I like to mosey around the older deeds of Craven County and try to piece them together from time to time. Only a handful of times have I encountered mention of a burying ground, graveyard, or cemetery when a deed transfer is taking place.
While researching the immediate vicinity of Vanceboro in an attempt to trace my family's land there, I came across a deed of 800 acres given by John Bryan to Daniel Gaskins in 1838 (DB 54 306), mentioning "all the lands devised to the said John Bryan in and by the last will of his father, Lewis Bryan, Esquire, with the exception of ten acres deeded to Alexander Pritchett, also the graveyard, which are situate and lie on the north side of Swift Creek in Craven County aforesaid." I am understanding that was Lewis Bryan, son of Colonel Joseph Bryan, willing either a portion or all of the family land to his own son John Bryan. Possibly it is at least a Bryan Family Cemetery, with maybe other members of neighboring parties that married into the family or previous owners of the land. There's a Bryan Family Cemetery a few miles northwest of Vanceboro on Hwy 43, but that is John Bryan and his descendants plus a few others. (Interesting Tidbit: After the land is transferred in 1838, John Bryan's son Edward dies aged five in 1839 and is one of the first buried in the new cemetery a few miles northwest.)
Vanceboro sits upon that 800 acre land. There's an attached visual for reference. The west shape is Daniel Gaskins' Estate 526 acre partition in its entirety in 1847 (DB 59 167), the east shape is Abner Hartley's 300 acre piece he received from the Gaskins' family in 1844 (DB 57 421). This makes up that original 800 acre transaction, in which somewhere there was is an old cemetery beneath the ground, more than likely forgotten. I do believe I have not seen it mentioned in any record elsewhere. If someone knows anyone who might've heard or seen a thing many decades ago it would be most helpful.
The land on the east side passed through from Abner Hartley to his daughter Mary Hartley Gaskins, to her children, who then sold their interests in the land (but I don't know how much) to Fannie Cleve Williams in 1890 (DB 117 586-590). Most of the land of the west side turned into the "Gardens of Vanceboro" by J. W. Stewart. Further research is required, but I thought I'ld put this information out there while some of it was still fresh in my mind.
