Im 54yo i was born and raised in Southern Granville County in the piedmont of North Carolina. Beside the house i grew up in was a graveyard in the middle of a tobacco field that had trees around it. The headstones looked just like those. Wasnt those same ones but looked just like that. 18 years later when im grown with children my best friend calls and says can you help me put a head stone on my relatives grave i said sure. To make a long long story short. Those graves were his ancestors that fought and died in the civil war. And a organization called S.C.V. sons of the confederate veterans. Sent him brand new headstones engraved for all his family free of charge. The deaths on those stones were 1862 1863 1864. They everyone were soldiers. Needless to say i couldn't hold back tears of sadness and joy With every stone we set.
When I was in second grade, in LA (lower Alabama) running around in the woods with friends, we stumbled across an overgrown small family plot-sized gravesite, it had a waist-high wrought iron fence around it, covered in vines, the standing tombstones were barely legible covered in moss and lichens, but I remember some of the dates were the late 1700s.
I’m going searching for the place the Indians were buried at Indian grave gap on the Tn. /N.C. Border. Most people don’t realize there was actual graves up there. My dad is passing away and he surveyed it back in the 70’s I’ll video it if I make it. Thanks for this.
My ancestors settled NC and spread from there staring in the 1700’s. There are so many dead ends in my genealogical search. Thank you for helping myself and others that are not in the area, find answers.
'NC Land Grant Images and Data' or 'North Carolina. Secretary of State. Land Grant Office. Land records, North Carolina and Tennessee; indexes, 1600-1959'. I'm uncertain (either one) if you need a surname or plot number for these sites, but both are public information, no fee. Also Google Earth may help you find old homesteads, look for newer vegetation patches in old growth forest. Love this kind of thing!
I was especially blessed by this video. Losing history, or worse yet, destroying history is a sure way to lose track of where we are going. America staggers in the noon day. Thanks for taking the time to look into this long forgotten piece of history. Your endeavors to clean up this cemetery are most appreciated. God bless brother.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting I have an old graveyard on my property that's been here since the 1600 and 1700's. A man came to my house one day looking for it and it was his family but his nephew used to come and trim the tree's and keep it up, I'm not able to because I have Multiple Sclerosis and I want to know how to go about finding someone to keep it up. It really means a lot to me and my family, some of the graves are just rocks. The man said it was the Solomon-Smith graveyard. He had a headstone made telling about the family.
@@diannemartin7500 Hey Dianne. 336-593-9407. That’s the number to the Stokes County Historical Society. That would be a good place to start looking for help. It’s very nice of you to concern yourself. Your efforts might just mean everything to a surviving family member.
Great video. Thank you for posting. We are kindred souls in our love, curiosity and reverence for history and the people that came before us. I live in western PA, but grew up in rural Cumberland county NC - although it’s not as rural as it was when I was a kid… (I visit my family there often). The region is rich with history and “great stories”.
I was born and raised in Boston. My dad bought a cabin in New Hampshire. I’d spend the summer there exploring the woods. This was the early 1970’s. One day I found the rock foundation of an old home and the graves of the settlers. I returned with some tracing paper and chalk. The grave markers date back to the late 1600’s.
That’s awesome! Such a great area for some of the oldest history of America. I’m currently reading a book by Jeff Sharra that about the early days of the Revolution. Boston area is in the thick of it!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting It was great growing up there. In school we would learn about the revolutionary war then take a field trip down the street to visit locations like the Old North Church in the North End. Bunker Hill. Breeds Hill. The old cemeteries were really cool. I’m now living in Union County, Georgia which has a different history which I’m enjoying. I especially enjoy your videos.
@@MrSouthofBoston Definitely my neighbor then! Your channel name has me curious. Do you guys rodeo? I dated a barrel racer from Blairsville when I was younger and spent a lot of time around the rodeo scene. Great folks!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting No that would not be us though my daughter used to barrel race in Florida. She has four horses. We are selling our Florida home and will be building a cabin here in Suches. Maybe one day you can scope our place out. There’s an old homesite and stream.
I found this very compelling and comforting in these uncertain times. Our roots and history really need to be preserved. I appreciate the reverence you showed in acknowledging the real people who committed their loved ones to that piece of land.
My ancestors lived in western NC for hundreds of years mostly in Burke and McDowell counties on my dads side. It’s on my bucket list to visit. Thanks for sharing! I find it addictive! Lol
I was so moved by this video. Families used to take care of their family resting places; now more and more of them are being neglected. I would love to see more of this story.
Such a cool story. Imagine coming across that lady at the perfect time. I'm sure the old homesite isn't too far away from the family plot. I know just how steep those mountains are. It will test your lungs. I truly enjoyed it.
