Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery

Virginia Beach (formerly Princess Anne Co) VA

They rest in the shadow of commercial development, saved from the fate that has fallen to so many small cemeteries.  The plot's grassy area is separated from its shopping center neighbor by a small fence.  The cemetery itself faces Diamond Springs Road at the corner or Wesleyan Drive, on prime commercial property in the heavily developed northern end of the largest city in Virginia.  Cemetery Photographed April 25, 2004.

"The Perfect Final Resting Place in a Less-Than Ideal Location" from 7/4/09 Virginian Pilot Section B Page 1

Simon Elliott

Died November 16, 1916

Age 60 Years

1900 Princess Anne Co, VA Census, p 2, Kempsville District, Supv Dist 2 ED 49 Sheet 2A, 39-45, Farm Laborer
1910 Princess Anne Co, VA Census, p. 13, Supv Dist 2, ED 86, Sheet 13B, County Road, #233-237, General Farming

The 1900 Princess Anne Co, VA Census brings Simon Elliott and his family to life.  He was an African American who listed his occupation as a Farm Laborer.  He was born in April 1860 in North Carolina, as were both his parents.  His wife had born 10 children, six of whom were living at the time.  One did not have to look hard to find the identity of his children.  Still living in Simon Elliott's household in 1900 were his children (aged 9 - 18):  Mary, William, James H., Alice, and Charles.  Living next door with his wife Martha and niece Gertie Whitehurst was son John W., aged 24.  The 1910 Princess Anne Co, VA Census Enumeration indicates that Simon Elliott's occupation was General Farming and that he lived on County Road.  Four of his living children were still living in his household.  Son William had married and was raising his family in a nearby household.

 

Rosetta Elliott

Died

June 17, 1916

Age 55 Years

 

Rosetta Elliott was born May 1867 in Virginia.  Both her parents were born in North Carolina.  In 1900 she had born 10 children, 6 of whom were living.  On the 1910 census enumeration she is shown as having been married 35 years and born 12 children, 6 of whom were still living.

 

James H. Elliott

April 5, 1887

December 27, 1919

 

James H. Elliott was a child of Simon Elliot and his wife Rosetta.  At the time of the 1910 Census enumeration he was unmarried and living in the household of his parents.

Mary E. Wills

Wife of

Lovely Wills

Born Aug. 26, 1888

Died Dec. 26, 1918

Lovely Wills has been located on the 1930 Princess Anne Co, VA Census living in the household adjacent to John W. Elliott.  His wife at the time was Alice, who most probably was the daughter of Simon Elliott.  Simon Elliott's 1900 Census Enumeration indicated that his daughter Alice was born February 1890, which is consistent with Alice Wills' age on the 1930 census.  The 1930 enumeration  indicated that Lovely Wills was 41 years old, born in North Carolina, and married first at age 21.  That marriage would have been to the deceased Mary E. and would have occurred about 1910.  His wife Alice was 40 years old and married first at age 29.  This would have been consistent with a marriage the year following Mary E's death.  Lovely & Alice had children named Virginia, Joseph, and Mabel living in their 1930 household, along with 21 year of Estelle Elliott.  Lovely Wills, African American, Year: 1930; Census Place: Kempsville, Princess Anne, Virginia; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 3.

 

 

L. L. Wills

Died Jan. 4, 1919

Age 15 Months

Most likely L. L. Wills was a child of Lovely & Mary E. Wills.  Was its name also Lovely?  The child appears to have died within days following the death of its Mother.

 

Mamie L. Lindsay

September 25, 1885

March 27, 1965

Mamie was my great-grandmother. She was a small woman who had an iron will. She and her mother owned the property which became the Kimnach Ford dealership.  My grandfather just died recently. He was 87. He was a deacon at Ebenezer Baptist Church.   Antoinette Lindsay

The following graves are all grouped together in the area shown in the picture at the top of this page.  There are unmarked graves, a number of which are covered with poured concrete or marked by floral bouquets.  The marked graves below are covered with concrete.  The name and date inscription is on the concrete.  Also on the concrete is the word "Community".

 

Name

Birth Date

Death Date
Loretta J. Johnson September 7, 1956 December 23, 1992
Leslie Scoggin Sr. January 13, 1932 July 16, 1995
Robert Lee Johns Sr. November 23, 1926 May 31, 1971
Winton Dudly January 10, 1890 October 31, 1970
 
In another section of the cemetery are the following graves:  A picture of the area in which they are grouped is shown at the bottom of this page.

 

Name

Birth Date

Death Date
Broken Stone Owens Age  
Walter A. Henry August 18, 1928 August 12, 1996
John Marshall Hawkins December 9, 1912 May 5, 1994
Nettie Virginia Hawkins November 13, 1915 April 3, 2002
Willie Mae Roberts October 20, 1929 April 29, 1996
William Thomas Roberts November 26, 1917 February 8, 1988
Littleton P. Roberts May 24, 1914 January 2, 1986
Ida Virginia Roberts July 17, 1896 May 3, 1977
John L. Roberts September 3, 1892 April 22, 1969
Peter Roberts May 1, 1853 July 31, 19?6
Nettie Roberts January 1, 1850 May 6, 1915
 

Peter Roberts' history might prove very interesting to a 21st century looking back.  A young unmarried Peter Roberts was found in 1870 & 1880 living with his father Thomas who was born about 1820 in North Carolina, and his stepmother Eliza who was born in Maryland.  That Peter Roberts is listed as 20 years old in 1870 and 21 years old in 1880.  So his true age is somewhat in doubt.  The 1880 Census enumeration lists both his parents born in North Carolina, which is consistent with later records for the Peter Roberts we know to be buried near Diamond Springs Road.  The latter Peter Roberts was born in North Carolina, as were both his parents.  He probably lived the early part of his life in slavery.  By 1900 he is a farmer in the Kempsville District of Princess Anne County, VA and has been married to his wife Nettie for 19 years.  She has born him 6 children with three still living.  All three:  John, George and William were enumerated with the family in 1900.  Nettie was born in North Carolina, as were both her parents.  The John L. Roberts buried next to Peter is almost certainly his oldest living son.  The birth date on John's grave does show him 10 years younger than he actually was.  Peter Roberts' 1900 Census enumeration indicates that his son John was born September 1882.  By 1910 John was the only child  living in the household.  His age is still consistent with a 1882 birth date.  William is living next door, with wife Pink.  The young couple had no children.  Not surprising is the fact that John & Simon Elliott were their closest neighbors.

 

Isolated from the other graves, possibly among other unmarked graves, but the only stone in its area is:

 

Name

Birth Date

Death Date
Mildred Vernice Jones January 19, 1923 February 5, 1990
 

Under a tree is a concrete covered grave whose inscription is covered with ivy, leaves and dirt.  The only word that was visible was Scales.

 

 

05/27/2010 09:09:55 PM