Old Cemeteries of North Carolina

Goshen Cemetery.

As you probably already know, I am fascinated with cemeteries and try to visit them wherever I go. North Carolina was no exception. Being an eastern state, I knew that burials would be much older than what I am used to. In Utah (where I live), the earliest known European burials are from the year 1847 when pioneers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints first arrived in Salt Lake City. In my town the first burial was in 1853. 

My goal in North Carolina was to find the oldest burial possible with a legible inscription. Until now, the oldest I had ever found in the United States was from 1821 in St. Augustine, Florida. I was sure I could do better. 

Our search was confined to the area just west of Charlotte. We only visited a handful of cemeteries, but these were carefully selected. I should add that North Carolina is rich in cemeteries, with each town having at least a couple dozen of their own. 

Lutheran Church in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Lutheran Chapel Cemetery.

Southern Cross to commemorate Confederate soldiers.

We (me and my brother-in-law, Allen) first stopped at a burial ground next to a red-brick Lutheran Church in Gastonia. It was one where he had passed all the time, but had never stopped. Everywhere there were cemeteries next to churches. I don't know the history as to why, but I assume the tradition has been carried down from their European mother countries. 

This cemetery was a good mixture of old and new. We found several names that seemed to repeat throughout the burial yard, probably prominent families in the community and parishioners of that church. Allen pointed out the Southern Cross, a metal placard placed near tombs of Confederate soldiers. 

We found several headstones from the mid-1800's, and finally, toward the end of our short visit, Allen found the oldest one of the day: Miles Lineberger, died in 1840. 

Miles Lineberger, died in 1840.

A couple days later we stopped at the Abee Cemetery, which was just a stone's throw from the Catawba River. At first I thought that “Abee” might be a corruption of the word “Abbey,” indicating that a church once stood there. But I learned that Abee was a surname of a family who is buried there. 

The cemetery was small, with a gray stone fence surrounding it. I couldn't get good pictures because of condensation on my camera lens from the humidity coming off the river. I would wipe it off and instantly it returned. 

We found the oldest grave: Wilmuth Well, a lady who died on January 31, 1818. With each new cemetery we were inching older and older with our dates. 

Wilmuth Well, died in 1818.  Oldest recorded burial in Abee Cemetery.

Just a few minutes away was the Goshen Cemetery. This one was much bigger than the previous two, and also had many more old graves. When headstones are as old as what we were looking for, it is a huge challenge to read them. Most of the writing is eroded and illegible. Luckily, some of them had been replaced in the first half of the last century with a legible stone. But sadly, the reality with most of these cemeteries is that many of the oldest burials are lost to time, some of them not marked at all. 

At Goshen, most of the oldest headstones were thin and made from a darker slate. From a distance they appeared to be wooden. 

Old headstones in the Goshen Cemetery.

It was here we found our first burials from the 18th century. The oldest we found (but surely not the oldest in the cemetery) was the infant son of Samuel and Margaret Lowrie, who died in December of 1790 at the age of seven days. After doing a little research, I learned that Samuel was a Judge of the Superior Court in Mecklenburg County, just east of the Catawba River. Samuel and Margaret had six children, including two more that died as infants who were also buried in the Goshen Cemetery. 

Buried near her infant grandson, the mother of Margaret is also buried at Goshen. On her headstone it reads: “Here lies the body of Mary Jack Alias Alexander who died Nov. 29, 1806 Aged 62 years. She was a loving wife tender & affectionate Mother. She left a tender Husband four Daughters & one Son to regret and lament her death. Their consolation is that she repined not but resigned herself to the will of her God with lively hopes of a saving interest in the merits of his BLOOD.” 

It is certainly a reminder that although the dates on these headstones are from a time in the distant past, they were real people with real families with convictions that still resonate with many today. 

Infant son of Samuel and Margaret Lowrie, died in 1790.

In Lincolnton we explored the Old White Church Cemetery. This cemetery was originally established next to a log church that was later covered with weatherboards and painted white. The old white church no longer exists, but instead, there is a red brick building built right to the edge of the tombstones. 

