North Carolina's most historically significant political leader, whose legacy and philosophy and character influenced not only generations of Tar Heels, but also a host of very illustrious Southerners, their thinking, and the very manner in which they lived their lives and viewed the society around them. He was, indeed, to quote his contemporaries, "the father of states' rights" and the figure most critical in the actual development and survival of the states' rights philosophy which still, in some ways, percolates in American politics.

In the 1860s a number of Raleigh, North Carolina women formed the Ladies' Memorial Association in effort to give Confederate soldiers a dignified burialin the historic Oakwood Cemetery. Their dedicated work and excellent record keeping allow us to go behind the scenes to take a look at the effort that went in to preserving a cemetery and the history of the state. Much work has taken place since those brave ladies faced off with Union soldiers in order to accomplish their goal. This is a look at how the project evolved over the years. Complete roster of soldiers included with map of gravesites. Excellent book for those tracing their ancestors.