Boone Burials in Joppa CemeteryBoone Burials
In
Joppa Cemetery
IV
WAP
1' ..
October 3, 2006
4381 Calgary Blvd
Okemos, MI 48864
Cyrette Sanford
360 N Main
Moicksville, NC 27028
Hello,
I am writing you to get your opinions regarding some research and memorial work that I would
like to do at Joppa Cemetery.
My 5`h great grandparents were Israel Boone and his unknown wife. Israel married out of the
Quaker Meeting (in Pennsylvania) and his wife's name has eluded all researchers. Israel was the
second born of Squire and Sarah Morgan Boone, Daniel was the 61h born. You are well aware of
i' the stones and memorial wall around them for Squire and Sarah and of the stone wall just to the
left with the metal plaque on it, providing information about the family
Israel and unknown wife both passed at age 30 from TB, leaving 4 children, one of whom was
my 4`h great grandmother Elizabeth. An 1854 letter (copy and partial enclosed) from a visitor to
Joppa indicates that he found a stone in 3 pieces on the left side and close by to Squire. From the
information that could be read, the death date of June 26, 1756 was noted and this is the date of
Israel's passing. The broken pieces of stone have disappeared over the years. There is another
letter from a James Williamson, Mocksville, to Lyman Draper dated 1884. At that time, the
stone believed to have been Israel's is illegible.... but part of it still there. Curious, there was no
mention of the existence of a stone to the left of Israel ( perhaps his wife) in the 1854 letter.
As a part of being of member of the Boone Society, 1 am interested in providing some
kind of memorial to Israel and his wife on behalf of the descendants of Israel Boone.
There is reason to believe that his wife might be buried right next to Israel. To try and confirm
this, I would like to bring in a lady from Mississippi who is part of a national group of people
with dogs trained to find graves with their scent ( they are sniffing moisture from the area around
old bones and the scent is considered good for more than 1000 years). I would think this activity
would prove one or two graves to the left of Squire Boone. While not confirming who was in the
graves, there is certainly some circumstantial evidence or logic. IF, there were two graves
indicated. I would like to probe ( using a 1/4" metal rod) to see if any contact might be made with
a subsurface stone.
Excuse my digression. Three years ago, as part of a Boy Scout clean up project of Smoot
Cemetery near Petersburg, IL, a marker was found for a 2nd great grandfather of mine. My wife
Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, NC
Maintenance on the cemetery ceased many many years ago. We have since cleaned the stone up,
put in a foundation and it is proudly upright and visible once more.
Anyway, there is hope that there might be a buried stone for the unknown wife which might
bring an answer to her identity.
I have also received two bids for ground penetrating radar, both at $3,000. The chances of the
radar picking up anything seem very remote, so that alternative is not considered feasible.
Part one of my interest is to see if two graves can be detected.
Part two is to see if some kind of memorial can be erected. If permissible, it would seem that one
choice could be between the wall for Squire and Sarah and the wall giving family information. I
would see no reason why it couldn't be done with the same brick of the same height and depth to
match up with the two existing memorials.
For the present time, my interest is only in your response. There is certainly no reason to proceed
if such a memorial would be unwelcome. I would be happy to send any supporting information
to you that might be helpful.
If easier for you to reply by email, my address is: detmivcuster@coi-ncast.net. My phone is 517-
349-2822.
Many thanks for your considerations and thoughts.
Sincerely,
P D Custer Jr
Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, NC
TRANSLATION O.t' 13tURNlvlivv vr- 1-,L l 1 L1� 1 �•-.�
BRYAN FAMILY, DATED June 15, 1854
Dear Sir (not sure who the "sir" is),
of the 28`"Aril last came to (?) and I now (?) answer it .I have examined thoroughly ad
Yours P
ave and at Joppa Meeting House and found the grave of Squire Boone with a soap stonehe
gr y
stone, neatly finished at the head of it with the following inscription word andletter upon
year of our
Squire Boone departed this life in they (sic) Sixty Ninth year of his age in they (sic) a broken
q
Lord 1765 Geneiary the 2! (looks like). On the left hand side of it close. by, I four b to the
sou stone head stone _which has-been broken -into three pieces,.one.owlnich is.sticking
:.:p.:...... J:..-..-- of the inscription,
g
round, one lying by and -one is gone. upon which I make out the following (•one t defaced
"Boone, departed this life June 26, 1756, aged thirty years. The balance from thegposition of the grave
that it cannot be made out. The part I have given c plain. I assume assume that Squire Boone is
and the date and age of the deceased that it is a second wife. I
the father or uncle of Daniel Boone.
