For information about Stoners Cemetery History, here is a link. A link to Revolutionary and Civil War veterans buried in the cemetery is here.
In 2005 when the webmaster and others in her family visited Stoner's Church cemetery, it was in a pasture on Rufus J. Dale’s farm in Alamance County on Bellemont-Kimesville Rd. near the village of Belmont (near Graham) just off hwy 49. Mr. Dale's address is 3360 Bellemont Mount Herm Burlington, NC 27215.
Adjacent to the cemetery, there is a historic plaque, as shown in the first photograph. The GPS information of the cemetery is 36° 1.074 ' N, 79° 25.571' West.
In May, 2019, Jeff Albright, 5th great grandson of Henry Albright and 6th great grandson of Jacob Albright e-mailed the webmaster with information that he had visited the cemetery. He'd discovered that Rufus J. Dale had recently died and the farm now belonged to his son, Russell. (Russell's phone number is (336) 214-5621). Russell's sister, Janice Pope is also a contact person if you want to visit the cemetery. Her number is (919-624-7017). Please text or call Mr. Dale or Ms. Pope before your visit the cemetery.)
Grass was very high in the cemetery when Jeff visited May, 2019, so he contacted the Alamance Foundation to mow the site. Jeff took the photograph at right of the cemetery marker. He also photographed the tomb of his 6th great grandfather, Jacob. That photograph appears later on this web page.
In December, 2019, John F. Sharp, a descendent of the Sharps buried in the cemetery, contacted the webmaster to say that he and others were going to clean up the vegetation in the cemetery later that month. John communicated about the process of the cleanup and sent photographs. Since 2019, John and others have been restoring the cemetery and documenting the process. This information is available to view at this link.
On October 15, 2022, there was a placque dedication ceremony conducted at the cemetery. For details and photographs of that day, click on this link.
In 1998, a research project was conducted of the position of all tombstones that could be found in the cemetery. To see this study, go to Investigations at Historic Stoners. Ongoing maintenance, new discoveries, research and documentation continue. A link to this information is here.
The webmaster is a descendant of 13 Sharp, Albright, Garrett, and Graves ancestors buried in this cemetery. In 2006, the photographs below were taken of the cemetery and tombstones of her ancestors. By clicking on the name of each ancestor, you will be directed to their biography.
Below: This is the 2006 view looking uphill from the back of the cemetery when the cemetery has not been mowed. The historic plaque is near the tree at the top of the hill. This photograph shows the fence that surrounds the cemetery and very dense weeds obstructing the stones.
Below, the cemetery has been mowed. Red flags mark the location of partially buried tombstones.
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William Sharp (#49) is one of several Sharps buried in this cemetery.
"WILLIAM
SHARP,
Born
Oct. 18, 1794,
DIED
Jan. 28, 1862."
William's wife, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Albright (#50) is buried nearby.
"ELIZABETH
SHARP,
Born
Oct. 12, 1792;
DIED
May 20, 187[2?]3."
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Sebastian (Boston) (Bostian Sharp (#97)... (William Sharp (#49)'s father)... is buried in this cemetery too, but his tombstone could not be located in 2006 by Susan Leach Snyder and her Sharpe cousins. According to burial records from the church, he was buried on January 24, 1847 and the ceremony was conducted by Dr. George W. Welker, D.D. Sebastian's wife (William's mother), Catharine Garrett (#98)'s tombstone was located.
"In MEMORY of
CATHARINE Wife
of BOSTON SHARP
BORN [Oct. 10, 1768]
DIED JULY 2[6] ,1849"
The source of the information in purple for the tombstone could not be deciphered from the stone because the stone was highly weathered when it was located in 2006. The dates are confirmed from Calvin Hinshaw's transcription of Rev. D. I. Offman's translation of Stoner's Church records, copied by Larry Noah in 1998.
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Sebastian (Boston) (Bostian Sharp (#97)'s brother and Elizabeth Sharp (#112)'s brother, Christian Sharp is buried at Stoner's Church Cemetery too.
