Mizpah Cemetery. I think that everybody I know has a relative buried in Mizpah Cemetery. Mizpah is a very old cemetery and probably one of the most well known in Richmond County.
Old Mizpah Church has long been gone, it's demise unknown to me. When it existed, I think that it had a large and dedicated congregation. I have ancestors from both sides of my family buried at Mizpah, going back 4 generations. My Mother told me that Mizpah was known as a "paupers" cemetery
in that it did not cost anything for the plot to bury your loved one there, and no-one was turned away.
Mizpah has been poorly maintained over the years. It is grown up in weeds, blackjacks and underbrush. Paths run across graves as the surrounding residents use the cemetery as a shortcut in their foot travels.
If you travel US-1 South from Rockingham, NC, cross 74 bypass. At the next cross roads turn left on Mizpah Road. Mizpah Road crosses 74 Bypass again. Mizpah cemetery will be on the left about a mile down. A map is here.
Richmond Memorial Park. Richmond Memorial Park is probably the best known perpetual care cemetery in Richmond County. Everyone I know has either family or friends buried there. My Stewart Grandparents are buried there, as are my Mother's Aunt and Uncle. I have many other kin buried there also.
Richmond Memorial Park is located right on Business 74 (Broad Street) just East of Rockingham just past the Richmond Plaza Shopping Center. A map is here.
- A wide image of the cemetery can be seen here.
- The Chapel.
- The Pond at the Cemetery.
- The West entrance to the Cemetery
Caddell Cemetery. Laura Jane (Caddell) was my Great Grandmother on my Grandfather Stewart's side. Before she married her first husband, James L. Stubbs, she had moved to Robeson County with her parents some time between 1880 and 1900. Her Father was Martin M. Caddell, her mother was Christian Caddell.
Martin is buried in the old Caddell Cemetery located on the old Caddell property in Robeson County. Thanks to Amy Sadler Seitz, also a distant relative of the Caddell's, I have been able to visit my ancestors there and photograph the headstones. The cemetery is located at the edge of the woods and shadowed
by a huge oak tree. A picture of some of the Cemetery is here. The cemetery is grown up somewhat at the time that I was there.
To get to the cemetery, head out 501 South from Laurinburg towards Rowland. After going through John's Station, go a few more miles and turn right onto highway 83. The crossroads where 83 and 501 cross is known as Caddell Crossroads. After turning ight onto 83, go less than a tenth of a mile and turn right onto a long straight dirt drive
that goes through a field. The drive is right next to a mobile home that faces 83. Take the dirt road down to a small old farm house. Stay to the right of the farmhouse and look to the right across the field towards the woods. You can't hardly see the cemetery, but the large oak tree that is next to the cemetery
is visible. I drove across the field to the right towards the tree and pulled up to the cemetery. There are some more recent graves in the cemetery that indicated that it is still being used. There is a map of the cemetery here.
Morgan Cemetery. Up until this past fall, I had no idea where this cemetery was. Grandpa Bert Stewart remembered that as a boy, there was the old homeplace where his Grandmother Delia lived, and the cemetery was located on the property near that old homeplace. The old home had long since dissappeared. One Sunday afternoon in 1994, Grandpa and I went out Crawford Lake Road
in Scotland County with hopes of finding his Grandmother Delia (Morgan) Stewart's gravesite. Grandpa said that it had been years since he had seen the cemetery. We parked on the side of Crawford Lake Road where Grandpa thought we could find the small family cemetery back in the woods. We walked down an old logging trail into the woods.
There was no evidence of any old dwellings or past human settling anywhere near the places we were looking, and no evidence of any cemetery. We rambled the woods for more than an hour with no luck. It was getting dark and we had to find our way back to the truck and head home.
My Uncle Ted, one of Dad's younger brothers, remembered when he was young Grandpa taking him into the woods to visit the cemetery. Thru his vague memories of the area during that visit, He and I were able to locate the cemetery. The cemetery is unmarked, no fence or gate, and there's not but about half a dozen graves there. I was very excited at finally locating the cemetery, and the final resting place of my Great-Great-Grandmother Stewart, as well as grateful to Uncle Ted for taking the time with me to search for the graveyard. The cemetery is located in the woods off Crawford Lake Road in Scotland County, Latitude 34 degrees 52' 1" N, Longitude 79 degrees 33' 54" W. A map is here. I've included a short video taken at the cemetery. The quality is not great as I tried to reduce the file size to reduce the download time. The file is still about 5 meg, so it may take a while to download if you have dial-up. Right-click here and click "Save target as.." to download the file. Remember which folder you saved the file in. After download is complete, double-click the file to play the video.
- Picture of the Cemetery taken from the front side while standing in the dirt trail that runs by the cemetery.
- Wide angle picture taken from the back of the Cemetery.
