*Please register by 4pm day of meeting.
Speaker: Diane Richard, MEng & MBA, Mosaic Research
Speaker: Robin Simonton, Executive Director, Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Speaker: Monika Fleming
I found this in searching for a reliable way to check for cemeteries in peril. If you are also interested in checking for this information, the site www.ncnotices.com allows searches for legal notices including grave relocation notices. You can search the state or by county. This is useful for me as I do not have a N&O subscription but still need access to this info.
It is a little after publish date of this notice but worth a try to locate connected family. The land that the 17 unknown persons are buried on was formerly in Oak Grove Twp, Wake County and is now located in Durham. If you have Grady or possibly Emory family in that area that want to have more information, contact the email in the notice. Neither I, nor WCGS have any say in this matter. This is an alert to find family who may have questions or should at least know where the graves were relocated. As you can see in the map image below, large scale development of this land is likely emminent.
Notice contents:
Notice Authentication Number:
202404240857232403489
1146701655
Notice Publish Date: | |
Sunday, April 07, 2024 |
Notice Content
Grave Relocation To the next of kin of 17 unknown persons buried in an abandoned cemetery on what was once known as the Grady lands in Oak Grove Township, Wake County and what is now known as 3104 Carpenter Pond Rd, Carr Township, Durham County. Pursuant to NCGS 65-106, the remains will be disinterred from their current location and reinterred at Markham Family Cemetery in Durham. Please address questions or information about the graves to emorygravesnc@gmail.com W00000000 Mar 17,24,31,Apr 7 2024
Original Publication info
Publication Name:
News & Observer
Publication City and State:
Raleigh, NC
Publication County:
Wake
Location on Google map
view larger |
Key Words - Grady Land, Oak Grove township, Wake and Durham counties, Carpenter Pond Rd, Carr township, Markham Family Cemetery
Excerpt Olive Chapel Minute Book 1864-1869 ZSR Special Collections, Winston Salem, NC |
Excerpt Holly Springs Minute Book 1850 - 1922 ZSR Special Collections, Winston Salem, NC |
1848 Cedar Forks Letter ZSR Special Collections, Winston Salem, NC |
The Importance of HBCU Collections and Hometown Treasures:
A Student Archival Exhibit and Symposium
The James E. Cheek Learning Resource Center at Shaw University will host a one-day event. Please join us on April 26, 2024, for a pop-up exhibition curated by our students, guest speakers, and a Lunch and Learn (registration is required for the Lunch and Learn).
The Lunch and Learn is provided by the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It will be hosted by Dr. Vanessa Cogdell Moore. The Lunch and Learn will provide community members with knowledge and hands-on experience related to the preservation of family heirlooms such as pictures, artifacts, and documents. It will begin at 12:00 pm. Click here to register: Lunch and Learn Registration
Speakers, presentations and more details at the registration page.
Shaw Campus - Estey Hall Auditorium
118 E. South St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
April 26, 9am - 4pm
This post is featured in the Spring 2024 Issue of the Wake Genealogy Watch newsletter.
If you are researching your Wake County ancestors, you will want to visit the Upchurch and Allied Families Association website to review their massive Biofile collection. UAFA has just recently placed all of the accumulated images on their website and available for the benefit of all Wake County researchers.
The late local researcher, Phil Upchurch, created his Biofiles system for American Upchurches and their descendants, as well as for allied families who were connected in some way, by business or marriage. This extensive collection represents over forty years of Phil's own research and contributions from others. The end result is a wide and diverse body of information dealing with land ownership, occupations, lifestyles, and political landscapes associated with individuals who lived in particular communities throughout America.
In essence, Phil’s goal was to create a massive "Fan Club" of Upchurches and relations (including Wake County inhabitants) years before the phrase was coined or the concept was being shared widely via workshops and webinars. His vision started many years before computers came into use to bridge these connections for us. Phil’s efforts leave us with a massive treasure trove of notes and connections on the Upchurches and kin. You should check before you assume your Wake families are not included.
While the files include areas farther flung than Wake, those researching locally should check for all possible kin in these records, especially the early ones. When you visit the Biofile webpage, you will receive a thorough explanation of the concept and organization. You will also be tipped off to the distinctive triangle symbol “∆” that peppers Phil's personal files. Spoiler Alert - It points to associated Biofiles linked by documents copied in each.
At the top right of the Biofile webpage you will find these links to take you to all the buried treasure within.
