In the 1930’s and 1940’s, the workers of the Works Progress Administration (now called the Works Projects Administration) set out to record burial information for cemeteries across the state. These records have now been added online by the NC State Archives and State Library of NC.
The survey includes listings for the following cemeteries. Do keep in mind that there may be errors and/or mistakes, but the value of these records is immense.
- Adams Cemetery (pg. 5)
- Banks Cemetery (two of them – pgs. 6 & 7)
- Bender Cemetery — pg. 8
- Brown Cemetery (pg. 9 – African-American)
- Civils & Gray Cemetery (pg. 35)
- Cumbo Cemetery (pg. 36)
- Dillahunt Cemetery (pg. 37)
- Duval Cemetery (pg. 10)
- Friendship Cemetery (pg. 38)
- Forbes Cemetery (pg. 11)
- Foscue Cemetery (two of them, pgs. 12 & 13)
- Foy Cemetery (pg. 14)
- Foy Cemetery (pg. 15 – African-American)
- Gilbert Cemetery (pg. 40)
- Green’s Cemetery (pg. 41)
- Harriett Cemetery (pg. 16)
- Harrison Cemetery (pg. 42)
- Howard Cemetery (pg. 17)
- Huggins Cemetery (pg. 43)
- Koonce Cemetery (pg. 44)
- Maysville Cemetery (pg. 4)
- McDaniel’s Cemetery (pgs. 45 & 46)
- Melton Cemetery (pg. 18)
- Moore Cemetery (pg. 47)
- Oak Grove Cemetery (pg. 21)
- Oliver Cemetery (two of them, pgs. 22 & 23)
- Piney Grove Cemetery (pg. 25)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery (pg. 2)
- Pollock Cemetery (pgs. 48 & 49)
- Pollocksville Cemetery (pg. 26)
- Scott Cemetery (pg. 50)
- Simmons Cemetery (pg. 31 & 32)
- Smith Cemetery (pg. 51)
- Taylor Cemetery (pg. 33)
- Taylor’s Cemetery (pg. 52)
- Trenton Cemetery (pg. 53 & 58)
- White Cemetery (pg. 34)
You can find the Jones County files here.
Thanks Taneya for posting. I was just about to order the microfilm. I am only saddened that the African American cemeteries were pretty much overlooked in this endeavor. I was soo hopeful that this would project by the WPA would be something great for my research.
Hi Ramona,
Yes, it would have been nice if they had more African-American records. I also had hoped I’d find more on my own specific families but that was not to be the case. Quite unfortunate.
I too was hoping for more african-american records, especially located in Maysville,NC under the Hicks cemetary. It would seem that it would be quite simple to look up in the town records where the land was purchased for burial for the family and you will find the exact location, or might I suggest they hire Jack Robinson who preserves african-american gravesites.
Hi Pamela – thanks for your comment. These listings were recorded in the 1930s and 1940s. They did include at least some African-American cemeteries. I am familiar with Jack’s work, but this long pre-dates him. 🙂 If you’re looking for more cemetery burial information for the county the Heritage Genealogical Society sells a cemetery book you may be interested in. Their site is at http://historicalpreservationgroup.org/.