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On November 18th, 1839, Isaac and Leah Powers donated the land to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Trustees were: John Bissel, Abraham Jacobs, John Stephens, James McCartney, and Grace Kinnel. Mrs. Florence Galida's book, "Fascinating History of the City of Campbell" states that the church was completed in 1839, and it was the first church in Coitsville Township.

Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by fire in 1847, taking with it many of the records its' congregation, and some burial information. There are implications that the mounting tension due to slavery allegations, led to the destruction of the church, as according to one publication "...some Godless incendiary applied a torch to the church, and it was destroyed. The guilty wretch has never been detected. " The church was rebuilt and served until sold in 1919.

The congregation merged with the congregation of the Wilson Avenue Methodist Church to start the Marion Heights Methodist Episcopal Church, (named for the grandfather of the Joseph McCartney's who gave the land for the building) which still serves the city of Campbell to this day.

The Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Association was the first to care for the grounds. Their first meeting was held July 26, 1928 at the Marion Heights Church. On November 16, 1928, Dora and Charles Williamson donated an additional parcel of land to the Association, covering an area 83 feet north to south, and 326 1/2 feet east to west.

This section is referred to by some as the "Williamson Section," which, if standing on Struthers-Liberty Road facing the cemetery today, is the section of land from Struthers-Liberty Road and about half-way up the hill, and from the Jewish Cemetery to US-422.

Some maintenance and support where applied to the grounds of the cemetery by members of the church from the inception of the Association, until the late 1960's, using donations and other pledged funds to pay for maintenance. Around this time, it is assumed that the Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Association was abandoned, as there is no longer minutes or records held from their meetings past May 27, 1957.

From 1958 until April of 1976, Bert and Phyllis Shipton cared for and maintained the cemetery, until the Bicentennial Committee assumed responsibility for maintenance. According to records by Florance Galida, the cemetery had become "badly neglected," and the Campbell Bicentennial Committee took it upon themselves to devote many hours of labor to clean up the cemetery for the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976. (Bert Shipton turned over the accounts of the cemetery on April 15, 1976)

It was at this time that the Committee renamed the Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery the "Pioneer Methodist Cemetery."It was at this time as well, that the Crane and Son Monument Company was hired to clean and reset the headstones for the cemetery; a feat that desperately needs done today, and probably hasn't been done in the last 30 years.

Mike Minnie of Marion Heights Church assumed the responsibility of maintenance of the cemetery in May of 1976. It was discovered by the church in 1977, however, that they had no official responsibility for the cemetery. At some point, the City of Campbell assumed ownership of the cemetery; which it still owns to this day. In spite of this, Mr. Minnie continued keeping the grounds of the cemetery, as did members of the Campbell Bicentennial Committee.

Then, on May 12, 1978, a meeting was held at the home of Florence Galida to re-activate the Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Association. John Almasy had contacted the State and had forms to be signed. The trustees of the new activation of the old association were: Florence Galida, Mike Minnie and Emily Redfern. (Emily Redfern maintained the accounts for the cemetery about the same time Mr. Minnie assumed responsibility for the grounds and maintenance) The officers that were elected for the association were: Florence Galida; President, Leonard Summers; Vice-President, Emily Redfern; Secretary/Treasurer.

The second incarnation of the Cemetery Association cared for the grounds with pledges and donations from the families of those who rested in the cemetery, along with other donations. The cemetery was published in numerous publications throughout Ohio, and was recorded in Mrs. Galida's book, as mentioned earlier. The last records of maintenance and care for the second encarnation of the Cemetery Association were around 2001, when maintenance was halted.

Rick Jamrozik, for about 5 years, was in charge of probation and community service and put forth every effort for those years to take care of the cemetery with court ordered personnel. His philosophy about taking care of the cemetery for those who were ordered to complete community service time was easy: "Do the work, or go to jail." Since the cemetery property was owned by the City of Campbell, city workers also came to mow the grass at times. But, since the city has fallen on difficult times, (at one point, wanting to sell the waste-water treatment plant, in order to maintain current city operations) maintenance was ultimately conducted by no one...

...until now.

One might call this latest effort by Dave Shacklock, President of the Pioneer Methodist Cemetery Revitalization Project, the third incarnation of the Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery Association. According to Mr. Shacklock, "We have veterans of almost every war: the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. We need to make this a place that the veterans of our country deserve, and right now, it looks terrible."

Because of the rich local history that this cemetery has to us, we owe our ancestors the dignity and respect they deserve to get this old, historic cemetery looking like it did before the perils of neglect. Please help any way you can!