Trout-Miller Cemetery

Trout-Miller Cemetery

 

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

Realty Map:          6021106?                                                                                20th c.

USGS Map:           Salem                                      Cultural Affiliation:              Euro-American

Grid Locus:            L-12                                        Landform:                              Ridge bench

UTM Easting:       588110                                    Elevation:                              1020 feet

UTM Northing:    4125880                                  Aspect:                                  East

 

Site Dimensions:  42 by 66 feet

 

Survey Description:  Site consists of a cemetery with at least 43 graves.  Observed graves included 11 marked with marble headstones or headstone fragments; three graves missing headstones but marked with footstones; two low, box tombs made of brick; at least 19 graves marked with fieldstones; and at least eight unmarked graves visible as ground surface depressions.  Numerous fragments of marble headstones were observed on the cemetery surface and these headstone fragments may have been associated with additional graves.  This cemetery has been severely vandalized and a number of graves have been desecrated.  Vandalism hindered the recognition of graves and precluded an accurate count of the number of graves present.  A brick wall capped with ceramic edging enclosed the graves.  Remnants of an iron gate were observed along the northwest wall.  The observed graves were oriented to the northeast.  Historic plantings included oak trees, boxwoods, yucca, and periwinkle.  Site was field inspected, photographed, and grave marker inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous documentation.  Site size was estimated by measuring two walls of the brick enclosure.

 

Survey Date:         11/98

 

Field Notes:           _x_Yes   ___No

Photographs:        _x_Yes   ___No

 

References:           Roanoke Valley Historical Society

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

 

Works Progress Administration of Virginia, Historical Inventory, Roanoke County, Virginia,

Document #82.

 

Additional Comments:  Assigned temporal period was based on the 1833 through 1933 range of death dates inscribed on observed headstones.  However, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers and unmarked graves may reflect an earlier or later use of the site.  The cemetery is not marked on the USGS Salem map sheet or on local realty maps.  Site appears to be located on the northwest part of a large, undeveloped parcel and located to the immediate south by south-west of a residential development that was planned around Stevens Street but not constructed.

 

This cemetery was initially surveyed in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration of Virginia and recorded as the “Trout-Miller Cemetery” in Document #82 of the Historical Inventory of Roanoke County, Virginia.  The WPA file provided biographical information for eight graves and described the cemetery as “. . . a private one.  About it is a brick wall.  In the enclosure are about fifty graves.  It is in good condition.”

 

More than fifty years later, the RVHS surveyed the cemetery and documented biographical information derived from inscriptions on 16 headstones that predated 1921 (1986:  232-233).  This list included information transcribed from seven of the headstones recorded by the WPA.  The WPA also recorded the headstone for George Trout, but only the footstone for this grave was observed during the RVHS survey.

 


Trout-Miller Cemetery (continued)

 

This cemetery had been severely vandalized following the RVHS survey and prior to the 1998 survey.  Portions of the brick enclosure were destroyed, at least five of the graves were desecrated, most of the headstones and footstones were dislodged from the ground, and many headstones were broken.  Disturbance to graves included the excavation of three graves, and both of the low, box tombs had been opened and the contents removed.

Other graves may have been desecrated.  The surface of the cemetery is now covered with a scatter of whole and broken headstones.  While this cemetery requires care, relocation of the graves should prove to be problematic, and any restoration efforts or repairs should be approached with much forethought and caution.

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

Michael Airheart                                                  Mary J. Brosius                                    In memory of

Born                                                                       Wife of                                                   my husband

April 26, 1818                                                        F.J. Brosius                                           George H. Miller

(stone sunken remainder                                    Died                                                        Born July 25, 1831

of inscription illegible)                                        Oct. 10, 1883                                          Died Dec’r 31, 1864

                                                                                Aged                                                      Aged 33 years

                                                                                38 yrs. & 24 days                                 5 mos. & 6 dys.

 

EJS                                                                          JWT                                                       JCT

(footstone only at                                                (footstone only)                                   (footstone only)

desecrated grave)

 

Mary Jane                                                             Elizabeth Simmons                               Virgie K. Simmons

Consort of                                                             Jan. 15, 1919                                          Apr. 20, 1925

Jacob C. Miller                                                      July 13, 1925                                          Jan. 21, 1933

Daughter of Joseph and Ann                            (footstone:  ES

Deyerle who departed this                                 desecrated grave)                                                George E. Simmons

Life Aug. 4th 1843                                                                                                                Sept. 9, 1914

Ag’d 20 yrs.                                                                                                                          Sept. 17, 1917

9 mos. & 18 days;

 

Headstones documented by the WPA & RVHS but not observed during the 1998 survey:

Anna Airheart / wife of / Michael Airheart / Born / Aug. 26, 1818 / Died / Dec. 7, 1884

Lizzie M. Bell / Consort of Lewis J. Bell / of Lynchburg / Dau. of J.P. & Hannah Kizer of Salem, Va. / who died on the 5th of October, 1850 / in the 18th year of her age

Elizabeth / Daughter of Michael & Elizabeth Trout / Consort of Michael Miller / August 13, 1793 / December 23, 1885

Michael Miller / June 13, 1790 / August 8, 1863

Mary Jane / Daughter of / Jno. & Elizaberth / Noffzinger / departed this life / Feb. 11th 1833 / Aged 2 yrs. 2 mos & 10 days

Eliza J. Shaver / wife of John / Trout Died / April 3rd 1853 / Aged 33 yrs. & 3 days

George Trout / son of John  & / Eliza J. Trout Died / May 2, 1857 / Aged 19 yrs. 2 mos. & 14 days

In memory of / Laupah, dau. of / David E. & Sarah / Trout / Died Jan. 17, 1867 / Aged / 5 mos. & 4 days

Sacred to the memory / of Mary Trout, Consort  / of George  Trout / Born Feb. 4th, 1792 and / departed this life / Jan. 25 1856 Aged / 63 yrs. 11 mos. & 21 dys.

 

Headstone documented by the WPA but not observed during the RVHS or 1998 surveys:

George Trout / January 11, 1782 / June 10, 1850


 

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