A Day in the Life of a Myatt- February 6, 2006 (Post Super Bowl Monday) Part Iby Thomas (Tommy) Allen Myatt, Jr.It began like most Monday mornings, except that the alarm clock had intentionally not been set, thus I was able to "sleep-in" and awaken a bit later than usual. For the last couple of years I have been host to entertaining friends for the Super Bowl and I had taken an allotted vacation day to ease any potential post Monday morning discomfort. I awoke refreshed.
The previous evening was one of making merry with food, friends, frosty beverages and then, more food. Tink (my wife Tracy) pulled out her digital camera to snap some photos of party members, Uh... er... participants rather. I reviewed the photos that morning and they had really turned out great. I thought to myself. A day off with nothing in particular planned but to kick back and relax. What to do. Make a cup of coffee. Good idea.
Two cups later and while again reviewing the earlier evening's photos, it hit me that I had some follow up business to take care of regarding the gravesites of some Myatt, Upchurch, Hobby and Crowder families. The gravesites were found at the intersection of Rand Road and Ten-Ten highway in Garner, North Carolina, and very near Holland's United Methodist Church back in 2000. As I understand it, the land was donated or possibly sold by a Myatt to build the church.
Susan Meates as many of you know, has done a fabulous job with the DNA search project and back in June of last year ('05) I had promised Susan that I would take some photos of that small cemetery. I had promised that I would take care of this within the week. Oh well, sometimes things fall through the cracks. Now back to the cemetery/gravesites. The gravesites were found while grading crews were developing an old cow pasture to make ready for a new subdivision called Rand Meadows. Construction was halted upon the discovery of the gravesites there. I had posted a copy of the article that was written in the October 18th, 2000 Garner News edition to the Myatt forum back in June '05 as well. I will post that article again later in this document.
So after calculating my directions and turns to take to the gravesites and with my trusty digital in hand I ventured out for a drive with the intention of making good on my promise to Susan. Snap some photos, get back before lunch, and then post the pictures to the Myatt forum.
It began like any other Monday, but I knew not what was in store for me.
From my home in Clayton, I took 42 Highway West past Cleveland crossings where I would make a right turn to reach the gravesites. I missed my turn. "Rats man"! No bother though, because the thought hit me that I could venture a little further towards Willow Springs near where Panther Lake (Panther Lake was Myatt's Mill Pond) is located and snap some photos of the old mill house and the lake. So I continued west. I intentionally passed Panther Lake Road on my left and continued I estimate about a football field in length to Walter Myatt Road. That is where I decided to snap my first photo. I know it is just a road sign, but hey, everyone needs a Myatt road sign picture.
Figure 1 Walter Myatt Road
After snapping the photo I turned around, headed back east and made a right onto Panther Lake Road to reach the old millpond. I had to snap another photo of the subdivision that is located off the right side of the road there.
Figure 2 Myatt Mill Farms
This photo-snapping thing is easy and I am making great time, so now I am on to the old millpond and things get interesting.
You Find Champions in the Most Unlikely Places
The Old Myatt's Mill Pond now designated as Panther Lake is situated off the right side of all things, Panther Lake Road. I pulled into a paved driveway between what was the old mill house and Panther Lake Grocery, which is currently not an operational store. I began taking photos of the house, the grocery, the pond and the dam. Here are some captioned photos to view.
Figure 3 Front Porch of the Myatt Mill House
Figure 4 Rear View of Myatt Mill House
Figure 5 Dam and Spillway on Panther Lake (Myatt's Mill Pond)
Figure 6 View of Dam facing Panther Lake Road and Myatt's Mill House
Figure 7 View of Panther Lake from the Right Side of the Dam
Panther Lake actually stretches much further past that horizon that you see. People actually come here to water ski and fish. That's right, I said water ski. The lake boasts numerous Bass and Pike. Folks swear that they are Pike but they may be Chain Pickerel. The lake also contains fresh water mussels AND fresh water shrimp! The fish feed heavily on these shrimp so don't bother going with live bait. Use that artificial worm for best results. The water is clear and clean. You can actually see the bottom very well several feet out around the edges.
