THE McCAULEY FAMILY CEMETERY: MARCH 2017

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1 THE McCAULEY FAMILY CEMETERY: MARCH 2017 This historic cemetery is strategically located on a promontory above University Lake on land acquired by the University of North Carolina (hereafter, UNC) for the purpose of damming Morgan Creek and creating a reservoir to provide water for the University and Chapel Hill. Buried in the cemetery are Matthew McCauley, an immigrant seeking refuge from the English king (having escaped Ireland before the Revolution), who later was a Revolutionary War hero, and who subsequently donated 150 acres for UNC. During his lifetime he was a prominent citizen a merchant, operator of a grist mill and blacksmith shop or foundry on Morgan Creek, a Mason, and, with his similarly prominent brother William, a participant in the laying of the cornerstone of Old East, the first building of the first public university in this country. He is also said to have been the brewer of the finest Irish whiskey in North Carolina. At the time of his burial the Cemetery looked out over the Morgan Creek Valley where Matthew had acquired extensive acreage beginning in the 1790s. The site changed dramatically in 1932 when Morgan Creek was dammed, creating University Lake, which consists of 232 acres and serves as the major source of water for the University and for the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities. At that time it appears as if a cottage, now deserted, housed the warden or caretaker for the lake. The cottage is a scant 20 feet from the front presentation of the Cemetery while the Cemetery is less than 100 yards from the shores of University Lake. The Cemetery also holds some secrets. The death date for McCauley on the headstone is incorrect which would call into question the date of the founding of the Cemetery. This incorrect death date (1832 instead of 1821) occurs regularly in the extant records including on UNC s McCauley website at Wilson Library. It is not clear why this repeated error occurs in citing the date of Matthew s death. I wonder if he who carved the headstone became confused and mistakenly listed the date of Matthew s eldest son s death which was 1832 an error which has been endlessly repeated. In earlier years the Cemetery appeared to have nine graves but only three are known: Matthew, his wife Martha, and a great-grandson, Charles, a young man of 21. Details regarding the remaining six burials of relatives were unknown and those graves were marked only by rough native stones, now themselves buried in leaf mold or possibly removed for mowing. The Cemetery has been restored a number of times, but when a descendant, Rod McCauley, visited the site in 2016, he found it littered with trash and it could not be entered due to fallen trees and branches. His posting on Facebook led the Daughters of the American Revolution (hereafter DAR) and the Chapel Hill Historical Society (hereafter, CHHS) to become involved and eventually for a grounds crew from UNC to remove the worst of the trash, branches, and trees in February of Dr. William Burlingame of the Society has undertaken this current documentation and he created the accompanying photo essay and brief history. He, Rod McCauley, and the CHHS will continue to clarify and amplify the known history, and will work toward the restoration of this historical site. 1

2 William V. (Bill) Burlingame, Ph.D., Member, Board of Directors, Chapel Hill Historical Society, and Clinical Professor of Psychology (Retired), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill THE McCAULEYS IN NORTH CAROLINA William and Matthew McCauley emigrated from County Antrim in Northern Ireland to North Carolina in 1770s under most unusual circumstances. According to family tradition they were aboard a ship bound for America, their party consisting of William, his brother Matthew (four years younger), and William s two small children. Matthew was wheeled aboard the ship in a hogshead (a barrel or cask) of molasses (labeled as china in one account). He was said to have a price on his head offered by the King of England due to his involvement in the insurrections of the Irish who, for centuries, had been struggling against English rule. It wasn t until three days out of port and beyond the reach of the English king that Matthew was liberated from the barrel. In the meantime he had been fed through a bung hole in the cask. Where they landed is unclear, but they then moved on to Orange County. Over the next decades the brothers each secured land, eventually acquiring considerable acreage, and became successful entrepreneurs, merchants, colonial leaders, Revolutionary War soldiers, and planters, William in the New Hope Creek, Morgan Creek, and Eno River watersheds and Matthew on Morgan Creek. For the remainder of his life Matthew was jocularly addressed as Bung or Irish Matt in Chapel Hill and Orange County, and he was known for brewing the finest Irish whiskey in North Carolina. Although both contributed large tracts of land for the site of the newly established University of North Carolina, from early on they assumed somewhat divergent paths. William undertook public service, serving in Orange County and representing Orange County and North Carolina in the legislatures and conventions of the new republic, while Matthew became a patriot soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolution before establishing the most prominent grist mill and blacksmithing operation in Orange County. There is one source which refers to them as half-brothers, but as far as is known they were brothers, born in 1747 and 1750, whose father was Erin McCauley in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim. This seaside town was then the largest settlement in Northern Ireland and the family was said to be engaged in ship building. Prior history is indeed murky but the McCauleys were descendants of the huge population (150 thousand lowland Scots) which had been resettled by the English crown in Northern Ireland. They had been ousted from Scotland in the 16 th and 17 th centuries as the English attempted to establish a Protestant powerbase in the northern six counties of Ireland by locating a population also of Gaelic or Celtic origin which was Presbyterian and Protestant in contrast to the Irish Catholicism of the remainder of Ireland ( Six counties lie under John Bull s tyranny from The Patriot Game, an Irish folk song.) Tradition holds that the earliest forbears of the McCauleys were the Norse who had occupied and settled in the Scottish 2

