Sentelle

Sentelle
Copyright (c) January 1997-present  Scott and Gwen Green

 

Home
Up

Sentelle Family Cemetery
Big Willow Creek
Jeter Mountain
Henderson County
North Carolina

horizontal rule

Page Index
Description |  Map
List of burials

horizontal rule

Description of the Sentelle Family Cemetery
(from an article on William Sentelle, furnished by Linda Oatman from an unknown source)

back to Page Index

On the headwaters of Big Willow Creek off the beaten path of travel, there is a unique cemetery which is the original Sentelle burying ground. It is rarely visited now because to reach it, a body must wade the rushing waters of Big Willow, and then follow a trail for a mile or more to the top of a hill where William Sentelle and some of his descendants sleep.

William was the first of the family to be buried here, and he has the distinction of having three monuments or headstones marking his grave, and his name is spelled in two ways on these markers. One was put there by his wife soon after William died. It was rough, hand chiseled, and hand carved. The inscription could not be read because it stood there for nearly a century and a half, and the rains and winds weathered it severely. (Note: It was not standing at the time of our 1994 visit.)

Another marker was put there by the United States government, as it has marked all the graves of the soldiers of the Revolution. Here the inscription reads, "William Senter - Private, 1st N. C. Militia, Revolutionary War, died May 7, 1837". Notice the spelling S-e-n-t-e-r.

At one place there is a cedar tree said to have been planted by Samuel, a son of William. The heads of those buried here are at the base of the cedar tree with the foot of the graves forming the circumference of the circle. Here is buried Samuel, who was born in 1820 and died in 1912, ninety-two years old, surrounded by his three wives and his children. Family tradition tells that Samuel was a true family man, and believed in a close knit family circle. He wanted his family buried with him so that even in death he did not want the family circle broken.

Among the graves in this cemetery are buried seven members of the family who fought in the Union Army. They did this because they did not believe in slavery. Because so many are buried here who fought on the Northern side, this cemetery is referred to as the "Yankee burying ground".

And in the years now long past, the area where the cedar tree grows was used as a camp meeting ground. People came from miles, whole families on foot, in horse and mule drawn wagons, more often in wagons pulled by oxen. They brought their food, blankets, and quilts to camp out for days at a time to hold religious meetings. All is quiet now on the hilltop where the cedar tree is, where the family circle is intact even in death.


Sentelle Family Cemetery, Henderson County NC


Sentelle Family Cemetery, Henderson County NC

At one place there is a cedar tree said to have been planted by Samuel, a son of William. The heads of those buried here are at the base of the cedar tree with the foot of the graves forming the circumference of the circle. Here is buried Samuel, who was born in 1820 and died in 1912, ninety-two years old, surrounded by his three wives and his children. Family tradition tells that Samuel was a true family man, and believed in a close knit family circle. He wanted his family buried with him so that even in death he did not want the family circle broken.

back to Page Index

horizontal rule

Sentelle Family Cemetery Map

back to Page Index

 

If your browser supports image maps,
you can click on any tombstone to find who's buried there.
Otherwise, you can go to the List of burials.

Sentelle Family Cemetery, Henderson County NC

back to Page Index

horizontal rule

Sentelle Family Cemetery - List of burials

Click on the Return  icon to return to the cemetery map.

Simply move the mouse over the name to see a picture of the tombstone.
The window will go away when you move the mouse off the name.
Pop up windows are used.  If you use a pop up blocker,
you will want to enable this site to allow pop ups.

back to Page Index

# Name Date of Birth Date of Death Inscription

1A

 Unknown      
1B Unknown      
1C Unknown      
1D Unknown      
2A Singletary Sentell      
2B  Return Samuel B. Sentell February 4, 1820 July 15, 1912

Samel Sentell
born
Feb 4, 1820
died
July 15, 1912
"Asleep in Jesus"
2C  Return Emily Taylor Sentell 1845 1921 Emily T. Sentell
2D  Return Elizabeth Gray Sentell 1820 March 7, 1882 Elizabeth G. Sentell
2E Unknown      
2F Unknown      
2G  Return Hettie A. Huggins November 18, 1880 February 27, 1882

Hettie A.
Dau. Of
C. C. & Olivia
Huggins
Nov 18, 1880
Feb 27, 1882
2H  Return Elizabeth Jones Burns Sentell 1832 1890 Betty B. Sentell
2I  Return Francis M. Huggins August 30, 1879 January 17, 1882

Francis M.
Son of
C. C. & Olivia
Huggins
Aug 20, 1879
Jan 17, 1882
3A  Return Susie E. Pruitt McCarson April 25, 1870 February 20, 1909

Susie E. Pruitt
McCarson
Apr 25, 1870
Feb 20, 1909
"Gone, but not forgotten"
3B  Return Joshua A. Pruitt Jr.    

