Slate Ridge Cemetery

E. Louisa Wallace b. 10-17-1844 d. 3-19-1910.

Samuel A. Wallace b. 3-16-1849 d. 4-5-1909.

A. Wilson Wallace b. 4-1842 d. 2-10-1876.

Margaret J. Wallace b. 3-20-1830 d. 1-27-1904.

Samuel W. Wallace b. 1811 d. 3-3-1883.

Sara A. Wallace b. 1812 d. 7-30-1864. "wife of Samuel"

James T. Wallace b. 1843 d. 11-8-1863.

Maggie E. Wallace b. 1852 d. 2-6-1874.

S. Priscilla Wallace b. 1854 d. 11-16-1872.

Archibald Wallace b. 2-28-1802 d. 10-31-1876.

Sara J. Wallace b. 4-3-1810 d. 7-2-1895.

Thomas J. Wallace b. 10-1838 d. 3-30-1857.

William H. Wallace b. 12-1836 d. 4-2-1857.

Elizabeth J. Wallace b. 1835 d. 8-19-1909.

John Wallace b. 1812 d. 5-19-1894.

Ella Wallace b. 1871 d. 1931.

William Wallace b. 1800 d. 1859.

Annie Wallace b. 1867 d. 1870.

Hester J. Wallace b. 1862 d. 1863.

Mary Wallace b. 1866 d. 1870.

Eddie Wallace b. 5-20-1881 d. infant.

Thomas Wallace b. 1766 d. 11-30-1839.

Jane Wallace b. 1-1-1770 d. 11-30-1849.

History of Slate Ridge Church:

A brief account of the first settlers here, their native places, and character, will properly introduce the history of our church.  Like every other part of this continent, the lands we now occupy, and
places where we live, were once the home of the red man.  Here he hunted his game, and fished in the "long crooked river," which forms our eastern boundary.  This place was not so early occu-
pied by the white race, as other parts of this country.  We find the Indian was present here engaged in hunting until 1730.  This township with others adjoining it in this county, were, and some-
times yet are called, "The York Barrens."  This name was given to the land here, not on account of the sterility of the soil, but for another and entirely different reason.  The Indians for many
years, and until 1730, for the purpose of improving this portion of their great park or hunting ground, fired the bushes as often as their convenience seemed to call for it, and when the whites began
to settle here, they found no timber.  Hence they applied the name "Barrens," a common appellation at that time, to such portions of land, however fertile the soil.

On May 10, 1729, the upper parts of Chester county, were were erected into a distinct county, called Lancaster, and the limits of the new county embraced the territory west of the Susquehanna.
On the 19th of August, 1749, a division of Lancaster was made, and the western part of it erected into the county of York.  In the spring of 1729, John and James Hendricks, under the authority of
Government, made the first authorized settlements in what is now called York county.  The lands west of the Susquehanna, however, were not purchased by the proprietary of Pennsylvania from the
Indians before October 1736.  The land office, therefore, was not open for the sale of lands under the existing laws until this date, 1736.  The settlements made on such lands before their purchase
from the Indians, were by special license to individuals, from Samuel Blunston, or other proprietary agent, and were of limited number.  After the office was open for the unrestricted sale of
lands, applications and grants for the district then mulitiplied, and the influx of settlers from this time on, was great.  The original and succeeding members of this church have dwelt, and its
present members now dwell in part of York county, Pennsylvania, and in part of what is now called Harford county, Maryland.

To this portion of the new world some of the people of the old world emigrated, and here they settled.  The first settlers, we are told, were principally Scotch and Scotch-Irish.  It is stated that
the influx from abroad, from 1718 to 1740, was wholly Protestant, and largely Presbyterian.  The newspapers of that time furnish accounts of the extent of the emigration of this class, especially
from Ireland.  In September, 1736, one thousand families sailed from Belfast, in Ireland, on account of the difficulty of renewing their leases; on the 9th of the same month, one hundred Presby-
terians from Ireland arrived at Philadelphia, as many more soon afterwards at Newcastle, and twenty ships were daily expected from Ireland.  Wodrow, the Scottish historian, says, "the depar-
ture of the people in shoals, excited the fears of the English government, lest Ireland should be wholly abandoned to the papists."  At one and the same time we find the lands of this neighborhood
offered unrestrictedly for sale, and large numbers of emigrants arriving, and we, therefore, conclude that the settlement of this place was from 1736, and onwards.  Tradition has it that the first
settlers here were principally of the better order of peasantry, that they were a sober, industrious, moral, and intelligent people, and, as to religion, strict Presbyterians.  Their manners partook
of that simplicity, kindness and hospitality characteristic of the class to which they belonged in their native countries.

It has been said that "the Dutch, the Huguenot, and the Pilgrims brought the Church and the School here with them." The Scotch and the Scotch-Irish, when they emigrated, brought
their Church and School with them also.  The early history of Presbyterianism in this land shows that wherever a sufficient number of this class of emigrants settled, almost their first care was
to provide for, and obtain the administration of the ordinances of worship.  One of the first arrangements, therefore, made by the primitive settlers west of the Susquehanna, was to have the gospel
preached in their midst.  At the time, or shortly after the settlement of this place, an event occurred which, no doubt, increased their desire for gospel ordinances.  This event was the effusion of
the Holy Spirit.  It is stated, "There was so great a revival in Baltimore county in 1746 and '47, that it seemed to Davies like the first planting of religion there.  It was in what is now Harford
county, and extended from Deer Creek to Slate Ridge and Chanceford."  This was an auspicious beginning for our Church.

The first thing required in the arrangements made by men to worship Jehovah, is the preparation of a sanctuary for Him, and this our fathers provided.  The first house consecrated to the
worship of God in this part of the country, was a log building near Muddy Creek.  Tradition indicates the site of this first sanctuary. It is at the junction of Scott's Run and Muddy Creek, east of the
former and south of the latter.  Now, this appears an unsuitable place for a church.  It is difficult to get to, or from it.  We think the reason why this place was chosen for the site of their sanctuary
was, that it was central to the people of Chanceford and those living where we now dwell.  When a house of worship was built and a church organized in Chanceford, a more central and con-
venient place was chosen, by the members of this church, on which to erect their house of worship.  Although difficult in getting to and from it at present, yet the scenery around the site of the old
sanctuary is pleasing to the eye.  Two streams, running in opposite directions,--the meeting of the waters,--the wooded range rising gradually behind where the ancient sanctuary stood,--all unite in
forming one of nature's very pleasing pictures.  It reminds one of some of the places in Scotland where the persecuted Covenanters were wont to assemble and worship Jehovah.  The log building at
Muddy Creek was burned.  A second, and temporary building, was then erected, about three miles further south, in the State of Maryland, on land then owned by Michael Whiteford, Esq.  A vague
tradition indicates that this "temporary building" was erected near where Mr. John Beattie now lives.  This building was soon deserted, and a third house of worship was erected, either on or
near to the place where we are now assembled.  In the year 1762, a fourth house of worship was built.  It is described as "a new, better and fourth church, built of squared logs, on the same site."
About the year 1800 this house was burned, being set on fire, it is said, by an incendiary.  Soon after this, the present and fifth house of worship was built.  Five houses of worship on three sites have
been erected by the worshippers who have preceded us. 

http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/church/history/slate-ridge.txt