3 Herbrides in the 13 th century. There are the ruins of a grand and impressive castle in Dumbartonshire which is associated with the McCauleys of that era. Kemp Battle, historian for the University of North Carolina, provides oft-repeated anecdotes about Matthew, particularly regarding a snake whose species are not native to Ireland. Matthew found an attractive snake, took it and presented it to a neighbor lady who identified it as a rattlesnake and promptly educated him about snakes. Within months of their arrival in North Carolina, matters continued to deteriorate between England and the colonies. Matthew served in the Continental Army, and wintered in at Valley Forge with General Washington. He mustered out and then re-enlisted and served at the Battle at Whitesell s Mill and the Battle of Guilford Courthouse as well as in battles or skirmishes in South Carolina and Georgia. In 1781, he was guarding Governor Burke in Hillsborough when Tory Loyalist Edmund Fanning swept through town and captured him and the governor. For months he was imprisoned at sea on the British prison ship, the Eske, before returning to Orange County in a prisoner exchange but in a deteriorated condition due to maltreatment aboard. His wife Martha attested to this when she later applied for a widow s pension in Matthew left the Continental Army as a captain, but for some reason he was mistakenly referred to as major or colonel from time to time. The Revolutionary War ended with the American victory at Yorktown late in Matthew had married Martha Johnston in 1780 and had acquired his first and possibly only land grant in 1782 although that 100 acres was said to border on another property also deeded to him. Although the legal documents we have involving Matthew are rendered in the flowery cursive of that time by hired scribes, Martha also demonstrated in her affidavit that he was literate by showing the family bible in which Matthew had himself inscribed six of their ten children s names. For many reasons, Matthew held enormous antipathy for the British and the local Tories. Kemp Battle, UNC s historian, describes him as a man of only modest size, who nonetheless, when encountering such a man of Loyalist sentiment, would challenge the erstwhile Tory to fisticuffs on the spot. Aside from his valor and prominence during the Revolutionary War, events conspired to bring Matthew and William to the forefront in the years following. The state s legislature created mechanisms to establish the University of North Carolina. By 1792, in keeping with established criteria, the search group narrowed the choices to a single site the hill and plateau where a small rustic chapel of the Anglican faith was located at the intersection of two major roads or paths, one running from the Chesapeake in Virginia, then to Oxford, and south to Pittsboro and beyond, and the other from the North Carolina coast toward Raleigh and other early settlements in the Piedmont. The patrons of the Chapel site had raised a substantial offering of cash ($1500) and 1290 acres of land to buttress their application. Matthew contributed the third largest acreage, 150 acres, and his brother William offered 100 acres. Mark Chilton, Register of Deeds for Orange County, has identified the sites offered, some around or near the Davie poplar and others which could be sold or traded to further the cause. In 1793, in a major, formal event, conducted by the Masonic order, the cornerstone of the first building, Old East, was placed. The celebrants marched with some pomp and pageantry from a local tavern, and the principals laid the stone and gave 3

