Morphew Cemetery

It is not known where Silas or James were buried. However a very old Morphew cemetery is located in Watauga County, North Carolina, on a mountain top along the eastern bank of the South Fork of New River. Readable grave stones belong to descendants of Silas, including Cyrus Grubb, who furnished some of the earliest clues about the clan. As one inspects the rows of Morphew stones, the dates become older as one walks east. In the eastern-most gave stones, the writing is no longer legible, and one wonders if these belong to Silas and James and even Mary Morphew, wife of the first known Morphew who probably immigrated to America.



The cemetery is located 7-8 miles east of Boone, North Carolina, and approximately 3 1/2 miles north. Drive east from Boone, N.C. along route 421/221 to the church center called Laxon (still in Watauga County), turn Northwest on old state highway road for 0.7 miles, then north on county road 1353 (Hardin Road). As one drives north, a small creek will meander along the west side of the road. This creek suddenly turns west to empty into the South Fork of New River. Not far from this point may be seen the cemetery on top of a high hill along the west side of the road.