First Baptist Church of Yanceyville: The House Beside

Original Baptist Church

House Beside the Church

At some point Nathaniel Lea Lindsey, Jr., and his sister Mary Lindsey Cooke lived in an old wood-frame house near the First Baptist Church of Yanceyville (just west of the west church driveway entrance/exit). The house no longer stands, and the property eventually was sold to the church.




Here is correspondence that appeared on the Caswell County Historical Association Facebook Page 25/26 November 2019:

Brenda Hooper: “Uncle” Nat Lindsey (sp?) and his sister, Mrs. Cook, lived there. They lived behind the house I grew up in. I loved going over there and feeding the chickens. On Saturdays the ice truck would come and deliver a block of ice for their ice box.

Rick Frederick: This is great! Thanks for sharing. The Uncle Nat Lindsey most likely is Nathaniel Lea Lindsey, Jr. (1888-1958) who apparently never married. Oddly, he is buried at the Yanceyville Presbyterian Church.

His sister, Mrs. Cook, probably is Mary Lindsey (1891-1974). In 1918, she married William E. Cooke (1872-1938). Thus, she outlived her husband by many years, which helps explain why she was living with her brother in the house near the First Baptist Church.

Nathaniel Lindsey, Jr., and Mary Lindsey are children of Nathaniel Lea Lindsey (1851-1898) and Mary Davidson Smith (1853-1925). This explains how my grandmother Pearl Virginia Smith (1895-1969) was familiar with the old house. Mary Davidson Smith is her aunt. And, Nathaniel Lea Lindsey is her first cousin once removed. This made the occupants of the old house her first cousins.

That my grandmother referred to the house as a "Graves house" may be explained by the fact that both Nathaniel Lea Lindsey and Mary Davidson Smith descended from the Jeremiah Graves (1786-1868) who built "Dongola" in Yanceyville. Yes, Nathaniel Lea Lindsey and wife Mary Davidson Smith are first cousins. It is possible that Jeremiah Graves or one of his children built the house back in the day.

This probably is more than you wanted to know. However, your input has helped me understand better this part of my family. Best regards, Rick

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The man on the porch was called Uncle Lindsey by the children in the neighborhood. We played in his yard and ate cherries off their tree until his sister ran us off. He was our friend and he liked watching us play. The tree and well was the neighborhood meeting place and a great place to play marbles and park our bikes. I am sure Brent Neal remembers, he was part of the gang. Great memories. Source: Lee McMullen Shelton Email Post 18 March 2021

Mary Davidson Smith married her first cousin Nathaniel Lea Lindsey. Their mothers were sisters.
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Based upon the following 1940 United States Federal Census, three Lindsey siblings were living together on Church Street in Yanceyville, Caswell County, North Carolina: Archer Clark Lindsey (1879-1945); Nathaniel Lea Lindsey, Jr. (1888-1958); and Mary Lindsey Cooke (1891-1974). Thus, some older members of the First Baptist Church of Yanceyville may have seen the oldest brother sitting on the porch of the old house until his death in 1945.

1940 United States Federal Census
Name: Archie C Lindsey
Age: 60
Estimated birth year: abt 1880
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: North Carolina
Marital status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Head
Home in 1940: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Map of Home in 1940: View Map
Street: Church Street
Farm: No
Inferred Residence in 1935: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Residence in 1935: Same House
Resident on farm in 1935: No
Sheet Number: 3B
Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 60
Occupation: Farming
House Owned or Rented: Owned
Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 2000
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 7th grade
Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 48
Class of Worker: Working on own account
Weeks Worked in 1939: 52
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name  Age
Archie C Lindsey 60
Nat L Lindsey 51
Mary L Cooke 49
Jean F Cooke 16
Billy Cooke 13