Boylston Baptist Church is almost on the county line off N.C. 280. The church is technically within Henderson County, but is sometimes found listed as part of Transylvania County.
Members of the church live in both counties.
The church was organized on July 20, 1861, in a meeting at the Boylston Creek School. Early members were John Ledbetter and wife, Martha; John Shipman and wife, Rachel; James Holliday and wife, Lavina; Nancy J. Holiday; Elizabeth E. Fowler; and W.B. Henry.
A church building was completed by 1881. In 1914 the church building was rebuilt. On Sunday, Feb. 4, 1951, this building burned. The church was rebuilt by 1953.
Common family surnames in the cemetery include Ledbetter, Garren, Cairnes, Clontz, Ward, Miller, Simpson, McKinney, Hollingsworth, Patton, Holliday, Henry, Allison, Banning, McCall, Reece, and Mullinax.
The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is W.B. Henry, 1821-1868.
Four men who served in the Civil War have grave sites in the cemetery.
Robert W. Patton enlisted in the Union’s 2nd N.C. Mounted Infantry, Co. F. He was discharged a few months after his enlistment. He was a Confederate soldier from the 25th N.C. Infantry Regiment and discharged for being over age. He died in 1896.
William W. Simpson’s service record is confusing. Someone apparently enlisted in the 13th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry in February 1864 claiming to be John Rogers from Henderson County, N.C. William Simpson from Henderson County stated when applying for a Union pension that he used the alias John Rogers. Simpson apparently drew a U.S. pension as John Rogers. John Rogers was captured at Bull Gap, Tenn., confined at Richmond, Va., and released in February 1865. William Simpson died in 1917 in Henderson County and, according to his death certificate, was buried at Boylston Baptist Church Cemetery. No grave stone was located.
Alfred Webb Ledbetter enlisted in the 56th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. G, Henderson Blues. He was wounded at Petersburg during the Siege of Petersburg and surrendered at Lynchburg, Va. He died in 1915. His gravesite is at Boylston Baptist Church Cemetery in Mills River, according to his death certificate. The grave is unmarked.
Sion (Simon) B. Ledbetter enlisted in the 60th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. I. He served through the war. He died in 1898.