Eakin-Wright Cemetery

 

Locality: Roanoke County                  Temporal Period:                  19th - 1st Quarter 20th centuries

Realty Map:          12.00-1-16                              Cultural Affiliation:              Euro-American

USGS Map:           Glenvar                                  Landform:                              Ridge bench

Grid Locus:            F-3                                          Elevation:                              2280 feet

UTM Easting:       571600                                    Aspect:                                  Southeast

UTM Northing:    4134380

 

Site Dimensions: 60 by 65 feet

 

Survey Description: Site consists of a cemetery with at least ten interments.  However, seventeen or more interments may be present.  Six marble headstones and four fieldstone headstones were observed in the cemetery.  Some of these markers were toppled or displaced from their associated grave.  Also, four ground surface depressions and at least three markers piled under the remains of a fallen cedar tree may indicate seven additional graves.  Due to severe disturbance of the cemetery surface, it was difficult to accurately identify and count graves, gravestones, or ground surface depressions indicative of graves.  A modern post and wire mesh fence surrounds the site, but damaged sections of the fence have allowed cattle to graze within the cemetery.  As a result of trampling , the site surface has been heavily disturbed.  All of the observed grave markers have been toppled, broken, or displaced.  Earlier survey reports indicated that some markers had been removed from their associated graves and piled at the base of a tree.  Historic plantings include yucca, roses and the remains of at least two cedar trees.  Site was field inspected, photographed, and headstone inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous documentation of the site.  Site size was estimated by pacing the extent of the existing fence lines that surround the interments.

 

Surveyed By:        T. Klatka & A. Sweeney

Survey Date:         4/97

 

Field Notes:           _x_Yes   ___No

Photographs:        _x_Yes   ___No

 

Reference(s):         Roanoke Valley Historical Society

                                1986        Roanoke County Graveyards Through 1920.  Privately printed, RVHS, Roanoke.

 

Additional Comments:  Site was not marked on the Glenvar map sheet.  Assigned temporal affiliation was based on death dates inscribed on observed grave markers and previous documentation of the site.  These dates range from 1847 through 1919.  However, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers may indicate an earlier or later use of the site.  Collection of oral histories and archaeological investigations would provide a better understanding of the cemetery.

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

Annie Elizabeth Wright                      Van B. Wright                                       Goldie Wright

Sept. 20, 1916                                        June 28, 1857                                         Jan. 30, 1912

Jan. 2, 1919                                            Jan. 12, 1919                                          Dec. 28, 1919

She was the sunshine                         Farewell my wife and children all       Our darling one hath gone before

Of our home.                                         from you a father Christ doth call.     to meet us on the blissful shore.

 


Eakin-Wright Cemetery (continued)

 

Our Father                                             William M. Burnett

Jeremiah Greenway                              1855-1922

Oct. 22, 1825

Feb. 23, 1894

 

 

Markers documented by RVHS in pile at base of tree:

 

In memory of                                         Infant of                                                 Robert C. Eakin

Agnes S.                                                Brian Clark                                             Dec. 4 ???

Wife of                                                   Mar. 16, 1850                                         ???

Gustavus A. Mitchell

And a daughter of

William Eakin, Esq.

Feb. 28, 1810

Dec. 3, 1847


 

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