Middletown Cemetery
(AKA Stotler Cemetery, AKA Oregon Cemetery)
Madison Township,
Franklin County, Ohio

Gravestone Photographs

Middletown Cemetery (also known as Stotler Cemetery) is located on private property south of Canal Winchester and a little east of Gender Road on the west bank of Bishop Run. It is an abandoned cemetery and is in very poor condition though the grass seems to have been cut regularly. Very few of the stones are standing and most have begun to sink into the ground and must be dug out to be read. We have permission to go back to uncover additional stones as we weren't properly equipped the day we visited. We probably won't go back until autumn when the days aren't so hot. The earliest readable stone that we located was dated 1814 and we found another dated 1816.

My curiosity was aroused by the name of this cemetery as I had forgotten that there had been a Franklin County town or village called Middletown.  I found the following in Bareis, George Frederick, comp., History of Madison Township, including Groveport and Canal Winchester, Franklin County, Ohio (Canal Winchester, Ohio, Geo. F. Bareis Publisher, 1902), pages 159-160:

In 1817 Isaac D. Decker laid out a town on the northwest quarter of section No. 1 (formerly in Ross county), and named it Middletown, perhaps from the fact that it is located about half way between Lancaster and Columbus.  What is now the Columbus & Lancaster pike was then the only road through this section of the country . . . .  The name of Middletown was . . . changed in 1830 to Oregon.

The first postoffice in the township was established here in 1829 . . . .  The postoffice was discontinued about 1842.  Only two or three buildings remain on the site of the town, although the place is still [1902] known by its original name, Middletown. Mr. Decker, who laid out the town, built a tavern on the lot now occupied by Geo. Williams

Aerial Photo of Cemetery,
(Spring 2004)

Gravestones: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Unknown | HOME

(Click on the underlined name to view the photograph)

NOTE: Items inside brackets [ ] are my "my best guess," or were found in one of the two sources mentioned above.

• Allen
  • John W., son of William & Mary, died July 6, 1851, aged 2 mon & 1 day and Mary M., daughter of William & Mary, died July [8], 1851, aged 2 mon & 3 days (Restored Stone) [Not mentioned in earlier readings.]
  • Mary, wife of William, died May 9, 1851, aged 26 years 10 mon & 12 da's
• Andereck
  • In memory of Hannah Ann, daughter of Jacob & Nancy, died April 7^th 1842, aged 4 years, 8 months & 3 days
  • In memory of Henry Clay, son of Jacob and Nancy, died Dec 14, 1842, aged 1 year 11 months 14 days (Whole stone)
  • In memory of Jacob, son of Jacob and Nancy, died Sep 15, 1842, aged 3 days (Whole stone)

• Bishop
  • In memory of Arabelle, daughter of John & Nancy, born September 22, 1823[?], departed this life October 5, [???], aged 4 years and 13[?] days (High resolution 128KB)
  • Jacob, died Mar 21, 1884, aged 70 yrs 10 mos & 10 ds and Catharine, died Feb 8, 1891, aged 67 y 3 m 28 d (Whole stone)
  • Louiza, July 5, 1847-May 11, 1869, aged 21 years . . .

• Champ, [Sarah Ann], wife of Thomas M., died Feb'y 2, 1849, aged 22 years 10 mon & 2 days
• Cummins, William, died ?? ??? 1833 (High resolution 110KB)

• Decker
  • In memory of Asenath, born May 9^th 1829, died Febr^y 27^th 1843, aged 13 years, 9 months and, 18 days (Whole stone)
    • That death is but sleep, Beneath a Savior's care, And he will surely safely keep, the body resting there.
  • C., No 29, 1820
  • Isaac, son of John & Rachel, died May 18, 1814, aged 18 days (Whole stone)
  • Mary E., wife of Isaac L., died July 22, 1845, aged 26 years 7 ms 2 ds (Whole stone)

• Farrand
  • Catharine, wife of H, died June 12, 1877, aged 46 y 2 m & 5 d
  • Mary, wife of Hezekiah, died Feby 15, 1845, aged 57 years 3 mon & 20 days
• French, Reuben, [died Aug 10, 1843] aged [43 years 4] mos [13 days]

• Kramer, Eliza Jane, dau of Adam & [S], died April 20, 1816, aged 5 years 3 mo & 28 ds (High resolution 128KB)

• Lee, In memory of Jonathan, who died Jan 29, 1814, aged 48 years (High resolution)

• Oerdel, George, died Feb_y 28, 1854, aged 62yrs 6 mon & 17 ds
• Ordell, Florence [E.], dau of J D & C A, died July 20, 18?2, aged 14 yrs 10 mo & 16 ds (High resolution 197KB)

• Williams (Children of J M & K)
  • Lizzie L., died [Aug 3] 1874, aged [5 mos 16 ds]
  • Frankie E., died [July 11, 1872, aged 8 mo 5 d]
  • Jennie M., died June 21, 1871, aged 7 weeks, 5 d
  • [Our infant] Babe [no dates]

• Unknown
  • Broken, 11 yrs 8 ms & 17 ds
  • Broken & illegible
  • Broken & illegible
  • Illegible
  • Illegible
  • Broken & illegible
  • Probably Our mother, Abigail, wife of D. Crouse, died Feb 23, [1864], aged 68 yrs ?? mo 11 ds (High resolution)

All gravestone photographs taken by David K. Gustafson