And Now I Know Why

Props to the DigitalNC group for my discovery tonight!

As I was updating my family tree information for my relative Reverend Wright L. Lawhorn, I decided to do some more searching for him. Wright was a brother to my great-great-grandfather, Samuel Becton Lawhorn. When I started the evening, I did not have much information about Wright, but I did know that though he passed away in Charlotte, NC – his remains were sent by train to Sylva, NC.  Since finding his death certificate several years ago, I’d wondered why Sylva? We didn’t have family there to the best of my knowledge.

Tonight I learned why! Since I last looked for him, his burial information has been added to Find-A-Grave and I discovered he was buried in Webster, Jackson County, NC. Webster is right next to Sylva. I also saw his wife, Birdell Lawhorn, is buried in the same cemetery.  Some additional searching ensues and I discover that Birdell, a graduate of Winston-Salem State College, and later an employee, had the 1968 yearbook dedicated to her by her students! At the time, she was a dorm matron at one of the residence halls. How cool is that?

An article about her in the school newspaper states that she was from Cullowohee, NC — guess what county that is in? Jackson!

So, I guess that when her husband died, Birdell had him interred in her hometown.

Both the newspaper and the yearbook have been digitized and made available online by the DigitalNC group. Yet again – finding family history in these files that they have worked so diligently on and for that, I am so thankful!  I am also quite grateful to the Find-A-Grave volunteer who added their memorials!