I haven't translated slated the balance of the letter, but the asterisk leads to the bottom of page one and
states: this must have been Israel Boone, who was born March 9, 1726.
The letter is signed Respectfully, C Harbio ( or something like that)
Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, NC
✓e,r yj✓BCUG. ✓; 'V Z� . I.f, - i a`j-z
'� �-..fes °��.., ��......�.Jl�t� , ../ �'. '� /�...-r.., <w�,�.•i ., /�
.f M-� � ��.✓'•.:.. � Ham:-� l��_-_., e..e �'n.�: y ... Y --N
1'R�-r, ,.'Wi. � ./ �.!_. �... m ., ` .-.... .^ � r./.ra u.... .'.�_..� .fid r�..�� � .I-:. •...-._...
' 'q .. .u> - 1:..�.. , _ rn/l /%�n....._a.t %.- ....✓� ,-r. X37
r / ., .q..4r... - .-sir ... .__. •.> �.I / �'!<` -_ �.�_�....aa.;.r.^ •3� i-
:fes._ �re � :.> rr r. /.m ��.-.. /. �. r!�. •:.. �y:r. .a.. ._...Cf
r.�_. 4:.. •.ry _ � a r.a _... _ ,,..:Ci:J; :�... .� .,'..� .ice .._ . , a:� n i:. a... � i
Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, NC
`. :7,.:r. ..
>�F...ii`[��%.�.4.ef�7is�L-�c.:../f� Fes. as...(o //�..:.��.• e. PsIG...__. ..✓�
' 4f-rr-+.y � .a�.:nc ✓,��.,t /� ,��s,,-��rr.. "�..,`,y�v.� s� 6lla� �'y,
Cr+.- ef.f-ln..�..:8�; r+'.-n•d e... ���.�..�,�'Fr/✓.� rill.... f ,i
'; •.--J-- .... iY�l....yl.-7 .. ��./�/ Ff.. ..f.�A .+,2....L. /.T�.'s�����J�;
LCR.r9L A d+✓. lri-� � L✓Fs /+rv..G .�.i.I� .flu+ L; ��/�piG.s.e.✓ 5 if. / �' ��,�„
� d A
/IM+. ofMf�4 ,{{/.1��fy4, �ra..� •v_6K.�a... %I` %'/tle�w � n.wf. ✓)'aaea/.... '/Nw
✓//ll N /(fs �, Lu4L/!'M.n^.�G li�f�'G Liar.. ✓L�'�J fy.
�' vise If.LG �� d+vc p/�f%Ls•++ Lwsl :GIFI.�. lw.n..d.�4_//<.V f s''vd Lc�//y
r
77
�e. e.r r✓.0 t� ✓�..e_ euct4 oe..,-1a '•/�. ^ya se'z>/2.
Davie County Public Library
Mocksville, NC
I . A t
Cyrette Sanford
360 N Main
Mocksville, NC 27028
Hello Cyrette,
Sorry, I g mightily of mi htil confused with left and right and all of that stuff of the phone last night.
Hope that the enclosed will have us singing from the same page of the hymnal.
y
PHOTO ONE is m wife Karen, looking at the plaque which is to the left of the memorial wall
Squire and Sarah. The only stone I see sticking up is behind Sari. Is this the one you are
for q
talking about?
a close u of the memorial wall and it shows that Squire is on the left side as
PHOTO TWO is P
you face it from the front.
THREE is the copy of the 1857 letter translation, which says
...."on the left side
ENCLOSURE TH .." This turns out to be the stone
of it (sic Squire's stone), close by, I found a broken showed no graves to the left of Squire's
attributed to Israel. I heard you to say that the dowz g
stone, alas.
Well now, all of this is may have something to do with what direction one is facing when saying
left or right.
