Includes the town of Knightdale.
At some point in time, the files for St. Matthews township suffered some extreme water exposure and damage. The binder was still damp (after many years) when we first started working with the files. An archivist was consulted, and Lynne Deese took great pains to remediate both the mold and the damage done by it. You will see the damage that was caused, but through various techniques, Lynne was able to get images that were very readable. To see her process working with the Saint Matthews files, visit this link - https://vimeo.com/641275555
Township Instructions
Within a township, review
- Notes - This describes the digitization results and special considerations for a township.
- Original Index - This is the 1978 index of the cemeteries.
- New Index - This is a current index. We will add new cemetery information as it is discovered. These new indexes include Enhanced directions Road names added to the SR numbers GPS data - to the original site or as close as the information and changes in real estate would allow Links to online memorial databases including Find a Grave, Cemetery Census and others.
- Individual Listings and Files - Look for families of interest.
Please note: OCR was attempted, but due to the predominate use of handwriting and old manual typewriters, documents may not be fully searchable. OCR exists for some larger and more clearly typed files.
01 Surname Finder File
This file indexes surnames found in smaller family cemeteries in all townships across Wake County. Thanks to Cynthia Gage for creating this useful tool for us. Note: this list does not include names in Church or Community cemeteries.
02 New Index for St Matthews
This should be one of the first files you read.
The New Index Spreadsheet for St Matthews township allows for updates and corrections as well as the opportunity to add GPS Co-ordinates and links to outside sources. We have also improved how the roads are referenced by including Road Name with the SR#. -- We now have a vehicle to make additions as other cemeteries become known as is the wish of the co-ordinator of the original project, Irene Kittinger. If you know of any additions or corrections please let us know.
02 Original Index for St Matthews Township
Index as it appeared in the original survey files. Always compare to the new index.
04 Misc Census page from Marion Co, Georgia
Surname Oliver, unknown connection to St Matthews twp.
Bethlehem Baptist Church
168 burials, most stones readable. 15 pages of inscriptions. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2178621/bethlehem-baptist-church-cemetery
Boylan Chapel
African American. Location only. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2531642/boylan-chapel-cemetery
Community Cemetery 2
May be African-American and white. Perhaps 200 unmarked graves except five – McCULLERS, JEFFRIES, HINTON, SMITH, BRYANT.
Elevation Church
African American. Location only. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2237087/elevation-baptist-church-cemetery
Emory/Snipes/Hill
12 graves, 9 with inscriptions. Very near but probably seperate from Milburnie Primitive Baptist site.
Hillcrest Baptist Church
11 graves, 10 with inscriptions.Church's name changed to Wilder's Grove. Plans to relocate. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2703641/hillcrest-baptist-church-cemetery
Hinton Cemetery at Beaver Dam
No marked graves. Cemetery at "Beaver Dam," former plantation home of William Hinton.
Hinton Enslaved and others
150-200 graves. Some have fieldstones, most not marked. Across highway from "Midway" plantation built by Charles Lewis Hinton.
Hinton, David R
15 graves, most with inscriptions. Cemetery is at "The Oaks," former plantation built by David Hinton.
Hinton, John H
3 graves with initials, maybe 3 more with rocks. Cemetery is at "Clay Hill," former plantation of John H Hinton.
Horton - first family of Charles
4 graves from memory. Markers were damaged or destroyed.
Jones Chapel Church
African American. 25 graves with inscription, 3 with no markers, 6 unreadable. Renamed to Now Faith Community Baptist Ch Cemetery. Find a Grave - https://peoplelegacy.com/cemetery/now_faith_community_baptist_church_cemetery-3p4y01/
Jones, Jeff
African American. 1 grave with marker, others marked with stones. (about 50 graves in all. 14 listed from memory.)
Knightdale Baptist Church
10 pages of burials with inscriptions. At some point renamed Knightdale Cemetery. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1214043/knightdale-cemetery
Knightdale Methodist Church
64 graves with inscriptions. Church is now called Northside Community Church.
Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2209266/knightdale-united-methodist-church-cemetery
Malaby's Cross Road Baptist Church
African American. about 375 burials. 18 pages of inscriptions. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2215503/malaby's-crossroad-baptist-church-cemetery
Milburnie Primitive Baptist Church
Reported but not surveyed. Located behind Emory in this twp. **(On SR 2216/Raleigh Beach Rd (E of Elevation Church) .2 mi S side. SW side to other cem.) Near EMORY. Many unmarked sunken graves except four.
New Knightdale Baptist Church
74 burials. 7 pages of inscriptions. Find-A-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2302456/knightdale-baptist-church-cemetery
Page, CD
8 graves with inscriptions. This is located in the median between US1 and Hwy 401.
Price, Needham
3 graves. Markers old and broken. Graves were nearly disturbed by development. See article in Wake Genealogy Watch newsletter, Dec. 1017.
Stone, Gov. David
1 stone w/2 inscriptions. Was likely originally on the grounds of "Restdale," the plantation built by Gov. David Stone.
Temple, James A/Poole, NW
Two cemeteries within feet of each other. 28 graves with 16 readable markers. 8 pages of inscriptions.
Unknown #5
Location only. Reported on Old Keith Farm near Watkins Rd. Reported African American.
Unknown #7
Location only. In vacinity of Old Milburnie Rd and Neuseoka Lake. Reported African American.
Unknown #8
Location only. Vacinity of Buffaloe Rd and Castlebrook Dr. Reported reinterred at Apex Cemetery.
Weathers
Location only. 10 graves, no markers. Directions are clearer here than on survey form.-- From SR 1003/Rolesville Rd go 3 mi on SR 2215/Buffalo Rd , turn right. Go .25 mi (N) on narrow dirth path and about 1 mi to white house. Cem. under tree in front yard.
Wiggs/Debnam
African American. Location only. About 30 unmarked graves. May be both White and AA buried here.
Wilder, Col. Hillary/Hinton, Ransom
Location only. About 8 graves but not surveyed. AKA Wilder's Grove Cemetery. Within iron fence between Wilder's Grove Lane and Gas Station.
Williams, Benton S. D.
aka Williams Wyatt Jones Family Cemetery. Within Historic Oak View Park. 2 inscriptions, 4 unmarked. (Not included on original index.) see link: http://www.interment.net/data/us/nc/wake/williams_oak/index.htm