I study cemeteries throughout Eastern North Carolina, and I am interested in knowing more about this site. I realize no markings of the graves exist anymore, but the site still matters to me. It has historical significance, even if it has been visibly destroyed.
The cemetery is supposed to be at the west end of Spencer Loop Road in the Blackjack area of Pitt County. It is 300 yards from the end of the road in the field. I assume the directions came from Bill Kittrell's census.
I take information from Findagrave with a grain of salt. Too many people without any moderation. But the description of it was interesting. "All of the graves are unmarked, but they have been proven to exist." I messaged and emailed Mason Paramore who apparently added the cemetery to Findagrave, but not have heard back.
When I went to the property owner the other day, he acknowledged other Mills' burying sites in the area, but I told him my questions pertained to the cemetery on his land. He was unsure but knew that previous people that were either DAR or SCV members several times had looked around and said it was behind the house in the field. How they determined that I have no idea, so I am unsure if it is even true that the site exists in this area. The property owner said his father thought there were graves in that area of the field a long time ago before he acquired possession. Evidently if the cemetery did exist at that location the farming encroachment of it and its subsequent destruction happened quickly a long time ago before his father.
There's a marker placed in the nearby Blackjack Church graveyard that signifies three Mills' patriots possibly buried at the site. Isaac, Nasby II, Nasby III, 275 yards WSW of the marker. However, those directions do not work out with what the property owner had said; he did not even know of the marker.
Picture for clarification. I have yet to look into the genealogies of the Mills family, but I know Nasby is a significant patriarch of the family. I'm making the assumption he's there if his children are. I have yet to look at the property records to support it. I have looked at most maps of Pitt County and the civil war period maps, and found nothing but Mills' families living nearby. Anyone know anything more about it and can provide more information?
My mother was born a Mills and this is a confusing part of her genealogy. The first time I saw this cemetery mentioned was on FindaGrave. We are sad to hear that it is lost, but it is inspiring that you are pursuing it. I'm miles and generations away, but will say, thank you for your efforts!