It also does not define what "closely by" means .... a few feet or 10 feet. Dowzing
may be important within a 12 foot radius of the memorial wall to Squire and Sarah.
eo le in an east -west orientation
I understand, in older days especially, it was the custom to bury
to be true with Squire and Sarah
(head on the east end, feet to the west). I would think this loo
ks rtainl seems to be on Karen (1)
at Joppa. We visited in the mid -late morning, and the sun nt of the memorial wall, it would seem to
from the southeast.. If you found Sarah's feet out in f would look for Israel (according to the letter
confirm an east -west burial. That being the case; zdin . On the other Band, we do not know how
translation) to be near the wall where Karen iuson the scene of Squire and Sarah's stones. I just
it was that the author of the 1857 letter cam P thin in the fabulous story you
wonder out loud if they were in the same location. D re found when they were collected for
related on your first phone call, speak to how the stones
safe keeping and how they were replaced when the memorial wall was built?
p g
ENCLOSURE FOUR p
: I ut in a simple sketch as to show things as I believe them to be and to
for
use
suggest a search area of 12' on all sides of the center of the Squire and Sarah wall. Please and
gg s
or reference or make a corrected version. $50 is enclosed to aid in conducting ost worthwhile.
he search
digging up any stones in that search area. Many thanks Cyrette, this is y
Best,
Denny Custer
Davie Cour, Public Library
Mocksville, NC
Sten PMIo OY Bill East
Two diihlren visit the graves. of Daniel Boone's parents on
the northern outskirts of Mocksville.
Daniel Boone's Parents -
arents-Pioneers'
Pi
Oneers'
Graves
Gain New Interest
By BILL
EAST i.
a.mma car
Edn.r
MOCBSVILLE — A whole
cemetery without noticing it
new generation is learning
except for a state -erected sign
about the exploits of Daniel
which calls the attention of
Boone in Davie and Davidson
passersby to the fact that
counties, thanks to th a
Boone's parents are buried
opening of Interstate 40 near
there.
Macksville.
"The sign has been there
Our of the exits of In.
ti
A.
Mocksviile man, "but mostly
.e. -a
just local traffic saw it mill
distance South is the old
v
Joppa cemetery where
Sten PMIo OY Bill East
Two diihlren visit the graves. of Daniel Boone's parents on
the northern outskirts of Mocksville.
Daniel Boone's Parents -
arents-Pioneers'
Pi
Oneers'
Graves
Gain New Interest
By BILL
EAST i.
a.mma car
Edn.r
MOCBSVILLE — A whole
cemetery without noticing it
new generation is learning
except for a state -erected sign
about the exploits of Daniel
which calls the attention of
Boone in Davie and Davidson
passersby to the fact that
counties, thanks to th a
Boone's parents are buried
opening of Interstate 40 near
there.
Macksville.
"The sign has been there
Our of the exits of In.
for many years," said a
terstate 40 into MucksvBle is
Mocksviile man, "but mostly
onto U.S. 501 and a short
just local traffic saw it mill
distance South is the old
Interstate 40 opened and
Joppa cemetery where
made a new entrance for
Boon's parents are buried.
Mocksville on this road. New
The graves have been there
the traffic at the cemetery
since the 1700s, but the
has really increased."
opening of the highway can-
Boone's mother was the
nection is bringing them to
daughter of an unassuming
the attention of thousands of
Well: Quaker by the name of
visitors who may never have
John Morgan. Boon's father
seen them.
Squire was an Englishman by
Sunday afternoon t h e r e
birth, a native of the obscure
were cars from Florida ,
Devonshire village of Brad.
Pennsylvania (where Daniel
aineh.
Boone was horn), Georgia,
Biographers call Squire "a
Virginia and Tennessee within
man of rather small stature,
the space of an hon.
didn't know much about
fair complexion with red hair
.I
the wanderings of Boone in
and gray eyes . his wife
something over the common
North Carolina" said a
size, strong and active with
history buff from Georgia.
black hair and eyes."
"And I never knew that his
Both immigrated to the
parents were buried in North
United States, settled is
Carolina."
