Portsmouth Island Cemeteries
Compiled by Ellen Cloud
The Babb cemetery
Near the church and behind the Jesse Babb home.
DIXON, Arthur Edward b. 1-14-1888 d. 10-31-1945
DIXON, Nora Elizabeth b. 3-5-1892 d. 9-12-1956
BABB, Lillian M. b. 7-30-1896 d. 1-8-1996
PIGOTT, Elizabeth b. 8-28-1889 d. 9-12-1960
PIGOTT, Henry b. 5-10-1896 d. 1-5-1971
Old Sea Captain´s Cemetery
Located here are the graves of two seamen who died either aboard ship or at the Marine Hospital located on the Island. There may be other unmarked graves at this location. This cemetery is located on what was then property of the Collector of Customs for Ocracoke Inlet. It is located across the creek from the U.S. Life Saving Station. I find it fascinating that the families of these two men managed to have tombs sent to and erected on Portsmouth Island where most graves were marked with ballast stone or wooden markers in 1810 and 1821.
GREEN, Capt. Thomas W. of Providence, R. I. in his 32nd year d. 1-17-1810
HILZEY, Capt. William, d. 10-4-1821 , age 36 years 2 mo. 27 days
The Community Cemetery
Located near the Store/Post Office, and adjacent to the Daly home site, it is the largest of the existing cemeteries on the island.
DIXON, Harry Needham, b. 9-10-1889 d. 9-27-1931
DIXON, Lida b. 9-19-1888 d. 7-26-1961
ROBERTS, John B. b. 3-22-1830 d. 3-19-1894
DIXON, George b. 3-19-1857 d. 11-24-1919
DIXON, Martha b. 3-13-1859 d. 3-4-1914 Wife of George Dixon
DIXON, Mary Helen b. 12-22-1876 d. 8-22-1927 Wife of Alfred Dixon
DIXON, Wilford B. b. 11-30-1909 d. 11-23-1922
DIXON, ALFRED b. 2-16-1870 d. 3-16-1931 (this tomb was erected in the year 2000, by his grandson Wilford Dixon of Harkers Island)
BABB, George Rodnal b. 10-16-1924 d. 10-18-1924
STYRON, James b. ________ _______ Son of James and Rebecca Styron
WILLIAMS, Bettie b. 7-6-1847 d. 9-11-1929
WILLIAMS, Caroline b. 11-4-1856 d. 7-30-1891 Wife of William O. Williams
PARSONS, Mary H. b. 7-31-1859 d. 6-8-1934
DIXON, Eugene b. 3-2-1868 d. 9-23-1888 Son of W.C. & Mary E. Dixon
DALY, Claudia b. 3-19-1857 d. 9-7-1914 Wife of William Daly
DALY, William T. b. 6-2-1844 Dublin, Ireland d. 2-6-1893 Beaufort, NC
DALY, William T. b. 6-15-1887 d. 6-29-1948
DALY, Blanch E. b. 5-10-1897 d. 7-21-1927 (wife of William T.)
GASKINS, Elizabeth Daly "DAISY" b. 10-23-1883 d. 2-22-1926
GILGO, Monroe b. 3-26-1882 d. 1-20-1927
GILGO, Rita Johnson, b. 8-18-1909 d. 10-15-1911
BABB, Hugh Linwood b. 8-19-1912 d. 10-28-1912
WILLIS, Ronald C. b. 4-25-1904 d. 6-22-1904
ROBERTS, Elsie T. b. 10-15-1859 d. 9-10-1914
ROBERTS, Mary E. b. 8-24-1878 d. 1-29-1908 Wife of Elsie T. Roberts
ROBERTS, William b. 5-18-1907 d. 5-18-1907 Son of E. T. and M. E. Roberts
Gaskill Cemetery
There is only one tomb found in this cemetery, but there is evidence of two other burial sites. This tomb is located near the Carl Dixon and Frank Gaskill homes, and can be seen at the left of Haulover Road.
GASKILL, Elijah, b. 5-15-1878 d. 11-11-1906
Capt. Dixon Site
Abandoned and forgotten, this brick vault with marble slab top is located about one mile south on an overgrown road, known as "Straight Road." It was located about three years ago by a group known as the "Portsmouth Grave Hunters." The group is still searching for other known, but forgotten grave yards.