4 speeches. The brothers attended, of course, and William who assisted, wore his Masonic bib and apron which is now preserved and on view at Wilson Library. General William Davie, the father of the University and Grand Master of the Masons for North Carolina presided. Perhaps fueled by Matthew s Irish whiskey, Davie left for New Bern, forgetting to close the doors at the Masonic lodge in Hillsborough. These were the events as described by Kemp Battle and other historians. About 25 years ago, an alternate version of events appeared in an alumni publication. It was said to consist of legends in the McCauley family but there was no further attribution to specific sources or documents. The following is text from the written account as printed in Carolina Alumni Review, April 1990, by retired faculty member, John Graham, and Kemp Nye, Franklin Street fixture. The McCauleys were Master Masons and belonged to the Eagle Lodge of Hillsborough which had been asked to provide support at the laying of Old East s cornerstone. Since General William R. Davie, regarded by many as the founder of the University, was also the Grand Master of Masons for North Carolina it was fitting that he officiate. A mural on the west wall of the lobby of the downtown Chapel Hill Post office records what is believed to have occurred. History suggests that something slightly different seems to have occurred. A legend in the McCauley family is that the Post Office mural is incorrect in two respects. First, General Davie should have been wearing a hat. (Masons will understand why.) Second, the stone was not lowered into place by a hoist and windlass. The family says that the stone was heavier than anticipated, and the hoist rope broke. When this occurred, Bung McCauley, a small man, turned to Big Dave, his body servant, a 6 5 slave who weighed 300 lbs., and said, Dave, pick it up and put it in place. The story is Dave put his arms around the stone and lifted it onto the spot designated by General Davie. Then, after a suitable oration by the Rev. Dr. Samuel E. McCorkle and the sealing of documents and Masonic jewels in the cavity of the cornerstone, the party repaired to a nearby spring for refreshments. Another McCauley legend is that Bung furnished the chief refreshment. It is said that earlier in the day Dave had placed a 25-gallon keg of their best whiskey in their cart, and this became the centerpiece of the post-ceremony conviviality. General Davie was a heavy drinker, and the cup made many rounds. As nightfall approached, the well-oiled General said his goodbyes, and departed for New Bern. Unfortunately, the Masonic Grand Master had forgotten before departing to close the Eagle Lodge. It remained open until the Grand Master s next visit, more than a year later. It is said that by lying open for more than a year, the Eagle Lodge of Hillsborough achieved a distinction unique in Masonic history. To my knowledge, no documentation or cross referencing of most of these latter incidents has ever been offered to authenticate the legends. Thus, their status remains that of folklore or perhaps myth. It should be possible for serious students of history to peruse original documents and achieve some perspective. By way of example I seem to remember that in the records of the Eagle Lodge, there is some humorous reference to Matthew McCauley s whiskey. I have not been able to locate this passage again. As Matthew s presence became more substantial in the county, it appears that he identified a site for a grist mill on Morgan Creek and began to acquire property. In December of 1790 he bought large acreage (474 acres) near the creek for 2000 pounds near the Big Road leading to Hillsborough. In 1793, he petitioned for approval to construct a grist mill on Morgan Creek. 4

