In January, I was finally able to connect with the landowner of the private property the little cemetery abuts, and is on. The gentleman was kind and accommodating, and I cannot wait to eventually meet in person soon. The hills and pastures near the floodplains of Duncan Creek are the domain of some beautiful cattle now, dark brown, sweet-faced creatures. It was so delightful to finally connect, compare notes, and most importantly, get permission to cross over the protective fencing. While visiting on a very short day trip, I managed to grab a couple of hours of daylight to – for the first time – visit the Other Side of the Fence…
I was able to make two new positive gravestone identifications.
Forcipa Holland was the daughter of Thomas and Jane. Her stone is the oldest one I have been able to verify, with a passing date of 1811, she died a few years before her father did, in 1815.
Elizabeth Adair was the daughter of James Adair and Delilah Holland. Delilah’s father was William Holland, Thomas’ brother.
While Thomas G Potter is not a new find, after years of looking at the blank back of his stone, the front did not disappoint.
Thomas Green Potter’s obituary, from “The Southern Christian Advocate”, Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, 12 March 1852:
Died in Laurens district, 12th February, 1852, Thomas G. Potter, in the 77th year of his age. The deceased was a native of Virginia, and removed, in early life, to Carolina, being mostly in Spartanburg and Laurens. For a period of forty years he was an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was useful as a class leader in the neighborhood where he lived, and was found faithful till incapacitated by disease. In the course of a protracted pilgrimage he happily illustrated the spirit of the apostolic precept: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” Death came by slow gradations, but found him at his post. Gathering his children around him, he gave them his last monitions and prayer; breathed a fervent petition for the church with which he was so long identified; lingered awhile upon the shore of mortality; and calmly passed away to his reward on high. In his removal, society has lost a good citizen, his children an affectionate father, the church a faithful member; but heaven has gained another saint to swell its anthem.
Timeline
These stones have been identified and documented:
DIED NAME
1811 Forcipa Holland daughter of Thomas and Jane
1815 Thomas Holland husband of Jane, father of Forcipa and Asenath
1818 William Fryer son of John, brother of Margaret and Richard
1820 John Fryer son of Richard Fryer and Rachel Holland
1821 Richard Fryer son of John, brother of Margaret and William
1822 William Holland brother of Thomas; grandfather of Elizabeth
1823 Elizabeth Adair daughter of James & Delilah (Holland) Adair
1823 Asenath (Holland) Copeland daughter of Thomas and Jane
1830 Jane Holland wife of Thomas, mother of Forcipa and Asenath
Baby McClintlock child of John and Margaret McClintlock
1841 Margaret (Fryer) McClintlock daughter of John Fryer, mother of baby
1852 Thomas Potter husband of Elizabeth Holland
These individuals below are likely in this cemetery, with unmarked/yet to be discovered stones
1800 Abraham Holland Thomas’ father
1802 Asenath Spires Holland Thomas’ mother
1822 William Holland brother of Thomas; grandfather of Elizabeth
1835 Greenberry Copeland son of John and Aseneth Holland Copeland
Related Pages/Posts
Be sure to visit the permanent Holland Cemetery page. Many more photos and information will be updated there for future reference.