Locality:
Realty Map: 95.01-2-20 Cultural
Affiliation: Euro-American
USGS Map:
Grid Locus: E-7 Elevation: 1540 feet
UTM Easting: 581350 Aspect: Flat
UTM Northing: 4116310
Site Dimensions: 67
by 157 feet
Survey Description:
Site consists of a small family cemetery with at least 40 graves. Observed graves included 12 marked with
granite or marble headstones, 25 marked with uninscribed fieldstone markers,
and at least three unmarked graves. It
is likely that other graves are present in the cemetery. All of the observed graves ranged in
orientation from 85 to 90 degrees northeast by east. Site is not enclosed by a fence but is surrounded
by a mixed pine and deciduous forest to the west, north, and east. A hay field borders the south side of the
cemetery. A chain link fence that
measured 23.3 by 13.4 by 23.1 by 13.5 feet was located in the western part of
the cemetery. This fence encloses the
graves for the Stump and Pendleton families.
The site is covered with mowed grass and historic plantings include
boxwoods, yucca, periwinkle ground cover, and a variety of trees. The trees include dogwood, white pines,
hickory, walnuts, and oaks. 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 observed
graves.
Survey Date: 8/98
Field Notes: _x_Yes ___No
Photographs: _x_Yes ___No
References:
1986
Works Progress Administration of
Document #333.
Additional Comments:
Assigned temporal period was based on the 1839 through 1962 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 not marked on the
This cemetery was initially surveyed in 1937 by the Works
Progress Administration of Virginia and recorded as the “Gideon Turner
Cemetery” in Document #333 of the Historical Inventory of Roanoke County,
Virginia. The WPA file provided
biographical information for the 1844 grave of Charles L. Turner and the 1838
grave for an infant of Gideon and Ruth Turner.
The RVHS also surveyed the cemetery and documented
biographical information derived from inscriptions from nine headstones that
predated 1921 (1986: 233-234). The two headstones documented by the WPA were
also recorded by RVHS. The RVHS renamed
this cemetery the Turner-Day Cemetery.
Mr. Phillip Day and his son have been actively engaged in
clearing dense vegetation from the perimeters of the site. As a result of this work numerous fieldstone
markers have been uncovered and the boundaries of the cemetery have been
enlarged. It is possible that continued
work will uncover additional graves and permit a more accurate assessment of
site size.
Turner-Day
Cemetery (continued)
Marker Inscriptions:
Ethel Alene Stump Pendleton James
E. Day III
Wife of Charles
Burton Emma Stump Son of
Richard A. Nichols 1890-1945 1889-1949 James E. II & Katie L. Day
Nov. 27, 1931 At
Rest Oct.
22, 1930 –
Pattie Ann Lavinder Charles
Edward Day Claude
W.
Wife of Apr.
30, 1859 Son
of
Charles Edward Day Apr.
13, 1928 Lewis
& Estelle
Aug. 29, 1873 – Dec. 1. 1962 Turner
Mary A. In
memory of Infant
child
Wife of Charles
L. Turner of
L.H. Arthur Died
Sept 18 Gideon
&
Born 1844 Ruth
D. Turner
Mar. 10, 1833 Aged
1 Yr. & 5 M. Died
Dec. 8th
Died 1839
July 7, 1887.
Aged
54 Yrs. 3 Mo. & 27 Dy.
Our Mother John Farewell
Mary L. Son
of Our
Father
Arthur, Gideon
& Ruth D. Gideon
Turner
Born Turner. Born
June 28, 1853 Born
Died Dec. 18, 1899 June
18, 1838. Died
It was an angel Died March
27, 1889.
(marker’s
mark: Gaddess, Lynchburg)
In memory of In
memory of Susan
C.
Ruth D. Turner Samuel
F. Turner, Wife
of
Born April 20, 1812; Born
Aug. 21, 1831; Lewis
Kirkwood
Died Septr. 15, 1867. Died
Nov. 15, 1867. Born
Aged Aged
July
5, 1842,
55 years, 4 mos. & 25 days 36 years 2 mos. & 15 days Died
(marker’s mark: (marker’s
mark: Dec.
10, 1873.
Gaddess, Lynchburg) Gaddess,
Lynchburg)
Mary A.
Wife of
L.H. Arthur
Born
Died