Cooper-Kent-Heslep Cemetery

 

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

Realty Map:          72.02-2-11.1                           Cultural Affiliation:              Euro-American

USGS Map:           Elliston                                   Landform:                              Ridge slope

Grid Locus:            G-2                                          Elevation:                              1260 feet

UTM Easting:       572270                                    Aspect:                                  Southeast

UTM Northing:    4121240

 

Site Dimensions:  65 by 65 feet

 

Survey Description:  Site consists of a small family cemetery with approximately 34 graves.  Observed graves included 13 marked with modern inscribed markers and 20 marked with fieldstones.  One unmarked grave was identified on the basis of a ground surface depression.  Other unmarked graves may be present.  Cemetery was enclosed by a chain link fence with galvanized corner posts.  The site is covered with mowed grass and historic plantings include yucca, boxwoods, periwinkle and cedar 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:         7/98

 

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, Documents #95 and 153.

 

Additional Comments:        Assigned temporal period was based on the 1812 through 1967 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 Elliston map sheet, but it is marked on local realty maps.

 

Due to an apparent oversight the Works Progress Administration of Virginia documented this cemetery twice with two different names.  The cemetery was initially recorded in October 1936 as the “Kent Cemetery” in Document #153 of the Historical Inventory of Roanoke County.  According to the file, the cemetery contained many graves enclosed by a fence and was not well maintained.  The file documented inscriptions for the headstones of J.B.K. (1845) and John P. Stanley (Son of John and Hannah / Died april 11, 1858 / In the 27^th year of his age). J. L. Taylor was listed as the property owner.  This cemetery was also recorded in March of 1937 as the “Cooper Graveyard” in Document #95 of the county inventory.  The WPA file provided biographical information for the graves of Rebecca Cooper (Born Feb. 4, 1786 – Died October 20, 1850), John Barnett Kent (J.B.K. 1845), Mary Lucy Rayburn (Born Feb. 14, 1861 – Died May 9, 1863) and John P. Stanley (died April 11, 1858).  The file also reported the unmarked graves of Jacob Cooper and Jane Barnett (Cooper) Kent (daughter of Jacob Cooper and wife of John Barnett Kent).  The cemetery was described as “…a small, square graveyard, enclosed with a wire fence.  The report documented the presence of several large trees and bushes and reported “…there are few makers here, some of marble and limestone, one of wood, which is very badly decayed at one end.” Mr. James Taylor was listed as the property owner.

Cooper-Kent-Heslep Cemetery (continued)

 

The RVHS also surveyed the cemetery and applied the name “Cooper-Kent-Heslep Cemetery.”  The survey report documented biographical information for eight graves derived from oral histories and inscriptions from headstones that predated 1921 (1986:  98).   Both the 1937 WPA file for the Cooper Graveyard (Document #95) and RVHS survey report documented the wood marker for Rebecca Cooper.  However, this marker was not observed during the 1998 survey.

 

Marker Inscriptions:

 

Jacob & Rebecca Cooper                                   JLY 25^th                                  J__ Kent

John & Jane Kent                                                                JC                                                            Born Jy ____

(modern granite marker                                       1855                                                        Died J 3 ____

located in between the                                        (badly spalled fieldstone                    (badly spalled fieldstone

fieldstone markers for Jacob                              marker for Jacob Cooper)                    marker for John or Jane

Cooper and one of the Kents)                                                                                           Kent)

 

Mary Lucy Rayburn                                                            In memory of

Born                                                                                       Deyerle

Feb. 14, 1861                                                         Peter                       Regina Bownman

Died                                                                        __- 1812 1743 – 1828

Mar. 9, 1863                                                           (obverse side of modern marker)

                                                                                                In memory of

                                                                                                Deyerle

                                                                                Abram                    Sally Smith

                                                                                1777 – 1831            1778 – 1859

                                                                                (reverse side of modern marker)

 

John K. Heslep                                                     Nannie Jane Heslep                             Willie G. Heslep

1870 – 1959                                                            1873 – 1967                                            1878 – 1894

 

Virginia K. Heslep                                                Andrew J. Heslep

1850 – 1902                                                            1830 – 1922

                                                                                (an iron CSA marker

                                                                                located at foot of grave)

 

In memory of

John P. Stanley

Of Hanover Co., Va.

Son of John and Hannah Stanley

Died April 11, 1858,

In the 27^th year

Of his age

“For I knew that my redeemer liveth, and

that he shall stand at the latter day upon the

earth; And though after my skin worms destroy

this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.:

(maker’s mark:  Gaddess, Maker, Lynchburg)

 

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