Figure 8 Panther Lake Grocery situated just to the right of the Myatt Mill House off of Panther Lake Road
The store is not operational really. Sometimes it is used during fishing season. The price is $2.00 to fish and/or $2.00 to lookJ. Remember that.
Well now, I am about finished. I 'll just hop in my little red truck and head on back to the gravesites in Garner and snap some photos. Wait! There's someone coming out of the mill house front door and approaching me. A young gentleman, perhaps in his mid-30s but it's just a guess. We mosey up to each other. "How ya doin? You live here?" I asked. "I sure do. I own this place" he replied. "Well sir, my name is Thomas Allen Myatt, Jr. and," before I could finish he nodded with approval and smiled and said "Oh yeah, there's a lot of history here what with the Myatts and all." "I'm Scott Champion." We shook hands. I went on to explain my lineage and why I was there (to take pictures). I asked about the widow there, Mrs. Monday and if she still lived in the house in the middle of the mobile home park. Her home is situated behind the store and the mobile homes dot the lakeshore on the roadside. He said that she did and then he shared with me some history.
First off, Scott grew up right across the street from Panther Lake Grocery in a little house that was the old Willow Springs Post Office. Not sure of the years or dates here. The house faces the store and a view of the lake. If you were to stand on the front porch steps of that house facing the lake and then looking right, you can spot an old dirt road that has been closed off for some time. That is the old Mill Road this was used way back before there was a Panther Lake Road. Mill Road ran from the mill back out to Old Stage Road.
Now Mrs. Monday was married to "Bubba" Monday. Bubba owned the mill house and the land around it before selling it to Scott in 1996.
Scott affectionately spoke of Mr. Monday, "Everyone called him Bubba." As a child, Scott would venture across the street and he can remember Bubba telling him that, "It's $2.00 to fish and its $2.00 to watch." Bubba was a sweet old man and a very frugal one to boot. Scott who was still a young child, told Bubba that one day, he was going to buy the mill house and then he would be able to come across the street and watch all he wanted. Scott made good on his promise. Scott purchased the old mill house in 1996 but unfortunately Bubba passed away shortly afterwards in November of that year.
Scott has plans for the mill house. He plans to add a deck and do as much restoration as he can. Of course, those government folks are trying to move in, buy up the land and put houses all around the lake. Something about expanding the tax base. They have been putting a lot of pressure on Scott and the widow. The widow often calls upon (sometimes in tears) Scott when the government folks are pressuring her to sell. In addition, Scott is being charged he stated an exorbitant amount of money, as in $500,000.00 to make some of the changes he wants to make.
Anyway, Scott went on to tell me that Yates Mill Pond off of Lake Wheeler Road is being tabbed as the oldest mill in NC. Scott states that Myatt's Mill Pond was built in 1752 and is actually the oldest mill in NC. I remember fishing in and around the old Yates Mill Pond when I was a kid. That was before the state took it over and fenced it in for uh�..research.
During the Civil War the mill house was a makeshift hospital and troops made camps behind the mill house. Scott took me down below the house to look at the mill case where the water wheel was situated. Here is a picture of the mill case.
Figure 9 Mill Case at Myatt's Mill Pond where the Water Wheel was situated.
Scott is in the home improvements and building business. He built many of the houses that surround the area in various subdivisions. His company is called A to Z Home Improvements, uh� I think. He also owns and operates Champion Glass Company where his email is: pantherglass@earthlink.net. I like that.
Anyway, Scott pipes up again, "Tell you what, if you have time I'll ride with ya and show where the old Myatt house is and the cemetery." I was quick very quick to respond with a "Sounds great and thanks." We started out from the lake and took a right and then a left onto Old Stage Road (I think) and then on up a ways on the left we spotted a sign for the Myatt Cemetery. A nice marker by the way. I was impressed. Then it hit me. Oh yeah, I remember some folks from the forum that gathered donations to clean up the cemetery. I remember pledging $50.00, but somehow and for whatever reason I cannot remember getting my check out to..uh.. What was his name? I think he was a doctor. Some things just fall through the cracks. I felt guilty. Still do. I took some photos of the grave markers there and I am not going to post those because I believe they are already up on the Myatt site. Should anyone like to get those photos (I did not photo all of the grave markers) please feel free to contact me at: tmyatt@nc.rr.com or 919-341-1001(Vonage). My old telephone number was 919-553-4740 and is no longer valid.
