First Street Cemetery, Moundsville

First Street Cemetery in Moundsville is the second oldest cemetery in the community and recorded its first burial in 1804. The cemetery was originally located beside a little log Methodist church with a congregation averaging 15 people. These church members were among the early settlers of Moundsville, and as a result, many of the influential early families and business owners are buried here. The congregation soon outgrew the primitive church, whose logs were likely used for another purpose as the community grew, but this historic cemetery is still maintained by the United Methodist churches of Moundsville. The last burial at the cemetery was in 1886.

In 1899, the remains of 19 Civil War soldiers were transferred from this cemetery to the veteran's section of Moundsville's Mount Rose Cemetery. In 1904, some additional remains were moved from this cemetery to Mount Rose in order to accommodate widening the town's main road (Rt. 250).

In the early 20th century the cemetery was neglected and it took a considerable community effort in the 1910s and again in the 1930s to take inventory of the stones and restore the cemetery. The cemetery is now under the care of two Moundsville United Methodist churches: Simpson, which pays for the insurance, and Calvary, which takes care of the maintenance.

Among the influential citizens buried at First Street Cemetery include members of the Purdy family, the owners of the original town plot. Members of the McClean family who acquired land south of Moundsville from George Washington are also buried here. Members of the Cockayne family who owned the world-renowned sheep farm known as Glen Dale are also buried at the cemetery. 

Roth, Howard. First Street Cemetery, Moundsville, WV. wvgenweb.org. . Accessed June 18, 2018. http://www.wvgenweb.org/marshall/cemetery/frstst.htm.