Ashe, Gov. Samuel, Grave
Why it's listed
Governor Samuel Ashe, who died in 1813 at age eighty-seven, is buried in the Ashe family cemetery on the site of his former plantation, The Neck, in southeastern Pender County, North Carolina. The small fenced cemetery lies at the end of a faint farm lane about a mile from paved road, overlooking cultivated fields and swampland above the Northeast Cape Fear River. Ashe's grave sits near the center, marked by a large granite slab installed in 1967 after the original stone deteriorated. Ashe led resistance to British rule, helped draft the state constitution, served as speaker of the first state senate, and sat as presiding judge of the state court until 1795. In 1787 he took part in the Bayard vs. Singleton decision, an early assertion of judicial review over state law. He then served three one-year terms as governor and presided over the University of North Carolina's first trustees. Because his plantation house burned in the late 1800s, the grave is the only surviving resource directly tied to him.
Significance in brief: Samuel Ashe was a prominent lawyer, Revolutionary-era leader, state judge and seventh governor of North Carolina. He handed down the 1787 Bayard vs. Singleton decision, an early instance of a state law being declared unconstitutional. His grave is the only identifiable resource directly associated with him, since his plantation house burned in the late 1800s.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01001096, listed October 12, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Farm Ln., from S side of NC 1411, 0.7 mi. E of crossing of Pike Creek, Rocky Point |
|---|---|
| County | Pender County |
| Listed | October 12, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001096 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1813 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Law |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well-tended; the current granite slab marker was installed in 1967 by Ashe descendants, and the cemetery is fenced with chain link. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.47839, -77.85218 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01001096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19600250
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.