Emmitsburg Presbyterian Cemetery of Frederick County, Maryland
The Emmitsburg Presbyterian Cemetery is located just north of Emmitsburg at the intersection of Route 15 and Welty Road. Heading north on Route 15, the cemetery will be on your right; the church itself is located in town and there is no edifice at the cemetery itself. Parking is extremely limited and there are no access roads through the cemetery, which must be traversed on foot.
This cemetery does have a small number of "newer" graves but the vast majority are quite old and organized as family plots, some enclosed by ornate iron fencing. It is nicely maintained, though most of the stones are worn due to age and weathering.
A Hint of Mystery
There is a single Gilliland stone at this site, that of John Gilliland, a boy who died in 1792 at the age of four years. John's pedigree is unknown; it appears he is unrelated to the other Gillelans/Gilleylens in the Emmitsburg area.
Perhaps a clue lies with the tombstone next to John's, that of Elizabeth Woods, who died in 1796 at the age of 86. As you can see from the photos, John and Elizabeth are definitely buried "together" and the stones are identical in type. There are no other Gilliland or Woods family stones to be found.
Notes and photos submitted by Kate Maynard, June 2008
(Click on a thumb for larger image.)
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The gravestones of John Gilliland and Elizabeth Woods. |
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The stone of John Gilliland: "In memory of JOHN GILLILAND who departed this life the 11th Nov.mber 1792 aged 4 years 10 months & 3 weeks." |
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The stone of Elizabeth Woods: "In memory of ELIZABETH WOODS who departed this life June 1 1796 in the 86th year of her age." |
At Emmitsburg Presbyterian you will also find many stones for families with old ties to the Gillelylens and Gillelans, such as the Shields and Hays families.
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A family plot for the Shields. |
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Entering the cemetery from the south, the grave of John Gilliland can be found about midway from south to north, and slightly to the right. Using the photo below as a guide, the grave would be among the shadows cast by the stand of trees. |
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Another view of the cemetery. |