Piney Grove Church Cemetery Records Sought

A group of researchers are seeking help in recovering the lost history of Piney Grove Church Cemetery in Madison County, originally a slave cemetery that continued in use well into the 20th century.

The church, organized in 1906, was the predecessor to Mars Hill’s Mount Olive Baptist Church, established in 1917. Among the organizing families were the Koones, Connellys, Fergusons, and Andersons.

Known graves in the Piney Grove cemetery include Alfred Brisco (1850-1922); Adaline Conley (1850-1935); Carolina Briscoe (1856-1923); Bowditch Ray (1865-1953); Sarah Essie Wilson, a daughter of Adaline Conley (1875-1944); Nate Ray (1870-1933); Nelson Ray (1881-1918); and May Coon (1896-1917).

While a number of family names and individual graves have been recorded, the majority of the grave stones are deteriorated to the point of illegibility.

If you know of any family members, ancestors, or friends who were members of the Piney Grove Church and/or buried in the cemetery there, please contact Vickie Sealock at [email protected] or by phone at (828) 689-4661.