Visiting New Hope Cemetery
On my latest trip to Franklin, I made my first visit to New Hope Cemetery. The cemetery was established in the 1800s and was in use by members of New Hope Methodist Church, a church that was established by the Black members of the Franklin United Methodist Church.
For decades, the cemetery had largely remained forgotten. However, in 2013, Andrew Baldwin, began the “New Hope Cemetery Restoration Project” as an Eagle Scout project in an effort to preserve the historic cemetery. According to Baldwin, the cemetery contains seven marked graves and thirty-four unmarked graves. 1. Another eight individuals may also be buried here. According to Josephine Greenwood Burgess (1920-2014), one of the last members of the church, the last burial in the cemetery took place in the 1940s. 2
After a short, but rugged hike, the cemetery opens into a small, quiet clearing. As you get closer, a few of the headstones are visible above the brush. The landscape is dotted by several unmarked graves. I was saddened to see that the undergrowth had grown up again. Vegetation was tall, easily overtaking my knee in places and making it difficult to find all of the unmarked graves.
Of the marked graves, a few names and epitaphs were visible. I’ve included photos of the legible headstones I encountered and my transcriptions of their text below:
Jency McAfee
JUNE 2, 1835
MAR 27, 1907
SAVED BY GRACE
Maggie Thomas
BUR JULY
30 1913
Ada
DAU OF JESSE & LOUISA
GREENWOOD
SEPT 13, 1878
DEC 14, 1904
Weep not father
and mother for me
For I am waiting
In glory for thee
Jan 5 1913
Lizzie Dickey
WIFE OF HE DICKEY
DEAR ONE GONE
TO LIVE WITH
THE ENGLES IN PEACE
While working on his project, Andrew Baldwin also identified Mollie Holden (1859-1906), W.F. Dickey, and one illegible marker.
The lettering of several marked graves were quite faded, threatening to be lost to time.
Other graves were marked with various stones. I imagine even more graves remain hidden.
[Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
[Photo Credit: Olivia Dorsey]
One of my ancestors, James Rufus Stewart (1868-1919) (brother of Joseph Elexander Stewart), was also buried somewhere in this cemetery, according to section 19 of his death certificate:
“North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3DW-Y22 : 20 February 2021), James R. Stewart, 14 Dec 1919; citing Franklin Township, Macon Co., North Carolina, reference fn 504 cn 493, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,892,500.
Additionally, Josephine Greenwood Burgess’ father, Thomas Greenwood, was also buried in this cemetery.
As I looked towards a path at the end of the clearing and storm clouds began rolling through, I was left wondering what about the lives of people interred there and what could be done to bring the cemetery back to its restored status.
Outstanding work, looking forward to more information