Joshua A. Pruitt Jr.
Co. G
Moore’s Co.
N.C. Mtd. Inf.
3C  Return Annie Pruiett      
3D Unknown      
3E Unknown      
3F  Return Josh Pruiett      
4A Unknown      
4B Unknown      
4C Unknown      
4D Unknown      
4E Unknown      
5A  Return Tabithe Howard May 1, 1815 February 21, 1899

Tabithe Howard
Born
May 1, 1815
Died
Feb 21, 1899
5B Unknown      
6A Unknown      
7A Unknown      
7B Unknown      
8A Unknown      
9A Unknown      
10A Unknown      
10B Unknown      
10C Unknown      
11A Unknown      
11B Unknown      
11C Unknown      
11D Unknown      
11E Unknown      
12A Unknown      
12B Unknown      
12C Unknown      
13A Unknown      
13B Unknown      
13C Unknown      
13D Unknown      
13E Unknown      
14A Unknown      
14B Unknown      
14C Unknown      
14D Unknown      
14E Unknown      
14F Unknown      
14G Unknown      
15A Unknown      
16A Unknown      
16B Unknown      
16C Unknown      
16D  Return W. R. Sentell   February 15, 1854

1854
W. R. Sentell
Died Feb 15
16E  Return Jesse B. Sentell

View his military biography.		 March 10, 1829  

Jesse B. Sentell
Co. F
2 N.C. Mtd.
Inf.
16F  Return Annie Cantrell Sentell 1831 1876

Annie Cantrell
wife of
J. B. Sentell
1831 - 1876
"No pains, no grief,
no anxious fear,
Can reach our loved
one sleeping here"
16G Unknown      
16H Unknown      
17A Unknown      
17B Unknown      
17C  Return Richard Sentle

View his military biography.		 February 14, 1797 June 27, 1883

Richard Sentle
Drummer
Ewing’s Regt
NC Militia
War of 1812
February 14, 1797
June 27, 1883
17D Unknown      
17E  Return Elizabeth Sentelle      
17F Unknown      
17G Unknown      
17H Unknown      
17I Unknown      
17J Unknown      
17K Unknown      
18A  Return S. S. January 8, 1839 April 1, 1887

S.S.
b. 1/8/1839
d. 4/1/1887
18B Unknown      
18C Unknown      
18D Unknown      
19A Unknown      
19B Unknown      
19C Unknown      
19D Unknown      
19E Unknown      
19F Unknown      
20A Unknown      
20B Unknown      
20C  Return Nancy Shipman 1805 1843

Nancy Shipman
Born 1805
Died 1843
20D Unknown      
20E Unknown      
20F Unknown      
21A  Return George N. Sentell May 18, 1842 January 12, 1922 (original marker)
21B  Return George N. and Ruth E. Sentell    

George N. Sentell on one side
Ruth E. (His wife) on the other
21C Ruth E. Sentell December 24, 1845 October 8, 1899  
21D Unknown      
21E Unknown      
21F Unknown      
21G Unknown      
22A Unknown      
22B Unknown      
22C  Return Rebecca Hamilton March 15, 1843 February 25

In memory of
Rebecca Hamilton
Born Mar 15 1843
Died Feb 25
23A  Return William Senter

View his military biography.		 October 14, 1756 May 7, 1835

William Senter
Pvt 1 N.C. Mil.
Rev. War
May 7, 1835
23B  Return William Sentell

View his military biography.		 October 14, 1756 May 7, 1837

William Sentell
Born
Oct 14, 1756
A Revolutionary
Soldier
For Seven Years
And A Member Of
The Baptist
Church
Died
May 7, 1837
23C  Return Elizabeth Sentell 1759 March 7, 1847

Here lise
the body of
Elizabeth Sentell
She departed
this life
March 7 1847
in the 88th yr
of her age
23D Unknown      
23E Unknown      
23F  Return J. C. Osteen    

J. C. Osteen
Co. F.
2nd N.C. M’t’d Inf.
23G Unknown      
23H  Return John Luke Osteen

View his military biography.		 1822 April 26, 1899

Luke Osteen
Corp’l
Co. F
2nd N.C. Mtd.
Inf.
24A Unknown      
24B Unknown      
24C Unknown      
24D  Return John Edward Sentell

View his military biography.		 December 6, 1857 May 17, 1863

J. E. Sentell
Co. F
2nd N.C. M’t’d’ Inf.
24E  Return Rev. J. E. Sentell

Hannah Cantrell Sentell

Samuel Gavan Sentell
Thaddeus H. Sentell
James R. Sentell

December 6, 1857

February 29, 1827

November 6, 1848
September 24, 1850
May 6, 1855

May 17, 1863

February 14, 1871

1855
1855
1855

Rev. J.E. Sentell
Dec. 6, 1827
May 17, 1863
His wife
Hannah Cantrell
Feb. 29, 1827
Feb. 14, 1871
Three boys
S.G., T.H., J.R.
24F Unknown      

back to Page Index

horizontal rule