I really like these types of video's...very interesting. 16 kids! Holy smokes! I for one would really like to hear more and see where the homestead was. Thanks for sharing this Ben!
I think the homestead may have been lost to development nearby. A more modern home sits in the only real logical spot for a home that is anywhere close to cemetery
I live in the NC mountains and when I was a kid we found an old graveyard up in the mountain behind my house. Deep woods. Trees growing up in between grave's. Creepy when I was a kid.
I enjoyed watching this. A lot of my ancestors are from this part of NC. Thank you for showing the importance of preserving and honoring these historic cemeteries. I’m new to your channel and look forward to watching some more of your episodes.
My great-grandmother on my father's side, whose maiden name was Perry, was born and raised in Ashe County, NC, and moved eventually with her entire family to Oklahoma where I live. I'm deeply interested in both history of all kinds and genealogy. I've solved some of my own families mysteries just because I love to research so deep. I searched out this channel in hopes of finding more answers. I do know that one of my Perry ancestors has their house and land registered on the national history register. Thank you for caring enough, too!
Another explorer of hidden and forgotten cemeteries (Robert of Sidestep Adventures) says that for every identifiable/marked grave you see, you should multiply by at least 2 to have a true count of graves. So many graves are just lost to time. Thanks for making this video. I very much enjoyed it. I subscribed, can’t wait to see what else you do.
I would agree completely….although this particular cemetery straddles a very narrow ridge top… so room was very limited. But I’d say there are still a few unmarked. Thanks for watching!
My family came from the area of SW Virginia where Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina all meet, I was doing research last night and was shocked to find a ancestor born in the early 1700's that died very early in the 1800's at the age of 92, I think that was pretty rare back then but it fits in with my current family genetics of lots of family members making it to 90+
You are fortunate to have people who appreciate your passion for History of your area enough to point you in the right direction to these sites from the past so you can research and document the findings from our past . Thank you Mr Ben and all the folks who point him in the direction of Historic locations. Just love the dedication..
My family history is from Mitchell County, NC. I know of them being in the area well back into the early 1700s. I am a Hughes and we have a very similar cemetery in Pigeon Roost that is known as the Hughes/Byrd cemetery. As close as those two counties are I have little doubt that some of the Byrd's buried with my relatives are related to this group of Byrd's. Our cemetery has many very similar graves with the head and foot stones. This video brings back a lot of memories of my two trips to our cemetery.
Fascinating! I am so glad....that even for a moment...these fine wnc ancestors were remembered. I loved this video and very much enjoyed sharing your adventure and discovery! Thanks! ---from Marion, NC.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting Had an inch snow the night before and sleet last night other than that doing well here ! You all take care , stay safe and healthy there !
I found a Bird in my family tree from Burke County moved to Macon County. Eliszabeth Bird (1811-1909) married a Josiah Curtis. I have them on Ancestry page. It's not a direct line to me but I found it interesting. I have a lot of Carpenters, Stiles, Allens and Renos from the Otto area all the way up to Beaver Dam in Haywood County.
Bird…likely an Indian woman from one of the “Bird Tribes” imo or had a bird like Indian name..Many Carpenters are Cherokee, married into Cherokee tribe in early 17th century…became Moytoys, Overhill Cherokee.
I know a huge property in Old Fort adjacent to the train tracks where the homeowners are quite accustomed to native Indians periodically making a pilgrimage there to gain access and approval to follow up the ridge line to their ancestral graves deep in the woods. Fascinating stuff when they just show up with gifts and kindly asking permission to return to their buried bloodline that only the homeowners and those select few (Cherokee?) Indians are even aware of.
I actually drove through Old Fort for the first time in my life earlier this year. Kinda random, was on a little trip and needed to mail something at a post office. The nearest one was in Old Fort. The place definitely had the feel of history about it.
My 3x great grandfather Thomas Bird was born in Burke North Carolina 1783. I’m going to have to research now and see if I can find a tie to this cemetery. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. If I find out anything I will let you know.
Thank you so much for posting this video. I really am glad to see others out there with the same interest in finding the stories of people from long ago and to help those who want to find out more about them. I have been searching about my family history in Rural Hall, NC. I used to live down a dirt road not far from an old graveyard that reminded me of the one in this video. The graves towards the front were newer but as you went father back, there were stones/rocks with hard to read carvings. I feel the area I grew up in has a lot of history and often wonder if there are Native American stories as well. I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Thanks so much for your great comment. I hope you discover a wealth of information about your family and that you are able to help their memories carry on.
If I were looking for the Byrd homeplace, I would look at some old topo maps and try to locate a spring close to the area. back in those days, people used springs as their water source. Perhaps the lady you spoke with knows where the old homeplace is. Good video. Keep up the good work. Local history is one of the most important histories you can find.
