ARCHIBALD GRAHAM GRAVEYARD This cemetery is located in Cleveland County, N.C., Township No. 3 on the west side of Buffalo Creek and about ½ mile from creek on a high hill or knoll overlooking a wide expanse of bottom land on buffalo and Beason's Creeks. The same being about 1 mile north of old home of Arthur Graham and known as the Old Graham Brick House, and northeast of the Shelby-Grover State Highway. The land is now owned by Mr. James M. Allen, who lives just north of the graveyard. Owner of Cemetery: Mr. James M. Allen Approximate number of marked graves: 16 Number of unmarked graves: 17 Earliest marked grave: Archibald Graham, d. 1802 Condition: Until recently this graveyard was badly neglected and grown up in large trees, bushes, weeds, and undergrowth, but enclosed with an unusually well-built stone wall some three feet wide and three and one-half feet high, with handmade heavy iron gate on west side. The graveyard is about 50 x 60 feet. About one year ago the lot was cleaned off by members of the Herdon family, but it is still in foul condition. It contains four cedar trees, two poplars, five walnut, two black oak trees of medium size with indication of many large trees having died or been destroyed. Date of survey: April 8, 1939 Workers: Forest Williams and Anson G. Melton Inscriptions: Smith, Sarah E., consort of R. B. Smith & daughter of Wulliecue Cyntha Graham D. June 18, 1848 Aged: 24 years, 7 months, 21 days Graham, Jeffries John D. Aug. 24, 1841 Aged: 19 years, 5 months, 17 days "Who left a companion and one child." Graham, William D. Dec. 26, 1838 Aged: 41 years, 11 months, 19 days "He left a wife and 8 children." Graham, Infant daughter of Wm. & S. Graham D. Feb. 26, 1832 Graham, Archibald D. 1802 Aged: 98 years "Adieu to all both now and forever my living wife and children dear, etc." Chandler, Elizabeth D. Jan. 4, 1853 Aged: 87 years "First married to Arthur Graham and 1815 to Timothy Chandler." Graham, Arthur D. Nov. 27, 1805 Aged: 43 years Graham, Margaret D. 1809 Aged: 88 years Chandler, Timothy D. Jan. 20, 1832 Aged: 63 years Graham, Polly, wife of John Graham B. Aug. 31, 1792 D. Feb. 9, 1853 Aged: 60 years, 5 months, 8 days Herndon, Sophla [This is typed SOFLA not SOPHIA.] D. Sept. 10, 1840 Aged: 27 years, 10 months, 2 days "Left husband and infant daughter." Graham, John D. Nov. 27, 1830 Aged: 42 years Graham, Edgar S. B. 1856 D. 1903 Graham, Mary E. B. 1829 D. 1892 Graham, Arthur B. 1836 D. 1888 Graham, Matseyn D. 1806 in 10th year of her age "About 150 yards West of cemetery on a knoll stood a house many years ago, which was probably the home of Archibald Graham at the time of his death. Also some 250 yards South of grave yard, we were informed by a grand son of Mr. James M. Allen, was located a Negro grave yard where negro slaves were buried, which contained some 25 or 30 graves. This Negro grave yard is now entirely plowed up and being cultivated in cotton by Mr. A. D. Allen, owner of land." "Family and located tradition is that Archibald Graham was the father of Col. Williams Graham, Arthur Graham, James Graham, and John Graham. Hunter in his Sketches of Western N.C., page 322, says 'Col. William Graham was the son of Archibald Graham, of Scotland. He (Col. Wm. Graham) was born in Augusta County, Va. In 1742. He emigrated to N.C. several years previous to the Revolutionary War, became the owner of much valuable land, and finally settled on (West bank Of) First Broad River, then in Tryon County (later in Rutherford County) but now in Cleveland County.' " "Following data taken from Marriage Records of Old Tryon and Lincoln Counties, by Curtis Bynum, to-wit. " ' Archibald Graham, married Jane Beaty, August 21, 1772 " ' John Graham, married Polly Caruth, Dec. 4, 1808 " ' John Graham, married Bridget Little, Nov. 11, 1834 " ' Joseph Herdon, married Sophia N. Graham, Nov. 28, 1839' "The Grahams, Collins and Quinns were early settlers on Buffalo Creek and all were active in the Revolutionary War. Hence, the following data: Kings Mountain and Its Heroes, by Draper, (pages 201 & 202 says.) " 'While Col. Ferguson lay in camp at James Step's place (Sat. Sept. 30, 1780) in present County of Polk, he received the alarming intelligence (through two Whig deserters, James Crawford