. Motorists might pass the old
See 1-40, Page 3. _
fhc Jea i-i'ti41- c�wnc
DAVIE CO. POgLIC LISRARy
MOCKSVILLE, NC
.140 BrMgs New
TBoone.F.4Attehfion
� '
o Graves of a
Continued from Page 1.
and two years later - her
'a
erected by the Boone Trail
Pennsylvania and were
father.justice of the peace,
married them.
highway Association."
Boone'r gravestone, quite
married backwoods fashion in
Pennsylvania in 1720.
When Daniel Boone's father
readable -says: "Squire Boone
They had four children in
their first 12 years of mar-
died in 1765, he was buried in
the old cemetery near Joppa
departed this life the sixty
ninth year of his age In the
riage. They moved to Oley
-
church. Two years -later,
Boone started his explorations.
year. of our• Lord 1765." His
wife's 'gravestone has been
township in what is now
modern Berks County
Into Tennessee.
obscured by age.
Pennsylvania, where Squirere
m
Boone's other died about
Because of the new interest
'
bought 250 acres and built a
eight or nine years later just
time be lest the
in the frontiersman and the
'
cabin.
Daniel Boone was born in
a short after
Davie -Davidson area. She was
heavy traffic . to his parents'
graves, there is talk in
the cabin cn 2. 1734. as
buried next to her husband.
Mocksville of making the site
•Nov.
the sixth child of Squire and
The gravestones have been
more accessible.
Sarah.
preserved through the years.
. $igbt now. it is difficult for
For no special reason ex-
Some years ago, when son*
automobile traffic to get in
cept the spirit of adventure,
venir hunters started to chip
and out of the cemetery.
the Boones decided to leave
away at them, they were
Mocksville residents believe
Pennsylvania and , move to
encased An concrete and a
that the graves could become
North Carolina in 1750 when
plaque erected.
a community shrine if the
Daniel was 16.
The plaque says:
area is improved.
They arrived In the Yadkin
"Here are buried t b e
Boone himself is buried
valley area :of what -is now
parents of Daniel Boone,
with his wife Rebecca in
Davie County in the; fall of
frontiersman, pioneers of the
Frankfort, Ky. He died in
1751 and lived in Davie and
Yadkin. This .m a moria 1 .
1820.
Davidson counties for nearly
---
— — --
15 years.
While here.. Daniel Boone
met and married black-eyed,
rosy-cheeked Rebecca Bryan, '
who made . a conquest of
Daniel almost from t h e
moment that they met.
She was only 15 years old
when they became engaged
DAVIE CO. pUSUC LIBRARY
MOCKSViLLE,, NQ
Boone Gravestones and Encasement
At Joppa Cemetery
Squire Boone (1696-1765) and Sarah Morgan Boone (1700-1777), parents of
Daniel Boone, were buried at a non -denominational meetinghouse (church) known as
"the Forks of the Yadkin." A small surrounding settlement is said to have been known
as "Burying Ground Ridge." The meetinghouse became a Presbyterian congregation in
1767 and is today the First Presbyterian Church of Mocksville. The former church and
burial site is today Joppa Cemetery.
Several people were involved in constructing the present monument grave
marker:
Idea, planning, and coordinator James W. Wall
Approval and encouragement — Hugh S. Larew, active and interested director of
Joppa Cemetery Inc.
Brick encasement by Henry Crofts, brick mason, and David Miller, his student,
and James G. Wall
Brick donated by Jane and Mary McGuire from their old home place near Bear
Creek on Jericho Road
Copper cover over the encasement by Hugh S. Larew
Bronze plaque purchased and attached by James W. Wall.
The gravestones are said to have come from the Squire and Sarah Boone homesite
at Bear Creek on Highway 64 West. A highway marker identifies the homesite.
Squire Boone's gravestone is very soft soapstone and would have been easily
lettered. Sarah Boone's gravestone is a very hard, small stone shaped like a ham standing
on the small hock end. The hardness and shape accounts for the chiseled SAH+ name
lettering.
The gravestones were of course first set in the ground. Probably in the very early
1900s the stones were removed from Joppa and put in the Bank of Davie vault where
they would be safely preserved. Metal pipes still visible marked the gravesites. (The
writer is of the opinion that his was done at the suggestion of Dr. James McQuire, 1829-
1909, who was very interested in preserving local history.)