Thanks Byron! I have a couple guesses as to where it may have been located. Unfortunately I think it might have been bulldozed and replaced by a modern home.
Appreciate your videos Brother. I grew up in Swain County. It seems so much of our history has been lost in time. Our ancestors were important and need to be remembered
My family has lived in NC since the late 1700's, in all lines of my family tree. Where is this grave site located? This is pretty awesome. Glad someone is taking care of it.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting well it's awesome. The old stones like that wear down. The ones from the early 1800s in my family cemetery are only legible due to the care they've received over the years. Some of my husband's family in Arizona don't even have headstones. They were buried under rock mounds. Pretty interesting.
Thank you for sharing this. These were probably some of our family and we always wondered why there was a difference in the spelling. If it was two different Byrd's or bird but from what you showed it was all the same family.
I find so many old family plots along the coast of NC while hunting and doing realestate. Always bunch of kids in the plots. I even found some plots on camp lejeune back deep in the woods, all the families got moved off in WW2
Thank you for this video! ❤ I live in n.c. born and raised ! My daddy taught me a lot about these old mountains! Different herbs the trees, he sawmilled, pulled galax, made princesses pine wreaths whatever he had to do, to raise us 5 daughters, adopted my 2 oldest sisters! He had to work as a child to help raise his brothers and sisters! There we’re 3 or 4 siblings lost to scarlet fever and small pox! On this solid rock I stand!!! My friend moved to Hampton Tn a couple years ago but still worked up here?! Anyway, in potter town Hampton Tn there are 3 stones there at her driveway! 💔😢 I can’t remember the address but you cut up waycaster rd I believe and it’s a little driveway that circles around on the right and the graveyard is at the end of the driveway next to the road! Thaught you might want to check it out?!
Thank you for sharing those wonderful memories with me Mildred. Thanks for the tip on the graves. Who knows, might just make it up there some day. Thanks for watching!
I would love to explore with you, I live in Newland NC and spend all my time when I'm not at work in the hills . I really enjoyed this video thank you very much .
I have many family cemeteries on top of the mountain nobs of western NC. I recently visited some. Took a 4 wheel drive to make it to the end of the dirt road and then we had to hike to get to them. Many early families were buried on the mountains! Early settlers of the mountains were generally buried on top.
The Byrds of Grayson County Virginia migrated to Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina . The graves you found could be my kin. I'm currently farming close by near the Little Tennessee River. I sure would like to see the site if possible.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting Do you have a way for me to send you my contact information? Also, there is a known pre-Columbian gravesite where I am farming. The site is protected. No one allowed to disturb it. Though lots of artifacts are popping up in the plowed fields that are being collected.
I really liked the fact that you were able to find out about the cemetery. I'm sure the family learned something new about the area. I really wish I could spend some time with you exploring. Maybe some day I will be granted the opportunity to meet you. Please take care and I wish the best for you and your family.
Outstanding. Thanks so much for sharing this almost forgotten history. I wonder if you place the last name in the title or in the tag section if it will make it easier for a family member or someone researching their family tree to find this video down the road. Thanks for sharing, good luck, happy hunting and take care.
Outstanding great find. Now that I think of it. It would not be so bad to be reclaimed by the earth nice peaceful forest. Always a pleasure to watch thanks for taking us along Side note family homestead I would think is close by. Wouldn’t hurt to take a gander with a detector. Just a thought
Very cool. I just bought land near Maggie Valley, in Haywood County & have a long, rich family history from WNC and ETN, including Cherokee heritage. I look forward to doing some exploring. Mary, Elizabeth and Nancy are very common Christiansted names of Native American women. I still think the Bird family is Cherokee. Fascinating exploration.
Good point and great video. Im actually planning a trip to whittier. Gonna drive up from South Houston, do some exploring/look at some property for sale. Beautiful land up there boys.
So sad to see a forgotten cemetery. That's why I'm to be cremated and my and my dog's ashes to be scattered in the Smoky Mtns. By the time my grandchildren are dead, I will be forgotten. No sense in my body and headstone taking up space.
To each there own in that regard, but one of my favorite places on earth is the tiny family cemetery that is the final resting place of my 3x great grandfather, his wife and two following generations. The old cemeteries aren’t always forgotten.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting That's good to know. There was a man in Ohio County, KY that allowed my husband and me to deer hunt on his property years ago. I climbed a hill and on top of that hill was a small family cemetery. Some of the headstones had fallen over, and some has sunk some into the graves. They were so old that I couldn't make out the names. I didn't stick around, it gave me the creeps.
You might be interested in Sidestep Adventures on TH-cam ! He goes around in Alabama , Georgia and I believe other southern states looking for old forgotten cemeteries and documenting them ! He has a few stories to tell about some of the people in some of them ! He also tells how to tell where graves are at ! Same graves are marked with fieldstone markers only !
