Wait... You're Not Supposed to be Buried There

     According to my Great-Great-Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Meetze Hyler's,  obituary, she was buried in the Mt Pleasant Lutheran Church cemetery and was a life long Lutheran. So then, why is she actually buried in the Beulah Baptist Cemetery. And why can't I find the Mount Pleasant Church?

     The answer: hydroelectric power.

     Thanks to a fellow researcher, I now know that the land that was the Mt Pleasant cemetery is now under Lake Murray (SC).  Reviewing the wikipedia page for this lake, I see that "93 graveyards containing 2,323 graves" were moved when the area was dammed up in the late 1920s. It seems that some of my ancestors were among those moved.

     This is actually somewhat common in this area. I know that in Georgia there are no natural lakes. All lakes are man made and usually require the destruction of a populated area. The cemeteries in these areas must be moved. So, here's a tip: if you're trying to find a cemetery and can't, but there's a lake nearby, you might want to start looking for your ancestors in a different location. And there will be records of the removals, so check with the local government for the records.

Elizabeth Meetze Hyler Obituary - Amanuensis Monday

   The following is the obituary of Elizabeth Meetze Hyler, the wife of Nathan Washington Hyler of Lexington County, South Carolina.  It was published in The State newspaper on 7 June 1910.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hyler Special to The State.     Lexington, June 6 - Mrs. Elizabeth Hyler, widow of Wash Hyler, and one of the oldest residents of this county, died at her home on Hollow Creek this morning at 3 o'clock, having reached the ripe old age of 84 years.     Mrs. Hyler was one of the most loved women of her community and her death has caused much sorrow, she having been widely known throughout her section.      The deceased is survived by three sons, Rufus, John and Henry Hyler, all well known men of the county. She was a member of the Lutheran church and was active in religious af- fairs.      She will be buried tomorrow morn- ing at 10 o'clock in Mt. Pleasant churchyard, with funeral services by her pastor, the Rev. O. C. Peter- son.

     It's interesting to note that she, and many of her family, are actually buried in the Beulah United Methodist Church Cemetery in Gilbert. According to their website, they have been in place since 1896. I've also been unable to verify if the Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church in Saluda even has a cemetery. So I'm not entirely sure what happened between the obituary and the burial or after, that provided the incorrect information.