Cooleemee ceremony honors revolutionary leader

COOLEEMEE — A ceremony to honor a local leader of the American Revolution will be held at the Pearson Graveyard at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22.

The Sons of the American Revolution will unveil a special "Patriot" marker at the grave of Col. Richmond Pearson, who led the pro-independence militia from the Forks of the Yadkin area of old Rowan County. Wreaths will be laid at his headstone.

The Color Guard of the North Carolina Society of the Sons of the American Revolution will post the colors. A brief program will give background on Pearson's service as well as other family members who are buried there. Tours of the graveyard will be given following the ceremony.

Nine years ago, Terry Dedmon and Del McCullough decided to save the graveyard from years of neglect. They worked for months removing trees and brush that covered the cemetery grounds. Its granite stone walls, with hand- quarried stone, were reconstructed and the iron gate put back in place.

An anonymous donor underwrote their costs and a professional survey of the graveyard by the Wake Forest University archeology department. Gravestones were put back in place and a number of additional graves were marked.

The SAR marker was obtained by Cooleemee native William C. Davis, who remembered the Pearson Cemetery from his childhood. Davis is a member of both the Sons of the American Revolution and the Cooleemee Historical Association. The event is sponsored by both groups and the public is invited to attend.

The Pearson Cemetery is adjacent to Camp Manna off Pine Ridge Road near Cooleemee.

For more information contact Lynn Rumley at 336-284-6040 or Grady Hall at fgradyhall@msn.com.