We knew, from my research on the internet, that there were a handful of graves from the 1700's. Although the cemetery wasn't that big, we had a hard time finding these old graves. 

We pulled out my phone and began comparing photos that were online with those that we saw in real time. It was still difficult to find. Time had taken it's toll. Trees had grown, headstones had toppled and ground had shifted. 

We finally found a few we were looking for. Only a couple were legible. One we would have never found if we didn't have another picture to compare it with. All the writing had eroded. It was the headstone for Henry Summerour, a German immigrant who died in 1792. He joined 29 other Saxon families and moved to Catawba County, North Carolina. Among these families were Christian and Cathorina Zimmerman, who are also buried in the cemetery. 

Old White Church Cemetery.  Henry Summerour's headstone on front, left.  Died in 1792.

Cathorina Zimmerman, a Saxon immigrant from Germany. Died in 1797.

Several miles away, passing farmland, small houses with no fences and quaint little Main Streets is the town of Statesville, North Carolina. In the center of town, surrounded by a rock wall and next to a church, is the Old Fourth Creek Cemetery. As we entered the graveyard we were lucky enough to meet a man named Scott Stevenson. 

Scott was coming from the church to his vehicle when he saw us and decided to see if we had any questions. Yes, we did! 

He was probably in his late 60's, wore a brimmed hat and gray beard. After talking to him, I think he might be the most knowledgeable person alive on the Fourth Creek Cemetery. 

Old Fourth Creek Cemetery in Statesville, North Carolina.

Gravestone of Samuel Steel who died in 1782. Old Fourth Creek Cemetery.

He taught us that all the headstones with an American flag next to them represent soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. It's hard for me to imagine such an old war being fought here, but several battles were indeed fought in both North and South Carolina. 

He also pointed out the Southern Cross that had been inscribed into some of the headstones of Confederate soldiers. The inscriptions were fading, but you could still see them. Many of these headstones had a unique shape to distinguish them from the others. He said that recently someone placed little Confederate flags next to each soldier's graves. Personally, he didn't have a problem with it, but he removed them all so they did draw attention of vandals. 

He told us the story of Tom Dooley, a Confederate soldier who murdered a lady. He was later tried and hanged. A ballad was later written about the story and made famous by The Kingston Trio. The doctor who pronounced Tom Dooley dead is buried in this cemetery. 

Dr. Wesley Campbell, the man who pronounced dead Tom Dooley.

Scott spends much of his time taking care of old graves. While we were there he broke off a twig from a nearby bush and used it's leaves to sweep off a flat headstone that was becoming covered with dirt. He said there are several old headstones he has found by prodding around in the grass. 

Then he took us to the opposite side of the cemetery. There, in a neat line was a row of headstones. The one on the far right was for William and Margaret Archibald. “She (refering to Margaret) died in 1759,” he said. “This is the oldest burial in the cemetery.” 

The legible headstone with her name and death dates was made in the early 1900's. Set in front was the original stone, just the top half, with all the writing completely eroded away. 

Scott explained to us that Mrs. Archibald was definitely buried in this area, but perhaps not exactly below the headstone. “Over the years,” he said, “people have come in and straightened up the headstones and made them a neat row, not caring if they moved it a bit.” 

Well, we had found our oldest grave! 

Neatly aligned headstones at the Old Fourth Creek Cemetery.

Margaret Archibald, died in 1759. Oldest burial in the cemetery.

On our way out, Scott asked me why I loved cemeteries so much. I told him because it represented history, and oftentimes it was the only physical reminder we had left. “Old structures such as buildings are knocked down and new ones built in their place, but headstones will always be there.” 

He said there's a word out there for someone who loves headstones and cemeteries. It is a “taphophile.” That's an odd word I had never heard before. But it would be an apt description of myself. ♠

 

Old Fourth Creek Cemetery in 1911. (photo courtesy of Scott Stevenson)