Cemetery Preservation and Restoration

A Letter from Joel Hobby

I’m Joel McCullers Hobby in Raleigh and am spearheading a project to restore the McCullers Cemetery located on Donny Brook Rd just off Hwy 401 directly across from the South Campus of Wake Tech Community College.

There is great historical significance in the cemetery, starting with the monument of an American Revolutionary War Patriot, Captain Matthew McCullers. Also buried there is my great grandfather Dr. Joseph James Lane McCullers, a prominent Wake County Physician.

Also of historical significance are a number unmarked graves of enslaved persons.

We have been fortunate in that the extension of the I-540 highway (outer beltline around Raleigh) and associated access ramps have barely missed the cemetery. Several years ago, DOT engineers created a very detailed survey of all the grave monuments and what we understand is the perimeter of the cemetery including the unmarked slave graves. I have a copy of that survey.

Previously the cemetery was badly overgrown with vines, briars, saplings, and several large trees some of which should be removed.

The cemetery is located on property owned by the Tingen Broadwell Family Trust of Fuquay. Tommy Broadwell is working with us on the project, providing a great deal of the clearing and having the cemetery surveyed. The Trust has deeded the 0.7 acre cemetery plot to our 501 (C)3 Qualified Charitable Trust, Captain Mathew McCullers Cemetery Corporation.

Working with real estate attorney Jonathan Anderson in Raleigh, we have obtained the documents and certification for our Charitable Trust.

Holt Anderson of Durham, also one of the McCullers descendants, is providing an extensive amount of information and guidance for the project. There is a lot more to this than you would imagine but Holt has done this twice before.

Several organizations, both government and private, have shown interest in the project. Without going into a list of these in this introductory letter, I will mention that the DAR has performed a ceremony at which they placed a wreath and medallion at the tombstone of Captain Mathew McCullers and the SAR anticipates doing the same.

If any of you are familiar with “Decoration Day” for cemeteries in the mountains (and elsewhere), we anticipate holding that once a year after the restoration is complete for our cemetery. Decoration Day is a form of family reunion where descendants spend a day cleaning the cemetery and placing wreaths and flowers. If you’ve ever noticed this in the back roads of the mountains, it’s quite impressive and demonstrates that the history and ancestors are appreciated.

I could go on for many pages listing the details we have accumulated so far and will be glad to email some of that if you desire.

For now, I am trying to form a contact list of those who will be interested in our restoration project.

Please refer to the documents in this website.

Please contact me if you are interested.

Yours Truly,

Joel McCullers Hobby
Cell 919 810 6106
Joel.hobby1@gmail.com
2322 Lake Drive
Raleigh, NC 27609