At this point, it’s a ritual for me to visit New Hope Cemetery each time I’m in Franklin. I always feel an otherworldly sense of calm when I enter the resting grounds. This past fall, I stopped by to check on the cemetery. The climb up the hill to New Hope is a steep and arduous one, but it’s worth it. On that particular day, the cemetery opened up to a glorious, welcoming view. The sky was a vibrant blue and the leaves were glorious hues of red, orange, and yellow. While the headstones were mostly clear, the unmarked graves had begun disappearing into the ferns again.
A photo showing the entrance of New Hope Cemetery in Franklin, North Carolina on a beautiful day in October 2023. The cemetery sign can be seen in the background on the left.
[Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey Peacock]
A group of ferns covering several unmarked graves in New Hope Cemetery in October 2023. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey Peacock] A photo showing the path leading down the hill from New Hope Cemetery in Franklin, North Carolina in October 2023. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey Peacock]
I used this visit as an opportunity to take more video of the area, documenting as many marked and unmarked graves as I could find. On this trip, I counted approximately 60-70 graves (most of them unmarked). This is compared to the seven confirmed marked graves and thirty-four unmarked graves previously documented by myself and Barbara McRae.
Join me on my tour of New Hope Cemetery in the video below.
Thinking of the individuals, known and unknown who are buried here… There’s still so much work to be done.
A photo of Ray’s Chapel’s parsonage members, date unknown. From left to right: Chapel School Principal Professor Watts, Presiding Elder, Virginia Hayes, George Hayes (killed at Pearl Harbor), Ginny Hayes, Grave Stewart, Dora E. Gibson McKay, Reverend McKay, Addie Wykle, Icey Shepherd, Nannie Ray, Ellen Chavis, Andrew Ray, Helen Deal, Ella Love England, Rosedell Chavis, Nathaniel Hopper. In Doorway: Bernice Gibson, Juanita McKay, Mackenzie Watts. Photo and notes by Mrs. Newton Gibson. 1
On December 16, 1885, three church trustees: George W. Wikle, Manley Neusom Stewart, and Dudley Stewart purchased land for $5 from Captain William Montraville Addington. 2 This land, originally located on Harrison Avenue, was intended for the use of a church and graveyard. That church was Franklin’s African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, also known today as Ray’s Chapel. Although the land was formally purchased in 1885, the land was likely in use before then as the church was founded in 1865.
Land record from Macon County Register of Deeds, Book U, Page 62. Highlighted are the date of transaction and names of William M. Addington, George W. Wikle, Manley Neusom Stewart, and Dudley Stewart.
Newspaper articles from The Franklin Press, the town’s local newspaper, offer glimpses into the church’s history, from fundraising, ministerial travel, to church repairs.
In 1903, the congregation decided to build a new church building and began gathering material and preparing for the renovation. 3 The church was torn down by May 1905. 4 As they move and prepare to rebuild, their church bell is stolen. With the help of Sugarfork Church, the congregation hosts a festival to raise $7.25 to purchase a new “beautiful brass bell.”
A newspaper column highlighting a festival held by the Black community at Sugarfork Church to raise funds to purchase a bell for the A.M.E. Zion church. Individuals mentioned include: Charlie Scruggs, A. B. Angel, Mrs. Jennie England, Misses Lou Vanhook, J. R. Scruggs, Eliza Scruggs, Nannettie Gibson, and Mrs. Angeline Scruggs. 5
Later that same year, the town of Franklin passed an ordinance indicating that buildings within distance from the courthouse have to be made of brick. The congregation was now left with a catastrophic dilemma. Their original building had already been demolished and the church could not afford to build a new church made entirely of brick.
As Summer progressed, G. Fortune, one of the church’s Presiding Elders, wrote a column in The Franklin Press to vocalize the church’s frustration and the unfairness of the local ordinance. It seems that the board of town commissioners required them to “procure a building permit” prior to rebuilding their church, despite them having already torn down their old building and gathered lumber. 6
Fortune, G. “Our Cause Is Just.” The Franklin Press, 26 July 1905.
