Maryland Ridge Community

Maryland Ridge Community (Indiana Pioneers)

The forgotten south-central Indiana community is located in a seven mile wide band along the Monroe and Greene County line. It includes roughly the vicinity between the towns of Elwren, Stanford, and Buena Vista in western Monroe County; and Hendricksville, Solsberry, and Hobbieville in eastern Greene County.

Originally settled between 1816 and 1839, archaeological relics remain throughout the community. Hand hewn sandstone cornerstones and foundations sometimes remain. Yellow poplar wood was popular in the area to construct barns, cabins, and later, frame houses. These relics include sandstone, limestone and iron ore mines as wells the Randolph Ross and Sonís Virginia Iron Works blast iron furnace (1839-1844), including the cast iron gear by which the blower was operated.

The Greene County Chapel United Methodist Church located just west of the Monroe-Greene County line was started in 1834 when a group of neighbors from Calvert County, Maryland came to Indiana and settled in Beech Creek Township. The community where they settled became known as Maryland Ridge, and the worshipers called themselves the Calvert Society. 6 families made up the group; Gardners, Bakers, Whaleys, Carmichaels, Breedens and the Fowlers.

The Calvert Society met in homes until a log church was erected in 1839. The land was deeded to the trustees; John Gardner Sr., Samuel Hite, Cleverly Day, Isaac Gardner and Moses Whaley. The deed said it was to be called the Methodist Episcopal Church. The early preachers were Circuit Riders usually getting there every 3 weeks. When there was no preaching, class meetings were held after Sunday School. Class leaders were: Isaac Gardner, Thomas J Baker and William A Whaley. Thomas J Breeden was a Circuit Rider and a local member.

Greene County Chapel Methodist Church

Immigrates to Indiana having family ties to Calvert County Maryland include:

• Archibald and Martha Pennington Carmichael II,
• Alexander and Mary Ann Holder Carmichael
• Joseph B. and Elizabeth Holder Carmichael,
• Richard and Mary Graves Carmichael,
• Adam and Elizabeth Carmichael Fulk,
• Hugh McWhorton and Martha J. Carmichael Cullison Dobson,
• William and Sarah Carmichael Martindale,
• John B. and Elizabeth Carmichael Martindale,
• David and Frances Weaver,
• Peter and Lydia Teague Graves,
• Charles 'Carl' and Maria Margaret Krause (Crouse) Holder,
• Isaac Gardner (b.1758),
• John and Elizabeth Breeden Gardner,
• Isaac (b.1806) and Rebecca Burch Gardner,
• John and Mary (Shear) Sharr,
• William Hall (from Maryland),
• William and Lucinda Edwards Carter,
• San Shelton,
• Pleasant Fossett,
• Fuel Burch,
• William Inman,
• James and Sanford Stone,
• Thomas and Nancy Lister Oliphant,
• James and Christiana Crane,
• Richard Crane,
• Charles and Mary Nelson Foddrill,
• John and Magdelinne Baker Foddrill,
• James and Brazilla Gordon King, and
• Charles Burch.

Land Entries

The first land entries in Center Township Greene County Indiana:

• John Storms, on Section 36 (in the southeastern part), in October, 1816;
• Isaac Storms, on the same section, in December, 1816;
• William Carter, on Section 25, in December, 1817;
• Abel Burlingame, on Section 35, in August, 1818;
• Daniel Rollins, on Section 1 (in the northeast part), in 1820;
• John Gardner, on the same section, in 1820;
• Garret Gibson, on Section 10, in 1822; and
• Joseph Burch, on Section 9, in 1826.

Established Burial Grounds

• Edwards Cemetery (Greene County),
• Gardner (Sparks) Cemetery (Greene County),
• Greene County Chapel Cemetery (Greene County),
• Burch Cemetery (Monroe County),
• Carmichael Cemetery

The area currently lies near the path of the I-69 extension southwest of Bloomington.

• .Early history of Greene County, Indiana: as taken from the official records, and compiled from authentic recollection, by pioneer settlers ... including brief sketches of pioneer families (1875).
• .History of Greene and Sullivan counties, state of Indiana, from the earliest time to the present (1884).