Honoring Revolutionary War Patriots at Joppa Cemetery
Most of my articles on this website are either historical or biographical in nature. This article is a little different, because it describes a recent event at Joppa Cemetery in Mocksville, North Carolina.
On September 20th, 2025, an organization to which I belong, the Col. Daniel Boone Chapter of the North Carolina Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and the Colonel Joseph Winston Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) co-sponsored a Patriot Grave Marking Ceremony at Joppa Cemetery. This ceremony was for Patriots Evan Ellis, Aaron Van Cleve, and John Wilcoxson. This was also an “America 250!” Project for the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Joppa Cemetery, which was originally known as Burying Ground Ridge and established about 1750, is the location of the graves of Daniel Boone’s parents, Squire and Sarah Morgan Boone. John Wilcoxson was married to Daniel Boone’s oldest sister, Sarah. Aaron Van Cleve was the father-in-law of Squire Boone, Jr., who married Aaron’s daughter, Jane Van Cleve. Most of the children of John Wilcoxson and Aaron Van Cleve migrated to Kentucky with Daniel Boone and Squire Boone, Jr.
Both the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution honor men and women who provided service and supplies to fight for Independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. Not only soldiers but also those providing civilian service and supplies to soldiers are honored, because all that fought and served against the King were committing treason and could be executed for doing so. After doing extensive research, both organizations compiled data about these Patriots and put it on their websites, so all can have access to this information. SAR and DAR markers were then installed on all three Patriot graves and new headstones were installed for John Wilcoxson and Aaron Van Cleve.
Patriot Graves of John Wilcoxson and Aaron Van Cleve with SAR and DAR Patriot Grave markers and new granite headstones. Photo by Robert Alvin Crum 2025.
When many Patriots died and were buried, they may have had a simpler funeral or no funeral, so the SAR and DAR conduct Patriot Grave Marking Ceremonies that resemble a military ceremony. At our Joppa Cemetery ceremony, flags were paraded in by the SAR Color Guard. Mocksville Mayor William Marklin brought greetings to this gathering and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Prayers were offered, songs were sung, the Patriots’ biographies were read, and the histories about Joppa Cemetery and the early church established there were also read. The SAR and DAR unveiled and formally dedicated the three sets of Patriot markers.
The Color Guard for the Sons of the American Revolution. Photo by Cherie L. Turner copyright 2025.
In addition to the SAR and DAR Chapters, wreaths were then presented by the many organizations attending, which were primarily hereditary societies. Some of those included the National Society Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, North Carolina Daniel Boone Heritage Trail, Order of Founders of the Granville District, Society the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, The Boone Society, and The Jamestowne Society.
There were two additional parts of our ceremony that are also conducted during military funerals. The SAR Honor Guard of six men fired three loud volleys with their flintlock muskets and rifles, and a SAR bugler ended the ceremony by playing Taps.
Honor Guard of the Sons of the American Revolution firing a flintlock musket volley. Photo by Cherie L. Turner copyright 2025.
There were seventy-five people in attendance. We had numerous DAR and SAR Chapters join us to make this a successful and memorable event! SAR Chapters participating were from the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio. Patriot Ellis and Wilcoxson descendants came from not only North Carolina but also Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
On April 15, 2023, the SAR and DAR conducted a Patriot Grave Marking Ceremony at Joppa Cemetery for Patriots Basil Gaither and Isacc Jones. We now have five Patriot graves marked in Joppa Cemetery by the SAR and DAR.
There is a sixth grave being marked in Joppa Cemetery, which is that of John Boone (1727-1803). He was the nephew of Squire and Sarah Morgan Boone and a first cousin to Daniel Boone. John Boone lived with them in Pennsylvania as a child and moved with them to North Carolina in 1750. He owned land and lived in what is now Davie County, and his property was just west of Joppa Cemetery. Documentation for his patriotic service shows that he gave supplies to the militia. There’s a record showing he served in the Militia in 1759, but no record was found showing Militia service during the Revolutionary War.
Records in the 1880’s show that John Boone’s headstone was still at Joppa, but it disappeared sometime after that. Therefore, the Col. Daniel Boone Chapter-NCSSAR purchased and installed in 2025 a new granite headstone and a SAR Patriot marker for him. The SAR plans to conduct a Patriot Grave Marking Ceremony for John Boone in the Fall of 2026.
