One of the most historic cemeteries in Henderson County is located within the Rugby community. Old French Broad Baptist, the first church west of the Blue Ridge (Continental Divide), was established about 1788.
The historic cemetery connected with this church is located on the hill where the church was built near the French Broad River. The grave of James Andrew Miller, Revolutionary War veteran, is located in the old cemetery. The church and cemetery were also located near the site of the first bridge built to cross the French Broad River in Henderson County. The bridge was erected by Joseph King, son of Revolutionary War veteran Samuel King.
The historical Mill Pond Cemetery is also located in the community. This cemetery is located on land once owned by the Miller family.
The lower section of the cemetery is the location of the oldest graves in the cemetery. Free blacks lived in the community in the early 1800s and they were buried in this section of the cemetery. This section of the cemetery was declared public and abandoned and is now maintained by Henderson County.
In 1858, the Miller family gave land for a Presbyterian (Oakdale) church to be erected near the Mill Pond. This short-lived church also used the cemetery. The cemetery was also used as a community cemetery since the Civil War.
The cemetery containing the graves of persons who died in the “County Home,” “poor house,” is also located in the community and maintained by Henderson County.
There is one historic family cemetery in the Rugby community. The McCarson Family Cemetery is located within the Creek Side residential development.
Henderson Heritage
The history and heritage of Henderson County.
