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The present Marvin Chapel United Methodist Church, located on Highway K, five miles east of Bonne Terre, was originally located on Dry Branch and was called Liberty Stone Church. The deed shows that this original property was conveyed by Richard C. Poston and wife, dated 1844.

The church located on Dry Branch kept its original name, Liberty Stone Church, until the congregation chose to move to the present location in 1882 and took the name of Marvin Chapel, after the late Bishop Enoch M. Marvin. At that time another small Methodist Church, Boyer's Chapel, closed its doors, and members came from it to the new Marvin Chapel Church. The property for the new church was conveyed by Mr. George Hutchings to the trustees. The new church building was dedicated September 6, 1886. This building continued in use until destroyed by fire, November 8, 1953.

There were many problems to contend with in those early days! But in spite of muddy roads and cold winters, services were held on a fairly regular basis. Since the coming of rock roads in 1910, and later blacktop, the church has had an unbroken history of weekly Sunday School for children, youth and adults in the community.

In its early beginnings the church was supplied by a circuit rider who came once a month. In the last several years the church has had a weekly Lord's Day worship service. [Click HERE to view photos of the 1978 Marvin Chapel Church family as they share in the fellowship of their church. ] 

The present brick structure was constructed in the spring of 1954, and the first service in the unfinished building was held on May 16, 1954. The new building was dedicated on December 8, 1957. The church held an all day service with a basket dinner at noon. Dr. Roy Brown, district superintendent, spoke at the morning service, and Bishop Eugene Frank held the dedication service at 2 p.m.

The church has a very lovely facility, and under the guidance of God its members are expectant of great and wonderful things in the future.

The public is always welcome to share in the ministry of Marvin Chapel United Methodist Church.

Please Note: We have only listed the names and addresses of the persons whose pictures appear in this directory.
[Click on names to view pictures]

HISTORY OF MARVIN CHAPEL CEMETERY By Mrs. R. A. Willa (1973)

    To fully appreciate the history of the Marvin Chapel Cemetery one needs to turn back the clock of time and take a look at the customs practiced at the beginning of this century when a death occurred in a country community.  It was the neighbors who came in and prepared the body for burial.  If burial clothes were needed the ladies of the neighborhood made them and it was the neighbors who sat up all night in the home with the corpse. Last but not least it was the men of the community who opened and closed the grave free of charge.  It had also been the custom for many years that the rural people buried their dead in small private burying grounds called Family Grave Yards.  Most of these Family Grave Yards were rather small plots of ground and only the closest of kin could bury there but there were a few that would permit the more distant kin to be buried in them.  One can readily see why the people back in the  1800's like to bury their dead close to their homes.  All the roads were dirt roads which in bad weather would become almost impassable for only horse drawn vehicles were used.

    There were living in what is known as the Marvin Chapel Community at the beginning of this century, a Mr. J. Walter Harrington, his wife, Elba Buchanan Harrington and their two children.  Mr. Harrington, though just a young man, became ill and soon was unable to perform the chores of farming and sold their farm.  Mr. and Mrs. Harrington relocated in a nearby town but in no time Mr. Harrington became so ill Mrs. Harrington knew she must get him to where she would have help in caring for her sick husband.  In those days there were no available hospitals or rest homes to place the very ill for special care.  Due to this situation, Mrs. Harrington moved her sick husband into her parents' home who also lived in the Marvin Chapel Community.

    Mr. Harrington and his family knew by this time that his illness was terminal and the question of where he could be buried was foremost in their minds.  Mrs. Harrington, who was a descendant of both the Patterson and Richardson families made them eligible to bury in either the Patterson or Richardson Grave Yards.  Upon investigation it was found that all the lots in both Grave Yards had been spoken for.   The Richardson Grave Yard had been in use since 1823 and the Patterson Grave Yard was full for records show that following Mr. Harrington's death there was only one more grave placed in that Grave Yard.

    There was living in this same Community a Mr. Samuel L. McCarty, who was a rather large land owner.  I'm sure there were discussions as to where to look for a site for a new burying ground in the Community for it was plain to see that one was badly needed. Mr. McCarty's land lay in the midst of the Community but his family had been burying for years in a little Church Yard called Charter Cemetery located in Jefferson County, Missouri, and he wasn't the least bit interested in another Cemetery.

    In the meanwhile, Mr. Harrington was growing weaker and it was known that he could not live much longer.  Mr. McCarty heard how Mr. Harrington was failing and decided to make a friendly call to his close neighbor Mr. Augustus B. Buchanan's home.   While there he went in to see Mr. Harrington who was so very ill.  Before Mr. McCarty left his room, Mr. Harrington looked pleadingly into Mr. McCarty's eyes and said "Mr. McCarty, I would so love to be buried in your field located along the road."  Mr. Harrington went on to describe the very spot where he would like to be buried.  Mr. McCarty was not an unkind man, but he went away without giving him an answer but in his heart he knew he could not refuse the dying man's request.

    Mr. J. Walter Harrington passed away on May 16th, 1903 at the age of thirty-five years, two months and 21 days.  His grave became the first grave in the new burying ground of the Community.  Mr. McCarty not only gave Mr. Harrington a burial place but he also gave a nice acreage of his land to be used in establishing a new Community Cemetery. 

