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Submitted by David Southern (not verified) on Tue, 12/27/2011 - 9:34am
Thomas Couch and his family settled a nearby tract during colonial times, and Couch graves can be found within a stone wall in an old yard on Cornwallis Road, opposite the Carolina Friends School, and elsewhere in or near the Duke Forest. It is interesting to compare this photograph of the John Thomas Couch farmhouse with a present day view from the same angle. Though the house itself survived Hurricane Fran in September 1996, most of the stately white oaks and post oaks in the yard were uprooted. This once heavily shaded spot took a very hard hit, and it is a testament to the present owners that the place has healed so well over the past fifteen years. Duke University honors student Rachel Frankel prepared a fine study of the Couch family and their place in local history, and she presented a revised version on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Duke Forest. The Duke Forest has long been interested in this family, interchanging much information on the occasion of Couch family reunions. Further details, including dates for the pioneer Thomas Couch, are here:
http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/orng/cem289.htm
http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/orng/cem113.htm
http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/orng/cem114.htm
http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/orng/cem115.htm
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