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Wake Wednesday - Long Forgotten Cemetery With One Marked Stone Gives Up It's Secrets

The cemetery in question sat deep in entangled woods near Holland Rd. and Judd Parkway in Fuquay-Varina.  So deep, that even the most recent land owners were not aware of its existance. The sacred ground only came to light after the land had been sold to developers who had started the process of clearing the land. Two casual walkers out for a stroll saw it and brought the cemetery to the attention of Fuquay-Varina Museum staff who did not recognize the names which were not similar to any that were known in the area. 

The developer's crew was careful to work around the cemetery and has added a permanent, heavy iron fence to protect the area. Within the fence there is one marked grave and several unmarked ones. Clues to who might rest in the cemetery were meager, yet the Fuquay-Varina Museum staff rose to the challenge to discover the family's identity and connections to the community and beyond. 

Their search resulted in an article in the Museum's blog that brings life to Mary Winford Smith Tudor (1847-1888), her husband - Samuel Green Tudor, and Mary's Smith family roots in the Middle Creek area. The research and the story are very well done and others looking for good methodology and fresh ideas will enjoy the read. 

Please enjoy their blog post here - Who was she?


Who Was She? blogpost

**WCGS note - This cemetery was not found or reported back when the Wake Cemetery Survey c.1978 was taken. A note of this cemetery, this post and the approximate location will be added.


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