DAR chapter unearths patriot’s story

In a forgotten patch of woods on a farm near Cloverdale, history had lain hidden for generations. It took a determined group of local historians, genealogists and members of the Daughters of the American revolution to bring one woman’s story back into the light.

As part of the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Alamance Chapter of the DAR in Florence set out to honor a Revolutionary War patriot buried in Lauderdale County. But not just any patriot.

“Rita Moncus, our chapter regent, really wanted a female patriot,” said Melissa Graham, the chapter’s registrar and America 250 chair. “Women’s contributions to the war effort are often overlooked, and we wanted to make sure one of those stories was told.”

That search led them to Elizabeth Duckett Casey — a name listed in DAR records, but one that had largely faded from public memory.

While her husband, Levi Casey, served in the Continental Army and eventually rose to the rank of brigadier general, Elizabeth remained behind, managing their farm and supporting the war effort in her own way.

“One of the ways the DAR recognizes service is through furnishing supplies,” Graham explained. “We found records showing that service. Elizabeth Casey’s specific record was a receipt where she had donated beef to the Continental Army to feed the soldiers.”

That receipt, preserved in a historical compilation titled “Sally and Waits,” became a key piece of evidence in reestablishing Casey’s legacy.

“She wasn’t just sitting at home waiting,” Graham said. “She was running a farm, raising a family and contributing to the war effort however she could.”

Before the Alamance Chapter could formally honor Casey, however, they faced another challenge.

“Rita knew Elizabeth Casey was buried somewhere in Lauderdale County,” Graham said. “So, she reached out to Hugh Smith. He’s known as ‘The Cemetery Man.’ He surveys cemeteries in Lauderdale County, including small family cemeteries that are no longer being used. Rita reached out to him, and he knew exactly where the cemetery was.”

Tucked away on private property, the small family plots had become overgrown with time. When DAR members first visited the site, they found fallen trees, hidden headstones and thick vegetation obscuring the graves.

“You’ll see all the periwinkle,” Graham said during a recent visit to the site. “That’s a telltale sign of old cemeteries. Mr. Smith said it’s a gift from God. I actually think it was an old practice to plant periwinkle on gravesites.”

Volunteers worked to clear the area ahead of a graveside ceremony in May, carefully uncovering stones and restoring dignity to the long-forgotten burial ground.

Among those involved in organizing the ceremony were descendants of Elizabeth Casey, including Patricia Hartley and Becky Mauldin, both direct descendants who had long been aware of their ancestor but had never seen her story publicly recognized in this way.

“We wanted as many descendants there as we could find,” Graham said.

The ceremony brought together multiple DAR chapters, as well as members of the Sons of the American Revolution, each placing wreaths in honor of Casey’s service.

At the center of it all was the unveiling of an official DAR marker, serving as a lasting tribute meant to ensure Casey’s name endures, even as time continues to weather the original headstone.

“Her headstone is actually in very good condition,” Graham said. “But if anything ever happens to it, now there’s something else here with her name on it.”

For Graham, the project was as much about preservation as it was about recognition.

To secure approval for the marker, she had to re-document Casey’s life and service by verifying dates, locations and historical records through the DAR’s rigorous standards.

The graveside project marks one of several initiatives undertaken by the Alamance Chapter as part of the America 250 observance, including the planting of a commemorative tree at Veterans Park in Florence.

But this effort, Graham added, stands apart.

“This was our big event,” she said. “To be able to honor a woman like Elizabeth, someone whose contributions might have otherwise been forgotten, that’s really special.”