Garman-Moses Cemetery

Locality: Roanoke County Temporal Period: 2nd half 19th c., 1st half 20thc.

Realty Map: 41.00-2-22 Cultural Affiliation: Euro-American

USGS Map: Glenvar Landform: Ridge top

Grid Locus: B-9 Elevation: 2480 feet

UTM Easting: 567260 Aspect: Southeast

UTM Northing: 4128850

Site Dimensions: 25 by 35 feet

Survey Description: Site consists of a small family cemetery in an isolated setting on top of Paris Mountain. The cemetery contains nine interments. Four graves were marked with cast cement markers, three were marked with inscribed fieldstones, and two were marked with metal plaques. All of the graves face east. Two other cement headstones were noted outside the cemetery fence; these were apparently discarded after being replaced by metal markers. Remnants of a post and wire mesh fence were observed around the cemetery. Site was field inspected, photographed, and headstone inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous site documentation. Site size was estimated by pacing the horizontal extent of the surrounding fence.

Surveyed By: T. Klatka & D. Richardson

Survey Date: 5/97 & 10/97

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: The lower front of the cement markers featured a rectangular recessed area which may have once contained biographical information of the deceased. This assumption is based similar markers observed in the Moore, Moore-Bain, and Hicks cemeteries. Inscriptions were not discernible on the cement markers; however, faint inscriptions were observed on two of the three fieldstone markers. The grave of Mary Elizabeth Moses was marked with a cement headstone; however, an inscribed fieldstone marker was observed under the leaf litter on her grave. This suggests that the cement markers replaced earlier fieldstone markers. Due to isolated setting of the cemetery and the surrounding vegetation, a compass could not be used to estimate site location. The plot on the Glenvar map and associated UTM coordinates are a gross estimation. Temporal affiliation based on dates inscribed on grave markers and on information reported by informants.

The RVHS documented this cemetery and provided biographical information from eight graves in the cemetery (1986: 120). Apparently, the site was not field inspected by the RVHS, but its record was based on informant information. A comparison of information gathered from the 5/97 & 10/97 field inspections with information in the RVHS report was confusing and inconsistent. However, oral histories supplied by a family descendent and a local resident permitted a consistent interpretation for most of this disparate data.

RVHS information:

Garman Moses

Joseph G. died 1867, age 64 Alex, 4 Jan. 1833 - 9 Mar. 1911

Mary, his wife, died 30 Apr. 1877, Age 71 Charles Ed, 17 Nov. 1873 - 1 Sept. 1915

William G. (No dates) Mary Elizabeth, 14 Jan. 1861 - 25 May 1861

Pauline Ann, 1871 - 16 Aug. 1885

Garman-Moses Cemetery (continued)

Marker inscriptions from 5/97 & 10/97 field inspections:

M Garman E Garman M.E.M.

Died Apr 30th 1877 Died Oct 31, 1869 Ag 4 mo

[fieldstone marker] Age ?? Y ?? M ?? D 10 DA

[fieldstone marker] [fieldstone marker

and cement marker]

Alexander Moses Mary Garmen Moses

PVT CO K 54 VA INF 1834 1930

Confederate States Army [metal marker/notice spelling]

Jan 4 1833 Mar 9 1911

[metal marker]

Inscriptions were not discernible on one fieldstone marker or any of the cement markers. Family histories indicated that the fieldstone marker inscribed “E. Garman” was associated with the grave of Elizabeth Garman, and grave markers without inscriptions were associated with the interments of Paulina Ann Moses, Charles Edward Moses, William Garman, and Joseph Garman. Two discarded cement markers were apparently replaced with metal markers and are associated with the graves of Alexander Moses and Mary Garman Moses. The fieldstone marker inscribed “M.E.M.” observed lying on a grave marked with a cement headstone suggests that the grave is associated with the deceased infant Mary Elizabeth Moses.

Biographical information provided family members:

1. William Garman - son of Joseph and Mary Garman / “Enlisted in the Confederate army on Oct. 10, 1861 in Salem, Va. by Capt. Deyerle. Deserted August 12, 1863. Knapsack, haversack, canteen and 30 rounds of cartridges lost. Co. K 54th Va. Infantry.”

2. Joseph Garman - deceased December 26, 1867 / husband of Mary Garman / “Came to Roanoke County from Lancaster, Pa. In 1839".

3. Mary Garman - deceased April 30, 1877 / wife of Joseph Garman

4. Elizabeth Garman - deceased October 31, 1869 / daughter of Joseph and Mary Garman

5. Mary Elizabeth Moses - January 14, 1861 - May 25, 1861 / daughter of Alexander Moses and Mary Ann Garman Moses.

6. Paulina Ann Moses - “daughter of Alexander Moses and Mary Ann Garman Moses. She was shot and killed accidentally by her brother Charles Moses on August 16, 1885. She was 14 years of age.”

7. Alexander Moses - January 4, 1833 - March 9, 1911 / “Enlisted in Co. K 54th infantry regiment Confederate States Army, on Oct. 10, 1861, and was discharged on April 10, 1865 at Christiansburg, Va.”

8. Mary Ann Garman Moses - “died February 3, 1930. She was born in 1839 and was first child born in Va. Older siblings were born in Lancaster, Pa. The grave marker has her name misspelled (GARMEN) and has incorrect year of birth. She was actually born in 1839”.

9. Charles Edward Moses - “born Nov. 17, 1873, died 1915. Was a twin brother of Archie Lewis Moses. He never married. He died on operating table of old Lewis Gale Hospital while Drs. Were removing a tumor from behind eye”.

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