My Observations on Cemeteries in North Carolina

We come to the end of the cemeteries I visited while in North Carolina in 2005. I went to 3 different counties - Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln - in search of my ancestors. It was a very strange experience for me. The first difference I noted was that the cemeteries in North Carolina are not regulated to a few acres outside of town. Just about everywhere you find a church, there is a cemetery right next to it. Cemeteries are located right next to the Bi-Lo Grocery stores and the Waffle Houses. Everywhere you look, you'll see cemeteries. I have to tell you that it really creeped me out when I first arrived.

Most cemeteries in California are located on the outskirts of town. My feeling is that it was done this way because having to look at a cemetery all the time is bad for business and new housing developments. "Out of sight, out of mind". It is too sad to have to look at a cemetery everyday. West Coast people only want "Happy Thoughts". Yes they deal with death, but they deal with it as quickly as possible and then try to forget about it. My father died in 1988. He is buried in Fresno, about 3 hours from where I live. I am ashamed to tell you that I have not been to visit his grave since the day we buried him.



I was very nervous about just driving right up to a headstone, get out of the car, take pictures - like I was a tourist on vacation. Where I come from, you just don't go walking around in a cemetery. Not unless you have been double-dog- dared on a cold and windy night by a bunch of juvenile delinquents. Or so I am told.



Unlike most West-Coasters, the East Coasters like to keep their dear ones close to them. Even if they've been dead for over 150 years. I notice that the people in North Carolina have a way different attitude towards death than most people I know in California. Death isn't a scary thing to them. The graves I saw in these 3 counties were all well cared for. Most had fresh flowers. It didn't seem to matter if the person had died 1 day ago or 100,000 days ago. Visiting kin at the cemetery is something you do.



After spending a couple of weeks in these counties I got over the creepiness by telling myself , "Self - you are a professional and you are here doing your job. Remember that job you love so much?" Slowly, without my even noticing right away, I was pulling a weed or two, bringing flowers with me in case I found an ancestor that day and felt myself connecting with these people who basically gave me life.

Each one that I shared with you was a pioneer in the tri-county area - John Teeter Beam and his son John Beam, Peter Hoyle and his son Michael Hoyle, Sebastian Bess and All arriving around 1740-1760 and there are descendants of all these men still living on the same land to this very day!

Beaverdam Historical Cemetery - Gaston County, North Carolina

This historical cemetery is located about 6 miles outside of Cherryville, Gaston County, North Carolina

The pictures I took when I was there in 2005 came out horrible. It was late afternoon and the lighting was nonexistent. I would like to thank Mr. Richard Jordan who is a volunteer photographer at http://www.findagrave.com/ who went out to the cemetery for me and took the photos for me.

This is the entrance of Whitesides Road. You drive up this gravel path and the cemetery is on the left.





A group of descendants put up the brick wall around the stones.

The tombstones of my 6th great grandparents John and Mary (Hoyle) Beam.

John is the son of John Teeter Beam. The inscription on his stone reads:

In memory of John Beam, who died October 24, 1822, aged 52 years. "O yea whose cheeks the tears of pity stain; Draw near with reverence and attend; Here lies the husband's dear remains; The tender father and the generous friend."

Mary Hoyle Beam is the daughter of Michael Hoyle and Margaret Dellinger. I was only able to make out her name, birth - 1768 and date of death - 17 January 1847.

All You Need To Know In One Easy Headstone

About 3-4 miles outside of Dallas, Gaston County, North Carolina is one of those very small private family cemeteries. You know the kind - when folks used to bury their loved ones in the backyard next to the zucchini. This is where I found the final resting place of my 7th great grandparents Michael Hoyle and Margaret Dellinger. Michael, who was born 12 January 1738, is the son of Peter and Catherine Hoyle. Michael died 12 March 1793. Margaret, who was born 6 January 1750, is the daughter of Johann Philip Dellinger and Anna Maria Brandstatter. Margaret died 25 May 1827.

They share a single, large marble slab as a headstone. The inscription was really tough to make out as it was mostly eroded away, but this is what my eyes saw:

In memory of

Michael Hoyle died March 12, 1792, aged 62 years

Margaret Hoyle died May 25, 1827, aged 82 years

" Children, dear, as you pass by, Pray on these lines do cast an eye.

As you ware young, so once ware we; Prepare for death and eternity."

The stone must be in worse condition than when I was there in 2005 because now there is this stone that was erected by some descendants. This pretty much tells you all you need to know about this cemetery!

Boston Bess - Lincoln County, North Carolina

My 5th great grandparents are Boston Bess and Polly Carpenter. Their final resting place is Zion Methodist Church Cemetery located about 6 miles west of Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina.

Boston was born in Lincoln County in 1785, the son of Peter Bess and Christina Whittenburg. Peter's father Sebastian Bess was a pioneer of Lincoln County. Sebastian was granted a patent in 1754 for 300 acres of land in what is now Lincoln County.