I have yet to uncover the exact text of the ordinance. However, I did encounter a document that references the ordinance. It appears that on September 7, 1905, a town board meeting was held in N. P. Rankin‘s office at the courthouse. The individuals who were present included Mayor Bryson, Alderman Smith, Trotter, Mann, Potter, and M. D. Billings. The meeting minutes are quite parse, but they do note that the committee authorized the revised town ordinances to be printed in pamphlet form. Since this meeting appears to have occurred after Fortune’s article, it’s possible that it could be referring to a revised version of the ordinance that prohibited the church from reconstructing a new building.
Town board meeting notes regarding a revised town ordinance. in Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina on September 7, 1905.7
Agreement Reached
Regardless, the ordinance does not seem to be a coincidence. Push back from local residents urged the church to give up their land on Harrison Ave and rebuild elsewhere. Several white families, including the Harrisons, Higgins, Lyles, and the Ashes lived on or near Harrison Avenue.
A snippet of the 1900 Census in Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina. The image shows entries for the Samuel Lyle and Matt Ray families. 8
On August 11, 1905, the church’s trustees, Dudley Stewart, Nannie Ray, Ella Jones, Jennie Hays, and Addie Cline received $100 from Dr. S.H. Lyle, I.J. Ashe, and Dr. W. H. and in return agreed that “no building, church, school or other structure shall be erected on the property… and further agree that no corpse shall be hereafter buried on said lot nor… used for meeting or gathering place for holding services of any kind.” The land record goes on to state that the church is still welcome to care for the lot as a graveyard only.9
The church used the funds to purchase land from Matt and Nannie Ray on Green Street (where the current building now stands).
A screenshot from Google Maps showing Harrison Ave and Green St (highlighted in yellow) in Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina in 2024. 10
Moving the Graves
On August 7, 1916, the church sold their Harrison Avenue lot to C. C. Cunningham for $150 and agreed to move the bodies in the cemetery within six months. That same year, the church bought property next to the St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Churchcemetery and moved graves there from Harrison Avenue.
Blanche Ray Means, daughter of Matt and Nannie Ray, remembered that the original church building was a “simple board-and-batten structure, surrounded by less than a half-acre of churchyard.” She said that the churchyard was less than a half-acre and full of graves, most of them unmarked.11
Pastoral Timeline
In continuing the research of Ms. Barbara McRae, we’ve collectively identified several individuals as previous pastors of the church. I’ve listed them below with known dates of pastoral service:
C.N Walton (1894-1887)
J. F. Quinn (1897)
Charles L. Stewart (1900-1926)
G. W. James (1903-1904)
G. H. Jackson (1904)
C. R. Harris (served as bishop in 1905)
Edward Johnston McKay (1918-1920)
E. S. Wyler (1924)
Clifton T. Bryant (1930)
D. D. Moore (1937)
O. W. Connor (1943)
Edward Johnston McKay (1945)
Joseph P. Keaton (1949-1951)
Marie/Maria Hayward (1950-1956)
M. Williams (1957)
“Mrs. Rev. Elam” (1958?)
James “Jim” Conley (1960-1962)
E. A. Armstrong (1963)
Mattie Sue Ray (1966-1970s?)
A local resident indicated to me that the church was no longer in service by the 1970s.
Family Connections
While many of my ancestors had connections to Ray’s Chapel, a few are mentioned by name in the church’s history. Two trustees of the church, Dudley Stewart (1855-1918; son of Ruffin Stewart)12 and Manley Neusom Stewart (1888-1938), were great uncles. One of the church’s pastors, Charles L. Stewart (1869-1926), was also a great uncle. Charles and Manley were brothers and also grandsons of Ruffin Stewart.
The death certificate for Dudley Stewart (1855-1918). 13
Ray’s Chapel Today
A photo of Ray’s Chapel in August 2022. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
A photo of the cornerstone on the current Ray’s Chapel building. It notes that the church was established in 1865 and the current building was built in 1949. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
In 1949, the church building was replaced by the current building. Ray’s Chapel’s presently stands on Green St in Franklin, North Carolina.
