THE WELLMON-WEATHERS CEMETERY This cemetery is located in No. 6 Township, Cleveland County, N.C. adjoining lands of Amos Cornwell, deceased (formerly the Weathers land), and being about one fourth mile north of Zion Baptist Church, and being about 4 ½ miles north of Shelby, N.C., and consisting of one fourth of an acres, being completely enclosed by a substantial concrete fence about 3 ½ feet high and is kept cleaned off nicely. It is situated about 100 yards north of what is known as the Lutz Road on a knoll being also about 125 yards west of First Broad River. Owner of Cemetery: Deed of Records in Cleveland County Court House Approximate number of marked graves: 26 Before 1914: 24 After 1914: 2 Unmarked graves: 9 Earliest marked grave: Two infants of Wm. and Rebecca Wellmon, d. 1817 General condition of cemetery: The cemetery is in first class condition, free from weeds and grass and enclosed by a commanding concrete wall. Date of survey: January 6, 1939 Worker: Anson G. Melton (The first court in Cleveland County was held in William Weather's house. The building is still standing-a two-story structure in a somewhat dilapidated state. Reported by L. J. Wiggins, age 77, resident of Zion community.) (Data by P. Cleveland Gardner, Cleveland County Historian, and great grandson of William N. Wellmon and wife, Rebecca Weathers Wellmon, and a great-great grandson of Willie Weathers.) Willis Weathers, sometimes spelled "Withers", was the very first Weathers to settle in what is now Cleveland County. In a book published in 1915 by Laban Miles Hoffman, of Dallas, N.C., entitled, "Our Kin", pages 545-548, a sketch is given of the Weathers (Withers) family of Gaston County, formerly Lincoln and Tryon. John Weathers, born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, settled a few hundred yards east of Long Creek Baptist Church. He had fourteen children. He settled in Gaston County prior to Rev. War. Also, Hoffman lists the name of Elisha Weathers who settled in same section of Gaston County. Elisha Weathers was born Aug. 14, 1762 in Stafford County, Virginia, and died Sept. 3, 1840 in Lincoln County, N.C. He reared a large family and was buried at Long Creek Church near his home. His grave and that of his wife (Sarah Gaskins or Gaston) are marked by modest marble slabs. He had twelve children. See Hunter's Sketches of Western, N.C., page 300. The relationship of the Weatherses of Cleveland County and Gaston County is not known at this date. However, it is probable that said John Weathers who settled in what is now Gaston County before the Rev. War was the father of both Elisa Weathers and Willis Weathers. Willis Weathers was born March 29, 1759 in Sussex County, Virginia; and while a resident of Franklin County, N.C. he enlisted Sept. 28, 1780 and served as private in Capt. Jenkin's Devaney's company, Colonels Heart and Branch's North Carolina Regiment. Also, he served in other companies. Following the Rev. War he lived in the York District, S.C., eleven years and in Mecklenburg County, N.C. three years, after which he moved to Rutherford County, N.C. now known as the Zion Baptist Church community some four miles northwest of Shelby in Cleveland County. ON Sunday, Nov. 26, 1933, I visited this old graveyard with my aged Uncle William Perry Wellmon, aged eighty odd years; he told me that Willis Weathers was the first Weathers to settle in Cleveland County, and he pointed out site of his old home located about two hundred yards north and across the road from old William Weathers' home where the first courts were held in Cleveland County in 1841. Marks of chimney to Willis Weathers' old home is still visible. My uncle told me that the mother-in-law of Willis Weathers lived there with him. Also, Willis Weathers had some four children, to-wit; Williams Weathers who married Cecelia Padgett, Willis Weathers who settled in Rutherford County; Rebecca Weathers who married William AN. Wellmon; and a daughter who married a Mr. Padgett and settled on Sandy Run Creek eight miles north of Zion Baptist Church. Also, there was one daughter who died when a young woman. She was killed by lightning and buried in said graveyard. He said that the mother-in-law of Willis Weathers was a "Terry" or a name similar to that, and that she was the first person buried in said graveyard, and that Willis Weathers, his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, are all buried in a row in northwest corner, with no marker, except government marker to Willis Weathers which I procured since said date. The following diagram gives location of graves of Willis Weathers, his wife, his daughter, and mother-in-law; also, of William Weathers, and his negro slave named "George", and Peggy Haney: The land on which this graveyard is located was formerly the land of William N. Wellmon and wife, Rebecca Weathers Wellmon, and was by them set apart and reserved as a graveyard when the estate was settled, which deed is