5 To the Worshipfull Court of Orange County Your Petitioner Mathew McAuley Being the Owner of a Certain Tract of Land on Morgans Creek and Running Both Sides of Said Creek which includes a Valuable Mill Seat he therefore pray of an an Order of This Court for an order to Erect a grist mill on the same. Mathew McAuley Feby Term 1793 In 1811, at age 60 (some 10 years before his death in 1821), Matthew drafted a rather comprehensive will. Indisputably, he was a very wealthy man, residing with his wife and several minor children who were still at home at his mill site, plantation, and the blacksmithing enterprise, presumably all on Morgan Creek. To his wife he left the home Plantation whereupon we now live with the mill, together with furnishings, horses, and her choice of livestock, and also two negroes by the name of Isaac and Nell. He and Martha had nine surviving children and to the four males he divided up 12 or more tracts of land (certainly totaling more than a thousand acres comprised mostly of homesteads and plantations plus one tract in Chapel Hill). He assigned one slave each by name to nine of the children. Whatever was left over of his estate would then be divided equally among all nine. A census which listed the numbers of slaves in each household in 1790 reported his 10 slaves--a number of slaves in excess of that owned by most Orange County citizens. Also of note is that in 1797, Matthew joined with two other prominent personages in the county and they, together with a former Methodist minister, founded the Damascus Congregational Christian Church. Over two hundred years later this church continues in its Congregational Christian denomination and meets at its long standing rural location. In the years following Matthew s death, and until her death, Martha claimed a pension, the entitlement due to his extensive service in the Continental Army. She was, however, too ill to travel to the courthouse in Hillsborough and she was interviewed at home by a justice of the peace. In the subsequent account Martha seems to contradict a few aspects of the history as it has come down. She stated, for example, that Matthew s brother William had actually preceded him in coming to North Carolina. Martha died in 1848 at age 88 and was buried alongside Matthew at the family cemetery on the ridge above Morgan Creek. This narrative to this point focuses mostly on Matthew, assuming that the Cemetery serves primarily if not exclusively his family. Older brother William was born in Country Antrim in about 1747, emigrated with his two small children (James and Jane) and his brother Matthew to North Carolina in the 1770s, and married Katherine Johnston Long, a widow, in the same year. Once in 5

6 North Carolina, William acquired land grants in the upper reaches of the New Hope and Morgan Creek watersheds before securing land for his plantation on the Eno River called Great Meadows near Hillsborough. In the early years he served as justice of the peace, tax assessor, and representative to the North Carolina House of Commons during the Revolutionary War ( ). He then was a state senator ( ), was a representative to the constitutional convention of 1788, and was the sheriff of Orange County in 1789 and He died about Most documents state that his exact burial place is unknown. However, in 1992, Tom McCauley of Durham reported that his father and his step-grandmother, an avid genealogist, both stated that William was buried in the family graveyard on his homeplace. CURRENT STATUS OF THE CEMETERY AND GROUNDS As of this writing I have visited the Cemetery three times, first just to locate it, and then to photograph and survey the site. Since Rod McCauley s which ignited the current interest and follow-up, the Davie Poplar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the CHHS have contacted UNC. A UNC grounds crew had indeed been there and I could tell from the chainsaw sawdust that they had removed trees and branches which had fallen into the cemetery from nearby. They also trimmed some of the Leyland Cypress trees which had branched over the graves and blocked the entrance. Today I spoke at length with Mr. Ed Kerwin, OWASA Executive Director, in a very productive conversation which clarified a number of issues. The cottage and the site are actually on land leased to the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (hereafter, OWASA) by UNC. And so, it is OWASA that is actually responsible for the site at this time. Mr. Kerwin is the long time Executive Director of OWASA and he was unaware of issues presented by the Cemetery and the other items noted below. He informed me that they had on OWASA staff Bob Glosson who serves as Assistant Lake Warden. He did not know whether this person was the Warden mentioned several times over the years by visitors and grave surveyors. He and I will speak again soon once he has had time to investigate the various matters. We agreed to remain in touch and update one another, and we agreed that it is in no one s best interest to restrict visitation to the Cemetery. There are three marked graves with incised headstones. Three brass plates were placed adjacent to the headstones much later, repeating what was carved in the sandstone headstones, text which was becoming indistinct due to the depredations of time and weather on the sandstone. One such plate indicated that Matthew s date of death was 1821 not 1832 as the headstone declares. Martha s and Matthew s graves and stones are located in the rear, first row, on the left. The third marked grave site was for a great-grandson who died at age 21, but further research is needed regarding that and the other burials. My first impression was that either someone had vandalized Matthew s headstone or possibly that a tree had fallen on it. The stone was lying almost flat and there is a large piece missing from the right shoulder of the stone (which, fortunately, does not seem to have carried much of the inscription with it). I did not see the large fragment in the cemetery and the break in the stone seems dated. It left me wondering if the break may have occurred years ago. Anyhow, the headstone is knocked flat. When I spoke later 6