The church, which is in heavy need of repairs, currently remains in a state of limbo. With no congregation or functional church services since at least the 1970s, the church currently remains as an endangered testament to the history of Black folks in the region. While this blog post only serves as a starting point, it is my hope that documenting this history will play a small part in taking steps towards its preservation.
A special thanks is due to Ms. Barbara McRae, whose work laid the foundation for my own research into the church’s history, and to Liliana Vitale, who provided me with copies of records and helped me talk through multiple aspects of this history.
This series of blog posts entitled “New Hope Cemetery” highlights the individuals who are buried in the Franklin, North Carolina cemetery. After visiting the cemetery for the first time, I became interested in learning more about the people who are buried there. Since then, I’ve started scouring records to uncover more about their lives. To learn more about New Hope Cemetery, check out this page and this post.
Below in italics, you’ll find a short fictional piece that imagines a specific moment from that person’s life. After that, I present summary of my initial research findings. While I recognize that it may be impossible to completely piece their lives back together, I hope that these posts will humanize each individual, celebrate their legacy, and emphasize the importance of this cemetery.
She was just the tiniest thing, Miss Alma Chavis. You couldn’t tell by how she carried on though. She might’ve been the baby girl in a home full of boys, but she kept up with each of her brothers, even Charles, the oldest.
But on one particular Saturday afternoon, she pulled her self away from rough-housing with them and followed an enticing scent from the kitchen. Her mother had just pulled something out of the oven. Alma, peeked her head in the doorway, inching forward for a closer look. Cinnamon and sweet potato wafted through the air. A pie! She just had to get a taste.
“Whatcha doin’, baby?” — Betty peered behind her. She set the pie down with a soft thud. “You can’t have none of this til supper, now. Go on.” She shooed her away with a gloved hand.
But Alma just couldn’t resist. As soon as her mother’s back was turned, she made her move. Deftly, she made for a stool, climbed each rung with dexterity, and dipped a small finger right in the center of the piece. Just as immediately, she squealed– pies are much hotter than they first appear to be. Her mother whipped around with surprise as little Alma shoved the finger in her mouth, tears of joy trailing down her face.
At four years old, Alma Chavis is one of the youngest people buried in New Hope Cemetery. She was the daughter of Charlie Chavis and Betty Harshaw (both of whom are located in the center of the photo below).
A photo of Charles and Betty Chavis with some of their relatives. It’s likely that this photo was taken in the 1940s. [Original photo from the album of Josephine Greenwood Burgess.] 13
She lived in Franklin with her parents and her brothers, Charles, George, and Earnest. Their family lived in a home next to the Stewart, Gillespie, and Grant families, on land owned by Betty. Alma’s father, Charlie, worked many an odd job around town. Both of her parents could read and write.
A 1930 Census entry for Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina showing Alma Chavis and her family. Alma is highlighted in the green box. 14
During the Summer of 1933, Alma fell ill with “Lobar Pneumonia.” Although she was attended by a doctor, she sadly passed away a few days later. Her family held a small home funeral and buried her at New Hope on June 26, 1933.
The death certificate of Alma Chavis (1929-1933). 15
A photo of Harmony Hill Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina in December 2022. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
A view of Violet Hill Cemetery from behind Harmony Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
Until recently, I hadn’t visited the cemetery where the Kennedy family was buried. It’s possible the Kennedy name may sound familiar to you. I’ve written a little bit about Reverend James T. Kennedy, as it relates to his significant influence on St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church, where he served as an educator and minister. Carrie Stewart credits him with her manners and education.16 Much has been recorded about Mr. Kennedy’s life. Unfortunately, so far, I’ve found little of Mrs. Kennedy’s life. This post captures only a fraction of their life experiences here.