The gravestones were returned to Joppa Cemetery probably in 1925 as part of the
effort of former Davie County native J. Hampton Rich, who formed the Boone Trail
Highway and Memorial Association to mark the places Daniel Boone had been or lived.
It is said he, using locally raised money, erected some 358 arrowhead stones or markers,
each with a plaque containing a bit of metal from the battleship Maine, to associate
Daniel Boone with a site. The two in Davie County at the. Davie County Courthouse and
Farmington — are certainly authentic. Many of the others, such as the one in San
Francisco, are not.
Davie County Public library
Mocl�s�li11e, NC
A 1925 local newspaper account states that at this time, and as part of Rich's
effort, the Boone stones were returned to Joppa. They were placed in a very poorly
constructed encasement of rock with a minimal amount of thin cement stucco exterior.
(See picture in the History of Davie County.)
By the early 1970s this encasement was in such a deteriorated state that there
was a danger that the stones would be damaged or stolen. Thus the erection of the
present structure as previously noted.
In 1954, as part of the celebration of Daniel Boone's 250' birthday, the large
bronze plaque locating the landholdings and home sites of the six other Boone families,
who lived in Davie County with a brief narrative of each, was placed near the grave sites
at Joppa by the late Howell Boone. (See picture, 1997 edition, History of Davie County)
Howell Boone was a direct descendant of John Boone, Daniel Boone's first cousin.
James W. Wall
August 2006
Joppa Cemetery and the Boone Burials There
Joppa Cemetery
Joppa Cemetery site in early years was known as Burying Ground Ridge or Burying
Ground. The site was in a large geographic area of several present counties including
today's Davie County and northwest and was known as the Forks of theYadkin.
Why the site was chosen as a burying ground is unknown. Tradition says a few
residences in nearby area — would have been very few.
Earliest known grave — Squire Boone, 1765. Site was not Boone land.
Whether religious meetinghouse there in 1765 is unknown.
There was a church interdenominational meetinghouse, Forks of the Yadkin, there in
1767 when the congregation requested the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia and New
York to send a minister.
In 1789 the church name was changed to Joppa by the Presbyterian General Assembly.
Cemetery name would have changed with church name.
A minister came to Joppa in 1792 and also served two other churches, Unity and Third
Creek. in the present Rowan County. The Presbyterian General Assembly was active in
Piedmont North Carolina in 1760s.
Joppa Presbyterian Church moved to Mocksville in 1834. Burials in cemetery continued
— Afro-American members are believed to be buried in front northwest corner — no
gravestones, rocks appear to indicate graves.
When rock wall built or by whom unknown — excavation outside and along west wall
found no burial remains -- an easement for a future road alongside the northwest rock
wall is provided.
No more burials inside rock wall permitted — too many unmarked graves probably there.
Mocksville Presbyterian Church owned and maintained cemetery until 1951, when the
church deeded the cemetery to Joppa Cemeteryylnc.
As a board member Hugh Larew personally spent countless hours repairing several
markers and preserving, maintaining, and mowing cemetery, this work done in part at his
own expense.
Since 2003 Cyrette Sanford has undertaken the upkeep, oversite, improvement
and restoration of the cemetery. Because of her intense interest, know-how, her research
in repairing markers, and the giving unsparingly of her time and personal financial
assistance, the cemetery is in the best preserved and most attractive condition ever.
Cyrette is currently president of Joppa Cemetery, Inc.
im
Boone Gravestones and Encasements at Joppa Cemetery
Squire Boone's gravestone reads: "Squire Boone departed this life they sixty-
ninth year of his age in thay year of our Lord 1765 Geneiary tha 2." It is a soft soapstone
slab of the type prevalent at that time. The circular points inside the circle tell that he
was a Freemason. It is said that Daniel was also.
Sarah Morgan Boone's gravestone reads: "SAH + Boone departed this life 1777
aged 77 years." It is a very hard granite -like rock. It is interesting to note that the person
lettering the stone identified her first name as SAH +. He was running out of space and I
suspect tiring of chiseling the hard rock. Both stones are said to have come from their
homeplace.