and Samuel Chambers) of the rapid approach of the Back Water men, (Shelby, Sevier, and Cleveland) in strong force. Col. Ferguson promptly notified Lord Cornwallis at Charlotte of his danger, and necessity of reinforcement. The message was confided to Abraham Collins and Peter Quinn, who resided on the borders of the two Carolina, and were well acquainted with the route. They took the most direct course, crossing Second Broad River at Webb's Ford, thence by way what is now Mooresboro to first Broad River at Stice's Shoal and thence on to Collins' Mill on Buffalo, thence Southeast to King's Mountain, thence by Betyany Presbyterian Church in York County, S.C., thence crossing Catawba River at Mason's Ferry.' Draper, in foot note, page 202, says: 'That after the war, Abraham Collins, entered very valuable lands on buffalo Creek in Cleveland County; that Collins was often infeopardy [as typewritten] on account of his nororious [as typewritten] counterfeiting practices, and frequently in jail; but always had friends enuf [as typewritten] to help him out. He died in poverty near Stice's Shoal on First Broad River. Peter Quinn led a worthier life, and became the progenitor of very numerous descendents, some of them, in this county (Cleveland) and in the West, highly respectable people.' Also, John R. Logan in his history of the Broad River and King's Mountain Associations, at page 497, says: 'That Peter and Abraham Collins were loyalists, etc.; and that Hugh Quinn was a son of Peter Quinn; that Hugh Quinn became a Baptist preacher about 1820 and moved to Georgia about 1827.' Present Ellis' Ferry was formerly known as Quinn's (Hugh Quinn) Ferry, and that Hugh Quinn was many years Post Master of an office in that community called Irvinville; prior to that date Quinn's Ferry was known as Burr Town, and was actually plated and laid out about 1802 on East side of said Broad River. "The Papers of John Steele, by Wagstaff, Vol. 1, page 453 (foot note), Published by the N.C. Historical Commission, states: " 'Abraham Collins and Allen Twitty were indicted June 20, 1805, in the U.S. District Court at Raleigh, on three courts [counts?] for counterfeiting and passing counterfeit notes and their bail was fixed at Twenty ($20,000) thousand dollars. The case became a celebrated one in respect to the interest it awakened by virtue of the able control employed by the defence. Collins was acquitted on a technicality in 1810. Twitty's case was continued.' Also, this same matter is mentioned by Sherrill in his Annals of Lincoln County, at page 69. "Federal Census of 1790 for Lincoln County, published in State Records of N.C., Vol. 26, page 718, list Abraham Collins in Lincoln County as having one White male child under Sixteen years old. Also, in the same community, are found listed the names of Joseph Collins, Jacob Collins, James Collins, Arthur G. Graham, James Graham, and Archibald Graham as head of family. Archibald Graham is listed as owning five slaves, and his son Arthur Graham as owning 22 slaves. In same volume under Rutherford County, page 1070, are listed john Graham, (Brother of Col. Wm. Graham), Sam McBriors (McBrayer), Allen Twitty, Col. Wm. Graham had 11 slaves. "WILLIAM GREEN-It is said that was the first White man born in what is now known as Cleveland County, N.C. He was born on Buffalo Creek near the State Line. May 16, 1753, at which date the county was then known as Anson County. He served in the Rev. War, on both sides, and following the war he represented the County of Rutherford in the Legislature fifteen of eighteen times between 1795 to 1820. (See Griffin's Hist. of Rutherford and Tryon Counties.) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This cemetery is among the many Cleveland cemeteries included on the Cleveland Count WPA Cemeteries CD, copyrighted 2008, by Ann K. Propst and Derick S. Hartshorn. All listings and cemeteries listings were made prior to 1940 and represent the contions of that time. All information has been donated to the NCGenWeb Project but retains copyright protection by the authors. It may be referenced and briefly exerpted under the universal fair use doctrine. For a copy of the complete Cleveland County WPA Cemetery Survey, see http://www.hartshorn.us/CWPA.htm