7 with Rod McCauley, he informed me that when he had visited in 2016, a large tree had fallen on the headstone. Said tree was too large for him to move, but it was clearly taken out by the UNC crew in February of Having learned that much I am assuming that the tree broke the headstone and that the fragment is probably buried in the organic debris around that grave. Having traveled with archeologists for decades, I know not to disturb a site and to take only pictures. The Cemetery itself is now free of trash but has accumulated so much leaf mold that the stones which mark the other graves are mostly buried (assuming that they are there). The only native stones I found were marking a grave on the right hand side next to the fence. I would assume that the other stone markers are possibly still in place. Whose graves they designate is not known, but they are included on the plat created in The corners of the Cemetery are demarcated by attractive stacked and mortared rock pilings or piers. The front of the Cemetery has two additional piers from which hangs a still functional wrought iron gate. A now very rusted metal dogwood blossom is attached to the center of the gate and it faces outward to visitors. Split rails once constituted the fence around the Cemetery and they stretched from piling to piling. I would guess that they were placed in 1992 when the site experienced a major renovation. UNC is aware of the need for new split rails. One can see other well-meaning attempts to create an attractive site. Probably in 1992, or later, rows of Leyland Cypress trees were planted around the Cemetery. When these trees are exposed to full sunlight they retain their pleasing conical shape. However, since 1992, when they were likely planted, they grew under a deciduous canopy, and this shaded circumstance produced gangly and sprawling trees which intruded into the site with branches which sometimes fractured. UNC took out some of the offending branches, but it would seem that all of those trees should be removed. It appears that local myrtle, laurel, or similar shrubs or trees were also planted here and there and they grew similarly to the Leylands. Landscape contractors know that black plastic placed over soil which is then covered with mulch will prevent the growth of weeds and will present a pleasing buffer. Such was apparently done around the entire site, probably in This plastic when it is shaded from ultraviolet light does not decompose readily. It is now in torn strips and is partially exposed in the four-foot margins around the fences. It contributes greatly to the generally trashy appearance of the site. There is an astonishing hillside of trash presumably generated by the residents of the cottage over the years. It consists of barbeque grills, coolers, garbage cans, soda and beer cans, and much much more. I glanced through the cottage windows and there were a few personal belongings but any big pieces of furniture had been taken. There were pictures still on the walls. The collapsing barn was full of tools, rope, electrical cables, furniture, and fish and animal traps and fishing tackle. This building has large pieces of metal roofing which have now fallen off or flap in the wind. Once the wooden infrastructure of such a building is exposed to the elements, it is only a few seasons before it all begins to decay and then collapse. I give it about three years at most in this case. In the meantime it will be dangerous for trespassers to tread upstairs in the barn. There is a lean-to addition to the right side of the barn which houses more discards and is similarly impaired. Behind the barn is more junk but also two canoes and a flat bottomed wooden boat. 7

8 The carport which is attached to the back of the house contained more tools, two large Honda outboard motors, and bicycles. Between my second and third visits, someone had discovered the Honda motors and the engine cover of one had been removed. Both had been newly turned on their sides. There is a metal utility shed located to the right of the house. While the house is locked, this little building is not, and there is a goodly collection of tools inside. Down the hill behind the house and below the cemetery, there is some sort of enclosure secured into the hillside. My guess is that it served as a deer stand for the caretaker. There is a long row of deer skulls and antlers once displayed neatly on the wall of the shed attached to the right side of the barn. The artist had even encircled the skulls with strings of Christmas lights. From the road, with the grass mowed, with the playground equipment to the left of the house, and with a bicycle or two in the carport, persons in vehicles coming up the driveway could conclude that the residence was occupied and then back away. Since it has clearly been discovered (note the Honda outboard motors), it seems as if the site could soon be subject to larcenies and possible break-ins. I hope that OWASA (and UNC on whose property this site is located) will want to salvage what has value, remove what is collapsing, and clear the trash. I will speak below to possible longer term ideas for the Cemetery and grounds. When Milton Forsyth, the indefatigable documentarian of lost and forgotten Orange County cemeteries, visited and photographed the site in 2005 he found it to be well-kept. He referred to the restoration of the cemetery in 1992 when the chain link fence was replaced by rock pillars or pilings and split rails. Milton was admitted to the site by one Bob Glosson who lived in the cottage by the cemetery and identified himself as the University Lake warden. It would appear that the most recent resident has vacated the cottage and property in the near recent past. It does appear that some months have elapsed since someone lived there. TIMELINE FOR THE McCAULEY CEMETERY 1811 Matthew, now 61, drafted his comprehensive Will this year. With mortality on his mind, perhaps he also sited a location for his burial and a family cemetery. This location was at a high point on the ridge overlooking the Morgan Creek Valley, on his own property, and near Jones Ferry Road as well as the big road from Hillsborough to Pittsboro which had existed for many years before Chapel Hill was founded. Jones Ferry Road is also a historic road running southwest out of Chapel Hill which would have provided ready access to the Cemetery in the 19 th century. It is not certain whether it existed at the time that Matthew was buried This is the correct date of Matthew s death at age 70. Presumably he was buried at this time and may have been the first burial in the Cemetery Martha died at age 88 and was buried at the Cemetery. A comparison of the gravestones reveals identically formatted very brief inclusions of data, identical arched stones, and 8