filed of record in office of the Register of Deeds of Cleveland County. About the year of 1912, the twelve children of William R. Wellmon donated Twenty ($25.00) Five Dollars each to erect a concrete wall around said graveyard, with heavy iron gate at south corner. The last person buried in this graveyard was Rebecca (Sissie) Wellmon Evans, widow of Lewis Evans, which was about the year of 1924 or 1925. She was the youngest child of William N. Wellmon and wife, Rebecca Weathers Wellmon. Willis Weathers deeded the land on which Zion Baptist Church now stands. Records are as follows: Willis Weathers to Samuel Bailey, William Covington, Mark Dedmon, Commissioners of the "ANA BAPTIST CHURCH or SOCIETY OF ZION", three (3) acres of land, consideration $20.00, said deed being dated April 5, 1814, witnessed by John Martin and William Dedmon, and probated November 22, 1844, and recorded in Book B at pages 561 and 562, in office of Register of Deeds of Cleveland County, N.C. Mark Dedmon was a soldier in the Rev. War; also, it is thought that the other two Commissioners, Samuel Bailey and William Covington, were soldiers in the Rev. War. DIAGRAM---- NORTH _______________________________________________ I 5. Wm. Weathers 7. "George" I (Negro Slave) I 6. Peggy Haney I I 4. ___________ I I 3. ___________ I I 2. ___________ I I I WEST I I EAST I_______________________ I I I I I I I I I Here I are two I I I rows of I graves of I I I Wellmon I family, I I I with I markers to I I I most of I them I I I I I I I I I I I____Gate______________________________________ I SOUTH KEY TO ABOVE DIAGRAM: Graves Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are graves of Willis Weathers, his wife, his daughter, and his mother-in-law, but order in which buried is not known. The grave of Willis Weathers was marked by me several years ago and is thought to be his grave. Grave No. 5 is the grave of Sq. William Weathers, who died about 1860 or 1865. We recently erected a marker at his grave. Grave No. 6 is that of Peggy Haney, who died prior to the death of Sq. William Weathers. Grave No. 7 is that of "George", a Negro Slave, of Sq. William Weathers. The Wellmon family are buried in the southwest corner and on the left as you enter the iron gate on the south. My uncle, William Perry Wellmon, says that Sq. William Weathers had a red or sandy red hair, and that he was a low, stout, heavy man, and a heavier man than William R. Wellmon. (NOTE: Under date, July 30, 1859, David Evans made and executed to Rebecca Wellmon, her heirs and assigns, forever, one-fourth acre of land including the above named grave yard, where the connection of said Rebecca Wellmon are buried. This deed was probated Jan. 1, 1879, and record in office of Register of Cleveland County, N.C., on Jan. 3, 1879, and filed in Book M. of Deeds, at Page ____. The original deed is now in my possession. P. Cleveland Gardner, County Historian, and great grandson of Rebecca Wellmon.) Inscriptions: "Weathers, Willis, North Carolina Pvt. N.G. Regt. Rev. War. 1840." (Forebear of Hon. Bynum E. Weathers). Worker, A. G. Melton) Wellmon, Two infant children of Wm. & Rebecca Wellmon D. 1817 Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. D. 1864 Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. D. 1861 Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. D. 1856 Wellmon, Rebecca, wife of W. R. Wellmon, Sr. D. Nov. 15, 1876 Aged: 45 yrs., and 15 days Wellmon, W. R. B. May 27, 1821 D. Aug. 24, 1905 Aged: 84 years, 2 months, and 27 days Wellmon, Arrie R., daughter of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. D. Oct. 22, 1881 Aged: 24 years, 4 months, and 15 days Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. 1858 Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. 1849 Wellmon, Infant of W. R. & R. Wellmon, Sr. 1869 Wellmon, Finetta D. Jan. 6, 1860 Aged: 40 years, 10 mos., and 22 days Hendrick, Infant daughter of Chapel and Mary Ann Hendrick B. April 26, [Year omitted.] D. April 27, 1858 Pool, Morgan A. B. Mr. 3, 1829 D. Jan. 18, 1912 Aged: 82 years, 10 mos., and 15 days / Pool, Paralee H. B. Nov. 28, 1836 D. Mar. 18, 1912 Aged: 75 years, 3 months, and 18 days (Father and Mother) Gray, John E. B. 1843 D. Mar. 15, 1906 Gray, Dora H., daughter of M. A. Pool, wife of John E. Gray B. Aug. 28, 1857 D. April 12, 1906 Wellmon, William N. D. Feb. 26, 1846 Aged: 55 years Wellmon, Rebecca R., wife of William N. Wellmon B. Aug. 9, 1797 D. July 26, 1879 Evans, Louis B. Aug. 20, 1834 D. July 26, 1916 / Evans, Rebecca J. D. Aug. 28, 1930 (Father and Mother) Wellmon, Perry G. D. Sept. 17, 1840 Aged: 8 years Weathers, R. G. B. Nov. 11, 1864 D. Dec. 8, 1865 Weathers, Infant of A. G. & Mary Weathers B. 1844 D. 1844 Weathers, Infant of A. G. & Mary Weathers B. 1845 D. 1845 Weathers, William B. 1795/1796 [typed over-illegible.] D. 1867 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 represents 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