Ellsworth Cemetery

Ellsworth Cemetery A historic cemetery in Westminster, Maryland They chose to immortalize a white man, Col. The need for financial support continues.

Ellsworth Cemetery was created on December 21, 1876 when seven Black Union Army Veterans filed Maryland Articles of Incorporation to provide a burial place “for the Colored residents of Westminster, Maryland”. Ruben Walker, David Ireland, William Massey, Nelson Edwards, William Adams, Lewis Dorsey and Samuel Bowens, the incorporators, participated in the bloody Civil War Campaigns of 1863, 1864, a

nd 1865. Elmer Ellsworth, a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln who was the first Union Officer to die in the Civil War. The ground on which the Ellsworth Cemetery stands was sold to the group by the Estate of Elias Yingling for the sum of one dollar on June 11th 1894. Through the years, Ellsworth Cemetery has received the remains of Black Carroll Counting, residents of the Carroll County Alms House, Strangers who died in the County with no known family and residents of today’s Westminster Rescue Mission of all races. In the recent past, many groups, The Boy Scouts of America, Maryland State Troopers of the Westminster Barracks, Union Memorial Baptist Church, Pritts Funeral Home and Branch 7014 of the NAACP recruited and organized by Mr. George Murphy have reclaimed and restored many of the two hundred graves. Over the years vandals have damaged or destroyed many of the sometimes simple, sometimes elaborate but always historic head stones. Thanks to a beautifully, hand drawn map in the archives of the Union Memorial Baptist Church many graves have been identified and their markers restored. The Carroll County Historical Societies have been a great help in this process. At present, the graves at Ellsworth Cemetery are being identified, marked and restored. A new sign has been place by the entrance and the entire site has been fenced. Having done this work, the grounds now must be maintained and protected. It is also our intent, as funds allow, to restore and maintain other Historic Black Cemeteries in the County. We shall also work collaboratively with active cemeteries and Churches doing this work. To quote a report made to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development about this project, “A community that respects its history and those who lived it, has the right to call itself civilized”.

07/12/2026

The sad truth of the early 1900s is that those times were dangerous for children.

Young Goldie Viola Brown was only a month past her 5th birthday when she contracted tuberculosis. Three months later, the disease took her life. A vaccine for TB was still a year away and treatment was decades yet to come.

She was the child of Edward Brown and Rachel Bowens. Her grandfather was Samuel Bowens, a Veteran of the Civil War.

Goldie V. Brown died on January 23, 1905 and is buried in an unmarked grave in Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.

Mr. Nicholas Paroway was born before the United States, lived to be over 110 years old and is buried at Ellsworth Cemete...
07/04/2026

Mr. Nicholas Paroway was born before the United States, lived to be over 110 years old and is buried at Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland. He was the first African American to vote in Carroll County.

In 1766, Mr. Paroway was born enslaved near Baltimore. His original enslaver is not known. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, he was a boy, ten years of age. He would tell stories of seeing large numbers of strangely uniformed soldiers (evidently the French) coming through Baltimore. At the end of the war, the celebrations were held and he would describe them as, 'The biggest illuminations I ever saw!'

By 1820, he was enslaved by Mr. Ludwig Wampler, along with 19 other people. Some of these others were likely his family members. When Mr. Wampler died in 1826, 22 people are listed in the inventory of his personal property. Mr. Paroway was listed as "1 Negro Man, Nick" and had an assigned value of $300. Mr. Wampler willed various parts of his estate to his sons, and it is not clear which child inherited Mr. Paroway.

Whoever it was though, sometime before 1830, Mr. Paroway was manumitted. He is enumerated as free in the 1830 Census with two Black women. They were living in Baltimore. The women may have been his daughters.

Mr. Paroway paid $2.50 to Abraham Shafer on November 3rd, 1854, purchasing a young woman named Honor Paroway. He manumitted her two weeks later. She is likely the same person who is listed on the inventory of Ludwig Wampler's probate in 1826, valued at $250.

