Today we travel to rural Washington County to Rockbridge Baptist Cemetery. Take Hwy 555 north from Springfield for about five miles – if you reach the Bluegrass Parkway you’ve gone too far. Turn right onto Hwy 1796. You will pass Hwy 1754 on the left – keep going. In a short distance turn right onto Hwy 1754. Tricky, yes. Did I get lost before, yes. Take the first right, Rockbridge Church Road. Church and cemetery are just a short distance down this road, on the left.
This is a beautiful cemetery – I fell in love with it the moment I visited many years ago. Many of my Samuel Riley White family is buried here. The elder Samuel Riley White, my 3rd great-grandfather, 1809-1889, and wife Martha Lewis, born 1808, moved to Parke County, Indiana, between late 1860 and early 1870. In the census records of Parke in 1870 they are listed with their two youngest sons, James, 20, and Nathaniel, 18. Many of the older children stayed in Washington County and are buried in this cemetery. Armstrong, Coulter, Whitten, Doke, Parrish and Dean married into this family. Of course, there are more families buried here than those affiliated with mine – Burkhead, Casteel, Cheatham, Chesser, Crouch, Curtsinger, Foster, Gordon, Hardin, Harris, Humes, Keeling, Pinkston, Prather, Ryan, Scott, Shields, Terrell and Yocum – and others.
gravestones rockbridge baptist
Rockbridge Baptist Church, established in 1807. Washington County, Kentucky.
There are 534 burials listed, with birth and death dates, # of photo (if there is still a stone), and information on relatives. Send me an email at phyrit@roadrunner.com and I will send you the photos you need.
Benjamin F. Keeling, born September 16, 1808, died July 22, 1854.
Rockbridge Cemetery is not in good shape – many stones are overturned. I feel fortunate to have photographed the cemetery while some were still readable – some were not. Enjoy!
Mary Ellen Crouch, February 23, 1865-February 15, 1925, wife of Ben Wilson Crouch.
Categories: Databases
I remember going to Rockbridge Church as a child for their revival meetings. My friend, Eudora Thompson, published a book of oral histories of people who lived in Willisburg and Tatham Springs. Some them talk about their memories of Rockbridge Church.
Sandra, do you know where I could purchase that book?
The book is titled, “Journey to the Past Willisburg and Tatham Springs”. ISBN 978-0-615-64376-2. I grew up on Rockbridge Lane and spent many summers running through that cemetery looking at tombstones. Many of my family (Burkhead/Mitchell/Boblitt/Kirsch) are buried there and throughout Washington County. Thanks for sharing!