Location:
From the Hancock County Courthouse, go on Hwy 22 east for 12.5 miles to Powelton Church Road (CR 219). The road will be in sight of the Powelton Community sign. Turn right on Powelton Church Rd. and go approximately 2 miles to Monument Rd. (Channel Rd) (dirt) on the right. Turn right and park immediately. The cemetery is believed to have been in the area to your left (on the southwest corner of this intersection).
GPS coordinates: 33 22' 48.6" N 82 52' 02.0" W
or in degrees only form: 33.38017° N X 82.86722° W
See location on a Google map in a new window (
NOTE:The map opens in a new window. The cemetery will be at the location indicated by a red marker.)
GMD: 111
Cemetery Status: Inactive
Predominant race: White
This cemetery was once located on W. W. Stevens’ land (1910), four miles west of Mayfield (source: Lucian Lamar Knight, Georgia’s Landmarks, Memorials and Legends as quoted by John Rozier in
Houses of Hancock 1785-1865). At that time, the cemetery was described as neglected for more than 75 years.
From "Report Made by Committee On Graves and Monuments" in The Atlanta Constitution, Mar 29, 1914, p. B5, Mrs. Richard P. Spencer writes: "Buried on the Stephens plantation, which is, I understand, near Sparta, Ga., there is another of Georgia's illustrious revolutionary governors, that of Governor Rabun, whose grave is most sadly neglected, and from the information that has come to me it may be an impossibility to identify it at this late day, as it is one of many graves unmarked in a country cemetery. The person giving this information says it is only a question of a short time when it may be plowed over and forever obliterated."
Gov William Rabun's grave was moved from this location in approximately 1970, leaving the other members of his family here. Since that time, loggers have destroyed the cemetery, and the graves can no longer be found.
Names of family members probably buried here are listed below. The information that they are probably buried here has been handed down through various descendants.
Indexer or Contributor: Trudie Lewis, Geraldine Smith, Kathy Fuller, Russell Poss, and Susan Harrington
Unmarked Grave - Mary Battle Rabun
- Dec 8, 1842
Aged 68 years. "Died: at her residence in Hancock County, Ga, on the 8th instant, after a few hours illness, ..., widow of the late Gov Rabun" per Southern Recorder(12/20)
Grave 1
Unmarked Grave - Mathew Rabun
- May 19, 1819
"Died in Hancock County, at a very advanced age,..., father to Governor William Rabun, a gentleman of exemplary piety and worth" per Georgia Journal (5/25/1819).
Grave 2