According to Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery Greensboro, North Carolina, compiled by Raymond Dufau Donnell in 1994, reprinted in 1996, p. i, the Nottingham company first settled the "Guilford Section" of Rowan County, (then Anson Co.)[N.C.], about 1750. "Near the beginning of the year 1750, and probably at the time of the formation of Anson County, the agents of the Old Nottingham Presbyterian Church of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania arranged with the representative of Lord Granville to have 33 sections of land, more or less, set aside in that part of Anson Co. which would later become Rowan then later Guilford Co. A section contained 640 acres of land and measured one mile by one mile. The land was to be colonized by a group of Scotch-Irish, made up predominantly of those of the Presbyterian faith.
According to History of Buffalo Presbyterian Church And Her People by Rev. S. M. Rankin, p. 8, "The first preaching service in this community, of which we have any record, was by Rev. Hugh McAden, a missionary sent out from Pennsylvania, and it was on August 31, 1755 at the home of Adam Mitchell(#429), near where the church now stands. This was two years after the colony had settled here." The colony referred to by Rankin (p. 14.) was the "Nottingham Colony, a company organized and formed in the bounds of the old Nottingham Presbyterian Church at Rising Sun, Md. That church was in Lancaster County, Pa, when our ancestors left there, and until the line between Maryland and Pennsylvania was changed in 1767."
According to Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery Greensboro, North Carolina, compiled by Raymond Dufau Donnell in 1994, reprinted1996, p.i, "On October 16, 1768, Adam Mitchell Sr. (#429) provided land for the first church. The deed was made out to John McKnight and William Anderson as trustees for the Presbyterian Congregation on the Waters of North Buffalo for 20 shillings current money."
There have been three church buildings. The first was a log hut named "North Buffalo Creek Presbyterian Church." The second, completed near the end of the Revolutionary War, was a frame building that would seat 1000 people. The third and present-day building was built in 1827.
The church is located at 803 16th St., Greensboro, NC 27405-4807. Telephone: (336) 375-3380.
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The church cemetery is divided into sections.
Section 5E-6E/5D-6D has the tombstones of the following Donnells, Cunninghams, and Ervins: Robert H. Donnell, Ervin Donnell (#53), Hannah Cunningham (#54), John Cunningham III, Daniel Donnell (#105), Mary Ervin (#106), Elisabeth Donnell, and John Cunningham (#107). The GPS reading taken on 10 June 2008 at Ervin's tombstone was 36° 6.597' N, 79° 46.783' W.
Below: Robert H. Donnell is John Cunningham Donnell's (#27e) 's brother.
ROBERT H. DONNELL
BORN
Dec. 27, 1843
DIED
Sep. 19, 1862Aged l8 y’s. 9 m’s. 22 d’s
Below: Ervin Donnell (#53) and Hanna Cunningham (#54) are John Cunningham Donnell's (#27) and Robert H. Donnell's father and mother.
IN
MEMORY
of
Ervin Donnell
who died
MARCH 24, 1845,
AGED
51 years 7 months
and 27 days.
IN
MEMORY OF
HANNAH DONNELL
CONSORT OF
ERVIN DONNELL,
DIED APRIL 2, 1844.
IN THE 43rd YEAR
OF HER AGE.
____
Below: John Cunningham III (Hanna Cunningham (#54c)'s half brother.
SACRED
To the memory
of
JOHN CUNNINGHAM
Who departed his Life
July the 14th 1817
aged 22 years.
Below: The parents of Ervin Donnell (#53). Daniel Donnell (#105) is his father and Mary (Polly) Ervin (#106) is his mother.
In
Memory
of
DANIEL DONNELL
Died
Jan’y 22, 1835
In the 80th year of
HIS AGE
_______
In
memory
of
MARY DONNELL
??????
???????? who
departed this
life may the
21st 1814 aged
55
Below: Elisabeth Donnell was the sister of Daniel Donnell (#105) and wife of Robert Donnell, son of Thomas Donnell, Sr.
IN
MEMORY OF
ELISABETH DON
NELL COSORT OF
R DONNELL WHO
DIED AUGUST 18th
1844 IN THE 87th
YEAR OF HER
AGE
Below: John Cunningham (#107).
IN
MEMORY of
JOHN CUNNINGHAM
DIED
Jan’y 24, 1821
In the 58th year of
HIS AGE.
_________________________________________________
Section 5E-6E & N. Wall: Elisabeth Donnell's husband's tombstone.
Here lies the BODY
of ROBERT DONNELL
Who Departed THIS
LIFE ON THE [15th of Feb. 1816]
[Information could not be read from the stone, but the information was on p. 24 of Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery Greensboro, North Carolina, compiled by Raymond Dufau Donnell.]
_________________________________________________
Imbedded in the rear wall of the church: Jacob Albright's (#55) tombstone.
ERECTED
to the Memory of
JACOB ALBRIGHT
BORN
July 13th, 1791
DIED
May 5th 1847
_________________________________________________
Section 9C-10C/ 9B-10B. Jacob's wife, Sarah Albright (#56).
SARAH
Wife of
JACOB ALBRIGHT
DIED
Dec. 18, 1891
Aged 87 Y’s. 5 M’s
& 20 D’s
______
__________________________________
Near 6D: Adam Mitchell III, the brother of Mary Mitchell (#108) and his 2nd wife, Elizabeth.
In
Memory of
ADAM MITCHELL,
who died
Sept. 16, 1841,
in the 75th year of his
age.
IN MEMORY
of
ELIZABETH
Consort of
ADAM MITCHELL
who died
March 25, 1853,
in the 77th year of her
life
_________________________________________________
According to Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery, Greensboro, North Carolina, compiled by Raymond Dufau Donnell, 1994, reprinted 1996, p. 71-77, additional relatives (listed below) are buried at this cemetery. Grave markers no longer exist and specific sites are no longer known. Burials were in the center section of the old section of the cemetery.
"Determination of those listed is based in part on church activity; records of Rev. Samuel Meek Rankin and William Calvin Rankin, researchers, now at the Southern Historical Collection at Wilson Library, UNC Chapel Hill, NC, located in file 3717. Record searches of the compiler; Buffalo Presbyterian and Bethel Presbyterian Church session records of Elders; knowledge of senior Buffalo Church members, as expressed to members of the cemetery committee, and family tradition as made known."
John Cunningham (#213) and his wife, Mary (#214), Nottingham Company pioneers.
Robert Donnell II (#209) Born Ca 1728 and Died 1816; and his wife Mary (#210) Born Ca 1730 and Died 1771.
Sarah "Sallie" Donnell (sister of Daniel Donnell (#105), daughter of Robert Donnell II (#209); wife of John Donnell, the son of Robert Donnell, Sr.)
Adam Mitchell, Sr. (#429) Died Ca 1771; Nottingham Company pioneer; gave land for first church. Early Ruling Elder. And his wife, Mary (#430).
Adam Mitchell, Jr. (#215) and his wife, Agnes (#216).
Charlotte Mitchell (sister of Mary Mitchell #108, daughter of Adam Mitchell (#215) and Agnes (#216); wife of Robert Erwin and Latham Donnell).
Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com
