Old Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Orangeburg, SC
My interest in the Old Presbyterian Church Cemetery started with two death certificates....those of my second great grandparents, Cephas Manly McMichael and Rachael Elizabeth Jennings.

Both certificates state they are buried in the Old Presbyterian Church Cemetery.  However, their grave markers are side-by-side in Sunnyside Cemetery, also in Orangeburg, SC. (I can send you photos of the markers if you'd like them for your files.)

The Cemetery is located at the corner of Doyle St. and St. Paul St. in downtown Orangeburg, South Carolina. 
The UTM coordinates are:  17S 512827 E, 3705846 N. 

Update, 22 February 2012.  I received the following e-mail from Sharon Adair Dantzler.  Thanks, Sharon, this sheds on the mystery of their burial....

"David, I just called Daddy Bill (Bill Dantzler, son of Inez Westbury, daughter of Lucia McMicheal - for those of us who are scattered) and asked your question. He said that both Cephas and Rachel were buried at Old Presbyterian. However, sometime around 1940, Orangeburg County built the "new" courthouse (now the "old" courthouse - that weird yellow building) and in the process, a fairly large number of graves were moved from Old Presbyterian to Sunnyside. He thinks that you can probably find the record at the Orangeburg Historical Society........Hope this solves your mystery. 

Affectionately, Cousin Sharon (daughter of Bill Dantzler, son of Inez Westbury, daughter of Lucia McMichael)"

My visit on 4 February 2012 (see the photos below) led me to infer that, at one time time, the cemetery had been neglected.  There are many broken and missing stones, as well as broken and missing brick walls and pieces of wrought iron fences.  It is very well-kept now and shows that much effort has gone into preserving this valuable piece of our heritage.  I want to thank all of those that have a part in the upkeep of the cemetery.

     
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