Have you ever been fortunate enough to have family members help with your genealogy research?
I was—and I don’t take that lightly. Long before online databases and digitized records, my parents willingly did genealogy research as they traveled around the country. They visited courthouses, cemeteries, archives, and—just as importantly—talked with local historians, genealogists, and longtime residents who knew the land and its history.
During one of those trips, my parents traveled to Randolph County, North Carolina, where my Briles ancestors once lived. While there, they gathered information that doesn’t appear in census records or deed books alone—oral history, local knowledge, and observations from the ground itself.
What follows is a transcription of their handwritten research notes from that trip. These notes provide important context for understanding the Briles family’s land, neighbors, burial places, and the challenges of tracing earlier generations in this area.
Briles Research Trip Notes – Transcription
My parents spoke with local residents and genealogists, including Mr. Wilson, who lived on Road 1539 and had purchased the old Rush property. He explained that the Grannie Briles property was across the road and had been part of the original Briles plantation.
They learned that an old cemetery had been destroyed when a highway was built—markers had been simple rock slabs rather than engraved stones. This burial ground was believed to have been located on the Rush property. They also noted that an old house on the Briles property had burned, leaving only chimney remains, which they photographed. At the time of their visit, no Briles descendants lived in the immediate area.
Additional conversations with experienced Randolph County genealogists reinforced how difficult it was to identify burial locations for the earliest Briles generations. While Alfred Briles and his wife (a son of John Briles) were located at Mount Shepherd Cemetery, nearby unmarked graves suggested earlier burials whose markers had either deteriorated or been removed.
Extensive searches of cemetery records—particularly Mount Gilead and Poplar Ridge—failed to identify burial locations for Conrad, Frederick, or John Briles. Likewise, references to an Old Hebron Lutheran Church cemetery could not be confirmed in state listings.
Their research extended to the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, where estate records, wills, militia records, cemetery card files, and marriage bonds were examined across Randolph, Rowan, Guilford, and Davidson counties. While some estate papers for John Briles were found, there was little documentation for Frederick, and no evidence that he served in the Revolutionary War.
The notes also include references to early land transactions involving John, Alfred, Anderson, and Frederick Briles—important clues for reconstructing family relationships and settlement patterns along the Little Caraway Creek and surrounding areas.
Why These Notes Matter
These handwritten notes are more than just a research log—they capture evidence that no longer exists: destroyed cemeteries, burned homes, and first-hand accounts from people who remembered the land before modern development changed it forever.
For me, they are a reminder that genealogy is not just about records—it’s also about timing, curiosity, and the people willing to ask questions while answers can still be found.
I’m grateful my parents did.