Buffalo Ridge Cemetery founded 1778
Rev. Daniel Wakefield, Assistant Pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, presented a history of the church.
K. Scott Collins, Treasurer General of the SAR addressing the gathering.
Rob Richmond, President of Kings Mountain Chapter, NSSAR
Musket Volley
Chris Cox blowing Taps next to Mark Byars
On September 11, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., the Kings Mountain Chapter, TNSSAR, held a Patriot Grave Dedication Ceremony at Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church to honor Revolutionary War Patriots Jonathan Mulkey, Thomas Gresham, and John Fuller Lane. Welcoming remarks were given by David Carr, Secretary of the Kings Mountain Chapter, followed by the invocation by Dr. John Wakefield, Chaplain of the Kings Mountain Chapter. The Presentation of the Colors was commanded by Cliff Kent, TNSSAR Color Guard Commander. Rob Richmond, President of the Kings Mountain Chapter, then offered salutatory greetings and acknowledgements. Rev. Daniel Wakefield, Assistant Pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, presented a history of the church. Chad Bailey read the biography of Patriot Jonathan Mulkey, and Mark Byars read the biographies of Patriots John Fuller Lane and Thomas Gresham. Descendants of the three Patriots participated in the unveiling and dedication of their grave markers. Representatives of the participating chapters then presented wreaths in honor of the Patriots. The ceremony concluded with a musket volley and the playing of Taps, followed by the benediction given by Dr. John Wakefield.
𝗥𝗘𝗩. 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗞𝗘𝗬 (𝟭𝟳𝟱𝟮-𝟭𝟴𝟮𝟲) SAR Patriot No. P-253855
Jonathan Mulkey was born in Halifax, North Carolina, the son of Rev. Philip Mulkey. In 1776, Jonathan, his father, and his brother, Philip Mulkey Jr., ventured to the frontier with Col. William Christian during his expedition to the Cherokee towns. Jonathan married Nancy Howard in South Carolina around 1770, and they raised fourteen children. Following Nancy's death, Jonathan married Anna Deaton Lacy in 1818. In 1785, he was called to serve as pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, following its founding by Rev. Tidence Lane. Mulkey served the congregation for fifty years. He also served Sinking Creek and Kendrick's Creek Baptist Churches and represented all three congregations in the Holston Baptist Association. As he advanced in age, the congregation at Buffalo Ridge built him a "suitable and easy-pulpit chair" so that he could continue preaching when he was no longer able to stand.
𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗘 (𝟭𝟳𝟮𝟳-𝟭𝟳𝟴𝟱) SAR Patriot No. P-232916
John Fuller Lane was born in 1727 in Baltimore County, Maryland, the second of six children. In 1740, his family moved to Virginia, settling in what is now Pittsylvania County. In 1746, John married Elizabeth Cloud, and they raised nine children. As members of the Separate Baptist movement, they helped establish the Dan River Church, where John's brother, Dutton Lane, served as minister. In 1777, John signed the Oath of Allegiance to the new government of Virginia in defiance of the British Crown. In 1778, John moved his family to the Watauga settlement on the frontier, where his brother, Rev. Tidence Lane, had founded Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church. John's son Isaac later saw action at the Battle of Kings Mountain as a member of the Washington County Militia. John Fuller Lane died in 1785 at the age of 58, leaving much of his substantial land holdings to his sons-in-law.
𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗠 (𝟭𝟳𝟱𝟬-𝟭𝟴𝟬𝟰) SAR Patriot No. P-170534
Documentation concerning the early life of Thomas Gresham is limited. Gresham families are known to have lived in Kent County, Maryland, and Essex County, Virginia, during this period. By the 1770s, Thomas was living in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, near the Lane family. He married Dorcas Lane, daughter of John Fuller Lane. Thomas and Dorcas maintained close ties with the Lane family and were associated with the Separate Baptist movement. In 1780, Thomas served on the Grand Jury in Pittsylvania County as a Patriot. In 1782, he and Dorcas moved to the Watauga settlement, following her father, who had moved there several years earlier. Thomas secured a land patent for 360 acres, while John Fuller Lane eventually acquired approximately 1,000 acres. When Lane died in 1785, much of his property was left to his sons-in-law, including Thomas Gresham. Thomas Gresham died in 1804 at the age of 54. Witnesses to his will included Rev. Jonathan Mulkey, who succeeded Dorcas Lane Gresham's uncle, Rev. Tidence Lane, as pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, and John Crouch, who married Dorcas's mother following the death of John Fuller Lane. Thomas and Dorcas had nine children: Fuller, John, Betsy, Rhonda, Susannah, Prior, Ellis, Thomas, and Simeon.
𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘪𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺, 𝘒𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘣 𝘞𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩.
𝗥𝗘𝗩. 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗞𝗘𝗬 (𝟭𝟳𝟱𝟮-𝟭𝟴𝟮𝟲) SAR Patriot No. P-253855
Jonathan Mulkey was born in Halifax, North Carolina, the son of Rev. Philip Mulkey. In 1776, Jonathan, his father, and his brother, Philip Mulkey Jr., ventured to the frontier with Col. William Christian during his expedition to the Cherokee towns. Jonathan married Nancy Howard in South Carolina around 1770, and they raised fourteen children. Following Nancy's death, Jonathan married Anna Deaton Lacy in 1818. In 1785, he was called to serve as pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, following its founding by Rev. Tidence Lane. Mulkey served the congregation for fifty years. He also served Sinking Creek and Kendrick's Creek Baptist Churches and represented all three congregations in the Holston Baptist Association. As he advanced in age, the congregation at Buffalo Ridge built him a "suitable and easy-pulpit chair" so that he could continue preaching when he was no longer able to stand.
𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗘 (𝟭𝟳𝟮𝟳-𝟭𝟳𝟴𝟱) SAR Patriot No. P-232916
John Fuller Lane was born in 1727 in Baltimore County, Maryland, the second of six children. In 1740, his family moved to Virginia, settling in what is now Pittsylvania County. In 1746, John married Elizabeth Cloud, and they raised nine children. As members of the Separate Baptist movement, they helped establish the Dan River Church, where John's brother, Dutton Lane, served as minister. In 1777, John signed the Oath of Allegiance to the new government of Virginia in defiance of the British Crown. In 1778, John moved his family to the Watauga settlement on the frontier, where his brother, Rev. Tidence Lane, had founded Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church. John's son Isaac later saw action at the Battle of Kings Mountain as a member of the Washington County Militia. John Fuller Lane died in 1785 at the age of 58, leaving much of his substantial land holdings to his sons-in-law.
𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗠 (𝟭𝟳𝟱𝟬-𝟭𝟴𝟬𝟰) SAR Patriot No. P-170534
Documentation concerning the early life of Thomas Gresham is limited. Gresham families are known to have lived in Kent County, Maryland, and Essex County, Virginia, during this period. By the 1770s, Thomas was living in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, near the Lane family. He married Dorcas Lane, daughter of John Fuller Lane. Thomas and Dorcas maintained close ties with the Lane family and were associated with the Separate Baptist movement. In 1780, Thomas served on the Grand Jury in Pittsylvania County as a Patriot. In 1782, he and Dorcas moved to the Watauga settlement, following her father, who had moved there several years earlier. Thomas secured a land patent for 360 acres, while John Fuller Lane eventually acquired approximately 1,000 acres. When Lane died in 1785, much of his property was left to his sons-in-law, including Thomas Gresham. Thomas Gresham died in 1804 at the age of 54. Witnesses to his will included Rev. Jonathan Mulkey, who succeeded Dorcas Lane Gresham's uncle, Rev. Tidence Lane, as pastor of Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church, and John Crouch, who married Dorcas's mother following the death of John Fuller Lane. Thomas and Dorcas had nine children: Fuller, John, Betsy, Rhonda, Susannah, Prior, Ellis, Thomas, and Simeon.
𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘪𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺, 𝘒𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘣 𝘞𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩.