The Justus Family Cemetery is a separate family cemetery, even though it appears to be a part of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. A small drive separates the two cemeteries off Pleasant Grove Church Road in the Etowah community.
The oldest grave site is that of Jesse Richardson Justus (1821-1876), patriarch of this family. He was the son of John Justus Jr. and Elizabeth Thomas who lived in the Upward community. He married Mary Ann Jones, daughter of Robert Jones and Elizabeth McGuffey (McGuffie), who also lived in the Upward community. Sometime between 1860 and 1870 the couple moved into the Etowah area of Henderson County.
The couple had 10 children. Grave sites of six of the children, along with some spouses and descendants, are at this cemetery.
William Riley Justus (1844-1926) married Louvenia Minerva Dawson, whose first husband, William Robert Thomas, died in the Civil War.
Julia Ann Justus married first John T. Shipman and married second Joseph Gibson Lawrence. She died in 1926. The birth date on her grave stone is incorrect. Early census reports confirm she was the couple’s third child and was born about 1845 or 1846.
King Jones Justus (1853-1914) married Rhoda Jane Pickelsimer (Picklesimer).
Robert Clingman Justus married first Mary Matilda Andrews (Anders) and married second Margaret Ida Aiken. He died in 1922 He was the couple’s eighth child and was born about 1855 or 1856.
James B. Justus married Mary Ann “Polly” Blythe in 1877. The birth and death dates on his grave stone are not legible. Based on census reports, he was the couple’s ninth child and was born about 1856 or 1857. His wife was listed as a widow on all census reports from 1880 until her death in 1932. This places his date of death about 1878 or 1879. (Incorrect birth and death dates are on Findagrave for this person)
Mary J. Justus (1861-1902), the couple’s youngest child, was the first wife of Hiram King Johnson.
The couple’s fourth child, Nancy Justus who married Marion P. Shipman, may possibly have a grave site at this cemetery. A marked and legible grave stone for her has not yet been located. She was born, based on census reports, about 1846 or 1847. She died about 1886.
Elizabeth Justus (1842-1918), married Manson F. Blythe. Her grave site is at Beulah Baptist Church.
Edmond Justus was born about 1847 or 1848 based on census reports. He married first Rebecca Hamilton and married second Ollie Bush. He died in 1934 and his grave site is at Holly Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.
Miriam Catherine Justus (1850-1935) married Solomon W. Hamilton. Her grave site is located at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville.
Jesse Richardson Justus enlisted in the Union’s 2nd N.C. Mounted Infantry, Co. H, on 11-4-1864. He was ineligible for mandatory Confederate service until 1864.
William Riley Justus enlisted in the Confederate Army’s 7th Battalion N.C. Cavalry on 7-15-1862. He was present through December 1862 and transferred 8-3-1863 while AWOL when this battalion was consolidated into the 65th Regiment N.C. Troops (6th Regiment N.C. Cavalry). He enlisted in the Union’s 2nd N.C. Mounted Infantry, Co. H, on 9-25-1863.
There are approximately 66 graves within the cemetery, with about 24 of those graves unmarked or with stones that are not legible.