Some of you who drive past the Historic Baptist Cemetery on W. Jefferson Ave in Rockville may have noticed a few tipping stones recently. We are happy to report that with a grant from the Trader Foundation for Maryland Burial Sites, and the able assistance of Howard Wellman (Wellman Conservation LLC) and Devlin McDonald (DMC Masonry Restoration Inc.) the cemetery has not received some much needed preservation work.

Several stones were leaning due to ground subsidence, and some had fallen and broken. The broken stones have been repaired, and all the other stones leveled and reset. In addition, the whole cemetery has been treated with a biological cleaner, which will work slowly in the coming months to remove accumulated dirt. The stones will continue to brighten as the cleaner takes effect. A stone bench located in the cemetery which had fallen is being repaired by Fram Monuments.

Peerless Rockville has owned the Old Baptist Cemetery since 1983. The site now sits behind the Rockville United Methodist Church, but originally a Baptist Church was located adjacent on W. Jefferson Street. The earliest interment was John I. Campbell in 1839, and the last was Judge William Veirs Bouic in 1896. About 50 individuals were originally buried here, but 16 were moved to Rockville Cemetery when W. Jefferson Street was widened in 1897. Not all of the remaining burials have markers, but a visit to Find a Grave  will give you the chance to learn more about the people buried here.