Respect and reverence: Ellet church observes 200th anniversary of cemetery

There’s a story behind every name at Ellet Cemetery.

A war veteran, a school custodian, a service station owner, a minister, a librarian, a student, a scoutmaster, a suffragette, a town founder.

More than 1,300 people are buried behind North Springfield Presbyterian Church at Canton Road and Albrecht Avenue in Akron. Vacant lots are scarce these days, but that’s to be expected after 200 years.

When the cemetery was established in 1823, James Monroe was U.S. president, the nation had only 24 states, Ohio was 20 years old and Akron was just a twinkle in Gen. Simon Perkins’ eye.

The church, founded by a circuit-riding minister in 1809, maintains the historic cemetery and will commemorate its bicentennial on Memorial Day.

“To me, this is roots,” said church elder and unofficial historian Jim Weyrick, 71, of Akron. “Roots in faith, roots in family, roots in community.”

The Springfield Township community was known as North Springfield and Springfield Center until 1918 when villagers named it after the Ellet family. It remained a separate town until 1929 when Ellet’s 5,000 residents voted for annexation to Akron.

Generations in Ellet Cemetery

On a sunny afternoon, Weyrick led a small group on a zigzag tour of graves among the shade trees. It was a journey of respect and reverence.

“I’ve got six generations buried here,” said cemetery superintendent Jerry Schrop, 84, who’s been working there since he was a kid.

The graves of his Ellet ancestors date back to 1842. When he’s mowing the grass or trimming the bushes or toiling among the headstones, he feels like he’s honoring their memory. Schrop knows he will join them someday.

“We’re all up on the corner,” he said, motioning to the family plot. “I’ve got space for me and my wife and then I’ve got a place right up here for my three daughters along the driveway.”

During a 30-minute tour, the group stopped at several points of interest.

“This is my dad,” said John A. Gilbert IV, 71, gazing at an upright marker with a bronze plaque.

John A. Gilbert III (1927-1987) was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army in World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the B.F. Goodrich Aircraft Service Center at Akron-Canton Airport after nearly 30 years.

“And this is mine,” Gilbert said, motioning to the empty lot next to his father. “My wife will be buried here, too.”

Weyrick and Gilbert have been buddies since they were 4 years old in Sunday school, and their conversations include friendly banter. Their final resting places will be a stone’s throw apart.

“Do you realize when I get planted over there and he gets planted over there, I’ve got to spend eternity near him?” Gilbert joked. “What did I do to deserve that?”

The visitors moved on to another row.

“Here’s Fae Koelker,” Weyrick said. “Miss Fae is well known.”

A lifetime resident of Akron, Koelker (1933-2022) founded Eastgate Preschool at the church in 1970 and operated it for 45 years. She read, sang and nurtured thousands of young lives. Her original pupils never forgot her.

“Their grandkids are coming to Eastgate Preschool now,” Weyrick said.

Streets named for Ellet residents

Retired Akron librarian Michael Elliott, 61, an Ellet native and cousin of Weyrick, pointed out headstones along the tour.

“So many of the names you see in here are Ellet streets,” he said.

Gilchrist, Ellet, Yerrick, Ewart, Brittain, Stetler and Spade are among the family names that can be found on local street maps.

Revolutionary War veteran Samuel J. Elliott/Ellet (1757-1841), an early settler of Springfield Township, is buried at the cemetery with dozens of descendants. His son David Ellet (1792-1850) donated the land for the cemetery and church.

“Elliott became Ellet in shorthand,” Weyrick said.

George Baird (1750-1823), a Revolutionary War veteran, was among the first burials. In 2015, the Akron chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution donated new headstones for Elliot/Ellet, Baird and fellow veteran Samuel Brown (1763-1845).

Prohibitionist, feminist and suffragette Minnie Ellet (1861-1945), a granddaughter of David Ellet, was famous for passing out Bibles.

“She took a whole case of them and gave them to Beacon staff because they were such sinners,” Weyrick said. “She would give them to the graduating classes at Ellet High School. We actually have one in the church library.”

Pilgrims visit grave of A.W. Tozer

The cemetery’s most famous grave belongs to A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), an evangelical minister whose books “The Pursuit of God” (1948) and “The Knowledge of the Holy” (1961) are considered classics in evangelical Protestant theology. Out-of-town visitors visit the cemetery to pray at Tozer’s grave and honor the 20th century prophet.

“People still make pilgrimages here,” Weyrick said.

“There were two here earlier today,” Schrop said.

Gilbert stopped to pay tribute to Randall A. Locke (1951-1962), his 11-year-old classmate at Ritzman Elementary.

“He was crossing Triplett on his bike and he went in front of a car and was hit and killed,” Gilbert said. “I used to play with him when I was a little kid.”

Other graves included Ellet custodian and school namesake John C. Ritzman (1875-1963), Ellet school librarian Muriel H. Walker (1906-1995), Boy Scout Troop 301 scoutmasters Ben Stout (1891-1939) and Wayne Sanders (1921-1996) and former cemetery superintendent Walter Powers (1908-1989), Schrop’s predecessor.

“Walt Powers was a celebrity around town because he owned the Shell station at the corner of Albrecht and Canton Road,” Weyrick said.

“We’d hang out at the gas station,” Gilbert recalled. “Every Friday night, if you’d drive by here, there’d be GTOs and ’57 Chevys all lined up across the front. All the guys were there.”

These are among the people who are being remembered this weekend.

Bicentennial events planned Monday

North Springfield Presbyterian Church will commemorate Ellet Cemetery’s bicentennial on Monday. The public is invited to a free pancake and sausage breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. in the social hall. A faith-based observance will be held at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary with prayers, hymns, special readings and a tolling of the steeple bell.

“No parade, no drums, no rifles, no politicians,” Weyrick said.

Afterward, people can stroll among the headstones and pay their respects. American flags mark the graves of veterans. White posts mark the graves of others who served God and community.

Pebbles can be found in a pot by the cemetery sign. Visitors are invited to leave a pebble on a grave marker as a personal tribute.

Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com 

Details

What: Ellet Cemetery bicentennial events

Where: North Springfield Presbyterian Church, 671 Canton Road, Akron

When: Free pancake and sausage breakfast in the social hall from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday, May 29, followed by an 11 a.m. sanctuary service with prayers, hymns, special readings, meditation, a tolling of the bell and cemetery visits

More info: 330-784-3001

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Church marks 200th anniversary of Ellet Cemetery