9 nearly identical stylized carved inscriptions. Note the letter I in the photographs which allows comparison of the headstone inscriptions. The simplest explanation is that the headstones were created by the same artisan after Martha s death and sufficiently long after Matthew s death that the artisan did not notice the improbable and incorrect death date This was the death and burial of Charles at age 21, a great-grandson. Inasmuch as he is buried in the middle of the Cemetery, Row 2 (of 3 rows of graves), one could reason that there were burials of other family members both before and after Charles Morgan Creek was dammed and University Lake formed. The caretaker s cottage was relocated from the edges of Morgan Creek to the Cemetery, and the site was incorporated into a seasonal recreational facility just yards down the hill. OWASA now administers these properties and facilities A memorial plaque with brief biographical data was placed this year by Matthew s descendants on the large rock at the foot of Matthew s grave. Whether this rock was always part of the site or was moved in order to display the plaque is not known. The chain link fence, replaced in 1992, was likely installed at this time. Dr. Frank Porter Graham, president of the University, spoke, honoring the donors of land to UNC Beatrice Doak surveyed the Cemetery and created the plat. Note trees and stumps of significant radius in her plat, suggesting that the Cemetery may have been long neglected such that two major hardwoods could have matured within the Cemetery itself In this year the Morrow family, at the bicentennial of the McCauley gifts of land to help found UNC, and in devoted memory of John Charles Morrow III, a descendant of Matthew and Martha, funded a major restoration of the Cemetery. A landscape architect was consulted, and the cyclone fence was removed and replaced by stacked stone piers and split rails. Brass markers were placed next to the three headstones, repeating the carved inscriptions, and a plaque was placed at the entrance On October 10, 1992, a McCauley Reunion and celebration of UNC s bicentennial was held at the Damascus Congregational Christian Church (the church Matthew helped found in 1797) to commemorate the UNC bicentennial and the gifts of land. C.D. Spangler, president of the UNC system, was the principal speaker and McCauley descendants from throughout the country attended Milton Forsyth surveyed the Cemetery and photographed it Dr. William Burlingame of the Chapel Hill Historical Society surveyed the Cemetery and created this documentation. An inquiry and visit by Rod McCauley of Florida alerted parties (except OWASA) and led to a clean-up by a UNC grounds crew. Dr. Burlingame and the Society will continue to advocate for the Cemetery and to document the McCauley history. Much work remains to be completed as detailed below. 9

