Rehoboth United Methodist Church
In the Cemetery
Adjacent to Rehoboth Church is the old Rehoboth Cemetery. It is a rather large and beautiful burial place for many members of the church and residents of the community. It has been well-kept over the years and is visited by hundreds of people every year.
THE STORY OF WILLIAM J. RAINEY, buried in the Rehoboth Cemetery
William Rainey served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was the one who carried the document of surrender from General Lee to General Grant at Appomattox. Interestingly enough he later had his hand blown off by the cannon while celebrating the inauguration of Grover Cleveland. He was 50 when he married. His young wife was only 15 at the time, and was so poor that he promised her his war pension when he died. That was a common practice back then when the life of a man was around 50+. He lived to be 90 and the two of them had 6 children of which 4 lived and 2 were 97 and 96 when they died. (Mama Cook) was 97, and was born when he was 51 or 52; Dell was born when he was 66 and his wife was 31. He caught a cold chasing the chickens one rainy day trying to put them back in the pen and died of pneumonia. It is believed that he was buried with his uniform on.
William J. Rainey's grave marker in the Rehoboth Cemetery. Born August 5, 1845; died June 24, 1935
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