Lower King Cemetery of Elk Shoal Creek, Yancey Co., North Carolina

King Cemetery Lower of Elk Shoal Creek Yancey Co., North Carolina Documented by Beth Bradford-Pytel updated on 09/27/14	HOME


Directions: From Burnsville, proceed on US Highway 19E for about 4 miles to the junction of 19W and make a right. Continue on 19W which parallels the Cane River towards Ramseytown for about 3 miles and then make a left onto Elk Shoal Creek Road #388. Continue about .5 miles and turn onto the first road on the right called Thunderstruck Ridge Road. Follow the gravel road up the hill tgo the landing and the Upper King Cemeter will be on the right. You may park your vehicle here. To reach the Lower King Cemetery, walk through the gate of the Upper King Cemetery and down the hill you will see the fenced in area of the lower King on the right. Both Cemeteries are well maintained. Map to Cemetery NOTE: This project was in partnership with Julian Fender a direct descendant of Ellen Higgin #5. Feel free to email me your comments, photos and info. All photos taken by bbpytel unless otherwise noted. The survey of the cemetery was in April 2013.
SURNAMES: COUSINS, GARLAND, HALL, HENSLEY, KING, PATE, RADFORD, SILVERS, WILSON
1. PATE, Ruth b. October 6, 1914 - d. May 6, 1978 "At Rest" [d/o Frank Pate and Sarah Angel]

2. PATE, Franklin b. February 22, 1868 - d. February 22, 1936 [s/o Robert Nat Pate? and Ellen Higgins #5] NOTE: Per his death record in Yancey Co., he was born in Tennessee, married, farmer, living in Banks Creek, buried in Elk Shoal; no father was stated and his mother was "Ellen Edwards Pate." 3. PATE, Sarah "Sallie" ANGEL b. 1868 - d. March 2, 1950 [d/o James Grover Angel and Ruth Radford; children: Arphena, Roscoe W., Floria, Ruby, Ruth]

*4. PATE, Robert Nathanial (Nat Pate) - Unmarked / suspected? b. abt. 1840ish? - d. before 1870?** * THE MYSTERY OF NAT PATE: Some believe this to be the grave of Robert Nathaniel "Bob Nat" Pate or Reynolds. He was suppose to have been the companion of Elender Higgins #5, since there is no marriage record found. The birth and death dates of Nat are based on the births of his alleged children, Franklin and Robert Lewis Pate. During the 1860 Washington Co., TN Census, Ellen was age 16, living with her parents, John Higgins and Mary Arwood, in the Clear Branch area of now Unicoi Co., HH #1012. It is important to note that her two older sisters, Malinda marries Doctor A./ O. Pate in Jan. 1868 and Barbary Jane marries Marcellus Pate (brother of Doctor, and are sons of Thomas Pate and Silvia Hensley) in April 1870. During the 1870 Washington Co. Census, HH #118, Ellen was age 25, living alone with her widower father and no mention of her 2 children in the household. She and her father live next door to her sister Malinda and Doctor Pate, with their 3 children and two boys, George W. Higgins (age 2, s/o John H. Higgins, Malinda and Ellen's father and his companion, Catherine White) and Berry L. Higgins (age 4). With some extensive research, I have been unable to find any records on Nat Pate except for a reference on the 1910 Census in which Ellen declares she was married 3 times "3M" and the death certificate of Robert Lewis Pate which states parents "Nat Pate and Ellen Higgins." Some family descendants believe Nate was a Reynolds but again, I have found no info to support this. Others claim that he may not exist at all, and the father of Franklin and Robert are unknown. Any info, please email me [email protected]

5. HENSLEY, Ellen [Elender HIGGINS] *b. May 15, 1836 - d. May 29, 1928 [d/o John Higgins and Mary Lucinda Arwood of Coffee Ridge area, Unicoi Co., TN 1st companion: Robert Nat Pate? (never married) children: Franklin #2 and Robert Lewis 2nd married Thomas Radford on December 24, 1874; children: twin daughters Rebecca Jane and Sarah Mae 3rd married Lewis W. Hensley on May 20, 1884; child: Vista** NOTE: *According to Ellen's Death Certificate she died of "Bright's Disease" at the age of "97" putting her birth year at 1836; her son, Frank, was the informant and it is noted she is the d/o John Higgins and mother "unknown" born in Tenn. I believe 1836 noted on the tombstone was based on the death certificate declaration. However, when you refer to the census records, her actual birth date would be around 1843 and not 1836: 1850 -age 7; 1860 -age 16; 1870 -age 25; 1880 -age 32; 1900 -age 52 and stated she was born in 1848 to the census taker; 1910 -age 61 and declared married 3 times.

5. WILSON, Atlas KING b. July 7, 1906 - d. May 12, 1935 [d/o John King and Sarah Radford; w/o Ragan Wilson buried Bee Log Hill Cem] NOTE: After the death of Atlas, Ragan married Cora Wilson

6. KING, Sarah Mae RADFORD b. May 14, 1875 - d. March 11, 1920 "At Rest" [d/o Thomas Radford and Ellen Higgins; w/o John Melvin King; children: Roscoe, Willliam Arthur, James, Monroe, Atlas, Dorothy Mae. NOTE: photo of John M. King, Sarah Mae and daughter Atlas - circa abt. 1909, courtesy Gwen Bodford. After the death of Sarah, John (s/o William King and Martha J. Edwards) remarried Barbara Ann Edwards and buried at Cane River Baptist Church Cem.

7. RADFORD, Thomas b. September 1814 - d. March 30, 1881 [s/o Jesse Radford and Anna B. Edwards; 1st married Mary "Polly" Griffith (d/o John Griffith and Anna Byrd); children: Anna, Ruth, Surena, Jessie 2nd married Elender Higgins; children: Rebecca Jane and Sarah Mae

8. KING, Serena [RADFORD] b. 1854 - d. 1920 [d/o Thomas Radford and Mary "Polly" Griffith; w/o Mitchell King] 9. KING, Mitchell b. 1852 - d. 1937 [s/o Samuel King and Axey Beaver] NOTE: photo of Mitchell's family at his grave - circa 1937

10. HALL, Jessie Mitchell b. August 26, 1891 - d. February 28, 1919 [s/o John Wesley Hall and Harriett Cousins]

11. HALL, John Wesley b. June 9, 1866 - d. September 12, 1917 "Free Mason" [s/o Ivey Hall and Surena Radford]

12. HALL, Harriett COUSINS b. February 26, 1867 - d. February 10, 1934 "Asleep in Jesus" {w/o John Wesley Hall; d/o Clark Cousins and Rachel Wright]

13. HALL, Ivy b. December 27, 1885 - d. January 20, 1923 "The Lord is my Shepherd - I Shall Not Want" [s/o John Wesley Hall and Harriett Cousins; married Pansy Hollifield

14. HENSLEY, Sarah E. b. May 5, 1843 - d. January 10, 1883 "40 yrs - 8 mos - 5 days"

15. SILVERS, baby [infant child of Linda and Junior Silvers]
16. GARLAND, Vernon

17. GARLAND, Aiden Seth d. October 23, 2011

Several Unmarked Graves - about 15