Scott directed back out to Old Stage Road a ways where we came upon the old Myatt house as he called it. Turned out that this house was built in 1886. Now the man that had this house built or built it, he was Turner Smith.
Scott and I pulled in and immediately spotted a couple of pickups trucks and a van. There are major additions being made to the house. Scott and I got out of my truck and walked up to a gentleman by the name of Scott Burns. Mr. Burns, who stated that he had been in the housing and development business, has purchased the house and some of the land surrounding it. He is restoring the house. Here are a few pictures before I go further.
Figure 10 Front of the Turner Smith House. You can see to the right that additions are being made.
It appeared to me that when the additions are made that it would more than double the square footage of the house. The original house is being restored per historical codes regarding what insulation can and cannot be used, etc. The house is very nice inside, although it has been gutted. Real wood floors and planks as well as plank ceiling instead of plaster. As you enter the front door a Victorian style staircase immediately greets you. Look at the window just above the front door. The window tilts out and was used (this was told to me) as a form of air conditioning. The original house was built in 1886 as a ranch, and then a second floor was added in 1887.
Figure 11 Another Angle
Figure 12 Side View with Additions being made
There are quite a few pecan trees and the pecans litter the ground around the house. That's a lot of pie! Where I am standing to snap this photo is an orchard of apple and cherry trees just planted.
Figure 13 Looking in from the back additions. That is Scott Champion on the right.
Figure 14 Fireplace with another just like on the other side in the adjoining room. Both fireplaces share/use the same chimney.
Figure 15 Ceiling shot. Check out the wooden planks instead of plaster.
Figure 16 Old Tree in front of the Smith/Myatt House.
There was a very old oak tree that had to be cut down that was located near the road (Old Stage Road). I am not sure what authorities were responsible but the tree was ordered removed due to a large number of auto accidents somehow attributed to the big old tree.
Scott Burns was very generous and allowed us to photograph the old house, and then he began to talk. Well okay so I began to question him first. Scott Burns is from Blowing Rock, NC and he has "quit" his job to come out and restore and build additions to this house. He has plans of course with the orchard. The windows in the additions are large and the view is and will be great. The house faces due east and he is placing a great big window facing due west for the sunsets. Out the back you can see farmland and fields lined with a horizon of hardwoods and pines. I suppose he will have the same view as the Smiths had or was it the Myatts?
Okay so who lived in this house? Here is Scott Burns's story. Walter (remember the road sign) Myatt (he thinks) had two daughters that married two Smith boys. Amelia Myatt married Turner Smith and Mary Myatt married James Smith. There is an old James Smith place not too far away but I didn't get out to that one today. I'm telling you folks; you could take just one location a day and write a book. By the way, my hat is totally off to H. David Myatt for his book. "Myatt England to America, 1400 to 1998. I can only imagine the blood, sweat and tears that went into that work. As a matter of fact, Scott Champion and Scott Burns both referred to "the book."
Scott Burns figures that he will have some visitors from time to time being what the history is of the house. The house is located off of Old Stage Road and Widget Lane. Widget Lane is an old dirt road.
Burns also had a very old barn from the 1800s moved in from Johnston County and it is situated to the left of the house and behind the freshly planted orchard.
Figure 17 Old Barn from Johnston County moved to Turner Smith House location.
So now Scott Champion and I had to say our farewells to Scott Burns and we thanked him for his graciousness. But I had one more question. "How bout that Myatt cemetery down the road?" I said. "Oh yeah, there was a doctor from Chapel Hill that got that going, what was his name?" he paused�Williams I think" "David Williams maybe?" I thought out loud. "That sounds right!" Burns replied.
Dr. David Williams I can only presume, if I have the first name or last name correct, you know where to find me and I have $50.00 burning a hole in my pocket. A true Myatt always makes good on his or her promises.
Scott Champion and I drove back to the old mill house and it was there that he showed me the old Mill Road. Of course you know I had to snap a shot of that.
Figure 18 The old Mill Road
Okay so it is just a dirt road now, but many years ago this was the road the wagons came in on to bring their grains for grinding at the mill. As you can see the road has been closed off. This road went out to Old Stage Road where the Turner Smith/Amelia Myatt House was located.
Okay, now here is the skinny on everything that I just told you. I just told you what I was told. My research spanned a scope of a little over three hours. I hope this information is correct. I am just glad that a picture is worth a thousand words J
Happy Monday Ya'll.
Wait a doggone minute�Susan� aw man, I was supposed to get pictures of the gravesites in Garner and my camera is full! Susan Meates, a promise is a promise. I went back home to download my pictures and got back on the road to the intersection of Ten-Ten Highway and Rand Road.
A Day in the Life of a Myatt- February 6, 2006 (Post Super Bowl Monday) Part II
You know, it is a little funny to have a reference to the Super Bowl in your titles. Let's just say that I love the game and that I was happy for Mr. Bill Cowher, an NC State graduate.
So I drive right up to the relatively new built Rand Meadows subdivision and look for the spot where I thought the gravesites were located. I did not recognize the new surroundings. There is a brick house now built there and a tree and shrub landscaped border, very nicely done I might add, around what appears to be the grave "stones." These are located in someone's yard! Oh well, I strolled up the concrete driveway to the door and rang the bell. I am greeted by a mid 40s (I am cheating because he told me his age a little later) gentleman that I immediately assumed had ancestors from Africa. I state this only because it will add to the story.
I explained to him my presence and that I wanted to snap some photos of the grave stones. He looked at me like I was crazy and let me tell you all, it was getting' on about mid-afternoon or better and the morning coffee had worn off to say the least. His eyes got big around and he kinda lit out with "All my paperworks in order on those graves" "You talking about that stuff from the 17 and 1800s? "You can take all the pictures you want but they've been dead quite a while he joked. "I'll give you a chair if you want to sit out there like some people have wanted to do"
Well I am looking at him puzzled and all and I just state that I want to take some photos and I hand him my card and tell him that my name is Tom Myatt and he recognized the Myatt name that was some of the head stones. "Sure go ahead" he said. I thanked him.
Well I was about 30 seconds into trying to move grass from around some of the head stones when he came up from behind me as started up a conversation.
Well, we kinda hit it off and we talked about a lot of different issues. Issues such as Race, Religion and Politics.
I usually don't discuss those things with folks I don't know, but he wanted some conversation and I was more than happy to oblige. I think the conversation began with ancestors. I told him that once you started looking backwards at the lineages you start to find out that we are all related. He said, "Yep, when folks start to really study history, and look back at ancestors there is gonna be a lot of angry folks or there is going to be a lot of enlightened ones. "I'd like to take you up on the enlightenment gig," I stated.
We both find ourselves moving bits of centipede grass from around these gravestones. I am disappointed to find that the Elizabeth Booker Myatt (Born January 29th, 1792 Died May 27th, 1876) head stone is missing.
"They really helped me landscape the border with these trees and all," he said and I replied that it did indeed look nice.
Our conversation was a good one; you know the one where we got into the race, religion and politics thingamabob. He was a little upset at how the whites and blacks as he put it don't commonly attend church together. He is trying to bring the races together in the church. Turns out that he is a pastor at a "Samaritan Baptist" church but I am not sure which one it is. I agree with him totally as I think the music is much better at his place. Of course, I implied that I had never been an avid church go'er or "religious" individual per say, but that I was mighty high on God. And as for the race thing, I again explained that the further back you go the more you find out that WE are all related, as in, everything points to us coming out of Africa. He slowly rose up a smile. "I just figure on this race thing that there is only one race, the Human Race," I said. "We're not different colors; we're just different shades of skin tone�brother." He smiled again. I gave him my name but he never gave me his. I kept waiting for him to invite me to his church but I suppose I had had about all the destiny that was coming to me this day. I think some day that we'll meet again.
Here are some pictures from those gravesites in Garner below.
Figure 19 An Upchurch Head Stone
Figure 20 Angelina Myatt, wife of I.B. Myatt
Figure 21 C. H. Myatt
Some of these head stones are hard to make out. When I have more time I'll get out there and clean these up.
