The first service of this congregation, then called The People over the Susquehanna, was held in 1734. The next year a small log church was erected adjoininng the cemetery. It was the first meeting house west of the Susquehanna River and north of York County. Some of the tombstones that can be seen in the cemetery today, date back to this period. The Church was later known as The People of the Conodoguinet and, again, The People of Pennsborough. The present stone building was erected in 1783. Three years later, the Church was incorporated as The Silver Spring Presbyterian Church of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The church building was remodeled in 1819, 1829, and 1866. It was restored in 1928 to its original form.
The entrance gate to the cemetery contains a plaque provided by the Daughter of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) identifying herows of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 who are burried in the church's cemetery. The D.A.R. places American flags on their grave sites.
Although the early headboards were made out of Locust wood and have mostly rotted away by now, here is a list of the grave markers that were still readable, as of 1959, when these pictures were taken:
- William Carothers (US star on grave, denotes a soldier) d. 26 Mar 1829 (age 58 yrs., 1 month, and 4 days). "In this spot is deposited the remains of a good husband, kind father, and a faithful friend."
- John Carothers, b. 1731, d. 1811.
- William Caruthers, d. 15 Nov 1762, at the age of 47.
- Jean Caruthers, d. 11 Dec 1783, at the age of 72.
- Mary Carothers, wife of William Carothers, d. 6 Mar 1835, age 44 years. "Here lies the Remains of my last Earthly Parent who left an only son to mourn her departure".
- Andrew Carothers (US star on grave, denotes a soldier), d. 1 Mar 1817, at age of 58 years. "He lived beloved and died lamented".
- John Carothers, d. 25 May 1826, age 22 years, son of William
Grave transcriptions courtesy of Vicki Carothers Barton.
The church is located ½ mile off US 11 on the Silver Spring Road, 1½ miles north of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, not far from Gettysburg.
Pictures on this page were taken by Victor L. Carothers.
