Historic Graveyard Tour – Panther Creek

Williams Family Graveyard

The third of six stops on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour that was held on May 2, 2009 in Lewisville, North Carolina took us to the Williams Family Graveyard located on the (private) property of the historic Panther Creek Plantation on Double Springs Road. (Click to read the previous post on the Historic Graveyard Tour at Double Springs AME Zion Church.)

Leading our group on this portion of the tour was the owner of the property, Lanier Williams, who is 88 years old. In 1766 his great-great-grandfather, Joseph Williams, purchased several thousand acres spanning both sides of the Yadkin River and established what came to be known as Panther Creek Plantation.

Mr. Williams walked us through the graveyard, pointing out the graves of various relatives and telling us a little about them. For instance, his great-great-grandfather distinguished himself as an Indian fighter and a Revolutionary War colonel. And one of Joseph Williams’ sons, Lewis James Williams, served in both the N.C. Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.

The oldest grave in the Williams cemetery is Joseph Williams’ — he was born in 1748 and died in 1827. One unusual grave has a pair of little boots and socks carved out of the top of the gravestone, commemorating the tragic death of two-year-old Emily Kerr, who died in a fire.

Photos, Audio and Additional Information

Check out the links below to the PHOTO GALLERY (which includes photos of the grounds, as well as of the graveyard) and the 5-minute MP3 RECORDING of Lanier Williams.

For ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on the Williams family, you might want to read Williams: 300 Years of Leadership in America, A History of the Descendants of John Williams of Llangollen, Wales, published in 1997. I suggest checking with the Lewisville Library or the Lewisville Historical Society to see if either of them has a copy of this book, which I believe is now out of print.

Photo Gallery: Panther Creek Plantation and Graveyard Photo Gallery
Audio: Historical Intro – Panther Creek Plantation and Graveyard Recording (MP3, 5 MIN.)

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about the other local historic graveyards featured on this website.

Double Springs Memorial Celebration

Remembering, Honoring, Celebrating

On this Memorial Day weekend, a memorial celebration service was held at the site of the historic Double Springs AME Zion Church in Lewisville, North Carolina. Friends, family and a few remaining former members gathered at the church’s graveyard this past Saturday, May 23, 2009 to remember, honor and celebrate.

They remembered those who had gone before them in the founding of the church and in the life of the church until its final service in 1982. And they recounted the efforts that began over ten years ago to clean up, repair and improve the graveyard. (See the previous post, Graveyard Tour – Double Springs AME Zion, for additional coverage of the church’s history and graveyard renovation efforts.)

They honored the remaining living members of the church. And they celebrated with song, fellowship and good food.

To access the PHOTO GALLERY, as well as to hear a 10-MINUTE AUDIO RECORDING of the service highlights, please continue to the NEXT SECTION. CLICK for more on the Double Springs Memorial Celebration

Graveyard Tour – Double Springs AME Zion

Double Springs AME Zion Church

The second of six stops on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour held on May 2, 2009 in Lewisville, North Carolina took us to the site of Double Springs AME Zion Church. (Click to read the previous post on the Historic Graveyard Tour at Concord United Methodist Church.)

Although the Double Springs AME Zion Church building no longer exists, the ties of family and faith played a key role in resurrecting the church’s once-neglected and much-vandalized graveyard which dates back to the early 1900s.

To see and hear more regarding Double Springs AME Zion Church and its graveyard, simply continue to the NEXT SECTION for PHOTOS, AUDIO, a MAP and news of a SPECIAL EVENT on Saturday, May 23, 2009. CLICK for more on Double Springs AME Zion Church

Historic Graveyard Tour – Concord UMC

Touring the Graveyard

The first stop on the 2009 Historic Graveyard Tour held on May 2, 2009 (previously introduced in the Historic Graveyard Tour post) was Concord United Methodist Church. Church members Shelton Barefoot and Wilma Jones shared information and answered questions on the church and the graveyard.

Included in the links below is a five-minute AUDIO CLIP in which you’ll hear Shelton and Wilma explain some of the history of Concord United Methodist Church and its graveyard. As the oldest Methodist congregation in Forsyth County, you’ll hear of the church’s founding in the late 1700s and of the great land deal initiated by charter member, Henry Stultz. You’ll also learn about the numerous veterans buried in the graveyard.

To see and hear more regarding Concord United Methodist Church and its graveyard, simply CLICK the links below for PHOTOS, AUDIO, a HISTORY WEB PAGE and a MAP.

Photo Gallery and Other Links

Photo Gallery: Historic Graveyard Tour – Concord United Methodist Church
Audio: Historical Introduction – Concord UMC/Graveyard (MP3, 5 MIN.)
Church Website – History Page: A Brief History of Concord United Methodist Church
Google Map: Concord United Methodist Church

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about the other local historic graveyards featured on this website.

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