DIXON, Capt. William W. b. 6-4-1800 d. 9-14-1840
The Portsmouth Cemetery
Located behind the visitor’s center and adjacent to the Samuel Tolson home site.
BRAGG, Thomas, b. 2-17-1878 d. 3-21-1960
BRAGG, John V., d. 11-23-1887 age 61 years.
BRAGG, Jane L. b. 6-22-1839 d. 1-4-1893
MAYO, Nancy, b. 12-29-1833 d. 1-26-1906
MAYO, James, b. 6-5-1830 d. 4-18-1900
PIGOTT, Rachel, b. 8-15-1895 d. 3-4-1960
DIXON, George M., b. 1867 d. 1902
DIXON, Benjamin R. b. 1840 d. 1924
STYRON, Maria, b. 11-14-1816 d. 9-1-1894 Wife of Oliver Styron
GASKILL, Thomas b. 12-11-1840 d. 2-1-1881
ROBINSON, Alexandra, b. 6-5-1843 d. 8-21-1919
ROBINSON, Jane Ann b. 12-24-1864 d. 6-11-1928 Wife of Alexandra
ROBINSON, James, b. 5-21-1899 d. 2-20-1919 Son of Alexandra
The Keeler Cemetery
This is called the Keeler Cemetery, simply because it is located adjacent to the Keeler home site. No Keeler's are known to be buried here. It is possible that it was originally know as the Styron cemetery since that was the first recorded burial.
STYRON, Benjamin G. b. 6-1-1815 d. 9-21-1866
STYRON, Ambrose J., b. 1-1-1839 d. 6-12-1910
STYRON, Mrs. J. D. Styron b. 2-21-1851 d. 4- 10 1932
STYRON, Eugene, b. 4-12-1871 d. 1-12-1877 Son of A.J. & J.D. Styron
LAWRENCE, Hannah, b. 11-11-1811 d. 3- 23-1876
PIGOTT, Leah, b. 6-1867 d. 3-19-1922
PICKETT, Rose, b. 12-18365 d. 3-1909
PIGOTT, Isaac, no tomb, but there is a grave with a brick dome top.
TOLSON, Sam, b. 11-7-1840 d. 11-30-1929 This tomb was purchased and set in place by "The Friends of Portsmouth Island" and a memorial service was held on May 19, 2001. (Because of his striking resemblance to BOOTH, he was arrested for the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, but was released upon affidavit of fellow residents).
Grace Cemetery
Located in front of the island Post Office/Store, on the Wallace/Grace house lot. The cemetery has a white picket fence.
GRACE, John K. b. 3-29-1881 d. 9-8-1892
GRACE, Theresa, b. 4-27-1842 d. 1-14-1912
GRACE, John B. b. 4-2-1861 d. 7-3-1883
GRACE, William, b. 11-11-1867 d. 9-9-1872
Lost Cemetery
At the end of Straight Road on Warren Gilgo´s Creek at one time was located the largest cemetery on the island. The 33 hurricane completely washed it away, as the tide cut through the then very narrow creek and made it very wide and opened the area to the bald beach. In an interview with Cecil Gilgo, (now deceased) he told me that there were possibly as many as 50 tombs there. He remembered one of a Captain Cook, (possibly a marker for Thomas Cook (who was lost at sea in 1815) father to James W. Cook, famous Civil War Captain and husband of James Wallace´s daughter Esther).
Several years ago the "Portsmouth Grave Hunters" using gigs and wading in waist deep water found several tombs buried in the muddy bottom of the creek. Only two of those found were complete and readable. The others were broken in half with one half missing. All were placed on the bank of the creek, which has now eroded causing the tombs to fall back into the water. Cape Lookout National Park has agreed to let us place the tombs at a higher and safer location as soon as we can retrieve them again. The two complete tombs were:
GILGO, Rita, ??, a tomb of a young girl about 12 years old, I have forgotten the dates.
AUSTIN, William, d. Aug. 4, 1832 at age 41 years. (there is a Masonic emblem on the tomb.
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