Having been there some 125 years, Squire Boone's stone would have shown
deterioration from weather, and both stones were in danger from vandalism or theft or
chipping by treasure hunters.
In recognition of this danger, it is the opinion of the writer that Dr. James
McGuire (1829-1906), who was intensely interested in preserving local history, put the
stones in the vault of the newly opened Bank of Davie, which had opened in 1901, for
safekeeping. He would have driven the iron pipes to mark the gravesites.
In 1913 Joe Hampton Rich, born in Davie County and living in Winston-Salem,
formed the Daniel Boone Trail Highway and Memorial Association and erected
some 350 markers nationwide where he said Boone had been. He erected one in San
Francisco, knowing that Boone had not been there, but according to Rich, "he had
thought about it." It was said that if local money could be raised at a given place, he
could find Boone "footprints." His plaques contained a bit of metal from the battleship
Marine of Spanish-American War fame, a popular war some 25 years earlier, perhaps as
an added inducement to a proposed person or group to locate and erect a marker at a
given place. Rich, wearing a coonskin cap (Daniel Boone never wore one). carrying a
long rifle spoke to thousands of people to promote his markers in the mid -1920s. The
marker at the Davie County Courthouse was erected in March 1925.
It is logical to assume, the writer thinks, that the stones for Squire and Sarah were
taken from the bank vault and put in the first encasement at Joppa about this time — the
mid -1920s. (See picture in History of Davie County). There is a marker at Farmington
also.
3
In 1972 the writer helping his son Jim with his Eagle Scout project, and with his
sister Carol, did a major cleanup of Joppa Cemetery and planted the pin oaks there.
Obviously they have grown very slowly: The 1920s encasement was severely
deteriorated and again in danger of vandalism or theft. Because of this concern,
Joppa Cemetery Incorporated, with Hugh Larew's insistence, gave the writer permission
to construct a new encasement for the Boone gravestones and Hugh helped design it.
The old 1920s encasement, mostly rock held together with a minimal amount of
cement, continued to be damaged by the weather, both rain and ice, and, of course, the
danger of vandalism and theft.
The Squire Boone stone is soapstone, and when chiseled off at ground level from
the cement base, the chips and dust were as soft as talcum powder. The Sarah Morgan
Boone stone is extremely hard granite and in the shape of a ham standing on the hock
end.
For the 1972 encasement Jane McGuire gave the old brick from her homeplace
(circa 1850-1875) on Jericho Road near Bear Creek. We retrieved enough usable brick
and took them to Joppa. Henry Crotts, instructor in brick laying at Davie County High
School, and student David Miller (I believe) laid the brick while Jim and I held the stones
in the proper position. The Sarah Boone marker was near impossible to hold properly
while the brick were being laid. Hugh Larew put the copper cover on the encasement.
The writer had the bronze plaque of the original inscription made at his expense and
bolted it to the brick encasement.. Note the three spellings of "the" in the original.
The large plaque locating the homesites of the six Boone families in Davie
County was placed there by the late Howell Boone (1922-1988) in 1984 on the 2501'
anniversary of Daniel Boone's birth.
Howell was a descendant of John Boone, Squire Boone's nephew, who first lived
near Hunting Creek and later moved his log house to today's Boone Farm Road near and
behind Center United Methodist Church.
Howell Boone came to Davie County from New York and in retirement lived on
his ancestor's land grant for some ten years. He worked extensively in the Davie County
Library researching Boone information, assisting people with general research, speaking
to groups, and traveling to Boone family sites in several states. As a boy he had visited
Joppa Cemetery with his father. He donated his extensive files of Boone data and some
of his vast book collection to the Davie County Library and the Martin -Wall History
Room.
q'
Israel Boone, Squire and Sarah Boone's Second Son May Be Buried in an
Unmarked Grave at Joppa Cemetery.
Tradition and some written accounts have spoken to the possibility that in
addition to Squire and Sarah Boone their second son Israel may have been buried at
Joppa Cemetery in 1756, 9 years earlier than Squire Boone in 1765 and 21 years earlier
than Sarah Boone in 1777.