Both Reverend Kennedy and his wife, Florine Reese Kyer Kennedy, are buried in Violet Hill Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina. The cemetery is located on the grounds of Harmony Hill Baptist Church.
The graves of Reverend James Thomas Kennedy and his wife, Florine Reese Kyer Kennedy, in Violet Hill Cemetery, Asheville, North Carolina. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
James Thomas Kennedy (1865-1956) and Florine Reese Kyer (1866-1962)
Reverend James T. Kennedy [Photo Credit: Photo Album of Carrie Stewart]
James Thomas Kennedy was a native of Columbia, South Carolina, born on August 25, 1865. At the age of 22, he answered a newspaper ad that sought the assistance of a church worker in Franklin. He was asked to come to Franklin by Reverend John A. Deal, the Priest-in-Charge of missionary work in Southwestern North Carolina, on January 1, 1887. 17
When he first came to town, he boarded with Carrie‘s parents, James and Luvenia McDonnell (Carrie would’ve been 9 or 10 years old at the time).
While at St. Cyprian’s, he taught numerous Black students in the ways of mathematics, reading, writing, and carpentry. In 1890, he was ordained as a deacon and became Minister-in-Charge of the church. 18
Florine Reese Kyer was born in Columbia, South Carolina on May 28, 1866. She would go on to direct activities in the teaching school, Women’s Auxiliary, and other activities of the church Mission.
James married Florine on June 18, 1890 in Columbia, South Carolina. When they returned to Franklin, the community welcomed them with a big dinner celebration. 19
Together, Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy had six children:
Sophia Katheline Kennedy Miller (2/25/1892-1979)
Florine Kennedy (11/1894-6/15/1916)
Rebecca Kennedy (7/1899-9/9/1915)
Ethel Kennedy Mills (1902-7/22/2004)
James Edward Kennedy (3/20/1904-1/23/1944)
John Kennedy (1907-?)
Moving to Asheville
In 1911, the family moved to Asheville, North Carolina and moved with their children who now ranged from age 4 to 19. 20 Reverend Kennedy had been sent to St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Asheville, North Carolina to serve the patronage as Deacon-in-Charge. By 1915, Kennedy was ordained to Priesthood and by 1920, he became Archdeacon. With his new position, he was put in charge of the “colored Jurisdiction of Asheville.”21
A relative told me that even after moving to Asheville, Reverend Kennedy would travel extensively, preaching to various congregations in the western part of the state. Often times, he even made it back to St. Cyprian’s. By 1938, Reverend James T. Kennedy had retired, but was still preaching as needed for the African American communities of Western North Carolina.22 At the age of 84, he also spent his time creating carpentry pieces in his own shop.23 As an effective and prolific carpenter, Kennedy crafted multiple wooden pieces for many of the churches in Western North Carolina, including an altar and baptismal font for St. Cyprian’s during his early years.
Lives Well Lived
Mary E. Walters conducted an interview with Kennedy in 1956 and had asked him to reflect on his life. His reply: 24
“I just did what had to be done. I accepted life as things came and liked it. I think the greatest of my accomplishments was teaching people to read and write. The results of that work reach down to the present day.”
According to an obituary published in “The Living Church,” Mrs. Florine Kennedy was also an accomplished leader in the community. She served as the first president of the Fifth District of the Women’s Auxiliary of Western North Carolina. 25
Reverend Kennedy passed away on November 3, 1956 at the age of 91. 26 Mrs. Kennedy passed away on February 15, 1962 at the age of 95. 27 Both are laid to rest at Violet Hill Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina.
A Brief Note About Violet Hill Cemetery
A photo showing a path bordered by graves in Violet Hill Cemetery. [Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
The cemetery was founded in 1932 by Dr. L. O. Miller, a well-known physician in the local Black community at the time, in an effort to offer a dignified burial place for Black people of all professions and backgrounds. Violet Hill is one of the oldest African American burial grounds in Asheville. 28
Today, Violet Hill appears to be connected to a church named Harmony Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The burial site is vast; according to FindAGrave, over 2,300 individuals are buried there. 29
