Restoration Efforts For Settlers' Cemetery
Settlers' Cemetery is of the great historic significance because it is the oldest municipal cemetery in Charlotte. With surviving gravestones from 1775 - 1884, it is the resting place for many of Mecklenburg County's founding families and Revolutionary and Civil War veterans. Periodically, over the history of Settlers' Cemetery, restoration efforts have saved the cemetery from oblivion. It seems that about every fifty years, the fate of Settlers' is championed and restoration is accomplished.
From the Catawba Journal, Charlotte's earliest newspaper, on August 22, 1828, "People are invited to assist in throwing up ditches to keep hogs out of the Presbyterian cemetery."
The earliest known reference to the condition of Settlers' is found in the journal of Susan Davis Nye Hutchison, a teacher at Charlotte Female Academy. Her entry of May 17, 1819 reads, No worship in any of the churchs — of all my very large class I had but three in Sabbath School — I walked with Adam and some of the children to the grave yard which is very beautifully shaded with large oaks — It contains a number of the Polk family and many other monuments, all of which, if the yard was cleared of rubbish would make the hallowed spot a delightful Retreat but now it testifies too much of the neglect with which absent departed friends are apt to be visited."
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During their lifetimes, Miss Violet Graham Alexander and her sister, Miss Julia Alexander (Major General George Graham's great-granddaughters) worked to care for the cemetery and used their own funds to repair many of the damaged tombstones at Settlers'. Miss Violet Alexander also spoke about the history of the cemetery in March 1930, when the Daughters of the American Revolution chapters installed a monument at the Fifth Street entrance to the cemetery. In 1936, the first known record of all names, dates and epitaphs then existing in the cemetery was completed by Miss Violet Alexander and Mrs. James Perrin (Anne Dowd Gilleylen) Quarles for the Mecklenburg chapter of the DAR.
Mayor Victor Shaw took a personal interest in the deteriorated condition of Settlers' Cemetery and made its renovation a top priority in his term of office (1949-1953).
In 1996, Mecklenburg Historical Association, the City
OUr hope is that Settlers' Cemetery will continue to be a quiet historically respected, and appropriately maintained cemetery in the center city for generations to come. Please treat this site with respect.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Charity & Public Work • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • Women. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 17, 1819.
Location. 35° 13.747′ N, 80° 50.588′ W. Marker is in Charlotte, North Carolina, in Mecklenburg County. It is in Charlotte center city. It is at the intersection of West 5th Street and North Church Street, on the right when traveling west on West 5th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 N Church St, Charlotte NC 28202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Prominent Charlotteans Buried At Settlers' Cemetery (here, next to this marker); Settlers' Cemetery (here, next to this marker); Ephraim Brevard (here, next to this marker); The War Between The States (a few steps from this marker); Census Information (a few steps from this marker); Gold Mining (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Settlers' Cemetery (a few steps from this marker); Early Education (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charlotte.
Additional commentary.
1.
DAR marker mentioned is on the Fifth Street entrance to the cemetery and is located 35° 13.747′N, 80° 50.588′W. Inscription:
Historic Grave Yard of Charlotte's First Settlers
1774-1878
Placed By
Mecklenburg Chapter / Liberty Hall Chapter / Battle of Charlotte Chapter / Halifax Convention Chapter / Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence Chapter
Erected March 29, 1939
Editor’s Note: This marker qualifies for inclusion in our database. We would appreciate if one of our readers in the area could photograph it and add it to the database.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 424 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