“In Memory
of
CHRISTIAN SHARP
BORN
Oct. 6, 1778
Died
April 15, 1861"
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Isaac Sharp (#193/223) and his wife, Maria Philopena Graves (#194/224)... (Sebastian (Boston) (Bostian Sharp (#97) and Christian's father and mother)... are also buried in the cemetery.
On April 18, 2006, Norman Sharpe (Isaac's and Maria's Great Great Great Great Grandson), Helen Leach (#4) (Great Great Great Great Granddaughter) and Sandra Henson, Mary Lue Finch, and Susan Snyder (#2)... all Great Great Great Great Great Granddaughters.... visited Stoners Church Cemetery. After probing the ground where the closest red flag is located in the picture below, Isaac's buried tombstone was located. For orientation to its location, the large stone at the top of the hill in the first photograph below is that of John Noe. The second photograph shows Isaac's stone.
Isaac's stone reads:
"ISAAC
SHARP DIED
1781"
Below: Mary Lue Finch and Sandra Henson (G-G-G-G-G-Granddaughters) clean off Maria Philopena Graves (#194/224) tombstone.
“In memory
of
Philopena
Sharp
Died
March 1815”
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Tombstones of three more Sharp family members of unknown relationship to the other Sharps described above were also found in the cemetery on April 18, 2006: Catharine Sharp, Barbara Ellen Sharp and Mary J- Daughter of "A. and G. Sharp."
"CATHARINE SHARP
BORN
APR. 15, 1820
DIED
Dec. 11, 1900
AGED
80 Y. 7 M. & 26 D"
"Barbara Ellen
Sharp
Born
February 16th
1846
Died
September 6th
[1847]"
"MARY J.
Daughter of
A. & G. SHARP
BORN
Mar. 14, 1854
Died
Aug. 20, 1862
Aged 8 Y. 5 M.s & 6 D.s"
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Henry Albright (#99) and his wife, Mary "Polly" Gibbs (#100) are also among the buried at Stoner's Church Cemetery..
Below: Henry's stone was quite small, very eroded and difficult to read. But his name was discernible.
Below: Mary Gibbs Albright's stone. By applying blue chalk to the stone, the engraving became more legible.
In November, 2009, the Sons of the American Revolution honored Henry Albright at his gravesite with a ceremony and a new tombstone, as shown below.
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Jacob Albright (#197).... Henry Albright (#99)'s father... is also a veteran of the Revolutionary War, who is buried in the cemetery. Prior to 2006, a new stone was erected for him by the Sons of the American Revolution.
In May 2019, when Jeff Albright (6th great grandson of Jacob) visited the cemetery, he took the photographs below. Note, Jeff found the bronze medallion laying on top of the stone. He held it in his hand, took a photograph, and placed it back into the stone.
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Henry Garret (#195) and his wife Margaret Clark (#196), parents of Catharine Garrett (#98 (wife of Sebastian (Boston) (Bostian Sharp (#97) are also buried in the cemetery. Both stones are very difficult to read, but the names are legible. The document titled Investigations at Historic Stoner's Cemetery (31AM174,174**) by Dr. Linda France Stine, (PO Box 268, Julian, NC 27283; prepared for Stoner's Cemetery Preservation Fund Board, PO Box 2191, Burlington, N.C. 27216-2191, June 21, 1998) states that Henry's stone shows "Died in His LXXIVth Year Ap or Ad??" and there are 4 incised lines at the base. He was 69 when he died in 1815 according to her Dr. Stine's document.
Below: Henry's stone is at left and Margaret's is at right.
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John Jacob Graves (#103) is also buried in the cemetery. In 2006, when the photograph below was taken, the tombstone was covered in orange lichens and was difficult to read. The size and shape of the stone and the engraving style is the same as that of Henry Garret and his wife shown above. Old records of the cemetery show that Jacob died in his 74th year 10 Apr. 1820. Seventy fourth is written LXXIVth.
Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com
