Location: Middle Bay area of Hobucken, Pamlico Co., NC.
Directions: At the intersection of Hwy. 304 and 33, follow Hwy 304 across the Gene Potter Bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway on to Goose Creek Island. At 1.6 miles the road changes from paved to gravel. Continue for about another 1.6 miles to a road to the right with a locked gate (Mr. Johnson's driveway). Park and walk about 0.3 mile along the dirt driveway. On the left will be a narrow path marked with a small "cemetery" sign. The cemetery is about 40 yards from the driveway.
Description: Cemetery is very overgrown and not maintained.
Compiled from the following:
1. Info from The Goose Creek Islander 1874-1974, pg. 89, "Brickyard"
2. The Spains of Eastern NC by William Odell Spain
3. Odell Spain & Sam Swindell restored the graveyard in the 1990's. Sam Swindell (1912-1999), son of Andrew J. Swindell & Julia M. Sawyer, cleaned the cemetery, finding 34 graves. 1918 was the last time this cemetery was used. (per William Odell Spain). Sam Swindell loaded one cinder block at a time into the basket of his bicycle each time he rode to the cemetery to mark graves
4. Additional research by Janet Copen Orndorff
Starting Place: In the middle of the cemetery is a sign "BrYa Cemetery". Walk to the left, right and back towards the driveway from this sign to find the graves marked with engraved stones, homemade metal crosses, pieces of anchor, TV antennae, cinder blocks, & what looks to be some original wooden markers. Others are unmarked. The largest headstone is for Samuel & Suckey Swindell to the left of the BrYa Cemetery sign. Information has been recorded as written on the tombstones. Any additional info known by family members and/or research of public records has been noted in the "Notes" column. Click on underlined names to see a photograph of the headstone.