Beaufort's Old Burying Ground
As the members of the Beaufort Historical Association are fond of saying, history lives in Beaufort-by-the-Sea. North Carolina’s third oldest town has the ability to take high school history lessons and turn them into something as vivid as a fantasy thriller. Beaufort’s Old Burying Ground has the tangible keys to the imagination that can keep that history fresh. From the little girl buried in a rum barrel to the soldier buried standing up, the graveyard is alive with stories.
The town of Beaufort was surveyed in 1713 and incorporated in 1723. The Old Burying Ground was deeded to the town in 1731 by Nathaniel Taylor. According to historical records, the first burials on the site were in 1711 and were marked with wood. Only a handful of the wooden markers remain, but the marble and stone grave markers that were later used have survived the passage of time remarkably well. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, nearly 600 gravestones remain today.
Nestled on Ann Street — named for England’s Queen Anne - the Old Burying Ground is a feast for the senses. Ancient live oaks offer an eerie shade, cooling the cemetery even on the warmest of days. Sunlight filters through the protective branches, creating a peaceful, almost surreal, atmosphere. A natural sandy path beckons visitors through the iron gates and leads them on a winding trail. The Burying Ground is located close to the Beaufort Historic Site and is guarded by churches on three sides: Ann Street United Methodist Church, circa 1854; First Baptist Church, circa 1854; and Purvis Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, circa 1820.
The cemetery’s layout is haphazard, with graves placed with little rhyme or reason. But that’s only one of the things that makes a trip to the site so awe-inspiring. Visitors are invited to meander through the deep recesses of the site to catch a glimpse of all of the stones. Small ones are tucked away in nooks and crannies, while others are large and centrally located, demanding attention. The condition of the stones varies greatly. Some are broken and chipped, while others have begun to lean in the soft North Carolina sand. Others yet are as imposing as they must have been on the day they were erected. Regardless of their condition, all of the markers speak volumes of what life must have been like for this sleepy seaport village in days of yesteryear. Here you can hear the whispered voices of Colonial life, war and the life on the sea.
And amid the whispers and the inscriptions on the stones, stories start to emerge that paint a picture of the past. It’s here that visitors will find the grave of Nathan Fuller, an ensign with the Carteret County Militia during the Revolutionary War. Records show that Fuller sailed from Beaufort to Barbados, England and the West Indies, returning home with supplies. According to the newly published book Beaufort’s Old Burying Ground, in 1779 Fuller owned "100 acres, two Negroes, 15 cattle, half a lot and 920 pound." In 1784, however, he owned 400 acres and in 1785 he was elected to serve in the North Carolina House. Fuller’s home still stands today on Front Street, where most people know it as the Cedars Bed and Breakfast.
Interestingly, Fuller’s grave is not far from the resting place of Josiah Fisher Bell, who served as an agent in the Confederate Secret Service. It is said that Bell, whose home still stands on the Beaufort Historic Site, made arrangements for Confederate troops to enter Carteret County, travel to Cape Lookout, and blow up the two lighthouses.
The Old Burying Ground is indeed a place where people have
been laid to rest, but it’s also a place where history comes to life. Guests
can pick up a map at the Beaufort Historic Site and guide themselves through
the graveyard. Guided tours of the Old Burying Ground run from June through
September on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $8 for
adults and $4 for children. Group tours are offered year round. It is best
to call for availability.