I've run into several grave sites in these mountains Caldwell & watauga co. Out hunting . Have never seen any markings on the stones though, some were sunk in. And know all are still there and safe
Another great video and adventure. Speculation is where the quest begins. Getting answers by chance was a God send. Thanks for caring for the past. I'm sure we haven't heard the last from the Byrd/Bird family. Curious how the family name on the list of children is spelled Bird as well as Byrd. Stay safe
I thought that was great. You obviously have a big heart for what you’re doing. Ive always loved southern history but just dont have much time to search for it now. The last interesting thing I found was a very old house way up a holler that was several miles southwest of whittier NC. We were staying in a cabin below there, and it took me an hour or more to hike up there. It looked like it might fall down at any minute so i didnt go in. Kind of wish i had anyway….
Theres alot of young saplings growing there, so in time that will be a forgotten graveyard to us when the trees get bigger....but they have not been forgotten by the Lord, because he is wrapping them in his arms!
Wow, my grandfathers family came to the Brevard area from Macon county. They moved over the mountain and settled in 1900. There are some old sight graves like this in this area I've run into over the years. In the back of my families graveyard there are stones just like this
We got 2 of those cemeteries here on our dairy farm here in Madison county NC. Pretty creepy tbh considering what's on the stones... strange symbols and pentagrams carved into them in one of the cemeteries. The other is like the one you found the dates range from 1673 is the oldest n the youngest dates back to the 1790s. And then there is slaves buried on the property as well. Along with the Shelton laurel massacre victims.. that happened on our farm back in the 1870s
THANK YOU !!!!
My ancestors must be in the algorithm for me to have found your amazing & important video
(JHBs GGmother was of the Patawomeck Tribe)
Im 54yo i was born and raised in Southern Granville County in the piedmont of North Carolina. Beside the house i grew up in was a graveyard in the middle of a tobacco field that had trees around it. The headstones looked just like those. Wasnt those same ones but looked just like that. 18 years later when im grown with children my best friend calls and says can you help me put a head stone on my relatives grave i said sure. To make a long long story short. Those graves were his ancestors that fought and died in the civil war. And a organization called
S.C.V. sons of the confederate veterans. Sent him brand new headstones engraved for all his family free of charge. The deaths on those stones were
1862 1863 1864. They everyone were soldiers. Needless to say i couldn't hold back tears of sadness and joy
With every stone we set.
Good to hear that they were remembered.
When I was in second grade, in LA (lower Alabama) running around in the woods with friends, we stumbled across an overgrown small family plot-sized gravesite, it had a waist-high wrought iron fence around it, covered in vines, the standing tombstones were barely legible covered in moss and lichens, but I remember some of the dates were the late 1700s.
I’m going searching for the place the Indians were buried at Indian grave gap on the Tn. /N.C. Border. Most people don’t realize there was actual graves up there. My dad is passing away and he surveyed it back in the 70’s I’ll video it if I make it. Thanks for this.
are you lookin in the harmon den area?
American Indian
We have an Indian grave rd here in Caldwell county nc
They existed. Thats just beautiful.
My ancestors settled NC and spread from there staring in the 1700’s. There are so many dead ends in my genealogical search. Thank you for helping myself and others that are not in the area, find answers.
Likewise! My tree is missing so many branches from N C. I hope you find yours too. This kind of video can hold so much lost info.
Same story here thanks for this I am 2500 miles away at least
'NC Land Grant Images and Data' or 'North Carolina. Secretary of State. Land Grant Office. Land records, North Carolina and Tennessee; indexes, 1600-1959'. I'm uncertain (either one) if you need a surname or plot number for these sites, but both are public information, no fee. Also Google Earth may help you find old homesteads, look for newer vegetation patches in old growth forest. Love this kind of thing!
I was especially blessed by this video. Losing history, or worse yet, destroying history is a sure way to lose track of where we are going. America staggers in the noon day. Thanks for taking the time to look into this long forgotten piece of history. Your endeavors to clean up this cemetery are most appreciated. God bless brother.
Thank Thomas! It’s a little thing but I think it’s worth doing.
Indeed and the channel deserve many more views
@@HistoryHoundDetecting I have an old graveyard on my property that's been here since the 1600 and 1700's. A man came to my house one day looking for it and it was his family but his nephew used to come and trim the tree's and keep it up, I'm not able to because I have Multiple Sclerosis and I want to know how to go about finding someone to keep it up. It really means a lot to me and my family, some of the graves are just rocks. The man said it was the Solomon-Smith graveyard. He had a headstone made telling about the family.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting I live in Stokes County, North Carolina
@@diannemartin7500 Hey Dianne. 336-593-9407. That’s the number to the Stokes County Historical Society. That would be a good place to start looking for help. It’s very nice of you to concern yourself. Your efforts might just mean everything to a surviving family member.