Robert Morgan in his Boone, a Biography published in 2007, (page 284) states
that when Sarah Morgan Boone, Squire Boone's widow and Daniel Boone's mother, died
in 1777, she "was buried in Joppa Cemetery in Mocksville. North Carolina, beside her
husband Squire Sr. and their son Israel...."
Records state that Israel Boone, Squire and Sarah Boone's second son with his
family came to North Carolina with his parents. Israel and his wife had four children.
Their two daughters are said to have contracted tuberculosis from their parents and died.
It is known that Daniel and Rebecca, married in 1756, adopted Israel's two sons and
reared them as their own.
It should be noted that Daniel and Rebecca Boone's second son was also named
Israel, (1759- 1782). He was killed in a fight with Indians at the Battle of the Blue
Licks, Ky.)
The Moravian Records note that in September 1755, some three years after the
Boones migrated from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Israel Boone, son of Squire
Boone, Sr. was seeing a doctor at then the Moravian settlement at Bethabara for treatment
of consumption (tuberculosis) and that he had a short time to live. He died June 26,
1756.
Lymon C. Draper, researcher and archivist, spent most of his life gathering Daniel
Boone data but he did not publish it. Draper, quoting Samuel Boone, Squire and Sarah's
third son, wrote that Israel was buried near Mocksville.
Howell Boone, a descendant of John Boone states that there is no known record
of Israel Boone owning land in Davie County. However, the Rowan County Court
Minutes, January 1765, name a road overseer "from the South Yadkin [River] to Israel
Boone's old place," Israel and his family may have lived on a Squire Boone tract of
land.
If Israel Boone, Squire and Sarah Boone's second son, was buried at Joppa in
1756, as seems probable, then the cemetery was a burying ground some nine years earlier
than the oldest known gravestone, that of Squire Boone in 1765. Extant records do not
show that the cemetery was ever Squire Boone land.
John Boone
s
It has always been accepted that the tradition that John Boone, Squire Boone's
nephew, and Daniel Boone's first cousin, who lived on today's Boone Farm Road near
Squire and Sarah, was buried in a now unknown, unmarked grave at Joppa Cemetery.
This tradition was strengthened in recent years by the research of Howell Boone, a direct
descendent of John Boone.
The papers of Howell Boone in the Wall -Martin History Room at the Davie
County Library note: Beal Ijames of Davie County wrote Draper that John Boone,
Squire Boone's nephew who lived on Hunting Creek near Squire, is also buried at Joppa
in an unmarked grave. H. H. Helper, also of Davie County, wrote Draper in 1887 that
John Boone's soapstone marker at Joppa could not be read
It appears almost certain that a fourth Boone, John, is interred in an unknown
unmarked grave at Joppa Cemetery.
John Boone and part of his family remained in Davie County and became the
ancestors of the Boone families and relatives in this area.
Daniel and Rebecca Boone and their families and Sarah Morgan Boone, Daniel's
mother, with several of Rebecca's . Bryan relatives had settled in Boonesborough ,
Kentucky, in April, 1775. Hardships, deaths from Indian attacks, and loss of land
claims declared illegal led some of the Boones and Bryans to return to North
Carolina in 1777, the year of Sarah Boone's death. The Boones and some
relatives all returned to Kentucky in 1779.
References:
James W. Wall, History of Davie County, 1969.
Robert Morgan, Boone,a Biography, 2007.
William S. Powell, Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, Vol. I,1979.
Howell Boone Papers, Martin -Wall History Room, Davie County Library.
Ted F. Belune, The Life of Daniel Boone, 2007.
Davie County Cemeteries, Davie County Historical and Genealogical
Society, Martin -Wall History Room, Davie County Library.
i
4
Early Joppa Gravestones — Not Boone
DANIEL BOONE S
(_f
l
a +
Q
PARENTS
SQUIRE ANO SARAH
--
* -
-
BOONE ARE BURIED HERE.
04NIEL BOONE. 1734
I820. LIVED MANY YEARS
IN THIS REGION,_-
'•
2'.. •
's1 116?�t�'�Y
Early Joppa Gravestones — Not Boone
Daniel Boone was famous -
children, married and single, left '
Pennsylvania for North Caro-
-----
— -
A _
,even in his day. Numerous ar-
ticles were written about his
lina on May 1, 1750. They may .
have stayed for a short, period
C
travels, and a biography was
published about his life -even.
in Virginia, but made it to this
�■■�
before his death.
as
,area late -that year. ..
