Documenting the American South

Monument Name

Col. Ezekiel and Polly Slocumb Marker, Dudley

Type

Marker

Subjects

Historic Military Figures

Historic Women Figures

Women Monuments

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

City

Dudley

County

Wayne

Description

This memorial was erected to mark the location of the Ezekiel and (Mary) Polly Slocumb home place and original grave site. It also relates what appears to be a myth of Polly Slocumb’s 70 mile ride to be with her husband at the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge and fame as Revolutionary heroine. In 1929 the bodies of Ezekiel and Polly were re-interred at the base of the Moore’s Creek Women's Monument at Moore’s Creek National Battlefield (link to #305) The rectangular shaped granite block stands approximately four feet tall on a single base. The sides and base are rusticated. Below the inscription is the coat of arms of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Inscription

NEAR HERE WAS THE COLONIAL HOME / AND BURIAL GROUND OF COLONEL EZEKIEL / AND POLLY SLOCUMB OF REVOLUTIONARY FAME / DURING THESE TROUBLESOME TIMES, POLLY / DISTURBED BY A DREAM, AROSE AND THROUGH THE / DARKNESS ON HORSEBACK, SOUGHT HER HUSBAND / ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF MOORE’S CREEK SEVENTY / MILES AWAY, WHERE SHE FOUND HIM SAFE AND / THE PATRIOT FORCES OF THE COLONIES VICTORIOUS / OVER THE TORIES. THE REMAINS OF EZEKIEL AND / POLLY SLOCUMB WERE REINTERRED IN MOORE’S CREEK / BATTLEGROUND NATIONAL PARK IN SEPTEMBER NINETEEN / TWENTY NINE TO EVERMORE QUIECAS IN PACE

ERECTED BY THE MOUNT OLIVE CHAPTER CAROLINA PATRIOTS / DAUGHTERS AMERICAN REVOLUTION / MCMXXX

Custodian

Southern Wayne High School

Dedication Date

April 10, 1930

Decade

1930s

Geographic Coordinates

35.253740 , -78.047550 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

“Historical News,” The North Carolina Historical Review Vol. 7, No. 3 (July, 1930), 425-431 Link

“Polly Slocumb,” NC Museum of History, ncmuseumofhistory.org, Office of Archives and History, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, (accessed December 7, 2015) Link

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Granite

Sponsors

Mount Olive Chapter Carolina Patriots United Daughters of the American Revolution

Subject Notes

There is no way to be sure how much of the story of Polly’s ride is true. This monument claims the ride was 70 miles but other sources say it was as little as 30 miles. Things to consider are that the Moore’s Creek Battle took place in 1776 and military records indicate Ezekiel did not enlist until 1780. The legend also holds that she rode home the same day to be with her son, the only son, who was not born until 1780. The story appears to have come from Polly’s doctor who said he heard it from her in 1848.

Location

The marker stands along the 5000 block of S. US 117 Alt. Hwy. It is located near the intersection of Southern Wayne Drive near Dudley, NC.

Landscape

The marker is set off the highway in a large grassy area directly in front of Southern Wayne High School.