Great video. Thank you for posting. We are kindred souls in our love, curiosity and reverence for history and the people that came before us. I live in western PA, but grew up in rural Cumberland county NC - although it’s not as rural as it was when I was a kid… (I visit my family there often). The region is rich with history and “great stories”.
I was born and raised in Boston. My dad bought a cabin in New Hampshire. I’d spend the summer there exploring the woods. This was the early 1970’s. One day I found the rock foundation of an old home and the graves of the settlers. I returned with some tracing paper and chalk. The grave markers date back to the late 1600’s.
That’s awesome! Such a great area for some of the oldest history of America. I’m currently reading a book by Jeff Sharra that about the early days of the Revolution. Boston area is in the thick of it!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting It was great growing up there. In school we would learn about the revolutionary war then take a field trip down the street to visit locations like the Old North Church in the North End. Bunker Hill. Breeds Hill. The old cemeteries were really cool. I’m now living in Union County, Georgia which has a different history which I’m enjoying. I especially enjoy your videos.
@@MrSouthofBoston Definitely my neighbor then! Your channel name has me curious. Do you guys rodeo? I dated a barrel racer from Blairsville when I was younger and spent a lot of time around the rodeo scene. Great folks!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting No that would not be us though my daughter used to barrel race in Florida. She has four horses. We are selling our Florida home and will be building a cabin here in Suches. Maybe one day you can scope our place out. There’s an old homesite and stream.
@@MrSouthofBoston Best of luck on the sale and build of the cabin. Going through the same process ourselves!
Great job. Love the history. Bless you.
I found this very compelling and comforting in these uncertain times. Our roots and history really need to be preserved. I appreciate the reverence you showed in acknowledging the real people who committed their loved ones to that piece of land.
Thank you Carol! I’m glad you are able to comment now!
It’s on mine as well. My 3x great grandfather fought at the Devils Den for 22 hours during the Gettysburg battle.
My ancestors lived in western NC for hundreds of years mostly in Burke and McDowell counties on my dads side. It’s on my bucket list to visit. Thanks for sharing! I find it addictive! Lol
I was so moved by this video. Families used to take care of their family resting places; now more and more of them are being neglected. I would love to see more of this story.
thank you for helping to keep that cemetery cleaned up.you are heavens helper. god bless you
Thanks for watching Mark!
Such a cool story. Imagine coming across that lady at the perfect time. I'm sure the old homesite isn't too far away from the family plot. I know just how steep those mountains are. It will test your lungs. I truly enjoyed it.
Thanks Kathy! I know this was a hike you would have loved. It was so quiet up there!
Great job on the history of the family and cemetery. Nobody should be forgotten. Kudos 👍
Nice find! Love seeing old cemeteries. Glad you tried reading the names & dates.
Thanks for watching Barbara!
I really like these types of video's...very interesting. 16 kids! Holy smokes! I for one would really like to hear more and see where the homestead was. Thanks for sharing this Ben!
I think the homestead may have been lost to development nearby. A more modern home sits in the only real logical spot for a home that is anywhere close to cemetery
I live in the NC mountains and when I was a kid we found an old graveyard up in the mountain behind my house. Deep woods. Trees growing up in between grave's. Creepy when I was a kid.
I enjoyed watching this. A lot of my ancestors are from this part of NC. Thank you for showing the importance of preserving and honoring these historic cemeteries. I’m new to your channel and look forward to watching some more of your episodes.
Thanks Baker! I appreciate the kind words and support!
Very interesting, and fortunate to put history on it that quickly.
Thanks for watching!
My great-grandmother on my father's side, whose maiden name was Perry, was born and raised in Ashe County, NC, and moved eventually with her entire family to Oklahoma where I live. I'm deeply interested in both history of all kinds and genealogy. I've solved some of my own families mysteries just because I love to research so deep. I searched out this channel in hopes of finding more answers. I do know that one of my Perry ancestors has their house and land registered on the national history register. Thank you for caring enough, too!
My grandmother was also a Perry. From NC to TN to AL.
Another explorer of hidden and forgotten cemeteries (Robert of Sidestep Adventures) says that for every identifiable/marked grave you see, you should multiply by at least 2 to have a true count of graves. So many graves are just lost to time. Thanks for making this video. I very much enjoyed it. I subscribed, can’t wait to see what else you do.
I would agree completely….although this particular cemetery straddles a very narrow ridge top… so room was very limited. But I’d say there are still a few unmarked. Thanks for watching!