    When Mr. Harrington was buried the field had been planted in corn and the corn was up and several inches high.  To protect the grave until the corn crop could be cultivated and harvested, a rail fence was placed around his grave.

    In less than two months little Nellie Olive Cruncleton died on July 14th, 1903.   She was the eighteen months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willard S. Cruncleton and on September 6th, 1903 an infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Edd [sic Ed] Harrington named Ernest died at the age of 21 days, thus bringing the total of three graves in the new Cemetery that year.

    Cemetery was started it was decided that the government of the Cemetery should be handled by a revolving Committee consisting of three members.   Three interested man were chosen for this task.  There was no limit put on them as to how long they might serve but when they could no longer fulfill their duties it would be the duty of the remaining members to select a replacement.  All business matters were handled by this Committee.  The Cemetery was started in the month of May, 1903 but little could be done to it until after the corn crop had been harvested in the fall.  One of the first things needed was a new fence.  Mr. John Hipes who was a carpenter offered his services and Mr. David Benham offered to assist Mr. Hipes and in no time there was a pretty board fence around the Cemetery.

    The Committee then had the cemetery charted.  The lots were large and after the pathways were marked off the average lot held fourteen graves. 

    Since this was not a purely family cemetery it was decided to call it Marvin Chapel Cemetery.  It was given this name due to the fact that it was located in sight of Marvin Chapel Methodist Church.  Actually the Church owned no part of the Cemetery.  As time passed more and more people wanted lots until in about the year of 1918 the Committee decided it best that they enlarge the Cemetery and purchased a strip of land on the West side of the Cemetery.  As soon as the lots were charted they started selling and by the early part of the 1930's the Cemetery was in need of more land.   This time the Committee bought a much wider strip of land located on the East side of the Cemetery.  This brought the entire acreage of the Cemetery to approximately seven acres.  The sale of the lots continued and from the proceeds of those sales the Cemetery Committee was able to improve and add more driveways to the Cemetery, which was needed at this time.

    In May of this year of 1973, Marvin Chapel Cemetery passed its seventieth birthday.  It now is a beautiful  cemetery containing many beautiful grave stones.   It is centrally located along Highway K.  It is level enough to be viewed from any location and is elevated enough to insure good drainage.  In fact, I can think of no other Country Cemetery that is as pretty as Marvin Chapel Cemetery.  Now, that all the lots have been sold, and unless more land is made available, the Cemetery has reached its final dimensions.  It will be in use for many years to come for there are many unused graves.  Marvin Chapel Cemetery has come a long ways from its first grave with a rail fence around it and located in a muddy corn field.  In fact, from the very beginning of this cemetery we find that love and sacrifice was in the lives of the men who made it a reality and helped to govern it for these seventy years.  It was love for humanity that caused Mr. Samuel L. McCarty to grant the dying wish of Mr. Harrington and it was love for his neighbors that he sacrificed some of his valuable land so that they too might have a desirable burying ground for their dead.  It was love for all mankind that this Cemetery was made a non-sectarian cemetery where anyone who so desired could be buried there regardless of their religious belief and to whom they might be related.

    Seventy years have passed and I can think of no better time to call attention to all of the governing Committees of Marvin Chapel Cemetery who have served at different times during these seventy years.  They all shared in a common dream which was to do all in their power to make Marvin Chapel Cemetery a beautiful final resting place for their dead.  There are no records that enumerate all the tasks that they performed while in office, but if there were, it would take up a lot of space in this history to relate them.  There also are no records to show the exact time each member served, how long he served and by whom he was replaced.  I do not think that it is too important since we know that each one at his appointed time performed his duties with love and sacrifice.  Some served on the Committee for many years and some remained on the Committee until their death.  All the Past Committee members are dead.  The present Committee Members have a new dream.  They have set into motion by law whereby Marvin Chapel Cemetery can establish perpetual care.  This is a beautiful dream and I hope it will come true.  When this does take place there will be a new appointed committee of five members who will take over the affairs of the Cemetery.  This will mean the end of the Three Member Committee rule.  Figuratively it will be "The Changing of the Guard."

    It is to the Memory of the Committee Members of "The Old Guard" who are now gone and to honor the Living Members that I dedicate this History of Marvin Chapel Cemetery. 

    Their names are as follows:  John H. Cook, William M. Cruncleton, William E. David, David H. Benham, John Edward Landolt, Joseph F. Walter, Andrew W. David, Claude C. McCarty, Gaston (Red) Eaton, Linn E. McCarty, Frank David, Mabel (Landolt) David.

    The above material was compiled by Mrs. Hazel Murphy Willa.  Note -- I offer my sincere thanks to all who assisted me in compiling these records.  Dated -- Sept. 18, 1973.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW LISTING OF BURIALS IN MARVIN CHAPEL CEMETERY. 

If anyone has a photo of the original Marvin Chapel Church building which was dedicated in 1882, or a picture of the Liberty Stone Church, we would really appreciate receiving scans of same so we can include them on this page.  Note:  The phone number for Marvin Chapel Church is (573) 358-7820.  Please do not contact them about cemetery records, however, because the church does not own the cemetery.

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