Persinger Cemetery

Persinger Cemetery

 

Locality: Roanoke City                        Temporal Period:                  2nd half 19th c.

Realty Map:          1520315                                  Cultural Affiliation:              Euro-American

USGS Map:           Roanoke                                                Landform:                              Ridge top

Grid Locus:            B-13                                        Elevation:                              1060 feet

UTM Easting:       589610                                    Aspect:                                  West

UTM Northing:    4124930 

 

Site Dimensions: 30 by 30 feet

 

Survey Description:   Site represents a small family cemetery with six marked interments enclosed by a wrought iron fence.  Observed graves were marked with headstones and oriented to the southeast (125 degrees).  Interior surface of the cemetery has been covered with fine gravel; this ill-designed attempt to control vegetation precludes any attempt to inspect the site surface for information regarding historic plantings, the presence of any other graves, or the internal nature of the cemetery.  The area surrounding the cemetery has been used for vegetable gardening and some of it is covered with mowed grass.  A surface inspection failed to identify conclusive evidence of additional graves outside the fence.  However, the local realty maps indicate that the cemetery occupies a large area.  It is not known if the cemetery contains unmarked graves or if much of the reserve is unoccupied. Site was field inspected, photographed, and headstone inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous site documentation.  Site size was derived by measuring the horizontal extent of the surrounding fence lines.

 

Surveyed By:        T. Klatka & D. Richardson

Survey Date:         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: Assigned temporal period was based on death dates inscribed on observed headstones.  These  dates ranged from 1863 through 1888.  Site is marked on local realty maps but is not marked on the USGS Roanoke map sheet.

 

The RVHS surveyed this cemetery and documented biographical information from the six headstones visible on the site (1986:  193).  The following information was transcribed during the 1997 survey.

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

In Memory of                                        Esther Persinger                   William Fayette

Dolphus G. Persinger                          Born                                       Persinger

Born                                                       June 6, 1807                           Born

Feb. 9, 1816                                           Died                                        July 30, 1876

Died                                                        July 22, 1888                          Died

Aug. 25, 1864                                                                                        Aug. 10, 1877

At Point Lookout Mtn.                       (These two graves marked with a single headstone).

(Footstone: D.G.P.)


Persinger Cemetery (continued)

 

Mr. Wm. Persinger                                                                               Mary Hester

born                                                                                                        Daughter of

March 19, 1801:                                                                                    Joel & Margaret

Died                                                                                                        Richardson

Par. 9, 1876                                                                                            Born

Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep,                                                         May 11, 1853

From which none ever wakes to weep.                                             Died

(Footsone: W.P.)                                                                                  Jan. 20, 1882

A loved one has gone from our circle.

On earth we shall meet her no more.

She has gone to her home in heaven,

And all her afflictions are o’er.

 

2D LT                                                                                                     In memory of

William Persinger                                                                 William Persinger, Jr.

CO E                                                                                                       Born

42 REG                                                                                                   Sept. 22, 1834

VA INF                                                                                                  Died

Sept 22 1834                                                                                          July 30, 1863

July 30 1863                                                                                           From wounds received in

(modern stone)                                                                                     Battle of the Wilderness

(This original stones has been

toppled, displaced, and

Covered with gravel.)


 

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