Carteret County North Carolina Cemeteries Other NC County Cemeteries

100    FULFORD FAMILY

Location - off Piper Lane off Sleepy Point Rd.


Located on Piper Lane off Sleepy Point Road. Heading east on US 70, turn right at the stop sign onto Smyrna/Marshallburg Road (SR 1347) at its intersection with US 70. After about 1.25 miles, turn right on Straits (Gloucester) Road (SR 1335). Note: Straits Road will veer to the right. Do not follow, but continue straight on SR 1335 for about 0.9 mile to Sleepy Point Road (SR 1343) on the left. Follow Sleepy Point Road to Piper Lane on the left. Turn onto Piper Lane and proceed to a curve in the road. In 1998, the cemetery was across from a house on the left at the curve.

The cemetery is said to have once contained many more graves and to have had a slave section that eroded into Sleepy Creek years ago.

Inventoried by Lola Pigott in 1998. Additions by Clarice W. Willis of Smyrna.

Note 1: Grave of the Thomas Fulford who died in 1831 was not located by Clarice Willis in 2006. According to Mrs. Willis, the cemetery may be down a driveway by 297 Sleepy Point Road.

Note 2: An inventory performed in 1971 for the old cemetery book showed "one bricked grave with no identification." This may have been the grave referred to in The New Bern Daily Journal on Friday, Sept. 18, 1893, as "bricked up with English brick" and said to be that of John Fulford, great-great grandfather of Stephen Fulford of New Bern, and "the first white male child ever born in eastern North Carolina." The article stated that he was born in Carteret County died there in 1723. A hand-written note in a book belonging to Rev. J. T. Albritton, a Baptist minister in Eastern North Carolina, who likely knew Stephen Fulford, also stated that this John Fulford was born in Carteret County in 1629 and was buried eight miles from Beaufort. While this story cannot be true for obvious reasons (e.g., Nathaniel Batts was the first documented white permanent settler in what is now NC in 1655), the grave may well have been that of John Fulford, Sr., b. ca. 1665, d. ca. 1712 (will), who lived near Sleepy Creek, that of his son John Jr. (b. ca. 1687) or, more likely, his son Joseph Fulford, b. 1688 - 1690, d. ca. 1775, who patented land on The Straits of Core Sound in 1714. Joseph was, in fact, the great-great grandfather of Stephen F. Fulford, b. 1829, a prominent New Bern merchant who was likely still living in 1893. In testimony by Joseph Fulford recorded when he was about 80, he stated that he had resided in the Province of North Carolina since 1705. It is probable that he arrived with his father John Sr., who was likely born in England. Joseph and his brother John may have been born there also or in Virginia.

1. Bell, John F.   (b. 11 Dec 1819 - d. 2 Jan 1835)
"16 yr, 22 da"
2. Fulford, Benjamin   (b. Jul 1760 - d. 23 Sep 1822)
"62 yr 2 mo"; (son of John Fulford, III & Abigail Williston)
3. Fulford, Susannah   (b. 11 Aug 1806 - d. 11 Oct 1899)
"83 yr, 2 mo"; Wife of Col. Thomas; (daughter of Richard Whitehurst & Margaret Burgess)
4. Fulford, Thomas   (b. Unknown - d. 20 Apr 1831)
"Age __(illeg.) 13 da
5. Fulford, Thomas (Col.)   (b. 5 Apr 1802 - d. 20 Apr 1854)
"52 yr, 15 da"; (son of Stephen Fulford & Mary Davis)
6. Pigott, Charlotte   (b. 31 Mar 1777 - d. 9 May 1839)
"62 yr 2 mo 9 da"; consort (2nd wife) of Col. Elijah; (daughter of John Fulford, III & Abigail Williston)
7. Pigott, Elijah (Col.)   (b. 22 Dec 1765 - d. 14 Sep 1843)
"In the 78th year of his age"; War of 1812
8. Pigott, Josephus F.   (b. 31 May 1809 - d. 28 Aug 1828)
"19 yr 2 mo 26 da"
9. Pigott, William S.   (b. 13 Mar 1791 - d. 5 Oct 1853)
"62 yr, 6 mo, 22 da"; son of Elijah Pigott, Jr. & Sarah Fulford
10. Styron, Mary F.   (b. 2 Aug 1807 - d. 29 Sep 1838)
"31 yr, 1 mo, 27 da"; wife of George W.; (daughter of Elijah Pigott, Jr. & Charlotte Fulford)
11. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Unmarked headstone
12. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Unmarked headstone
13. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Unmarked headstone
14. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Unmarked headstone