Israel and his unknown wife
�'
r
/1
[
Q
His brother Israel was not
1
'i
had four children, Custer said.
�■
..
Z
famous.
But through the persever-
The •first, Jesse, ;v✓as born: in
1748,..either in' Pennsylvania,
Z
c
}` Custer of
ance of.: Denny
Okemass•1Vlich. Israel Boone's'
V'�rginia or North Carolina. The
second,; Jonathan, was.born.
�'
y
'
gravesite .has been located. at
:off
Nov. 21, 1750 in what is now.
two
!�s
.
Joppa Cemetery, just
Yadkinville Road in Mocks -.d
Davie County. Then came ,
daughters, Sarah an Elizabeth,
.
}
Mille. "?i°
- y ad4n
A p blic ceremon m g
•�.
in 1752• and• 1753..
Jesse most, of his life,
N
A
that gra* will be held at 10 ;
in North ,Carolina ,before mov-
O
a.m. Saturday, May 2.
ing to Tennessee. He is buried
Israel's grave; pre-date.;Ahat !.
on the old .family farm east of
Athens,; Tenn. Jonathan lived
of is father; Squire Boon ,-.0 .
of:'ti�e,earliest recorded thele m'.
the test.of his life inNorth Caro-
,•
O
tttt+�
y
17� Israel died=of cotisuinp-
•
line and is buried in the Kincaid
north of Chester
_
tioh (what is now believed tib be .
TB)j at,'.Bethabard, ;where; de-
tt
Cemetery just
field. Sarah and Elizabeth both
an,Station,.Ky..and
'Bryan
v
tailed: reci�cds .were ke ,# , on
June 2b,'156s ; ;''' °Lt
went to
are buried, .in Payette County,
_
wo
Custer is a fifthgreat-grand-
,. .
"
KY.*
Custer said there was an un
�S
0"
;O_
is
o
son.of Israel Boone - and a stu-
substantiated rumor that Israel
dent of his family's. history. -Is-
married an .Indian, or Native
rael Boone was the second child
:of: -Squire and Sarah, ;who are
American girl.. He knows his
was
_. • .v
3' A
also- buried • at`Joppa,, and the
fourth great-grandmother
Elizabeth Boone Power, Israel's
"
_
only one of their' 12• children to
be buried in -North Carolina:,
last child. He located a : direct
��•,,He .p rovided the following
I•' •� ..•
Israel Boone.
female descendant. ..�.. Her
mtDNA would be the same,
.•
,
account of
Isra
the unknown wife, of . el
::►
; -
He was born May 20, 1726:;
Boone. It lead to no .matches'
y
;
in Bucks County, Pa., near
present day Chalfont. The favi-
'
Which might help identifying a
name, but it did show that she
- �
'..
_
ily moved to its homestead near..
in
..
was not Native American, he
•
the present Birdsboro, Pa. ,
said. .
1730.. ,
• Quakers, the family fell out •
Custer sAd Israel died, and
his before, -him, of con -
of• sorts with the church -when;
.wife
sumption. "It is assumed she is
Israel's older sister, Sarah, mar- .
'ed at ]o a, but there is no
bun pp
-
-•ried .someone not. from the
church; John Willcockson. Is-
,.
certainty in this; ,It is a curious
that none.of the children
_
rael also married out of the
point
o£ Israel and unknown wife, nor
-
church. The- family soon made
any other of the.Squixe and Sa-
�
..
Yts way to what is now known
rah Boone•,family contracted-
-
as :Davie County.' Quaker
records show that Israel was:
consumption from Israel or.his
read out of the church on Dec.
�'
�'!r�e•'
The brass and granite memo -
31, 1747. His wife's name was.
not mentioned.
dedicated Saturday
nal being dedt Y is
_
'
It is believed that S uire and
9
provided by the descendants of
Sarah Boone, along with their
Israel Boone and his wife and
�� ■
the Boone Society;..
-
%*4
!•�
.