Anson Record file photo
                                Carol Smith and volunteers work on cleaning up and restoring the historic cemetery in Polkton.

Anson Record file photo

Carol Smith and volunteers work on cleaning up and restoring the historic cemetery in Polkton.

Poplar Spring Missionary Baptist Church Historical Cemetery was established in 1860s. The cemetery was willed to an Elizabeth Turner who was a slaved to Jasper Turner. This Land was never to be sold.

We saw the grave markers of Edmond Hamilton born March 25th, 1854 and passed away May 28, 1941. Lucy Hamilton his wife was born January 15, 1844 and passed away March 14, 1933. Lucy H. worked as a Midwife during her life. Edmond Hamilton was known to be a preacher. The information of Mrs. Hamilton was taken from the death certificates that had Mrs. Hamilton signatures.

Mr. Ernest Broadway of Oakboro provided the group information about his ancestor, father Charlie Boyd Broadway who is buried there. Mr. C. Broadway was born March 25, 1917 and passed away May 22, 1959 from a gunshot wound. C. Broadway served in the Military during WWII. After his time served in the army he returned back to civilian life. Broadway worked as a truck driver. He was married to Bertha Turner Broadway who just recently passed away.

Family member Deloris Hammond talk about her great grandfather Lewis Broadway. Lewis Broadway was a farmer in the Burnsville community of Anson. People that remember him says that his way of transportation was a buggy and mule. He once lived on Wightman Church Road. He and his wife Edith Davis Broadway raised 9 children. It was also stated that Lewis Broadway was the owner of a large portion of property in the Burnsville Community. After his first marriage to Edith, Lewis Broadway became a widower then remarried.

The cemetery Property was willed to a slave by the name of Elizabeth Turner that became free. Jasper Turner also willed the Property that the Poplar Spring Baptist Church is located on. The original Poplar Spring Church was said to have been a log cabin.

On April 3, 2021 the cemetery was declared a Historical Cemetery by Melissa Timo Historic Cemetery Specialist Office of Archaeology for the state of North Carolina.