This small quaint seaport has roots back to April 7, 1730 when Isaac and Jonathan Green Sr. purchased from Ebenezer Harker "a certain plantation and track of land containing by estimation 441 acres situate lying and being in ye Carterett in ye county of province of aforsaid being ye west side of ye mouth off White Oak River." By 1771 Theophilus Weeks started a town on his plantation, laying out a plat and selling lots. Formerly known as Bogue, Week's Point, The Wharf and New Town, the town was officially designated by the North Carolina General Assembly on May 6, 1783. Above photo (from North Carolina State Archives) courtesy Jack Dudley, as included in Swansboro - A Pictorial Tribute

Ward Cemetery or Swansboro Cemetery circa 1800s

NATIONAL REGISTER of Historic Places: 222 Walnut Street -The cemetery contains approximately 250 marked graves, some in brick and concrete-block walled family plots. It is planted with live oaks, junipers, magnolias and dogwoods. The cemetery has probably been used by townsfolk since the late eighteenth century.

Below are a few headstones; many others are included with house histories.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand that Ward Cemetery was covered over with a road ? I was told my ancestor Thomas Sparks Littleton and his wife Jemima ar under that road. Is there a list of graves for Ward Cemetery?

Mary Warshaw said...

Grave listing for Littleton:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSiman=1&GScid=2191198&GSfn=&GSln=Littleton

Mary Warshaw said...

Perhaps someone can help us out regarding some graves possibly being covered over with a road...

Beth said...

Is there a complete list that would include unmarked graves. I was trying to help someone on findagrave by taking a picture of the marker, but I could not find the marker. I would be more than willing to help map it out, but I would need a starting point.

Mary Warshaw said...

I'm not aware of a complete list; all I've seen is what's on find a grave. You may want to get in touch with the Swansboro Historical Association (who may also want to take on the project) or the Onslow County Museum: http://www.onslowcountync.gov/museum/services.aspx I'll contact SHA and ask them to post a comment here.

Amelia said...

Hello all. Love the discussion of the cemeteries. There are town cemeteries in the historic district of which I am aware. The Town Cemetery also traditionally called Ward Cemetery and the older one at the southwestern end of Elm Street. This is the one where some of the graves were covered by the road. In the 1970s the iron casket of Cyrus Glover was dug up during some routine maintaince or action by the power company. One grave Some of the graves dating back to the 1700s is still visible. The rest are under peoples homes or the road. Anthony James and I are doing tours this summer of the town and this site. Respond to this blog if you are interested in attending.

Beth, the Historical Association would gladly support you in mapping the cemetery. Some of this work I think has already been done by the Coastal Genealogy Society. I am currently trying to get in touch with them to find out more for you.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have the exact location of the "Weeks Family Cemetery?" I understand it is a cemetery of about 75-80 graves. Is it in Swansboro or Pelletier?