Catawaba Church Cemetery

Locality: Roanoke County                  Temporal Period: 20th century

Realty Map:          7.00-2-49                                Cultural Affiliation:              African-American

USGS Map:           Catawba                                 Landform:                              Ridge top

Grid Locus:            A-14                                       Elevation:                              1820 feet

UTM Easting:       577760                                    Aspect:                                  Flat

UTM Northing:    4137100

Site Dimensions:  155 by 200 feet

Survey Description: Site consists of a large cemetery with approximately 112 interments.  Identified graves included: 59 unmarked surface depressions, 32 with uninscribed fieldstone markers, 14 with inscribed marble or metal markers, six with illegible metal alloy markers, and one with an uninscribed marble marker.  A very dense cover of periwinkle hindered a conclusive determination of the number of graves in the cemetery. All observed graves and headstones face east. A number of graves were marked with galvanized pipes embedded alongside inscribed marble markers.  A low wire fence enclosed some graves.  Site area now covered by a 15-25 year-old deciduous forest with a light understory.  Portions of a deteriorated post and wire fence continue to surround the cemetery.  A more recent post and plank fence surrounds the original fence with a buffer of about eight feet between the fences.  Site was field inspected and headstone inscriptions were transcribed and compared to previous site documentation.  Site size was estimated by pacing the horizontal extent of observed graves within the surrounding fence lines.

Survey Date:         8/97

Field Notes:           _X_ Yes ____ No

Photographs:        ____Yes  _X_ No

Reference(s):         Roanoke Valley Historical Society

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

Additional Comments:     Site was associated with the Catawba Church once located along Route 311.  This cemetery remains as the only tangible sign of a black community that resided in the area surrounding the intersection of routes 311 & 785.  Assigned temporal period was based on observed headstone inscriptions; however, the presence of uninscribed fieldstone markers and unmarked graves may indicate an earlier use of the site. Site is not marked on the USGS Catawba map sheet but it is marked on realty maps.

The RVHS surveyed this cemetery and documented biographical information from a single grave which predated 1921 (1986:45); however this headstone was not observed during the 1997 survey.  The following information combines all documented information regarding the cemetery.

Marker inscriptions:  (all markers are marble unless otherwise noted):

In memory of                                         Lucy C. Fairfax                                      Mrs. Jeannette Richmond

Rev. J.H. Henderson                            1915-1956                                               1896 - 1968

Aged 65 years                                      In loving memory                 (metal marker)

_____ by the

_____ churches

they will.

Gum Springs

and Catawba Va

Catawba Church Cemetery (continued)

Robert Phillips                                      Charles Twine                                       Price Ferdinand

Died Nov. 10                                         1858 - 1943                                             Cuff

1940                                                                                                                        June 9, 1885

Dec. 3, 1953

B L Anche                                             Mr. Russell Blaney                              Mr. Andrew

Sorano                                                   Age 85                                                   Bratton

Died Jan 5                                              1878      1963                                          1903 - 1978

1956                                                        (metal marker)                      

Mrs. Marie                                            Lula Fairfax                                            Mr. Randolph Drew

Bratton                                                   1871 – 1958                                            1907 – 1964

1915 – 1964                                            In loving memory                 (metal marker)

Mother

Bessie Ser_____

(Seritto?)

Single grave reported by the RVHS:    Blaney, Lucy / born 1829 / died 14 Oct. 1912.