This cemetery was incorrectly noted on a map, and on Findagrave, as Shelton-Shivar Cemetery. However, from its beginning, it has always been called "ST ELIZABETH" (not Saint) by the African-American families. This name is found on numerous legal documents in this way.

(The "SHIVAR" name refers to a man who started a bottling company nearby in the very early 1900s. He had no relationship with this cemetery. See also NOTE below.)

There is a second, distinctly separate, cemetery about 100+ feet beyond this cemetery, and in the woods. It's considered the "white" cemetery. That one is presently called "Shelton Cemetery."

The St Elizabeth Cemetery was established long before the AME church was built beside it. The earliest death noted is Earanius Martin in 1889; however, it is possible that one or more of the unmarked graves could predate Mr Martin's burial date. Two acres for the cemetery was said to be donated by a Mrs Elizabeth McConnell with the stipulation that it be named after her (Elizabeth) and could never be sold... whereupon, the name St Elizabeth came into being.

The church was built later and also called St Elizabeth AME, but is/was not officially connected to the cemetery - only by name. The church no longer exists and there is no trace of it. The all-wood structure fell into steady, declining, disrepair and the families could not afford to keep it up so the active church was dissolved. The families then scattered to other churches in the vicinity, such as Purity Church and Weeping Mary Baptist Church.

The church was then dismantled, the bell and pews removed. The granite corner stone, which was dated, cannot be found. No one remembers when the church was built or when it was torn down. A Masonic Lodge now sits on the church's original site just to the south side of the cemetery.

The last preacher remembered was a Reverend Green from New Bern, N. Carolina.

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Historical side note – Several of the interments at St Elizabeth Cemetery were employed at the Shivar Spring Bottling Company, which plant was very near the cemetery. N.F. Shivar founded the company. At first, the plant bottled mineral water and sold it for medicinal purposes, later branching into soft drinks like ginger ale, root beer, and other flavors according to histories. The plant operated from ca. 1907 - 1957. There is a 98 minute interview with Thomas J McConnell, Jr, by the South Caroliniana Library's Office of Oral History available on-line. He was the last known living employee of the plant, and who died in 2013.

This Thomas McConnell was not related to the donor of the cemetery property.