TRANSCRIBED UPCHURCH BIOFILES - The Upchurch files are being transcribed for readability and searchability. They are organized by each clan from Michael 1 (the original English Ancestor)
UPCHURCH FAMILY BIOBILES - instructions to find any Upchurch by specific given name
ALLIED FAMILIES BIOFILES - this page offers a series of alphabetical links. Choose starting letter of the surname and click through, then click through the next list for the appropriate first letter of the given name. These files are not transcribed and therefor not truly searchable. They are so factually dense, that it is worth a quick look when you are reviewing your research for your Wake County ancestor.
As an example, visit the file for Needham Price to see how the Allied Families files work. Needham Price was an early Wake landowner and business man that I researched in the beginning of my WGW newsletter career. You can "use the front door" by clicking the "Allied Biofile" link, then letter "P" for surname Price. Then you will need to choose the file group containing Needham. In this case, that is "K through Z". Scroll to the start of Needham's information (pp. 52 - 59) and be amazed at the depth of data included in this file curated by Phil Upchurch. I was surprised to find my early writing included in this file and thrilled to see how much further Phil had taken his research. Take this link to see the file containing Needham Price. You will still need to scroll to page 52.
While I have focused on Wake County files, this data set includes records for other NC locations and other states as well. I hope you find some gold when you check here. Many thanks to Phil Upchurch, the Upchurch and Allied Families Association and their tireless volunteers for creating this rich resource.
For those of you following UAFA, here is the latest news.
Click on the link below to open the latest Footprints, the Upchurch and Allied Families newsletter.
The feature for April discusses UAFA trees at Ancestry.com and how to use them for your research.
Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website -
Homepage | WCGS Events | Join WCGS | Publications | Wake Cemetery Survey Images | Society Surnames | Digital Resources | History Resources | More Links and Resources | Contact
Enjoy a little light historical reading with this fun article about the older roads in our area.
"When Raleigh first came into existence at the end of the 18th century, it was often called “a city of streets with no houses,” a square-mile grid designed by surveyor and onetime state senator William Christmas. Downtown’s principal streets—think Wilmington, Hillsborough, New Bern Avenue—radiated from the central statehouse, where the Capitol Building now stands. Each street was named for one of North Carolina’s eight judicial districts, and North, South, East and West Streets created geographical boundaries to Raleigh’s 400-acre city center. As the city’s population grew, so did its footprint, creating a sprawling artery system of highways and backroads." - Tracy Jones, Raleighmag
Plan of the City of Raleigh, 1797 |
To find out the rest of the story about some historic roads in plain sight that you travel often, visit the online article - Historic Roads of Raleigh, by Tracy Jones
Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website - Homepage | WCGS Events | Join WCGS | Publications | Wake Cemetery Survey Images | Society Surnames | Digital Resources | History Resources | More Links and Resources | Contact
Join Raleigh Parks for the dedication of Latta University Historic Park!
This park contributes to a rich history that deepens our understanding of African American life in Raleigh at the turn of the 20th century.
All parking for this event will be at Jaycee Park (2405 Wade Ave, Raleigh, NC 27607), which is a five-minute walk from Latta University Historic Park (1001 Parker Street, Raleigh, NC 27607). Transportation from the parking area to the event via trolley will also be available starting at 3:45 p.m.
Event Details
Ages: All
Cost: Free
RSVP by Friday, April 12
Email: RSVP@raleighnc.gov
Phone: 919-996-3285
Event Website - https://raleighnc.gov/parks/events/latta-university-historic-park-dedication
See historic resourse links below.
The Latta House was a home in the African American neighborhood of Oberlin, but it was so much more. The home was the last remaining building of the Latta University complex that included a tradeschool, gradeschool, dormitories and an orphanage. The University was the vision and purpose of Reverand Morgan London Latta, a freedman and former slave who received his education at Shaw University. His overarching purpose in creating the coeducational Latta University was to provide an education to underprivileged and orphan children in Raleigh’s Black community.
Wikipedia |
Latta University existed as a school from 1892 to 1920. In its prime, the university encompassed about 300 acres and had 23 buildings. After the school shut down in 1920, the land was sold and the buildings disappeared and the village grew up around the last remaining structure. That structure was the Latta home, a beautiful Queen Anne style home built in the early 1900s, Sadly the Latta home burned beyond saving in 2007.
Lost University: How an entire college vanished near downtown Raleigh - a documentary by Heather Leah
The Dreams That Linger - Our State Magazine by T. Edward Nickens
Rev. M. L. Latta House at Wikipedia - Be sure to see the wonderful collection of linked photos of Rev. Latta, his family and the University property in its heyday.
And of course, (because you know I love the wealth of resources and historic context in these documents)...
The Latta House Architectural Report for the Raleigh Historic District Commission and City of Raleigh which includes photos of the campus and the home before and after the fire.
Now that the weather is starting to get milder, it is time to get out and explore. We need to stretch our legs and our minds. If you get an itch to explore locally, enjoy this wonderful offering from the National Park Service.
Raleigh: A Capital City - A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
When you are ready to roam, you can open this handy travel guide right on your phone to choose your day's adventure. There is a wonderful portable travel guide features a a brief overview on the town and a list of historical sites to visit. (Note - Use the links at the footer of the page. Quite a few of the links in the header are broken. There is a wealth of information still active and accessed at the bottom of the page.)
One of these links you will want to keep handy is the one for the Early History of Raleigh (bottom of page) but is a wonderful thumbnail sketch of Raleigh's history from the days of Joel Lane up to the growth of suburbs im the mid-20th Century.
These other active links will help you plan the perfect outing:
Will you visit the Raleigh Power House that was built in 1910 to power coal fired steam driven turbines and has now been converted to a microbrewery/cafe?
Raleigh Electric Company Power House 1910 -1930 |
Frank Lloyd Wright inspired, designed in 1951 by George Matsumoto |
Pullen Carousel was formerly located At Bloomsbury Park from 1912 - 1915. The carousel itself dates to 1900. |
Or so many other cool "history in plain sight" places to visit on the list?
Take a hometown trip and enjoy your discoveries!
- Women of Change: The Legacy of the 19th Amendment
- The People’s Politics: Local Democracy in Raleigh
- Raleigh’s City Flag: Lost and Found
- Let Us March On: Raleigh's Journey Toward Civil Rights
- Hello! We are Raleigh
What could these three Raleigh icons have in common? Why the very ground they sat on! This parcel of land between Hillsborough, Horne and Brooks streets was home to all three.
The Old State Fairgrounds was established in 1873 and hosted the fair until 1925.
At the outset of World War 1, the large flat expanse of land that was the Fairgrounds was appropriated for military housing and training as it made an excellent site for tank maneuvers.
At the end of the war the Fairground activities were in full swing again and two racetracks were built on the site. Over time, the financial burden of second racetrack resulted in the sale of the land to create the Fairmont subdivision, but portions of that land proved too sunken and muddy for building.
The City of Raleigh bought these compromised sites to create a park and the rose garden. The theater was built in the mid-1930s.
As a frequent visitor to the Raleigh Little Theater Rose Garden, I was very surprised to learn this important and varied history of the ground we tread as we "stop to smell the roses." Let me direct your attention to the history page at the Raleigh Little Theater website. Now, you can appreciate this little corner of Wake County in all its iterations - military, agricultural, fun, festive, horticultural and theatrical!
Tanks drill at Camp Polk in the future location of the rose beds |
Map showing the double race tracks, circa 1920 Courtesy Wake County Register of Deeds |
Raleigh Little Theater Rose Garden in full glory |
This is a great set of webinars in you are just sticking your toe in the DNA pool or if you need a refresher on the basic methodology. All classes are free. The fifth class requires a registration but also links you to Diahan's other great video and blog content.
Diahan Southard has been involved in Genetics and Genetic
Genealogy for over 20 years. She started at Sorenson Molecular Genealogy
Foundation, the pioneer genetic genealogy database. In the ensuing years, she
has earned her place as one of the most popular teachers of genetic genealogy in
the field today.
You Can DO the DNA #1–Get Started (or Restarted)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsStbH9mccE
You Can DO the DNA #2–Get Your Best Ethnicity Estimate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DWr8BhKLO4
You Can DO the DNA #3-Light Your DNA Match List on Fire
You Can DO the DNA #4–See What DNA Success Looks Like: Real
Case Studies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4i57flZVRs
Last one is Free at Diahann’s website, but requires a
registration -
You Can DO the DNA #5- DNA is Easy Until it Isn't: A
Slightly Complicated Case Study
Bonus freebie – the most important concept to master early
in your DNA journey.
What is a Centimorgan? | Centimorgans Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acPXHnBPscs