New Salem Cemetery — View all Interments

New Salem Cemetery was started when a young boy, whose name is now lost to history, died while passing through on a wagon train. The nearby Fox Springs was a popular camping spot for wagon trains. This is a very old cemetery with many wooden stobs and unmarked graves. One source shows that many of the settlers of the Selfs area and those in the cemetery originated from Newberry County, South Carolina.

Rev. Thomas Daniel Ayers (25 Jul 1861 - 15 Feb 1934) and his wife, Ida Ethlyn Looney Ayers (23 Aug 1859 - 1 May 1952) were previously reported to be buried at New Salem in unmarked graves. Both have since been found to be buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Honey Grove along with their son, Albert M. Ayers (31 Mar 1884 - 22 Dec 1893). The parents of Ida Ethlyn Looney Ayers -- David Reasons Looney (13 Jan 1799 - 1878) and his wife, Mary Ann Fowler Looney -- are still believed to be buried here although no proof has been found. Please let us know if you have any additional information as to their burial location.

Transcription of interments and Plot Map (below) made by JoLynn Self 9 Feb 2003.

About the Plot Map & Cemetery

If you ever visit this cemetery you will understand more about this map and how they went about burying their dead back in the early days of this cemetery. Back then the deceased were buried very close together. Coffins were much smaller. Today we have larger coffins and a vault to protect the coffin. Burials are farther apart.

The funeral homes do not have a map or a full list to tell were every one is buried so I have come up with this map. The cemetery is not this perfect. The head stones are facing different directions. Many that are buried here are not even marked due to markers being moved, rotted or mowed over. If you would like to be buried here please consider the chance of being buried on top of someone else. If the digger finds another person's remains, they will just cover that one up and move on to the next site. The funeral home is not responsible for damaging these old graves and do not have to restore what they have damaged. Please, if you are uncertain about the history of a specific plot where you want to be buried, let that uncertainty give you the opportunity to let the ones who have passed rest in peace and undisturbed. Choose another spot with a known history.