Mecklenburg Chapter                        Patriot Graves Project              "The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living"
Marcus Tullius Cicero

Introduction:

The goal of the Patriot Graves Project is to draw attention to those Patriots who served, sacrificed, and died to free the country from British rule.  Some died during the conflict while others died of natural causes many years after the war.  The project wants to highlight this very important part of the war’s history and the burial places of those who served.  The burial sites are a fleeting part of our history that continue to disappear fighting time and the elements.  Many organizations work tirelessly to locate, identify, recognize, and honor the historic burial sites preserving them for future generations to visit and learn of their history and that of their country.

Who Are Patriots?  Your first thought might be, they were those who wore a uniform and bore arms in the fight for our freedom. They would commonly be referred to as the First Veterans of the United States. Those first veterans composed a much larger, more diverse group of people than you might think.  Besides those that served in the Continental Line, State Militia, other militia units of the Armed Forces many provided support to the cause of Independence and Freedom. This group of Patriots may have held public office, taken oaths of allegiance, or provided services, supplies and support to the effort for Independence. While they may have not been physically able to serve in the field, they provided money, food, medical support, housing, gathered intelligence, and other services in support of the fight for freedom. They would be grandfathers, grandmothers, granddaughters, grandsons, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, other family and friends coming from all ethnic groups. If not for the efforts and sacrifices of all Patriots, we would not have the country we do today.

Why have an Index of Patriot Graves ?

The Index of Patriot Graves lists the final resting place of those who sacrificed and fought to establish the country and freedoms you enjoy today.  It's also a link to the past often revealing not only the Patriot but his family, neighbors, and others.  It provides a vital link to look back into not only the country's past but your family's past…………..

In researching our ancestors from the American Revolution, you will find there are very few records in existence that the average person can see in their original form. While many documents are being digitized and made available for online research, most are still on microfilm or in the case of an original document stored in a repository somewhere.  

However, there is one research tool that is still visible to everyone who takes the time to look.  The gravestones of our Patriot ancestors are a living tribute to them from time's past. In many cases, the grave stones are well over 200 years of age, surviving weather, community expansion, follow on wars, vandalism, cemetery maintenance, etc. In some cases, these cemeteries are very well maintained, and in others, they may be in a distant field, lost in the woods of the old home-place, behind a bush on the side of the road or a single headstone.... somewhere. While many of these stones have existed over 200 years, others have not been so fortunate and are already lost forever. It is important to remember that these stones are under constant attack from their environment, and as such, we will lose more of them as time passes ....... losing in many cases, the last remaining physical records of where our Patriot ancestors rest.