Wayne County, NC - Cemeteries - From the book, "Gravestone Inscriptions"

Reprinted with permission of the Wayne County Historical Association and
cannot be reproduced without permission.

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    Willow Dale Cemetery was opened in 1853. At the Meeting of the Goldsboro
commissioners held January 4, 1853, Colonel C.J. Nelson was authorized to lay
off the graveyard purchased from W.B. Edmondson, and to leave alleys eight
feet wide and to return plat of the same to the Board of the work done. The
graveyard mentioned here is the old part of Willow Dale Cemetery in the city
of Goldsboro.

    Dr. Samuel Amos Andrews, a son of Lt. Benjamin Andrews and wife Hannah
Pierce Rowe was born in Woodbury, Conn., March 11, 1797.  He married in 1818
Polly Louisa Gunn and they came to Waynesborough in 1821 and built a home on
the bank of the river. There in addition to practicing medicine he kept a
tavern. He moved to Goldsboro when it was decided to move the town to 
present day Goldsboro and became the first physician for Goldsboro.

    Dr. Andrews died March 11, 1853 and was the first person to be buried in
Willow Dale Cemetery. His wife born in 1800, died 1881 is buried beside him
along with other members of his family.

    Throughout the years cemeteries have been moved for various reasons to
Willow Dale. Among these are the graves found in the William Rouse Cemetery.

    William came from Lenoir County in 1831 and bought land and built a house
and grist mill on the west side of Stoney Creek. The old house site was
on East Elm Street, just beyond Best Street.  Nearby was the old cemetery.

    Rouse died in 1869 and his wife's death followed four years later. They
and their daughter, Smithy J. Leggett, together with her daughters, eight and
twelve, were buried in the old plot. In 1961 a new street was being run
through the property, their remains were removed to Willow Dale.

    The bodies of James T. Adams, born 5-6-1830; died 1-12-1907 and Nancy
Adeline Adams, born l2-24-l834; died l0-5-1916, possibly others, were removed
from a family plot located on Business Route 70 east near present day Meadow
Lane School, and re-interred in Willow Dale.

    Located in the middle of the old part of the Cemetery is a very impressive
marker to the UNKNOWN C0NfEDERATE DEAD, many of whom were killed in the 
Battle of Bentonville in the last days of the Civil War.

    Probably others were moved from old family plots to rest here in the
shade of the old trees and the twittering of the birds and squirels. Much
could be written about the lives of the people who lie so peacefully and 
quiet in this place.

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