Resting place of patriots
Founded in the mid-18th century, Silver Spring Presbyterian Church stood at the center of a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian community that was deeply shaped by ideas of covenant, self-governance, and resistance to tyranny–principles that would strongly influence the American Revolution.
The cemetery at Silver Spring Presbyterian Church includes the graves of local men who served during the American Revolution, linking this congregation directly to the fight for independence.
Verified Revolutionary War burials include:
John McTeer (1736–1790) – Captain in the Pennsylvania militia and a community leader in Silver Spring Township.
Nathaniel Eckels (1744–1830) – Private whose service is recognized on early Daughters of the American Revolution memorials at the site.
Matthew Loudon (1728–1801) – Lieutenant who provided local leadership during the War for Independence.
The Daughters of the American Revolution plaques at the cemetery gateway explicitly honor the Revolutionary War patriots buried there, noting approximately 24 Revolutionary War graves within the yard. These plaques were installed in 1914 by local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of 1812, affirming the cemetery’s role as a resting place for local Revolutionary War veterans.
Today, the church and its cemetery, which houses 22 Revolutionary War veteran burial sites, offer a tangible link to an era shaped by faith, family networks, and a willingness to defend local autonomy.
Address: 444 Silver Spring Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Access notes: Silver Spring Presbyterian Church is currently an active church community. Check their website for visiting information.
Visiting Tips: Silver Spring Presbyterian Church pairs naturally with other west-of-Carlisle Patriots’ Path sites and offers a quieter, reflective stop that highlights the civilian and community dimensions of the Revolution.
Patriot’s Story: Private Nathaniel Eckels
1744–1830
Nathaniel Eckels was born at sea in 1744 while his family immigrated from Ireland and came of age in a farming community shaped by Presbyterian faith and frontier responsibility. During the Revolutionary War, Eckels served as a private, answering the call for manpower that sustained Pennsylvania’s militia and Continental forces.
Men like Eckels formed the backbone of the military. Their service often meant leaving fields untended and families vulnerable, sometimes with little pay or recognition. While officers issued orders, it was soldiers like Eckels who marched, guarded supply routes, and endured harsh conditions in service of an unproven nation.
Although his individual battlefield actions are not recorded in detail, Eckels’s service was significant enough to be later recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution, whose early 20th-century plaque at Silver Spring Presbyterian Church honors Revolutionary War veterans buried there. Eckels lived until 1830, witnessing the fragile experiment of independence grow into a lasting republic that his service helped secure.
Patriot’s Story: Lieutenant Matthew Loudon
1728–1801
Born in 1728, Matthew Loudon belonged to an older generation when the Revolution began—men who brought experience, authority, and local trust to the patriot cause. He served as a lieutenant, a role that placed him between enlisted soldiers and commanding officers.
Lieutenants were essential to maintaining order and morale, translating strategic decisions into action on the ground. Loudon’s service reflects the way Revolutionary leadership often emerged from established community figures rather than professional soldiers. After the war, Loudon returned to civilian life and died in 1801.
Patriot’s Story: Captain John McTeer
1736–1790
Born in 1736, John McTeer was a respected member of the Silver Spring Township community long before the outbreak of the American Revolution. When war came, McTeer served as a captain in the Pennsylvania militia, helping organize and lead local men in defense of their homes and the revolutionary cause. Officers like McTeer were responsible not only for command in the field, but also for recruitment, training, and maintaining discipline among neighbors and relatives who answered the call to arms. McTeer survived the war and returned to civilian life, continuing his role as a community leader until his death in 1790.
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Content in this section was curated by volunteers from the Army Heritage Center Foundation.