We know that Mr. Paroway was married twice. His second wife, Mrs. Grace Paroway, was about 30 years his junior. She is buried near him, in Ellsworth.
Mr. Paroway was the first African American to register to vote in Carroll County. His obituary read, in part, "When enfranchisement came, in deference to his age, he was the first one of his color to register as a voter in the district, and jealous and proud of the privilege he has voted at every election since."

At the time of his death in 1876, he had reached his 110th year. A lengthy obituary was published in local newspapers at the time, and republished as far away as London, England.

06/14/2026

William Edwards is buried in an unmarked grave in Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.

One of many children of Nelson and Frances (Johnson) Edwards, William grew up on Charles Street in Westminster. William worked for Judge Bond, at least as early as 1892 when he was about 17 years old.

In 1892, the newspapers reported that William and the school teacher were in a relationship. Helena C. Brown was from Baltimore (and it's not clear how old she was), and she attempted su***de by taking poison. William shot himself. Both of the couple survived.

Walter recovered and married Irene Cross. They had one son together. Unfortunately, in 1904, William contracted tuberculosis. He died in December of 1905.

06/07/2026

Clarence Walker was born in September 1904. He was the child of Lorenzo B. and Laura (Brown Henderson) Walker. Sadly, when he was only 3 1/2 month old, he had acute bronchitis and died after being sick for two days.

He is buried in an unmarked grave, likely near his grandparents, Rev. Perry and Mary (Snowden) Walker.

Writing about the people of Ellsworth Cemetery is always an honor. Sharing the stories of the youngest ones is difficult, although they too are part of our history and our story.

05/31/2026

Maud Costley is buried in an unmarked grave in Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.

Perhaps the eldest child of Pius and Rosa (Shean) Cooper, Maud was born in April of 1881. She lived with her family on Union Street. Schools for African American children existed in town, and it appears that Maud was able to read and write. She married James Costley in the summer of 1899.

The young couple lived in the Franklin district of Carroll County, where he worked as a day laborer and she worked as a housekeeper.

In June 1904, she came down with typhoid fever. Maud Cooper Costley died on 6 July 1904. She is buried in Ellsworth Cemetery, possibly near her parents.

As we head into Memorial Day, we remember those who died in defense of our nation. John Paroway, a son of Nick Paroway, ...
05/24/2026

As we head into Memorial Day, we remember those who died in defense of our nation.
John Paroway, a son of Nick Paroway, fought in the Civil War. He was at the Battle of the Crater, during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia.

He died on 30 July 1864 and never returned home.

Reverend Nicholas Parker was born enslaved in Carroll County in the summer of 1831. His enslavers have not yet been foun...
04/05/2026

Reverend Nicholas Parker was born enslaved in Carroll County in the summer of 1831. His enslavers have not yet been found. He self-liberated during the early 1860s. He went up to Syracuse, New York and enlisted in the US Army in 1863.

Mr. Parker served under an alias, Augustus Roberts, to hide from his enslavers. If they had known his whereabouts, they may have been able to re-enslave him. He served as a Private in Co. G of the 8th USCT. When he was sick and in hospital, he became the chaplain's steward. He served in South Carolina and later in Texas.

Following the war, Mr. Parker returned to his hometown, New Windsor. In 1873, he married Mrs. Ellen (Parker) Dorsey. Her first husband had died some years previously. They were married by Rev. Perry G. Walker at the Sharp Street church in Baltimore.

The couple lived and worked at the New Windsor College, as cooks. Rev. Parker also worked as a minister in the AME church. During the 1880s, they moved to a house on Union Street in Westminster. They likely continued to work as cooks at the nearby Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College). With his pension and his work, he was able to own his home as well as half-interest in a second house on Union Street.

Rev. Parker died in 1895, and had a large funeral from the Union Street Memorial Church. He is buried in Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.

Sometimes the only records that remain of someone's life is a headstone. Such is the case for Mr. William Wiley. We have...
03/29/2026

Sometimes the only records that remain of someone's life is a headstone.

Such is the case for Mr. William Wiley. We have yet to find a census record, newspaper article, marriage announcement or record or even a death certificate.

We have the headstone of Mr. William Wiley, marking his grave at Ellsworth Cemetery.
He was 54 years old when he died.

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Leidy Road
Westminster, MD
21157

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