Lawrence Cemetery

 

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

Realty Map:          111.00-1-35/36?                     Cultural Affiliation:              Euro-American

USGS Map:           Elliston                                   Landform:                              Ridge top saddle

Grid Locus:            L-12                                        Elevation:                              2660 feet

UTM Easting:       577540                                    Aspect:                                  Flat

UTM Northing:    4111060

 

Site Dimensions:  75 by 165 by 85 by 200 feet

 

Survey Description:  Site consists of a large community cemetery with at least 101 graves.  Identified graves included 28 with inscribed markers, 61 with uninscribed fieldstone markers, and 12 unmarked graves identified on the basis of ground surface depressions.  All of the identified graves ranged in orientation from 77 to 103 degrees east of north.  Other graves may be present.  Graves are enclosed by a deteriorated post and wire mesh fence.  Site is covered with mowed grass and historic plantings include periwinkle, yucca, boxwoods, white pine, cedar, oak and hickory trees.  Site was field inspected, photographed, and grave marker inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous documentation.  Site size was estimated by pacing the horizontal extent of the surrounding fence.

 

Survey Date:         9/98

 

Field Notes:           _x_Yes   ___No

Photographs:        _x_Yes   ___No

 

References:           Roanoke Valley Historical Society

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

 

Additional Comments:        Assigned temporal period was based on the 1891 through 1995 range of death dates inscribed on observed headstones.  However, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers and unmarked graves may reflect an earlier use of the site.  The cemetery is marked on the USGS Elliston map sheet and identified as the “Lawrence Cem.; ” however, the cemetery is not marked on local realty maps.

 

This cemetery was initially surveyed by the RVHS and recorded as the Lawrence Cemetery.  The survey report documented biographical information derived from inscriptions on 12 headstones that predated 1921 (1986:  150-151).  All of the headstones recorded by the RVHS were also observed during the 1998 survey.

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

                Hale                                                        James Edward Hale                              Charles Altis

Bessie P.                Charles E.                              Sept. 25, 1938                                        1887 - 1947

Aug. 9, 1912          Aug. 6, 1914                          Sept. 28, 1957

Feb. 26, 1942         Mar. 6, 1995

 

Minnie E. Altis                                                     Edna Schilling                                       Charles E. Altis

1894 – 1965                                                            Wife of                                                   Nov. 1, 1918

(metal marker at foot of grave:                           Charles E. Altis                                     Oct. 19, 1950

Minnie Estelle Altis                                             Jan. 31, 1925                                          (double marker with

1894 - 1965                                                             (double marker with                             Edna Schilling Altis)

                                                                                Charles Altis)


Lawrence Cemetery (continued)

 

Carl Edward Walters                                            Brother                                                   Henry Lee Altis

Virginia                                                                  James Edward Altis                             World War I

PFC  US Army                                                      World War II                                        Wagoner SHP. Co.

World War II                                                        US Army                                                317th INF. 80th DIV

Feb 7 1919  Dec 31 1963                                      Dec. 14, 1920                                         Sept. 22, 1892

                                                                                Oct. 24, 1991                                          Sept. 11, 1970

                                                                                (footstone: JEA)                                   (footstone: HLA)

 

Doris Esther                                                          Eva Altis Brown                                   Edna Brown King

Thompson                                                             1880 – 1959                                            1900 - 1956

Wife of                                                                   (metal marker with                                (metal markers with

Henry Lee Altis                                                    fieldstone at foot                                  fieldstone at foot

June 16, 1900                                                         of grave)                                                of grave)

March 19, 1975

(footstone: DTA)

                                Conner                                                                                                   J. Thomas Woods

Hattie S.                 Married                  Walter L., Sr.                                                         Born June 12, 1875

Sept. 19, 1926        Jan. 22                    Apr. 10, 1919                                                         Died Apr. 16, 1897

Jan. 27, 1980          1944                        Sept. 19, 1986                                                        He died happy in the Lord.

                        Together Forever                                                                                         (footstone:  JTW)

 

Sallie                                                                       L.T. Woods                                           James H. Lawrence

Wife of                                                                   Mar. 3, 1848                                           Sept. 17, 1835

P.M. Mays                                                            Apr. 23, 1913                                         Nov. 15, 1917

Born                                                                       Margaret Woods                                 His wife

Oct. 14, 1809                                                          Mar. 20, 1847                                         Elnor C. Lawrence

Died                                                                        Jan. 9, 1921                                            Oct. 7, 1838

Aug. 24, 1903                                                        Josephus Woods                                 May 11, 1911

Thous art gone but                                              Nov. 29, 1881                                        (footstones: JHL, ECL)

Not forgotten                                                        Mar. 8, 1910

                                                                                Erected by the children

                                                                                Living in 1924

                                                                                (footstones:  MW, LTW, JW)

 

Julia E.                                                                    Tracy W.                                               Elmer Coles Woods

Wife of                                                                   Infant Daughter of                               Born

E.L. Argabright.                                                    W.L. & Mae S.                                      Apr. 23, 1890

Born                                                                       Mays                                                      Died

May 15, 1871,                                                        Born & Died                                          Feb. 12, 1891

Died                                                                        Oct. 28, 1907                                          (footstone: ECW)

Aug. 5, 1897.                                                         Our darling one hath

Gone but not                                                         gone before

Forgotten                                                              (footstone: TWM; grave enclosed

(footstone: JEA)                                                   4 by 6 feet iron fence)


Lawrence Cemetery (continued)

 

James E. Altis                                                       Mary Ellen                                             Infants

Virginia                                                                  Wife of                                                   (eroded and broken marker

Wagoner                                                               Rev. L.B. Atkins                                   made of cement)

317    Inf. 80 Div                                                     born

July 1, 1920                                                            Aug. 22, 1858

                                                                                Died

                                                                                June 10, 1897

                                                                                As a wife devoted

                                                                                As a mother affectionate

                                                                                As a friend ever kind & true

                                                                                (footstone: MEA)


 

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