Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery

 

Locality: Roanoke County                  Temporal Period:                  20^th century

Realty Map:          80.00-2-4                                Cultural Affiliation:              African-American

USGS Map:           Garden City                           Landform:                              Ridge bench

Grid Locus:            L-2                                          Elevation:                              1100 feet

UTM Easting:       549010                                    Aspect:                                  South

UTM Northing:    4121220

 

Site Dimensions:  50 by 95 feet

 

Survey Description:  Site consists of a small cemetery associated with the Bethlehem Baptist Church.  Approximately 31 interments were observed in the cemetery.  These included nine marked with metal markers, five marked with uninscribed fieldstone, five marked with illegible metal markers, four with inscribed granite or marble markers, three with inscribed military markers, and one marked with a metal rod at the head of the grave.  Also, four unmarked graves were visible as ground surface depressions. All of the observed graves were oriented to the southeast.  Site is bounded by Ivyland Road (Route 775) ten feet to the east, wooded areas to the west and north, and a driveway to the south.  A grade cut of about five feet was apparently made for  the driveway and uninscribed fieldstone markers adjacent to the driveway suggest that the graves or grave shafts were disturbed by the grade cut.  No historic plantings were observed I the cemetery.  Site was field inspected, photographed, and headstone inscriptions were transcribed.  Site size was estimated by pacing the horizontal extent of the observed graves.

 

Surveyed By:        T. Klatka & D. Richardson

Survey Date:         10/97

 

Field Notes:           _x_Yes   ___No

Photographs:        _x_Yes   ___No

 

References:           None

 

Additional Comments:  Assigned temporal period was based on the 1944 through 1982 range of death dates inscribed on grave markers.  However, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers and unmarked graves may reflect an earlier or later use of the site.  A property deed (DB S, page 25) indicates the Bethlehem Baptist church was established in 1888. The associated cemetery was likely established at the same time or shortly thereafter.  The cemetery is not marked on the Garden City map sheet or on local realty maps.  The larger parcel that holds the cemetery is marked on local realty maps and labeled “Bethlehem Baptist Church.”

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

Cleo Melvin Lark                                                  Eldridge N.                                            Baby Wilson N.

US Air Force                                                         Lark                                                        Lark

Vietnam                                                                  1913  1975                                              1964  1965

Sep 4  1942  Dec 16  1980                                    (metal marker)                                       (metal marker)

 

Mrs. Virginia E.                                                     Mrs. Annie K.                                       Mr. Issac L.

Lark                                                                        Jennings                                                                Crone

1942     1982                                                             1854  1963                                              1884  1970

(metal marker)                                                       (metal marker)                                       (metal marker)

 

               

Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery (continued)

 

White                                                     Harry W.                                                Mr. Elmer R.

Louvenia C.           Julius S.                                 Harris                                                     Preston

Aug. 4, 1886          Sept. 11, 1886                        Sept. 6, 1940                                          1899  1957

Sept. 23, 1962        Apr. 27, 1961                   Apr. 8, 1961

 

Mr. Walter                                                             Mrs. Mary                                             Mr. Sterling

Harris                                                                     Preston                                                  White

1939     1987                                                             1897  1972                                              1918  1958

(metal marker)                                                       (metal marker)                                       (metal marker)

 

Purnette Black                                                      Calvin                                                     Frank

Virginia                                                                  Edith                                                       Martin

S2                                                                            Lark                                                        1935 - 1944

USNR                                                                     Virginia                                                  Our Son

World War II                                                        CPL                                                         At Rest

July 26  1925                                                          USMCR                                                 (footstone: SON)

October 13  1946                                                   World War II

                                                                                August 6  1923

                                                                                November 22  1951

 

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