Rock Springs Cemetery

Contributed by Don Condra

Southeast Township Section 11, T1S R1E

Rock Springs Primitive Baptist Church and cemetery are located in Southeast Township (Sec. 11, T.1S,R1E). This is approximately 1 1/2 miles east of Valeene, Indiana. The church was constituted in 1826 in Stampers Creek Township at the home of Charles Vandeveer. A house for worship was built in 1841 at the described location at a cost of $500. First members of the church were: John, Joel, Aaron, Charles, and George Vandeveer with their wives; _____ Phillips and wife, Abraham Pierson and wife, Cole Pierson, Nancy Pierson, William Pierson, John Pierson, Abraham Noblitt, Woodson Noblitt, Amelia Noblitt, and William Noblitt. The first minister was Aaron Vandever and since him have been Charles Vandeveer, Jonathan Jones, William Robertson, T. N. Robertson, and Samuel McMahan(this up to about 1880). Elder T. N. Robertson held an interesting revival in 1876, and succeeded in gaining about a dozen converts to the church. The cemetery has several old and unmarked graves. Nearly all those buried here are inter-related. Most of the inscriptions here were copied by unknown parties in 1946. Some updating has occurred, however, more needs to be done to bring it up to the current date (1996).