10 POSSIBLE SHORT-TERM GOALS 1. Determine who the parties are that have legal and administrative responsibilities for the site known as The McCauley Family Cemetery 2. Secure written or oral permission for CHHS to continue to visit, photograph, and advocate for the restoration and maintenance of the Cemetery 3. Contact Allen Dew of Cemetery Census and provide data to update the listing for The McCauley Family Cemetery 4. Provide material to the Register of Deeds for Orange County to update the Orange County Cemetery file 5. Attempt to secure a commitment to replace the split rails at the Cemetery 6. Develop a plan to repair and to re-install the Matthew and Martha McCauley headstones to be undertaken in consultation with professional entities. Secure professional consultation regarding the stabilization of the surfaces of the three head- and footstones. 7. Consider restoring, replacing, or removing the corroded metal dogwood blossom on the gate. 8. Develop a plan to deal with the Leyland Cypresses and other shrubs surrounding the Cemetery; remove the remnants of black plastic sheeting around the perimeter 9. Constitute an ad hoc or standing committee consisting of the representatives of OWASA, UNC, CHHS, the DAR, the McCauley descendants, representatives from Chapel Hill and Carrboro if interested, consultants, and interested parties to address short-term and long term goals and lingering questions regarding the history of the McCauleys 10. Consider securing media coverage 11. Consider developing funding resources for those items which are beyond the missions of OWASA and UNC; develop a funding mechanism for accepting donations 12. Determine whether there is a national organization of McCauley descendants, and if not, advocate for creating such an entity 13. Contact local McCauley descendants to determine interest in creating the support groups noted above 14. Continue research to validate, correct, and to extend the above historical synopsis; attempt to identify the other burials at the Cemetery. 15. Encourage the clean-up of the hillside, the removal of the barn, and the disposition of the multitude of loose and unsightly items 16. Secure the assignment of routine and ongoing maintenance responsibilities, and in time, an advisory group to consult and advise regarding the Cemetery 17. Advocate for a roadside historical marker denoting Matthew McCauley s grave and/or Cemetery. 18. Collaborate with OWASA and UNC to facilitate visitation by the public and McCauley descendants to the Cemetery 10

11 POSSIBLE LONG TERM GOALS 1. Consider assisting in convening a summer meeting and possible reunion in 2017 or 2018 of McCauley descendants who would attend a program undertaken by CHHS, visit the Cemetery, involve themselves in planning for its rejuvenation, and generating funding to support these activities 2. Consider the feasibility of undertaking and supporting the creation of McCauley Park, consisting of picnic tables, a children s playground, and parking in front of the Cemetery, to augment and encourage visitation. The existing cottage could be sold and removed by OWASA or converted into a small on-site museum. Utilities are already in place, and restrooms could be added. Interpretive panels could be installed. With additional resources, OWASA or perhaps the town of Carrboro could administer the Park. ADDENDUM In creating this summary of history and attaching related photographs, many secondary sources and only a few primary documents were consulted. The data are frequently contradictory and some mistakes are continued through further iterations. If readers find errors or have information which elaborates and adds to this document, please advise me using the contact information below. Feel free to forward this document and the photographs to interested parties and particularly to McCauley descendants. This document is not copyright protected nor are the photographs or any of the quoted material to the best of my knowledge. As further research is undertaken and as this process proceeds, I anticipate additional updates in later If you would like to be included in mailings, please advise me. Please contact me if a contribution in dollars or in kind is contemplated. Please become familiar with and support the Chapel Hill Historical Society, under whose auspices this project has been undertaken. William V. Burlingame, Ph.D Pickard Mill Lane Hillsborough, NC wvb5@bellsouth.net Bill Burlingame March 14,

12 DIRECTIONS TO THE McCAULEY FAMILY CEMETERY: FOLLOW MAIN STREET WEST THROUGH CARRBORO TO JONES FERRY ROAD. CROSS UNDER NC 54 BYPASS, PASS WILLOW CREEK SHOPPING CENTER ON THE RIGHT, AND AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, TURN LEFT ONTO SOUTH OLD FAYETTEVILLE ROAD. GO 400 FEET AND TURN RIGHT ONTO UNIVERSITY LAKE DRIVE. SEE THE WHITE COTTAGE TO THE LEFT. THE CEMETERY IS JUST BEHIND AND TO THE LEFT OF THE COTTAGE. ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. UNC s clean-up of the Cemetery. Photo provided by UNC to Richard Ellington. 12

13 Figure 2. The Warden s cottage, apparently vacated, viewed as one ascends to the site. All photos by Bill Burlingame on 2/28/17 unless otherwise noted. Figure 3. Entering the cemetery with the corroded metal dogwood blossom on the gate. 13

14 Figure 4. Plat created by Beatrice Doak in 1972, as modified by bb in 3/17. 14

15 Figure 5. Collapsed fence and Martha s grave. Figure 6. Martha s headstone. 15

16 Figure 7. Matthew s fallen and damaged headstone. Figure 8. Composite view of the three headstones, suggesting that Martha s and Matthew s stones were fashioned by the same artisan at approximately the same time. 16