I've always loved cemeteries. A fun outing for me is prowling around in a graveyard, hunting dead relatives. I've also always had a "sixth sense" of where to find a particular grave. I believe they call to me, wanting to be found.
About six years ago, I discovered that my husband had Revolutionary ancestors buried in a quaint village in South Carolina. At the time of the discovery, I was able to locate the cemetery online and find some information about the aforementioned ancestors, but there wasn't a lot to go on.
While
making our way home from a business meeting, we made a detour and
visited Salem Cemetery and the graves of two of his
fourth-great-grandfathers, William Fleming Bailey and Thomas
Cauthen. Both men fought in the Revolution and are believed
to have been involved in the nearby Battle of Hanging
Rock.
A dedication ceremony had been held in May 1976 for the Revolutionary Patriots of Lancaster County, and the Cauthen memorial monument was erected by the Waxhaw chapter of the DAR in honor of the Cauthen patriots, Thomas and his brothers, James and William, who died in Lancaster County. The Reverend Baker James Cauthen, a direct descendant of William Cauthen, delivered the address for the service.
Also, William Fleming Bailey is honored at this same site. Bailey was the father of Nancy Agnes Bailey, who married George Washington Cauthen, son of the aforementioned Thomas Cauthen.
It was a memorable occasion to visit the final resting places of these Revolutionary soldiers and to commemorate the day with a photograph of my husband with his hand resting on their monuments.
#52ancestors