Location: Springfield Twp Sec 25. On State Rte 170 just north of the village of Petersburg which lies at the intersection of State Rts 170 and 617. The large cemetery is on the east side of the road, set back from the road on a knoll.

History: St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1873 by some members of the Martin Luther charge of four area churches: Old Springfield (St. Lukes's), Salem (Unity Brick), St Peter's (Schray), and St Paul's (Koch) who wished to establish a new church at Petersburg. Rev B F Shillinger, the pastor of the Martin Luther charge, served for six months as the first pastor and a church building was erected that same year. Four years later, in April 1877, a special meeting of the congregation was called and the trustees were authorized to purchase four acres of land from William Maurer for a burial ground to be called Petersburg Cemetery of St John's Evangilical Lutheran Congragation.(footnoe)

The Valley Echo, 13th June 1878, "Petersburgh; the beautiful new cemetery on the northern side of town, on a round knoll and surrounded by a neat wooden fence painted white. The drive leading in from the street and the word "cemetery" inscribed over the gate adds much to its appearance."

Earliest burials:
18 moth old Franklin I Seiger - died measles about 1878
John & Pauline Eckert's two sons d 1853 & 1861
Herman Obenauf and wife Mary noted "buried in Old Springfield Cemetery'
Several Swisher family members

Copied in 1973 and completed in spring of 1983. Arranged more in family plots - with Sec A,B,C,D, E
Sec A being one long row across front from north to south. Row B divided into sections B1-B5 (south to north) and likewise for remaining rows. Sec E runs to south side from front to back (west to east)

Source: Springfield Township Cemetery and Death Records Mahoning Co Ohio No 2- Margaret Miller Simon 1995 published by Mahoning Co Genealogical Soc.