Meet at Mt. Gilead Cemetery for the upcoming gathering of Bond County Historical Society and Bond County Genealogical Society. This Cemetery History Walk will take place on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 7 pm.
Our hosts will delve into the cemetery’s founding, growth, and its ongoing operations. Additionally, our guides will narrate stories about some of Bond County’s esteemed residents laid to rest there. Scheduled to be presented are Reverend Samuel McAdow, Thomas Hunter (a War of 1812 soldier), Mathias Willman (a German farmer), Reinhold Sussenbach (a German brick and stone mason), and Warren File (4x-great-grandson of pioneer settler Henry Oliver File).
Society members and the public are invited to attend the evening’s history presentations inside the air conditioned Mt. Gilead Cumberland Presbyterian Church building. Then tour the sprawling graveyard adjacent, exploring both the old and new burials, as all ages, styles, and conditions of its 500-plus tombstones mingle.
There is no admission fee for the walk, but donations to Mt. Gilead Cemetery Association are welcome (PO Box 494, Greenville, IL 62246).
Mt. Gilead Cemetery is located in Central township, 5 miles west of downtown Greenville off Illinois Route 140 at 1077 Mt. Gilead Road.
Mt. Gilead Cumberland Presbyterian Church is one of the older churches in Bond County. The founding pastor is credited with organizing the church in 1823. However the cemetery is even older. A pioneer reverend was the first person to be buried in the cemetery, having died in 1819 while trying to organize a church in the area. Today the cemetery has four sections: the main plot south of the church, the first addition behind and to the north of the church, the second addition which added several rows along the outside of the main lot, and the Plog addition even further west. Years ago, Bond County Genealogical Society assisted with considerable restoration of the historic section. There are more than 500 burials and more than 30 veterans who are honored loyally with the placing of U.S. flags. They served in Vietnam, Korea, WWII, WWI, Civil War, Mexican War, Blackhawk War, and War of 1812.
The next gathering planned for Bond County Historical Society is a Church History Lunch Potluck and Program at Greenville First Presbyterian Church, 12pm on Sunday, September 14. Both Greenville First Pres and Reno-Bethel Pres celebrate their 200th Anniversaries in 2025.
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