Near Beulah in Surry County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Slave Cemetery

Photographed by Craig Doda, July 26, 2020

1. Slave Cemetery Marker

Inscription. By the early 1800's, an extensive farming culture had developed along the Fisher River. Gideon Edwards had completed his house by 1799. Slaves were important to plantation life handling the labor associated with the household and cultivation of more than 2,000 acres. Slaves built the fine federal style house which became the home of Edwards, his wife, Anna Perkins Edwards, and their daughter, Mildred.

This sacred burying ground served as the final resting place for more than fifty slaves whose labor supported and enriched the lives of the Edwards and Franklin families. Documentary records list their names. They were not anonymous. They were Bob, Jacob, Melinda, Isbel, Charles, Sarah, Delsey, Nathan, Dinah, Patty, Squire, Jupeter, Mary, Susanah, Phebee, Anthony, Isom, Tener, Gilley, Genny, Chloe, Anderson, Letia, Henry, Molly, Philis, Linda, Jack, Liberty, Nicey, Dick, Kingston, Haywood, Eliza, Hannah, Isham, Fanny, Jeremiah, Gracey, James, Nelson, Jezbell, Spicey, Bartley, Abby, Lewis, Warren, Dilsy, Ann, Emma, Aubert, Jessy, Jacob, Harry, Phillip, Batter and Linny.

Erected 2014 by Surry County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1799.

Location.

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36° 27.267′ N, 80° 49.033′ W. Marker is near Beulah, North Carolina, in Surry County. It can be reached from Haystack Road (County Highway 1331) near Fisher Valley Road (Highway 1338), on the right when traveling east. Park at the Edwards-Franklin House. Two cemeteries are across the road, the Slave Cemetery is in the tree line. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4132 Haystack Rd, Mount Airy NC 27030, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Jesse Franklin (approx. 4.6 miles away); Hardin Taliaferro (approx. 6.4 miles away); Sonker (approx. 6.6 miles away); The Charters of Freedom (approx. 6.6 miles away); Surry County 250th Anniversary (approx. 6.6 miles away); Tabitha A. Holton (approx. 6.6 miles away); Surry County WWI Memorial (approx. 6.6 miles away); Stoneman’s Raid (approx. 6.6 miles away).

Dedication Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, July 26, 2020

2. Dedication Marker

Photographed by Craig Doda, July 26, 2020

3. Slave Cemetery Marker

Slave Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, July 26, 2020

4. Slave Cemetery

No stones, only a few small boulders.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 796 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 8, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.