The Union Chapel church and cemetery grounds 1929. Click to enlarge picture.
Established 1822
Located at 8306 Union Chapel Road in the Nora area of Indianapolis, Union Chapel cemetery and its nearly 11,000 graves (some dating back as far as 1822) sits nestled between the White River and Keystone Avenue.
A portion of the 1889 Washington Township Atlas. The cemetery is located near the “19” on the map.
The oldest portion of the burial ground is located in the present South Section of the property and was known as the Whitinger Family Cemetery. An area pioneer, Joseph Whitinger, donated this property to the community via land grant, with the understanding that it would be used as a community cemetery and for “divine worship without denominational ties.”
1880 – Men with names that still resonate in the area. Photo provided by the Marion County History Facebook group. Click to enlarge.
A turn-of-the-last-century Sunday School picnic on the Union Chapel Grounds. See document below for names. Click image to enlarge.
A well-documented event, chocked-full of names that founded the Nora area like Dawson, Newby, Bowen and Haverstick. Click image to enlarge.
Back in 1836, an association was formed to manage the cemetery in 1901, the association was incorporated and in 2003, it was given the designation of “Indiana Historic Cemetery” by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The cemetery is now governed by a 12-member board of directors, many of whom have multiple generations of family members buried on the property.
Area families participate in honoring veterans by placing flags at the graves on Memorial Day — a tradition that continues today. Click to enlarge photo.
Indianapolis Boy Scout Troop 18, directed by Broad Ripple American Legion Post 6540, identifies the graves of veterans and marks them with a flag on Memorial Day every year.
I enjoyed reading your article and seeing the pictures on 1822 Union Chapel and Cemetery. Jacob Whitinger who donated the land for the cemetery was my 4 or 5x gr grandfather. My 3x gr grandmother was Elizabeth Kinsley I was able to see where her property was on the map.
Elizabeth Kinsley’s maiden name was Elizabeth Parish. Her first husband was Jacob Whitinger’s son or grandson Isaac Whitinger. Isaac died before the birth of my 2x gr grandmother Sarah Jane Whitinger and her twin Catherine Whitinger. Elizabeth then married Isaac Jackson and then Alexander Kinsley. I have not found the burial sight for Elizabeth Kinsley or Isaac Whitinger, but Sarah, Catherine, & Alexander Kinsley are buried in Union Chapel Cemetery along with other relatives.
When traveling through Indianapolis I like visiting the cemetery. It gives me a warm feeling knowing that my ancestors walked on that same property.
Thank you for sharing more information.
Jackie Dodd
Have you checked the Newby cemetery on Spring Mill Road? This is a large plot, and the Newby pictured caused me to ponder relation.
Hi Jackie Joseph and Jacob were also my three times grandfather just wanted to say hey
I also enjoyed reading the article, and seeing the pics of the Union Chapel Cemetery. My 3rd great grandmother, Sarah Marvis Barnhill, was Jacob Whitinger’s second wife whom he married after the death of his first wife, Elizabeth. Sarah’s first husband, Robert Barnhill, died in 1821 after contracting malaria, and is buried in the “Plague Cemetery”, also known as the Wilson and Patterson Cemetery, at IUPUI. The Union Chapel Cemetery is well kept, and many of the earliest settlers of northern Marion and southern Hamilton county are buried there. More information regarding Jacob Whitinger and the Union Chapel Cemetery can be found at the Genealogical Society of Marion County located at the Memorial Park Cemetery on east Washing Street, Indianapolis, IN..