POOL CEMETERY

This cemetery is located in Cleveland County, N.C. in No. 9 Township on
the east side of First Broad River between old home of Richard T. Hord
and the old Lincolnton-Rutherfordton Stage Coach Road on the lands of
the Late Richard T. Hord, now belonging to Anderson Hord.

Owner of Cemetery: Anderson Hord

Approximate number of marked graves: 1
 Unmarked graves: 20

Earliest marked grave: Simpson Pool, d. May 24, 1811

General condition of cemetery: Grown up in bushes and absolutely
abandoned! It is about 50 x 75 feet.

Date of survey: Aug. 28, 1939
Workers: Forest Williams and Anson G. Melton

 Following data by P. Cleveland Gardner, Cleveland County Historian

 Present markers:

 _________ "1841" (marker broken); _____ foot rock. :"S.P."

A negro tenant now resides on this farm, and on Sunday, August 27, 1939,
Forest B. Williams and myself visited this graveyard in company with
said tenant. In 1928, I, myself, had visited said graveyard in the
interest of family and county history, and at that time said graveyard
was in a body of virgin forest, and graveyard abandoned, but markers
standing; at that time I listed one grave or marker as follows, to wit:
"Pool, Simpson, d. May 24, 1811. Age 9 years." However, on my visit
today (Lord's Day) I find that said virgin forest has been destroyed and
surrounding ground in cultivation, the graveyard grown up in oak and
hickory bushes; also, a Guinea sitting on a nest of four eggs and a
"highland" terrapin sitting near by waiting for the cackle or
"pot-a-rack" announcing the birth of an egg; in the meantime we stumbled
over a wasp that was more willing to battle than the crazy HILTLER of
Germany but, instead of announcing our willingness to arbitrate we
immediately took to our feet like a bunch of cowards, surrendered Danzig
(graveyard) without a shot, and in our hasty retreat the African tenant
and companion led the way! However, our investigation was full and
complete. Lewis Ledford, pioneer settler of Cleveland county, N.C., was
married twice: his first wife being Miss Fannie Thacketon, by which
marriage five children were born, to wit: James Laney Ledford, Craton
Ledford, Ellis Ellisberry (Buck) Ledford, Rixy Ledford, and Darcus E.
Ledford. Lewis Ledford was married a second time, his second wife being
Miss Fannie B. Ledford, whose maiden name was Miss Fannie B. Pool; she
was born in 1798 and died March 19, 1861, and is said to be the first
person buried in New Bethel Baptist Church Graveyard. Said Lewis
Ledford is buried by her side. Lewis Ledford and his second wife,
Fannie B. Pool, had five children as follows:

 1. Deilma M. Ledford m. Lewis Turner.
 2 Lewis McKey Ledford m. Miss Annie Williams.
 3. Francis Burton Ledford m. John Yarbrough.
 4. Mahala Ramsour Ledford was second wife of Richard T. Hord and they
 has six children as follows: Anderson, George C., Harriett Emily, Mag,
 and a child [who died?] in infancy.
 5. Quincy Ledford died at age of two years.

The will of Lewis M. Ledford is dated Feby. 6, 1884, probated March 10,
1884, recorded in Book of Wills No. 2, page 262.

The 1850 Census of North Carolina for Cleveland County lists three Pool
families in the county as follows, to-wit: Miles Pool, age 61 born in
Virginia. He had eight children. Thomas Pool, age 51, born in N.C. He
had six children. James Pool, age 44, born in N.C. he had nine
children.

It is not definitely known what Pool settled at or near this graveyard!
Oldest members of the Ledford family state that Lewis Ledford's second
wife was Francis B. Pool and lived at site of home of the late Monroe
Spurling, between Cleveland Mills and Belwood. However, older members
of the Ledford family inform me that this Francis B. Pool was a daughter
or granddaughter of the pioneer settler Pool who located or settled near
this Pool graveyard. To those interested, I suggest that you examine
records in courts house of Rutherford County for land grants, deed,
wills, administrators and executors.

In 1928 I visited this graveyard and observed a number of markers and
made notation of the marker of Simpson Pool, above listed. Today there
is not a single marker standing! The land adjoining and surround this
graveyard has been cleared and put into cultivation since said date, and
a number of plain field stones piled in middle of cemetery, cedar trees
cut down, etc. On extreme southeast corner of graveyard I found a head
marker broken with date " 841" written, and a foot marker with letters
"S.P." Therefore, in addition to family tradition I take this to be the
Pool graveyard. The data as to Simpson Pool is correct and now in my
possession as listed in 1928.

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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 conditions of that time.
All information has been donated to the NCGenWeb Project but authors retain copyright protection under law.
It may be referenced and briefly exerpted under the universal fair use doctrine.
For a copy of the complete Cleveland County WPA Cemetery Survey CD, see http://www.hartshorn.us/CWPA.htm