4. Grave of Reverend Levi Leichliter (Uncle of Levi Lichliter of Salisbury, PA.)

 1/2 mile South of Hwy. 653 on 3009. Adjacent to the Wesley Chapel, this is the oldest grave in the cemetery.

(Levi Lichliter's granddaughters, Emily Jane and Winnie Newman at Rev. Lichliter's grave site.)

FROM THE 1993 COMMERATION BOOKLET CELEBRATING WESLEY CHAPEL'S

130 YEARS OF SERVICE - SCULLTON, SOMERSET COUNTY, PA

"The local preacher was Rev. Levi Lichliter. From a search of his records in the Orphan's Court of Somerset County, we have gained much information about him and other persons in the church in its early days. He owned the farm now held by the Enos heirs and lived on it with his wife Catharine and their three sons. His farm contained 111 acres. From the inventory of his belongings as filed in the court records, he engaged in general farming. His total assets were about $ 1,000 plus the value of his land. The land value was not specified. He was a generous contributor to church. For in the year before he died, he gave $75 to the church. This would have been a sizable amount in those days.

Levi's health became poor, and it was necessary to have the court appoint an administrator for his estate. He willed a half-acre plot on a comer of his farm to the church. He died in July of 1863, and his administrator deeded this parcel to the church on November 9, 1863. At the time of his death, Levi's sons were 19, 13, and 9. These sons were: Norman, Marcellus and Milton. Norman was made a trustee of the church, and Marcellus became an ordained minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served the New Lexington - Wesley Chapel Circuit in its early days.

Levi was the first burial in the church cemetery. Note his age as listed on his tombstone is obviously in error. His wife died sometime before the end of 1872. We do not know where she was buried.

The trustees of the church property were: John Lanning, Messimore Cramer, John C. Phillippi, Norman Lichliter, David Lichliter, Jeremiah Pile and Joseph B. Critchfield. We do not know when a church was erected on this land. We do know that it cost about $1,000 with much of the labor volunteered. Nor do we know when the name Wesley Chapel was chosen. It should be noted that all of this activity took place during the time of the Civil War. (1861 - 1865)."

Note: Rev. Levi Lichliter was the 5th child of Jacob and Jemima (Campbell) Leichliter. His wife Catherine (Younkin) is buried in Ursina, PA. He was the uncle of Levi "Squire" Lichliter of Salisbury, PA.