This cemetery was originally the King Graveyard, the family cemetery of Hiram King and his descendants.
Hiram King, an early settler in the county, was born in 1792. He was a farmer and businessman, and owned extensive acreage in the Edneyville community, extending into the Dana community.
He married first Nancy Jones and the couple had 14 children. After her death he married Mary Ann Hadden and had another daughter.
King served as a member of the first school committee in Henderson County. He also donated land for a school on his property. He was active in the area’s Baptist churches.
He died in 1891. His grave site and the graves of both of his wives are located in the cemetery.
One of his daughters, Mary Jane “Polly” King married John Hiram Justice. She was one of the most famous midwives and “granny” doctors in Henderson County. She was known throughout the region as “Dr. Polly.” She and her husband’s graves are also located in the cemetery.
Several other children of Hiram King have graves in the cemetery.
At one time, at the back of the cemetery, were slave graves. They cannot be located today. Each of the slave graves were marked by field stones.
A post office named Dewitt was located near the cemetery in the late 1800s.
At some point in the late 1800s or early 1900s the cemetery became a community cemetery for residents in the surrounding area.
In the 1930s and 1940s the cemetery was known as Edith’s Grove Cemetery.
The cemetery is now maintained by King’s Grove Baptist Church. The church was organized in the mid-20^th century.
There are five Confederate graves in the cemetery designating the burial place of men who lived in Henderson County at the time the Civil War started. There are other Confederate graves of men who died in the county, but were not residents at the time of the Civil War.
Marcus Lafayette Clark enlisted in the 64th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. B. He was captured at Cumberland Gap, a prisoner at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill., transferred 3-14-1865 to City Point, Va., and hospitalized with scurvy. N.C. Troops indicate that he deserted from the hospital, but N.C. pension records indicate that he went home sick. He died in 1931.
James King Justice enlisted in the 35th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. G, Henderson Rifles. He died Jan. 1, 1862, of disease in Raleigh. This is possibly a memorial marker.
Hiram Woodfin King enlisted in the 23rd N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. A. He was wounded and captured at the Battle of Gettysburg, hospitalized and confined at David’s Island, New York Harbor, and exchanged in September 1863. He was wounded in the left arm at the Battle of Hatcher’s Run during the Siege of Petersburg and surrendered at Appomattox Court House. He died in 1935.
William Kelly Ledbetter Jr. enlisted in the 64th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. B. He was captured at Cumberland Gap, a prisoner at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill., and released in May 1865. He died in 1889.
Henry Stepp enlisted in the 39th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. D, at the age of 19. He was captured at the Battle of Spanish Fort during the Mobile Campaign, a prisoner at Vicksburg and Ship Island, Miss., and in Union custody in May 1865. The date of his release was not reported. He died in 1928. The birth date on the grave stone recorded in the book Henderson County Cemeteries apparently has an incorrect birth date. All census reports state that he was born from 1839 to 1844. The 1900 census report states January 1840.
One soldier who joined the Union has a grave site at the cemetery.
Jonathan Morrison enlisted in the 8th Tenn. Cavalry, Co. I. He stated that he was born in Yancey County. Jonathan Morrison from Henderson County was a Confederate soldier from the 25th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. A, and was discharged in 1862 for being over age. He was born in 1825 in North Carolina, on the 1860 census in Henderson County, and died 1904 in Henderson County. He is listed on the 1890 Veterans Schedule as having served in the 8th Tennessee Cavalry, stating he enlisted Nov. 24, 1863. He was provided a headstone in 1904 for deceased Union Civil War Veterans.