Charleston]. book.
2 “Delaware County”. Jim Forte Postal History. Web. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
3 Flook, C. (2024, November 14). ByGone Muncie: Macedonia, a hidden Delaware County hamlet. The Muncie Star Press. Web. Retriebed December 6, 2024. 
4 Ellis, J. S. (1898, October 26). Our County. The Muncie Morning News. p. 2. 
5 Towns, E. (1995, October 12). Our Neighborhood. The Muncie Star. p. 4. 
6 Meyer, E.B. (2007, April 9). Restoring an abandoned cemetery. The Muncie Star Press. p. 16. 
7 (See footnote 5).
8 Meyer, E.B. (2007, September 17). Macedonia Cemetery gets a face-lift. The Muncie Star Press. p. 22.