My family came from the area of SW Virginia where Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina all meet, I was doing research last night and was shocked to find a ancestor born in the early 1700's that died very early in the 1800's at the age of 92, I think that was pretty rare back then but it fits in with my current family genetics of lots of family members making it to 90+
You are fortunate to have people who appreciate your passion for History of your area enough to point you in the right direction to these sites from the past so you can research and document the findings from our past . Thank you Mr Ben and all the folks who point him in the direction of Historic locations. Just love the dedication..
I was definitely appreciative of the tip I received. Really enjoyed looking for it!
My family history is from Mitchell County, NC. I know of them being in the area well back into the early 1700s. I am a Hughes and we have a very similar cemetery in Pigeon Roost that is known as the Hughes/Byrd cemetery. As close as those two counties are I have little doubt that some of the Byrd's buried with my relatives are related to this group of Byrd's. Our cemetery has many very similar graves with the head and foot stones. This video brings back a lot of memories of my two trips to our cemetery.
I love history- this was great !
Thank you for taking me along where I otherwise would not have gotten to experience this hidden treasure . Just know that you are appreciated ❤️
As are you Candice! Thanks for watching!
Fascinating! I am so glad....that even for a moment...these fine wnc ancestors were remembered. I loved this video and very much enjoyed sharing your adventure and discovery! Thanks!
---from Marion, NC.
I really hope that more of these types of graves are found before they are lost
Really really enjoyed this one. Thanks for sharing!
Well done video Ben, I really love history and you bring it to life!
Thank you Jerry!
Thank you for caring and sharing this video! I hope their family might find them!
Thank you for watching Nesa!
I am from Brevard and I appreciate your content sir. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for sharing this sad story with me ! Take care , stay safe and healthy with whatever you maybe doing next ! Doing well here in Kansas .
Take care of yourself Steve!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting Had an inch snow the night before and sleet last night other than that doing well here ! You all take care , stay safe and healthy there !
This was super interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Jenn!
Hi! Very Interesting to me, And Who they Were! I love History. Thank you ! For Sharing Your Story, See you On the Next One! God BLESS
I thoroughly enjoyed this video! Im a sucker for old graveyards & geneology!!
Thanks for watching Mary!
Thank you so much for doing this trek and research!!!! So appreciate your efforts and your kindness~
I found a Bird in my family tree from Burke County moved to Macon County. Eliszabeth Bird (1811-1909) married a Josiah Curtis. I have them on Ancestry page. It's not a direct line to me but I found it interesting. I have a lot of Carpenters, Stiles, Allens and Renos from the Otto area all the way up to Beaver Dam in Haywood County.
Bird in a tree
Bird…likely an Indian woman from one of the “Bird Tribes” imo or had a bird like Indian name..Many Carpenters are Cherokee, married into Cherokee tribe in early 17th century…became Moytoys, Overhill Cherokee.
I know a huge property in Old Fort adjacent to the train tracks where the homeowners are quite accustomed to native Indians periodically making a pilgrimage there to gain access and approval to follow up the ridge line to their ancestral graves deep in the woods. Fascinating stuff when they just show up with gifts and kindly asking permission to return to their buried bloodline that only the homeowners and those select few (Cherokee?) Indians are even aware of.
I actually drove through Old Fort for the first time in my life earlier this year. Kinda random, was on a little trip and needed to mail something at a post office. The nearest one was in Old Fort. The place definitely had the feel of history about it.
Thanks, awesome video..
This was cool Ben, thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
My 3x great grandfather Thomas Bird was born in Burke North Carolina 1783. I’m going to have to research now and see if I can find a tie to this cemetery. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. If I find out anything I will let you know.
Awesome! Please do and best of luck on your research!
Thank you so much for posting this video. I really am glad to see others out there with the same interest in finding the stories of people from long ago and to help those who want to find out more about them. I have been searching about my family history in Rural Hall, NC. I used to live down a dirt road not far from an old graveyard that reminded me of the one in this video. The graves towards the front were newer but as you went father back, there were stones/rocks with hard to read carvings. I feel the area I grew up in has a lot of history and often wonder if there are Native American stories as well. I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Thanks so much for your great comment. I hope you discover a wealth of information about your family and that you are able to help their memories carry on.
My ancestors lived in Surry county and Rockingham County, they were the Moore (FPC), Gibson (FPC), Goins(FPC), Goodman families
Man! That's just amazing what came from finding a lost graveyard. I thoroughly enjoyed it Ben. Thanks brother! Kelly/Indiana
I love finding those little pieces of history before they slip away from us! Thanks for watching Kelly!
Awsome that is so cool great job my friend
Thanks for watching Mark!
Great story. Much respect to you!
Great video. Love that old pioneer history. Came across a few old family graveyards running the woods in WV as a kid.
Great story!!
I live in W. N.C.
