Back To Home Page
McCarson Kin Plan Cemetery Cleanup
April 09, 2005
Jennie Jones Giles
Times-News Staff Writer
[email protected]
Descendants of David McCarson Sr., one of the first settlers into Henderson County, and his sons, David McCarson Jr. and Samuel McCarson, are gathering April 23 to restore and clean up one of the oldest cemeteries in the county.
The cemetery is the resting place of "Long John" McCarson, for whom Long John Mountain took its name and numerous other members of the McCarson family.
Barbara King, who lives in Wheaton, Ill., and is a descendant of "Long John" McCarson, is organizing the cleanup and several local businesses are helping in the restoration.
The cemetery was recently involved in a controversy with the developer of the Creekside Development, Max Small. The cemetery is located within the development off N.C. 191.
Access to the cemetery from an old road was blocked.
"The road was not maintained, was washed out and rutted," Small said. "They now have a new, 24-foot-wide paved road to the cemetery."
But there is no access into the cemetery from the new road. A row of pine trees blocks the cemetery from the road and a bank must be climbed to get into the cemetery.
N.C. statutes state that private property owners must give access to grave sites to descendants and others with an interest in the site, such as historical groups.
"This is one of Hendersonville's oldest landmarks," King said. "To the McCarson family, it means everything."
Donald McCarson, also a descendant, said the family has deeds to the cemetery.
The cemetery is still used for burials, with a burial there in 2004. Carrying a heavy casket up the dirt bank, through the trees and brambles, would be quite a task now that the road access is blocked.
Small said he lived near the cemetery for 24 years and wants to see it preserved.
"I want to see it looking good," Small said. "I want to make it a beautiful feature for this neighborhood."
McCarson history
David McCarson Sr. received a land grant on Mud Creek in the late 1700s, arriving with the group of first pioneers into the county. One of his sons, Samuel, was on the committee to form Henderson County.
Another son, David McCarson Jr., 1785-1835, is buried in the cemetery, along with some of his children and other relatives.
One descendant, John, lived in a two-room log cabin and farmed land on the mountain, now known as Long John Mountain, said Frank FitzSimons in the book From the Banks of the Oklawaha.
He was said to be one of the first settlers to raise peaches and sheep.
"Some of those who remembered him insist that he stood 7 feet when barefooted and that his wife, Ann, was just as tall," FitSimons wrote.
King said Long John was about 6 feet 7 inches tall and so was his wife.
The mountain on which McCarson lived was well known by local fox hunters and they began calling the mountain "Long John's mountain," FitSimons wrote.
Both Long John and his wife are buried in the cemetery, King said.
A brother to Long John, Jacob, is also buried there, King said. Jacob was the father of James, who was a corporal with Co. D 60th N.C. Regiment during the Civil War and was killed in the war. He is also buried in the cemetery.
"We know one Confederate soldier is buried there and maybe a Union soldier," King said. "Those people need to be recognized."
Cleanup
For more than 20 years, McCarson descendants have tried to get the old cemetery restored and cleaned, King said.
"We just couldn't get people involved," she said. "We need to clean it up and make sure it is never desecrated."
The cemetery is not in good condition and has been neglected, King said.
"It broke my heart to see the condition it is in," she said. "It needs to be raked and there are graves that are caved in. Many of the markers are no longer readable and need to be cleaned and others are falling apart. Some are hand-carved stones."
Since the only way to get into the cemetery is to climb a bank, steps are needed.
"Charles King is donating some beautiful rocks for the steps," King said. "If someone has experience in building the steps, it would be greatly appreciated."
A McCarson descendant, Dixie Case, has a family document which tells who is buried in the cemetery and where the grave is located, King said.
"Many of the graves have no markers now," she said. "We hope to be able to establish who is buried there and in what rows and put a bronze marker at the foot of each grave."
Gray Mortuary of Pelzer, S.C., has agreed to make 50 markers for $1,000, King said. Descendant Jack McCarson helped arrange for the markers.
Small, the development owner, made an offer several months ago to help with fencing for the cemetery, but King does not know if the offer is still available.
"If anyone has a truck and can bring dirt to build up the graves and haul away the limbs and garbage, please do so," King said.
Family members who are unable to help with physical labor are asked to bring coffee, beverages, doughnuts and other food.
"I want to thank Charles King and Gray Mortuary for their generous help," King said. "I also wish to thank the Sons of Confederate Veterans for all they do to preserve the cemeteries."
This site is maintained by Wanda E. Case [email protected] 2005