Laurens City Cemetery

Front: Laurens City Cemetery began as the Porter family cemetery and the earliest grave is that of two-year old Laura Adelaide Porter, who died in 1817. The cemetery expanded in the early 20th century when J.W. Ferguson, R.C. Watts, and W.A. Watts deeded land along North Harper St. A gift from William Mills allowed the property to extend to the Little River. It has also been known as “New Cemetery” and “Riverside Cemetery.” Reverse: Among those interred here are William Simpson (1823-1890) and Robert Archer Cooper (1874-1953), both of whom served as governor of S.C., as well as Nathaniel B. Dial (1862-1940), the only person from Laurens to serve in the U.S. Senate. Wil Lou Gray (1883-1984), a Laurens native who was a pioneer in adult education and devoted her career to eradicating illiteracy, is also buried here.