Figure 22 A Crowder gravestone. Looks like George Crowder.
Figure 23 Elizabeth Crowder head stone.
This is a head stone for a Hobby or perhaps two individuals and the picture is of very poor quality but I am posting it anyway. Looks like Annie Hobby and perhaps J.W. Hobby.
Figure 24 Hobby head stone
These grave plots are all within about a 10-15 yard radius.
- Here is the article from the Garner News (Garner, NC) Wednesday October 18th, 2000
Cemetery remains undisturbedForgotten families are buried here
By Sherry Monahan
Correspondent
It was a different time, and more importantly, a different place where families like the Myatts, Crowders, Upchurchs, and Hobbys lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The area surrounding Old Stage, Ten-Ten, and Rand Roads was rural when these pioneer families called it home.
Not only did these people live, work and raise their families here, but it's also their final resting place.
The cemetery, where some of those families are buried, is where Rand Road dead-ends into Ten-Ten, not far from Holland's United Methodist Church.
Centuries later, the mystery of who was buried in this tiny plot-lingered. Who were those people with tipped over head stones, and where were they all buried together?
One would hardly even notice this family plot, except for the bright orange construction fence surrounding it. This cemetery, like some many others, was long forgotten. Until recently, the only ones who may have noticed the graves were the cows grazing nearby.
However, all that changed a few months ago, when the farm field and cemetery were sold to Perry Development Co. The cemetery sits relatively close to the entrance of the soon to Rand Meadows subdivision. It was thought the cemetery would have to be relocated, but the Wake County Planning Department confirmed that the cemetery would not be disturbed after all.
Developer Lee Perry confirmed that his development would build around the cemetery, and he stated that the cemetery would be landscaped.
With that settled, the question of who those folks were, still remained.
After researching family history, the cemetery appears to have belonged to Isaac B. Myatt. Isaac was one of patriarch John (Miot) Myatt Sr.'s great-grand-sons, who descended from John's fifth son, Britain. It was also Isaac's great-grandfather who donated the land around 1811 where Holland's Church was built.
Isaac, born around 1818, was the son of Bennet and Elizabeth Booker Myatt. Isaac grew up in the area and eventually married Angelina Crowder on May 19, 1849.
From their marriage came two sons, George T. and C.R. Myatt. It's very likely they had another child, Annie Myatt Hobby, since she is buried with them.
It appears Isaac intended to make this cemetery his family plot until his wife Angelina passed away on Christmas Day 1859, just eight short days after giving birth to C.R.
Even though Angelina, C.R., and George T. are buried there, there is no visible grave marker for Isaac.
It is likely, however, that he is buried elsewhere, since he remarried after Angelina's death. Angelina's parents, George and Elizabeth Crowder, lie near her, as well as their own daughter, Adelia M. Crowder Upchurch.
Adelia's husband, Alfred and their 5-day old son are also buried there. Isaac's mother, Elizabeth Myatt, as well as Isaac's sister, Annie Hobby and her husband, J.B. Hobby, are in the cemetery as well.
Two descendants of the John Myatt, Sr. line, Tom Myatt and Sue Myatt, have recently shown interest in this forgotten plot.
Even though Tom and Sue are descended from different lines, they're still interested in their family's rich history.
Standing among knee-high weeds, as cars shizzed by, Tom remarked, "I would want someone to take care of my gravesite."
Sue said that even though it's not her line either, "It's important to preserve the heritage of local families."
Tom and Sue are working on getting other Myatts involved in caring for some of their family's final resting place, provided it doesn't get moved.
Anyone with information on the families buried in this plot or those who would like to help care for it can contact Tom Myatt at 919-553-4740.
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I have certainly enjoyed my Monday and I hope you will find something of interest in the information or pictures gathered today
Feel free to contact me at anytime. I do on occasion make it out to these sites and each time I learn something new. Hope the information I have gathered is correct and please do not hesitate to correct, elaborate and add-lib to anything posted here for the common good of Myatts everywhere. Wherever we may be.
Respectfully,
Thomas (Tommy) Allen Myatt, Jr.
2009 Creekview Circle
Clayton, NC 27520
