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367    BYRD'S CHAPEL AME ZION [L88.2]

Location - Cape Fear Township. West of SR 1910, 567 New Elam Church Rd., 1000 feet north of US 1 overpass. Property address is 661 New Elam Church Rd., Moncure NC 27559.

Coordinates: 35d 38m 55.0s N; 79d 01m 02.0s W Click here for Online Maps

Another view of the cemetery.

Owner: Patty Stone Shelton.
Legal Description: Parcel 68680. Deed 608/588, from Byrd's Chapel AME Zion Church, 11 Apr 1992. Originally from Amos T. and Eliza Byrd to church, 1 Nov 1912, Deed F-H/17. DB 755/0866, 16 Feb 1998. Deeds specify that access to cemetery must be granted as required by law.
Topo Quadrant: New Hope Dam Code L.
Church owned: Yes. Denomination: AME Zion.
Abandoned: Yes.
Number of graves: 32 (at least).
Cemetery size: 110' x 160'. 0.4 acre.
African American: Yes.
Restricted access: Yes. Private Property
Overgrown and not easy to identify: Yes.
Enclosed: No.
Markers: Yes.
Number of readable markers: 3.
Last burial: 1940.
First burial: 1897.
Significant events: Members of the Byrd and Evans families were free African Americans living in Chatham County from the early 1800s.

Miscellaneous information: AKA Birds Mission AME Zion Church. Originally reported in 1992 by Gertha Clark. A professional survey of the cemetery conducted as part of a NCDOT project in 2023 provides additional information. The report is filed with the Office of State Archaeology as 31CH1348.

Last canvassed by: J. Pyle, B. Norwood, B. and J. Wiggins, 29 Jun 2006; RK&K consultants, 2023; Photos by David Counts, Sep 2023, Boe Goodwin, Aug 2025.

1. Byrd, Lucy   (b. Unknown - d. Abt. 1897)
Wife of Willis Byrd. Aged 74 years. In thee O Lord have I put my trust. Another view.
2. Byrd, Willis   (b. 15 Dec 1813 - d. 6 Jul 1904)
Husband of Lucy Evans Byrd. In God have I put my trust. Another view.
3. Macklin, Emeline   (b. Abt. 1847 - d. 28 Mar 1940)
I love my blessed Savior. I love my Savior's name.. Footstone unmarked. Daughter of Willis and Lucy Evans Byrd. Wife of George W. Macklin. Another view.
4. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Fieldstones.
5. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Fieldstones.
6. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Fieldstones.
7. Unknown, Unknown   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Fieldstones.