Garst-Showalter Cemetery

Locality: Roanoke County Temporal Period: 4th quarter 19th c., 20th c.

Realty Map: 26.18-1-12.2/12? Cultural Affiliation: Euro-American

USGS Map: Roanoke Landform: Knoll

Grid Locus: A-5 Elevation: 1280 feet

UTM Easting: 588620 Aspect: Flat

UTM Northing: 4132710

Site Dimensions: 72.5 by 80 feet

Survey Description: This cemetery contains 46 interments. Approximately 32 graves were marked with inscribed markers, 12 were marked with uninscribed fieldstone markers, and ground surface depressions suggest the presence of two other graves. Three headstones and one footstone have been dislodged from the ground and are either leaning against the fence enclosure or rest on the ground surface. All graves and headstones were oriented to the east. Historic plantings include two cedars and two boxwoods. Site is maintained and covered with mowed grass. Although the age of this cemetery is similar to many other regional cemeteries, many of the stones are eroding rapidly. Site is located immediately southwest of the junction of Interstate routes 81 & 581. It is not known if road construction impacted the cemetery; however, parts of northern and eastern boundaries of the cemetery lie within the highway right-of-way and contain cement retaining walls built to prevent erosion or slump of the cemetery. The retaining walls are somewhat decayed and a broken piece bears the inscription “AUG - 11 - 1922.” A post and wire fence surrounds most of the cemetery. Site was field inspected, photographed, and headstone inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous site documentation. Site size was determined by measure horizontal extent of the surrounding fence lines.

Surveyed By: T. Klatka & D. Richardson

Survey Date: 8/97

Field Notes: x Yes No

Photographs: x Yes No

Reference(s): Myers, Maureen

2000 Route 81 Widening, Roanoke and Botetourt Counties, Virginia. Draft report submitted by Louis Berger & Associates, Inc. to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Roanoke Valley Historical Society

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

Additional Comments: Assigned temporal period was based on headstone inscriptions; however, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers may indicate an earlier period of site use. Death dates on headstones range from 1871 through 1996. The most intensive use of cemetery occurred during late 19th century through the early 20th century. Cemetery is marked on the USGS Roanoke map sheet, but is not marked on local realty maps.

A survey of this cemetery by the RVHS resulted in the documentation of biographical information transcribed from 27 headstones the predated 1921 (1986: 122-123). This cemetery was also surveyed in the winter of 1999 by Maureen Myers of Lewis Berger & Associates. Many of the headstone inscriptions have eroded and are now difficult to read. The following information was derived from headstones observed in the cemetery during the 1997 survey. Bold italics indicate some possible corrections to the previous documentation.

Garst-Showalter Cemetery (continued)

Marker inscriptions:

Benton J. Garst James A. Garst James Clay Garst

Born Born Born

Nov. 22, 1876 Apr. 27, 1839 Sept. 19, 1900

Died Died Died

Oct. 25, 1896 Oct. 22, 1893 Dec. 25, 1915

Lewis A. Garst Nannie M. Garst Stella F. Garst

Born Born Born

Aug. 28, 1867 Apr. 28, 1867 Aug. 4, 1897

Died Died Died

Dec. 10, 1896 Mar. 26, 1900 Oct. 19, 1913

Aged

26 yrs. 3 mos. 11 days

Christian B. Garst our baby Rhoda Bryant

July 28, 1869 Roy C. Died

Nov. 9, 1930 son of Dec. 16, 1885

An honest man’s the L.A. & R.A. Aged 58 yrs. 2 mos. 1 day

noblest work of God Garst erected by A.B. Bryant

Born

Dec. 27, 1890

Died C.P. Boitnott

May 10, 1891 1848 – 1930

Judy M. John Daniel Bowman Amanda Showalter Benedict

Wife of PFC U.S. Army - Korea Born Feb. 20, 1862

G.P. Boitnott Jul 19, 1927 Died July 9, 1923

Born Feb. 10., 1851 Mar 22, 1996 At Rest

Died Oct. 19, 1921

Aged 70 yrs., 8 mons, & 9 days

Amanda John G. Medley Hannah Clingenpeel

Wife of Died D. 29 Feb. 1916

J.G. Medley Feb. 24, 1915

June 15, 1846 Aged 71 yrs.

Oct. 31, 1926

Guy Hinchee Ethel E. Mattie Frances Jamison

Born Daughter of Wife of

May 25, 1896 J.S. & Fannie Jamison G.E. Jamison

Died Born Born

Oct. 19, 1913 Nov. 27, 1907 Mar. 31, 1878

Died Died

Nov. 1, 1908 Dec. 1, 1906

Aged 28 yrs. & 8 mos.

Garst-Showalter Cemetery (continued)

Christian H. Showalter Infant of Jacob Showalter

Born Jacob & Amanda Born

Oct. 6, 1873 Showalter Jan. 9, 1849

Died 13 Nov. 1890 Died

March 27, 1898 June 19, 1913

Mary A. Showalter Virginia C. Saray F. Layman

Born Daughter of Born

Sept. 21 1850 Jacob & Amanda A. Feb. 18, 1844

Died Showalter Died

Oct. 24, 1885 Died May 9 , 1871 Apr. 8, 1888

Aged

1 yr. 6 mos. 20 days

Carl James W. Webber John Strine

Son of Born Born

G.D. & G. O. Dec. 20, 1899 July 1, 1801

Layman Died Died

Jan. 3, 1895 July 22, 1900 Feb. 6, 1886

God called thee home.

He thought it best.

Catherine Swartz Christian Swartz

Born Born

Dec. 18, 1811 June 21, 1820

Died Died

Oct. 1884 May 18, 1892

Inscriptions listed in RVHS report but not observed during the 1997 survey:

Boitnott, May Fannie / Nov. 1911 - June 1913

Plunke (probably Plunkett), infant of / C.P. & N. A. / Oct ... / Another little angel / Before the heavenly / Throne

Back to Cemetery Link Page

Back to HomePage