Tag Archives: Thomasville

Cemeteries, Churches, National Register of Historic Places, North Carolina, Vernacular Headstones

Pierced Headstones of Abbott’s Creek Primitive Baptist Church-Thomasville, North Carolina

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grave marker with designs that cut through the marker

The Abbott’s Creek Primitive Baptist Church was founded in 1756 in Davidson County, North Carolina. This is one of twelve county cemeteries containing at least one pierced headstone made by local craftsmen during the early to mid-nineteenth century.

In 1981, the National Endowment for the Humanities conducted a photographic survey of these soapstone markers and categorized them in different phases of styles. This type of sculptural work in cemeteries in North America has only been found in this part of North Carolina.

In the mid-eighteenth century, this part of North Carolina was being settled by people from Scotland, Ireland, and Germany. The Germans are attributed to the craftsmanship seen in these stones.

This cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Front side
Back side
Elisabeth Bodenhamer, 1803-1824
Grace Nicholson, 1807-1834
Jane Spurgin
Jacob Bodenheimer, 1827
Elizabeth Jones
Ezekiel Teague, 1770-1839
Black History, Cemeteries, Churches, Georgia

Midway CME Church-Thomasville, Georgia

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Thomas County

On the outskirts of Thomasville, Georgia, there is a historic church that served the Black community for years. It and the cemetery have fallen in disrepair over the years. There is a movement to clean-up and restore the cemetery which contains many formerly enslaved people. More information can be found on Facebook on how to help save the cemetery.

Churches, Georgia

Piney Grove Church-Thomasville, Georgia

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The Piney Grove Church sits on the land that is known as the Pebble Hill Plantation. Built in 1936, this is the third church to be on the grounds of the plantation. Kate Hanna Ireland Harvey was given the land in 1901 and had a church built to provide religious services to the staff and visitors.

Cemeteries, Georgia, Save Outdoor Sculpture, Symbolism

Captain John Triplett monument-Thomasville, Georgia

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Thomas County

Titled Judgment, this marker sits in the area called Soldier’s Circle in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Thomasville, Georgia. At the base rests a slab marker for Captain John Triplett (1936-1914), who was a long time editor of the Times-Enterprise in Thomasville.

Designed and sculpted by Robert Reid, this marker is listed on the Smithsonian’s Save Our Sculpture database.