So glad I watched your video. Am subscribing
If I were looking for the Byrd homeplace, I would look at some old topo maps and try to locate a spring close to the area. back in those days, people used springs as their water source. Perhaps the lady you spoke with knows where the old homeplace is. Good video. Keep up the good work. Local history is one of the most important histories you can find.
Thanks Byron! I have a couple guesses as to where it may have been located. Unfortunately I think it might have been bulldozed and replaced by a modern home.
Bird or Byrd are my family also. Thank you for posting .
Sure thing Nancy! Glad you found the video.
Hey just found this. I am fasinating with hisyory and old cemeteries
Very entertaining adventure and story Ben
Appreciate your videos Brother. I grew up in Swain County. It seems so much of our history has been lost in time. Our ancestors were important and need to be remembered
Yes sir! Thanks for watching!
Interesting video. I enjoyed watching. It's sad that they are forgotten.
Hopefully videos like this will keep the memories around for a few more years.
Thank you for this story.
Thank you for watching!
My family has lived in NC since the late 1700's, in all lines of my family tree. Where is this grave site located? This is pretty awesome. Glad someone is taking care of it.
I can’t give exact location due to its being on private land but it is located in Macon County.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting well it's awesome. The old stones like that wear down. The ones from the early 1800s in my family cemetery are only legible due to the care they've received over the years. Some of my husband's family in Arizona don't even have headstones. They were buried under rock mounds. Pretty interesting.
Well done.
Thank you for sharing this. These were probably some of our family and we always wondered why there was a difference in the spelling. If it was two different Byrd's or bird but from what you showed it was all the same family.
thank you , I love history
Thanks for your video,my family is from around the Reidsville area.
Burke county native. I love hearing this history of the area.
Very nice thanks for posting. Sincerely Erin Schlameus
Thanks for watching Erin!
Outstanding video
Thanks for watching Kenneth!
I find so many old family plots along the coast of NC while hunting and doing realestate. Always bunch of kids in the plots. I even found some plots on camp lejeune back deep in the woods, all the families got moved off in WW2
I can’t imagine trying to feed 16 kids when you are literally building a home in the wilderness. Surprising that any of them survived!
Thank you for this video! ❤ I live in n.c. born and raised ! My daddy taught me a lot about these old mountains! Different herbs the trees, he sawmilled, pulled galax, made princesses pine wreaths whatever he had to do, to raise us 5 daughters, adopted my 2 oldest sisters! He had to work as a child to help raise his brothers and sisters! There we’re 3 or 4 siblings lost to scarlet fever and small pox! On this solid rock I stand!!! My friend moved to Hampton Tn a couple years ago but still worked up here?! Anyway, in potter town Hampton Tn there are 3 stones there at her driveway! 💔😢 I can’t remember the address but you cut up waycaster rd I believe and it’s a little driveway that circles around on the right and the graveyard is at the end of the driveway next to the road! Thaught you might want to check it out?!
Thank you for sharing those wonderful memories with me Mildred. Thanks for the tip on the graves. Who knows, might just make it up there some day. Thanks for watching!
I would love to explore with you, I live in Newland NC and spend all my time when I'm not at work in the hills . I really enjoyed this video thank you very much .
That Bird family is my family. Thank you so much
My pleasure.
I have many family cemeteries on top of the mountain nobs of western NC. I recently visited some. Took a 4 wheel drive to make it to the end of the dirt road and then we had to hike to get to them. Many early families were buried on the mountains! Early settlers of the mountains were generally buried on top.
My family on my grandmother's side was from Macon county back to the early 1800s
I love history, keep up the research 👌
The Byrds of Grayson County Virginia migrated to Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina . The graves you found could be my kin. I'm currently farming close by near the Little Tennessee River. I sure would like to see the site if possible.
I sure wish I could give you permission but it’s on privately owned and gated land. I will ask though.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting Do you have a way for me to send you my contact information? Also, there is a known pre-Columbian gravesite where I am farming. The site is protected. No one allowed to disturb it. Though lots of artifacts are popping up in the plowed fields that are being collected.
@@lawnguyva you can shoot me an email. benjpope1818@gmail.com
I really liked the fact that you were able to find out about the cemetery. I'm sure the family learned something new about the area. I really wish I could spend some time with you exploring. Maybe some day I will be granted the opportunity to meet you. Please take care and I wish the best for you and your family.
Very kind of you Carl. It’s a small word so maybe our paths will cross one day!
Outstanding. Thanks so much for sharing this almost forgotten history. I wonder if you place the last name in the title or in the tag section if it will make it easier for a family member or someone researching their family tree to find this video down the road. Thanks for sharing, good luck, happy hunting and take care.
Good thoughts. I loaded up the tags with family names and multiple spellings. It’d be awesome to see some family connected as a result of the video.