Old Zion Methodist Church Cemetery, Mt. Gilead, NC. Many of my Montgomery County Andrews ancestors are buried here. In this area is where my first Andrews ancestors settled when they came to North Carolina from Virginia. When John Sr. (my first Andrews ancestor to come to North Carolina) arrived, he bought land and settled. He then started looking to the spiritual needs of his community. About 1786, John, along with his several sons and his son-in-law, built a small log church in the
northwest section of Mount Gilead, North Carolina, which was called "Providence". Later, the church became known as the "Scarborough Meeting House" due to the attendance of so many Scarborough's. This log structure became the first Methodist Church to be established in Mt. Gilead. This building was used until about 1820 when it was replaced by another building erected on the site of the present church. The present church building was erected on the same site in 1854.
That same year the church property was deeded to the church by Sally Andrews Clark, a daughter of John Andrews Sr. Today the church is known as "Zion United Methodist Church". The old church is no longer used for services, but is preserved as
a historical structure, and is designated such by the state of North Carolina. A state historical marker noting the church stands on Hwy. 73 about 2 miles before it intersects with Hwy. 27 at the Stanly County Line. From Mt. Gilead on Hwy. 73, go north towards Albemarle. The State historical Marker for the Church is located about 3 miles before the Stanly County Line. Turn right onto SR1112 at the marker. Zion Church is about a quarter mile up on the left.
A map can be seen here. Another view of the Church is here. A view of some of the old stone and slate grave markers can be seen here. Weathering has long ago made these markers unreadable. A sign by the front of the Church conveys some history of the church. I have Andrews relatives in different areas of the cemetery. The George W. Andrews family plot can be seen here.
Peele Cemetery. My Great Grandfather is buried in this old Cemetery. This cemetery is the most obscure, being hidden deep into the woods in Scotland County. There are no signs, structures or any indication that give clues to the location of this cemetery. Grandpa took me to the cemetery in about 1993. We drove down an old logging trail and parked about 150 yards from the main road. We got out of the truck and walked about 60 feet into the woods and came up on an old wire fence that had been long fallen
and torn down. The cemetery used to be surrounded by this fence, There were many old headstones. Evidence of a few old wooden markers still remained, though unreadable as they have been for years. Some of the stone markers were unreadable also. Some of the legible ones dated back to the mid 1800's. The trees and undergrowth was dense, and there was no distinguishable transition from forest to cemetery as they were both densely wooded. We scratched around through the leaves until we found my Great-Grandfather David Wesley Stewart's
headstone. I asked Grandpa how his Father ended up in such an obscure cemetery buried in the Peele Cemetery. There was no kinship with any Peeles. Grandpa said that that his Father was close to the Peeles. David Wesley, his brothers Arnold and Colon all lived and share cropped in this area, and Grandpa said that the Peeles were good to him and treated him well. I assumed that David Wesley share cropped with the Peeles and had a close relationship with them, and when David died, he wanted to be buried in their cemetery.
A photo showing how bad the undergrowth is in the cemetery is here. A map and coordinates of the location is here.
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Dad is buried here. So are my Grandmother and Grandfather Andrews, and many ancestors on my Grandmother's side, and other kin also. Mom attended Pleasant Grove when she was a small girl, and still does today. The present church is the second church on the site. The original Church was a wooden structure with a basement where the classrooms were located. There was an old pitcher-pump well that mom and the other kids loved to pump to fill a drinking dipper for the adults. The fellowship hall and breezeway to the church are nearest the
site of the original church. A copy of a artist rendering of the original wooden structure can be seen here. The original of this rendering hangs in the foyer of the present church. A copy of an old photograph of both churches taken after the construction of the new church and before the demolition of the old original church can be seen here. A photo of Pleasant Grove Church is here. A panorama of the Cemetery is here. If the panorama has no scroll bar, hold your pointer stillover the image. There should appear a small square with arrows pointing outward from each corner. Click on this square to enlarge the picture.
My Mom, Louise (Andrews) Stewart compiled a group of short stories told from the memories of some of the older church members and put them into a wonderfully nostalgic publication called "Precious Memories". A history of the church is also included in the publication. It can be read here. You will need Acrobat Reader to open the file.
Pleasant Grove Church is located on Sandhills Road in Rockingham, NC. Go US-1 South from Rockingham. Cross Hwy. 74 bypass. At the next intersection there is a traffic light. Turn left there onto Mizpah Road. Take the next right onto Sandhills Road. Pleasant Grove Church will be down about 4 miles on the left. The GPS coordinates are: 34 degrees, 51', 27" North, 79 degrees, 49', 38.5" West.
New Hope United Methodist Church.My Great Grandfather, William Cleveland Andrews, had a brother named James Ambus. He married Lucy Ellen McIntosh. Lucy's father, as well as other of her kin are buried here. The church is located just across the South Carolina Line on US #1 South of Rockingham. New Hope Church dates back to around 1817. The cemetery is on the north side of the church. A couple of pictures of the church can be seen here, here, and here.
A map with GPS coordinates can be seen here.
Pleasant Hill Methodist Church. One of my Grandfather Andrews' sisters, Minnie May Andrews (Chavis), her husband Brock Chavis, and a son James are buried here. The present building replaced the original. I don't know the age of the original church, but some headstones
in the church cemetery date back to the 1800's. The cemetery is quite large. Many Chavis' are buried here. A photo of the church is here. A panorama of the cemetery can be seen here. Directions: Take Hwy. 177 South from Hamlet, Richmond County, NC. Just befor the South Carolina line, turn right onto Osborne Road. Go a short distance and turn left onto Perry Leviner Road.
