Turner’s Grove AME Zion Church

It’s been difficult finding much information about this little church in print. In fact the only reason I know when it was built is the cornerstone has an inscription with the date September, 1907. It may have also served a dual role as a colored school in the 1920’s/1930’s.The land was originally granted to DavidContinue reading “Turner’s Grove AME Zion Church”

Photo of The Day: Set In Stone

To err is human, to forgive divine, but I would have had trouble with this one. I came across Charlie Tulbert’s marker today recording some stones for Find A Grave. I can only imagine the family gathering to mourn the passing of a loved one and realizing that the mason botched his name. I don’tContinue reading “Photo of The Day: Set In Stone”

Photo of the Day +

Today’s photo of the day is really several. On a quick trip through the county I made a stop at Hunting Creek Friend’s Meeting in Hamptonville, a small church that I’ve found some old pictures of researching another story.It’s a fascinating little church with an interesting style to it’s steeple that I haven’t seen inContinue reading “Photo of the Day +”

Where Are The Houstonville Moravian Graves?

When exploring the history of the Houstonville Moravian Church, it quickly became evident there was an unresolved mystery concerning it’s graveyard.To simplify the content of the full post on that church into relevant data, here is the history of the graveyard I have been able to discover. The first recorded death in the church isContinue reading “Where Are The Houstonville Moravian Graves?”

Houstonville Moravian Church

Houstonville, North Carolina is a little community on the north end of Iredell county. It hasn’t always been as small as it is now- today it’s most notable feature is a crossroads where a few buildings still sit on NC highway 21, but it’s history is much larger than what that modest little crossroads canContinue reading “Houstonville Moravian Church”

Researchers exhuming the body of “Marshal Ney” in hopes of DNA testing.

The old stories are all new again. Despite all the past efforts and the various learned men and women opining on the matter, it looks like there might finally be conclusive proof as to whether the man who immigrated to America and died in Mocksville was actually one of Napoleon’s most trusted men.Today, French researchersContinue reading “Researchers exhuming the body of “Marshal Ney” in hopes of DNA testing.”

The Bugle Boy Who Was Buried Twice

Thomas Boyd Speaks was born in Union Grove, NC in 1901 to John Peter (J.P.) Speaks and Gillie Lutissen Templeton. Thomas’ father John was a local farmer who lived just off NC-901 and had been in the community his whole life. With a sizeable property of almost 100 acres, he was probably able to keepContinue reading “The Bugle Boy Who Was Buried Twice”

Olive Branch Church

The little hill in Davie County where Olive Branch Methodist Church once stood has been in use for over 200 years in one way or another.The church was organized on paper in 1804, but before that met in an old log schoolhouse building in roughly the same area. It may have been in use forContinue reading “Olive Branch Church”

Is Marshal Ney of France Buried in North Carolina?

Sitting out of place among the modest headstones of Third Creek Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, NC is a grave that has been enclosed by a brick structure. No one is quite sure who the man buried beneath truly is. However, locals believed he was a famous French soldier. Michel Ney was Napoleon’s “Marshal of theContinue reading “Is Marshal Ney of France Buried in North Carolina?”