I live in Alexander county nc. I know several people by the last name Byrd.
Great video and great find
Thanks for watching Shelley!
What a great Channel !
Thank you Robert. Appreciate you watching!
Excellent video Ben! Pretty amazing the amount of info you were able to gather from just a visit to that family graveyard. History saved! Well done!
Thanks bud. Appreciate you watching!
I'm also in macon county. Awesome job on recording this history
Thanks Zeke!
Outstanding great find. Now that I think of it. It would not be so bad to be reclaimed by the earth nice peaceful forest. Always a pleasure to watch thanks for taking us along
Side note family homestead I would think is close by. Wouldn’t hurt to take a gander with a detector. Just a thought
I think I have a good idea where it might have been, and it’s now under a modern home. Lots of dirt moved too....unfortunately.
Great job
Thanks Russell!
Very cool. I just bought land near Maggie Valley, in Haywood County & have a long, rich family history from WNC and ETN, including Cherokee heritage. I look forward to doing some exploring. Mary, Elizabeth and Nancy are very common Christiansted names of Native American women. I still think the Bird family is Cherokee. Fascinating exploration.
Good point and great video. Im actually planning a trip to whittier. Gonna drive up from South Houston, do some exploring/look at some property for sale. Beautiful land up there boys.
So sad to see a forgotten cemetery. That's why I'm to be cremated and my and my dog's ashes to be scattered in the Smoky Mtns. By the time my grandchildren are dead, I will be forgotten. No sense in my body and headstone taking up space.
To each there own in that regard, but one of my favorite places on earth is the tiny family cemetery that is the final resting place of my 3x great grandfather, his wife and two following generations. The old cemeteries aren’t always forgotten.
@@HistoryHoundDetecting That's good to know. There was a man in Ohio County, KY that allowed my husband and me to deer hunt on his property years ago. I climbed a hill and on top of that hill was a small family cemetery. Some of the headstones had fallen over, and some has sunk some into the graves. They were so old that I couldn't make out the names. I didn't stick around, it gave me the creeps.
Great video.
Thanks Chris!
You might be interested in Sidestep Adventures on TH-cam ! He goes around in Alabama , Georgia and I believe other southern states looking for old forgotten cemeteries and documenting them ! He has a few stories to tell about some of the people in some of them ! He also tells how to tell where graves are at ! Same graves are marked with fieldstone markers only !
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll definitely check him out!
@@HistoryHoundDetecting you're welcome
I watch Sidestep Adventures all of the time. Good people and interesting content.
I second thatbas been watching him for over a yr now .
Cool video!
Thank you Harper. And thank you for the wonderful testimony as well. To God be the glory!
Papa always called it exploring.
I've run into several grave sites in these mountains Caldwell & watauga co. Out hunting . Have never seen any markings on the stones though, some were sunk in. And know all are still there and safe
Very informative video..
Thanks Cathy!
Another great video and adventure. Speculation is where the quest begins. Getting answers by chance was a God send. Thanks for caring for the past. I'm sure we haven't heard the last from the Byrd/Bird family. Curious how the family name on the list of children is spelled Bird as well as Byrd. Stay safe
I noticed that too! That’s a genealogists nightmare right there. But it happened a lot. Thanks for watching!
I thought that was great. You obviously have a big heart for what you’re doing. Ive always loved southern history but just dont have much time to search for it now.
The last interesting thing I found was a very old house way up a holler that was several miles southwest of whittier NC. We were staying in a cabin below there, and it took me an hour or more to hike up there. It looked like it might fall down at any minute so i didnt go in. Kind of wish i had anyway….
Those old homesites always make a fella wonder. Who were they, and why are they gone. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you for watching.
I have Byrd/ Bird ancestors.
amazing!!!
Thank you!!
Great detective work
Thanks Michael
Theres alot of young saplings growing there, so in time that will be a forgotten graveyard to us when the trees get bigger....but they have not been forgotten by the Lord, because he is wrapping them in his arms!
Wow, my grandfathers family came to the Brevard area from Macon county. They moved over the mountain and settled in 1900. There are some old sight graves like this in this area I've run into over the years. In the back of my families graveyard there are stones just like this
I live on mt Pisgah, up 151 before you get to the park way, just outside of Asheville. i love the mountains and it’s where I’ll die. Lol
We got 2 of those cemeteries here on our dairy farm here in Madison county NC. Pretty creepy tbh considering what's on the stones... strange symbols and pentagrams carved into them in one of the cemeteries. The other is like the one you found the dates range from 1673 is the oldest n the youngest dates back to the 1790s. And then there is slaves buried on the property as well. Along with the Shelton laurel massacre victims.. that happened on our farm back in the 1870s