Hanover Cemetery, Indiana
The History of the Cemetery
In 1820, a small Presbyterian congregation began meeting outdoors and in a schoolhouse cabin at the northwest corner of Main Cross and State Highway 62 in Hanover, Indiana. The first official church building, “The Old Stone Church,” and its cemetery were established soon after in 1822, where the old fire station, playground/park, and pavilion now sit. The cemetery stood just to the north, where Main Street now runs. By 1836, the church already had plans to move the cemetery to its current location on Lowry Lane.
Exactly when the church obtained and paid for the original land, and moved the graves, remains a mystery, but it was somewhere around 1839. Some stones in the cemetery mark dates of death as far back as 1812. We do know that a fence went up around the cemetery in 1861, and another in 1879; neither survives today. The first addition came in 1882, when Eliza Ryker (Row 5) donated a half-acre. The DAR gave two plots totaling 1.41 acres in 1914 and 1915. Today the cemetery covers approximately 3.63 acres, flanked with woods on three sides and the road along the south.
Locate a Loved One
We believe that every life is important, and every life has a story to be told. Our cemetery holds the histories of the folks of the Hanover community – some well known, many completely unknown. Find your loved one in our searchable database, visit their resting place, honor their memory, and add to their story.
The Mission of the cemetery
The mission of the Cemetery is meant to align with the mission of Hanover Presbyterian Church – this is by intention. The Cemetery is a beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming place to honor those people who have had a connection to Hanover in some way – whether with its community, the church, or the college – and to safeguard their histories. We serve Hanover by ensuring that the cemetery is well cared for, that all our dealings in the community are gracious and fair, and that our responses to those who come to us in bereavement are compassionate and sincere.
The mission of the Cemetery aligns with the mission of Hanover Presbyterian Church – that is by intention. The Cemetery is a beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming place to honor those people who have had a connection to Hanover in some way – whether it be with its community, the church, or the college – and to safeguard their histories. We are serving Hanover by ensuring that the cemetery is well cared for, that all our dealings in the community are gracious and fair, and that our responses to those who come to us in bereavement are compassionate and sincere.
Rooted in the Hanover Community
We make sure we donate part of our endowment to local charities in order to provide for those less fortunate and to line up more fully with the mission of Hanover Presbyterian Church, an inclusive, More Light congregation. In this way we make sure that the saints who have passed on before us may still have an impact on the living members of our community.
Large History, Small Space
Some say that Hanover Cemetery holds significant history in a very small space. Founding settlers of the area, college presidents and faculty, and church pastors and pillars all rest here. That said, we believe every life is important, and every life has a story to tell. Our cemetery holds the histories of the whole Hanover community — some well known, many completely unknown. Every soul interred here has brought their corner of the world to life in some unique way.
To safeguard and preserve these stories,
to honor and care for them,