After crossing into South Carolina, Pleasant Hill Church will be down on the right. A map is here. Coordinates are: 34 Degrees, 47', 57.5" North, 79 Degrees, 48', 9.8" West.
Antioch Presbyterian Church. My Great Grandfather's brother Joseph Cleveland Stewart is buried here. His wife Eva (Pate) and one of his sons, James Roy Stewart is buried with him. Roy Stewart's wife, Essie May (Herring) Stewart informed me of the Stewart section of the Antioch Church Cemetery. Roy and Essie May were married in this church. The church is very old, dating to the late 1800's. The original structure is quite large, and with the large columns in front is a beautiful church.
The cemetery is quite large. The panaramic photo of the cemetery doesn't show all of the cemetery as there is a low area of the cemetery out of line of site of the camera. Essie has a final resting spot reserved here as does her son Henry. The church is located on Hwy 211 in Hoke County between Raeford and Red Springs at the intersection with Old Wire Road. A map with the GPS coordinates is here. Here are some photos of the church and cemetery.
Old Spring Hill Church Cemetery. This church is located on the Old Wire Road between Hwy. 501 and Wagram in Scotland County, NC. The original church is quite old and predates the Civil War. It is told that some of Sherman's troops stayed there during their destructive march to the sea in the last days of the war. My G-G-Grandfather Arnold Wesley Stewart is buried here, and to my knowledge, is my only relative buried in the cemetery. It's a mystery how Arnold ended up at Spring Hill. His wife, Delia Elizabeth Morgan, is
buried in her family's cemetery several miles from Spring Hill. A panorama photo of the cemetery can be viewed here. Directions to the cemetery: If you take 501 North out of Laurinburg towards Aberdeen, turn right onto Old Wire Road towards Wagram. Spring Hill Cemetery will be on the left a few miles down. A map with the GPS coordinates is here.
Zion Methodist Church, Rockingham. My G-Grandmother on my Grandmother Stewart's side, Marie Pearl Benson, is buried here, as well as her second husband, William "Bill" Moody Paul. Bill's first wife, Doshie C. is buried near Bill also. Many other Pauls are buried in the cemetery. Zion Church is Located just outside of Rockingham. Take Hwy #74 west out of Rockingham toward Wadesboro. About three miles west of Rockingham, you will come to Zion Road. Turn left on Zion Road. The church and the cemetery are about 200 yards up Zion Road on the right. Click here to see a map.
Click here for a panorama photo of the front of the church, and here for the cemetery.
Wright Cemetery, Laurel Hill. Essie May (Herring) Stewart told me about this cemetery during a visit with her. Essie was married to Roy Stewart, a son of Joseph Cleveland Stewart, a brother of my Great Grandfather David Wesley Stewart. She was so kind as to share some family history with me. What she shared was a wealth of information that helped me to trace my ancestors back several more generations.
I had always wondered where my Great Grandfather David Wesley Stewart's siblings were buried. She told me about where three of them were buried. Her husbands father was buried in the Antioch Church Cemetery (see above), and Arthur Colon and Arnold Drake were buried with their wives in the old Wright Cemetery. It had been a few years since she had been to the cemetery, and she couldn't give me directions to it. She did tell me that the cemetery was located west of Laurel Hill. Essie let me copy the death certificate of Minnie Grooms, the wife of Arthur Colon Stewart. I
noticed on the certificate that Pates Funeral Home in Laurel Hill had been responsible for the service. So when I had time, I went to Laurel Hill to find Pates Funeral Home. Funeral homes are familiar with all of the local cemeteries. Problem was that Pates had been out of business for years. So I just stopped at one of the old store businesses in town, and asked for directions to the Wright Cemetery. An older gentleman oblidged, was familiar with the cemetery, and gave me great directions. It was very exciting to locate the graves of Arthur, Arnold and their wives.
To get to Wright Cemetery, if coming from Laurinburg, take 74 west towards Hamlet. Laurel Hill has 2 stoplights. After passing thru the second light, the next intersection, which is within sight of the traffic light, will be Old Wire Road. Turn left onto that road. Drive until you come to the first stop sign at a crossroads. Wright Cemetery will be diagonally across the road. A map can be seen here. The GPS coordinates are: Latitude 34degrees,48',14.5" North, Longitude 79degrees, 35', 40.5" West.
Eastside Cemetery. I have a few relatives buried in Eastside Cemetery. My Uncle Kenneth, my Dad's older brother, Kenneth is buried here. The Cemetery is Huge, and quite old, having some graves dating to the 1800's. The cemetery is traversed with paved drives where at any given time, walkers and joggers can be seen enjoying the tranquility of the huge oak trees and beautiful scenery within the cemetery.
The cemetery is located on US Hwy. 1 on the north side of Rockingham, Richmond County, NC. The GPS coordinates are Latitude 34 degrees 56'40.2" N, Longitude 79 degrees 45' 02.7" West. A map is here.
- Here is a photo of the entrance to the park.
- A wide panorama photo of the park taken from the entrance to the park
