Muskets Honor Revolutionary Patriot in Cary
Story by Lindsey Chester, photos by Laurie Miller and Lindsey Chester.
Cary, NC – Muskets were fired in Cary on Saturday as the Daughters of The American Revolution officially honored Nathaniel Jones. The Wake County patriot is buried in White Plains Cemetery, tucked between some houses in the Maynard Oaks subdivision.
The Revolutionary Burial Ground in the Cary Subdivision
The sky was Carolina blue and the crowd gathered at the end of a typical subdivision cul de sac. But on this street lies one of the oldest burial grounds in Cary.
Over 200 years ago, the site belonged to one of the area’s most famous landowners, Nathaniel Jones. Jones once owned over 100,000 acres, much in present day Cary, as well as other acreage donated to become the State Capital and the Governor’s Mansion.
Nathaniel Jones lived here before it was called Cary and fought during the Revolutionary War.
Upon his death, his will released his cotton plantation slaves, because he wanted to die with a clear conscience and could not do so without following the Golden Rule, that of doing onto others as you would have them do unto you.
Plaque Dedicated
The Yates Mill DAR organization along with the Town of Cary and the Friends of Page Walker Hotel organized the placement of a plaque honoring Jones.
Having been married twice and fathering sixteen children, Jones has a great many living descendents, several of whom attended.
Woo hoo! Photo credit. I thought it was a very nice event.
Ironically, 102 Tolliver Court is about 200 Ft. from my back door. But you can’t be in two places at once and I was photographing pre-schoolers at the Bright Horizons “Touch A Truck Day” fundraiser. Looks like I wasn’t needed, the photographs look good.
As the CaryCitizen unofficial proofreader, I am compelled to point out that Nathaniel Jones’s land holdings were approximately 10,000 acres rather than 100,000 acres; and although he was honored as a Patriot of the American Revolution, he did not actually fight in the Revolutionary War — however, he did serve in many different government positions at the local and state levels.
The Friends of the Page-Walker would like to thank the Yates Mill chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for honoring Nathaniel Jones; and the Town of Cary for amazing work and support for yesterday’s event as well as ongoing maintenance of White Plains cemetery.
And thanks to Lindsey and CaryCitizen for for covering this significant event!
Thanks for the fact check. I think Lindsey may have been overcome by the musket fire.