Rachel Gemima McCauley, was the third daughter of Alexander "Sander" McCauley and Mary M Bridges all are buried here in the Ebenezer Baptist Church cemetery. Lewis and Rachel had eleven children, four that died in infancy. Three are buried at Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery and one is buried in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Thankfully Rachel had all these children because her life with Lewis would tragically change in an instant. On Feb 21 1912 Lewis had taken his oldest son Joseph Clyde Duncan Sr and two of his nephews out for a little hunting and gun shooting practice when a sudden thunderstorm came up. Lightening struck a close tree sending it crashing to the ground and hitting both James Lewis Duncan Sr and his nephew Ernest Mays Bishop, killing James Lewis immediately and crippling Ernest Mays Bishop for life. Lewis Duncan's son Joseph Clyde Duncan Sr was not injured nor was the other nephew Bertie Bishop. Bertie and Ernest Mays Bishop were the sons of Rachel Gemima McCauley's younger sister Meekie McCauley and Reuben Bishop.
After James Lewis Duncan Sr death his oldest son Joseph Clyde Duncan Sr dropped out of school and went to work with the McCauley family as a carpenter to help his mother raise his 5 brothers and one sister.
Rachel McCauley Duncan never remarried after James Lewis Duncan Sr passed away. Rather a testamony to the love she held for him. James Lewis Duncan Sr death was a great loss to this entire family, especially on his younger children because they never had the chance to know him. At the time of his death his last four children were sons and under the age of 5 years old. The last youngest son, his namesake, James Lewis Duncan Jr was only 6 weeks old when his father died.
Rachel Gemima McCauley was a quiet but strong woman that could do just about anything. She was a excellent mother, grandmother, daughter and sister to her family and a inspiration to all her children. Everyone of her children carried her characteristics to their own deaths. She died at the age of 67 yrs old of jaw bone cancer because she smoked a little pipe. My father was 15 yrs old when his grandmother died and truly treasured her.
Both the Duncan and McCauley families had a strong foundation in the building and development of Ebenezer Baptist Church and Ebenezer School. The church history is filled with all their names and the devotion to this community. If you are a ancestor to this family, you should be proud of their accomplishments.