The Old Scotch Graveyard

Est. 1775 – Carthage, Moore County, North Carolina

8 minute read

Why did Highland Scots come to NC?

This area of south-central North Carolina has deep Scottish roots dating to the 1700’s, where land and hunting were plentiful at the time. Droves of emigrants fled the Highlands to the coast of the Carolinas, up the Cape Fear River, and inland to the pine forests of Moore County. In an effort to understand why so many Scots left their homelands and settled here, I had to dig deeper. 

Gabriel Johnson, a Lowland Scot and Royal Governor of North Carolina from 1734 to 1752, offered tax breaks as an incentive and to promote immigration to the Carolinas. At the time, rapid changes in the economic, political and social systems had resulted in widespread poverty in Scotland with many struggling to pay increasing land rents. According to Governor Johnson, “He felt it would be good for the future of the Cape Fear Valley for it to be settled by large numbers of Protestant Highland Scots, so he began writing enthusiastic letters to friends in Scotland, inviting them to come to a land where there were two crops each year…land grants and possible exemption from taxation for time.”¹

Captain John Martin Establishes Graveyard in 1775

Just a few years prior to the start of the American Revolutionary War, Captain John Martin and his wife, Marion MacLeod, accepted the invitation to immigrate and settled in Cumberland County (now Moore County) and lived near what is now Carthage. They were one of the earliest and wealthiest of the Isle of Skye families to come to the providence of North Carolina in 1771. 

Captain Martin was a career soldier and Tory Scot leader of the British forces during the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, he purchased over 1000 acres of land from Thomas MacClendon. As per tradition, it was Captain Martin himself who laid out the old burial ground, selecting the highest spot of land available with intentions of being buried there.²

However, the Captain passed away years later in Europe and was never buried in the Moores County grounds he’d established for himself. Ironically, it was his wife who’d be the first laid to rest in the graveyard in 1782, but the exact location of her gravesite is unknown.

A Popular Place to be Buried

The Old Scotch Graveyard gained immense popularity among Scottish and Irish families, who would travel as far as 50 or more miles to lay their loved ones to rest in this sacred location. Family members would often stay at the site for days, dancing, consuming food and traditional Scottish beverages, joyfully celebrating the lives of the deceased. If the family of the deceased were poor, providing food and drink to the mourners proved burdensome, money was raised to help provide for the food and festivities. 

There are 130 known interments, with a possibility of many more undocumented burials. Eight of the documented burials took place in the 1700’s, hundreds were said to have been buried in the 1800’s, and only 8 or so in the 1900’s. The visible headstones bear names representing prominent families in the region such as Bethune, McCaskill, King, McDonald, Nunnery, Black, and McIver. They were all buried facing the rising sun, believing they’d rise to greet Jesus who would come from the East.

Horse racing was a common pastime, particularly among the Irish visitors, and took place at the rear of the property. In a newspaper article written by Lula M. Guthrie, in 1946, she wrote, “The Old Scotch Graveyard near Carthage was the scene of two types of funerals  — the staid, dolorous Scotch Presbyterian rites and the gay, happy-go-lucky Irish wakes, which were concluded by drinking and horse racing.” At that time, Guthrie noted there was still a faintly discernible trace of the old race track at the graveyard.

Scottish Funeral Traditions

While researching the history of these sacred grounds, I learned fascinating details about the Scottish people and their belief systems surrounding death during the 18th century. Unexpected knocks at the door, particularly in sets of threes, were considered a sign of impending death. The increased crowing of a rooster or the continuous howling of dogs were viewed as ominous. The tapping of birds against windows and the eerie cry of screech owls were also seen as foreboding signs that death was near. These beliefs were deeply rooted in the Celtic culture and were taken seriously by the people, who believed that these omens were the spirits of the dead communicating with the living, warning them of an imminent end.

They held a strong Christian conviction in the afterlife, where souls either ascended to heaven or descended to hell, each based off of their earthly deeds and misdeeds. Windows were thrown open at the moment of death to help the soul depart easier, but were closed quickly to prevent it’s return. All the clocks in the home were stopped and windows were either covered or turned to face the wall, to prevent confusing the spirit in its departure.³

Often, corpses were laid out for several days and were to be watched 24 hours a day, up to 7 days. This practice served several different purposes, one being that it prevented evil spirits from taking away the soul. Standing watch over the body also allowed time to observe any signs of life, however faint they may be, when someone was thought to be dead. The seven day watch also allowed people to travel from afar and pay their respects to the family.

Following older traditions, a wooden plate would sometimes be placed on the chest of the departed during this seven day watch, with a small handful of earth and salt laid on top of the plate. The earth was symbolic of the body returning to the dust from whence it came, while the salt symbolized the eternal soul and/or meant to deter evil spirits. Sometimes they were even buried with the plate. Funeral rituals were solemn and significant. A bellman or sexton led the funeral procession, ringing a bell through the community to announce the death, beckoning all to join in the ceremony. 

Stewards of the Graveyard Today

Ownership of the graveyard changed hands throughout the years. Sometime after Captain John Martin’s establishment of it, it was later acquired by Peter Bethune. He was the first to be buried there, and would become known as Peter Bethune Place. Later, it would be referred to as Widow Bethune’s Hill, until it became known as the Old Barrett Place, after it was sold to Samuel Barrett. It changed hands two more times before being acquired by the Moore County Historical Association.

On June 6, 2023, dignity was properly restored to The Old Scotch Graveyard in a wreath laying ceremony and dedication. Bagpipes were played, board members of the MCHA were present, and Scottish history was presented to a small crowd that day. Donald McLeod, a member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, laid a wreath on Peter Bethune’s grave, one of thousands of Scots who fled their homeland in the 1700’s and made North Carolina their home.⁴

While the graveyard was revered, it was mostly neglected for decades. Costly repairs were desperately needed after falling tree branches and vandalism resulted in the destruction of limestone, rock, and granite memorials. In 2022, stewardship of the site had been assumed by the Moore County Historical Association. With the help of local historians, genealogists, and donors, restorations began. They have plans of continued repairs, as well as conducting ground penetrating radar studies in hopes of locating additional sites.