Boston's headstone tells us that he was born 30 November 1785 and died 20 October 1869 at the age of 83 years, 10 months and 20 days

Located right next to Boston's stone is that of his wife Polly Carpenter Bess.

This stone is only 15 years older than the one for Boston, yet it is practically unreadable. The elements have all but erased the precious information recorded on it.

I was able to make out her name, that she died 11 April 1850 and was 58 years old.

Polly is the daughter of Peter "Hairy" Carpenter and Susanna Cox.

A quick bit of personal historical information that I am proud of - Susanna Cox's mother is Margaret Morris. Margaret's brother is Robert Morris, a financier of the American Revolution.

Peter Bess - Lincoln County, North Carolina

Bess Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery is located about 5 miles outside of Cherryville, Lincoln County, North Carolina. When I traveled to North Carolina in 2005, I took these photos of the headstone of Peter Bess and his wife Sarah Beam Bess. They are my 4th great grandparents. Inscribed on one side is: Peter Bess February 22, 1820 - November 18, 1899 on the opposite side is: Sarah Bess August 27, 1823 - September 26, 1915. Of the two remaining sides, I was not able to read one as the elements had eroded it badly. But the other had inscribed a sorrowful little poem - "Our Father and Mother - HOW LONELY WE SLEEP IN THE CLAY, SINCE DEATH HAS CALLED US AWAY".

I was told that Peter Bess had donated the land for the cemetery to the church. There are suppose to be slaves buried in the stand of trees located at the back of the cemetery. This area is not cleaned off and I did not look in the over growth for the graves.

Peter Hoyle - Cleveland County, North Carolina

Right outside the town of Lawndale in Cleveland County, North Carolina you will find Kadesh United Methodist Church Cemetery.



This cemetery is the home to a monument placed to honor my 8th great grandparents Peter Hoyle and his wife Catherine Dales.



The monument was originally located at the Hoyle Homestead just outside of Dallas, Gaston County, North Carolina. The Hoyle House was built between 1750-1758 by Peter Hoyle and his sons and features rare corner post construction. It is the only known remaining structure in North Carolina with this type of construction and is listed on the National Historical Register.


For those who live in the area, the Gaston County Museum has a new exhibit - "The Hoyle House" which runs until October 25th. Better hurry!



If only all my ancestors left behind this kind of information.....the thrill of the hunt wouldn't be there, would it?

John Teeter Beam - Cleveland County, North Carolina

The New Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery is located near Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It is here that you will find not just a headstone, but more a monument that was erected for my 7th great grandfather John Teeter Beam.

I made a trip to North Carolina back in 2005 and visited with quite a few of my ancestors at their final resting places. I had never before been to visit an ancestor. The feeling I got from each and every one I went to was special. I told each of them thank you.

It still is mind-boggling to me that it took all of my ancestors - hundreds of them - all being in the right place at the right time for me to exist.

The inscription reads:

"SON OF MICHAEL BAUM (BEAM) AND WIFE, SARAH RUDOLPH. BORN IN HAMBURG, GERMANY. STUDIED THE WEAVER'S TRADE IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND WHERE HE WAS MARRIED TO REBECCA RANYOLDS IN 1764. LANDED IN CHARLESTON, S.C. IN NOVEMBER 1767 WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN, JOHN AND DAVID. SETTLED ON BEAVER DAM CREEK THEN KNOWN AS MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NOW GASTON WHERE HE RESIDED UNTIL 1794, WHEN HE PURCHASED AND REMOVED TO THIS SITE. HIS WIFE DIED IN 1779 LEAVING HIM SIX CHILDREN. HE WAS MARRIED TO MISS ELIZABETH RUDOLPH IN LINCOLN COUNTY IN 1781, WHO DIED IN 1844, TO WHICH UNION NINE CHILDREN WERE BORN. IN 1801 HE BUILT ON THIS SITE A HOUSE OF WORSHIP FOR HIS OWN DENOMINATION, LUTHERAN, WHICH CHURCH HE ALWAYS OPENED TO ALL OTHER DENOMINATIONS. HE WAS AN ELDER IN SAID LUTHERAN CHURCH AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.

IN A PIONEER LIFE OF 75 YEARS HE MET EVERY EXPECTATION OF A MAN"

What is a Graveyard Rabbit?

The brainchild of Terry Thornton, The Association of Graveyard Rabbits is a group of individuals who are interested in promoting the historical importance of cemeteries, grave markers, and the family history to be learned from a study of burial customs, burying grounds, and tombstones. As a group we pledge to promote the study of cemeteries, promote the preservation of cemeteries, and promote the transcription of genealogical/historical information written in cemeteries.

While most of the Graveyard Rabbit websites you come across are specific to certain geographical locations, The Educated Graveyard Rabbit will take you to cemeteries located across the United States.