Sappington Negro Cemetery - Arrow Rock, Missouri
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 01.996 W 093° 00.862
15S E 498756 N 4320468
Historical marker commemorating the African-American cemetery near Arrow Rock, Missouri
Waymark Code: WM1ER4
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 04/22/2007
Views: 43
Oral tradition says that prior to 1856, Dr. John Sappington, pioneer Arrow
Rock physician, gave approximately two acres of land to Emanuel Banks, a long
time and highly regarded servant, to be used as a cemetery.
Since the mid-nineteenth century over 350 Arrow Rock citizens of African
American descent and their descendants have been interred in this cemetery,
known as the Sappington Negro Cemetery. Among the notable local citizens
interred here are members of the Banks, Brown, Bush, Harvey, Parker, Switzler
and Williams families.
Working initially as slaves, and later as free men and women, many of
these family members and others worked as domestic servants, farm laborers, and
skilled craftsmen of various trades. They helped to build the historic
community of Arrow Rock and made major contributions to the history of this
area. ~ text of marker