Durham County North Carolina Cemeteries Other NC County Cemeteries
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252    GEER CEMETERY [CITY CEMETERY]   -   Surname starts with J

Location - on Colonial Street between McGill Place and Camden Avenue.

Coordinates: 36d 00m 37.0s N; 78d 53m 04.0s W Click here for Online Maps

This cemetery was known by the names Geer Cemetery, City Cemetery, Old City Cemetery, East Durham and Mason Cemetery.

This is an abandoned, overgrown cemetery. There are approximately four acres of graves of African-American people. There are many stone markers present, some very unusual. Many of the markers have been damaged. The earliest known burial was in the 1870's and the last burial occurred in 1944. This is one of the earliest African-American cemeteries in Durham and many black prominent people are buried there.

The cemetery was started in 1876 with the burial of an 11 year old black farm hand of Jesse B. Geer, who was killed accidentally after being dragged by a horse on the Geer plantation. On March 28, 1877 a deed was written selling two acres of land for fifty dollars to three men, the land to be used as a burial ground. The three men were Willie Moore, John Daniel and Nelson Mitchell. The deed was signed by Jesse Geer and his wife Polly. The deed stated that the land was to be used for burials and that the heirs of Moore, Daniel and Mitchell were to be responsible for the property. The cemetery was closed in 1939 after the health department inspected the cemetery and found that the cemetery was overcrowded.

Canvassed by Denise Lawson and the Durham Service Corps in 1992, they listed about 100 markers. In 2003, Carrie McNair and several volunteers extracted burials from the death records located in the Vital Records office. Durham County began issuing death certificates in 1908 and North Carolina law has required death certificates only since 1913. Thus, there were over 35 or more years of additional burials that were unrecorded except for whatever tombstones have survived.

Pictures of gravestones by Allen Dew in 2003, 2004 and 2008. Additional pictures by Jessica T. Eustice in October 2008 and Sarah Cook in October 2012 and Wayne Lee in 2019 & 2020.



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1. J., J. M.   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Footstone only with initials: J.M.J.
2. Jackson, Infant   (b. 25 May 1930 - d. 25 May 1930)
Child of Amos Jackson and Victoria McCombs. Age 3 hours 42 minutes
3. Jackson, Jessie   (b. Abt 1915 - d. 4 Apr 1924)
Age 9 years
4. James, John   (b. Abt 1894 - d. 1 Mar 1913)
Age 19 years
5. Jefferies, Hazel A.   (b. Nov 1909 - d. 28 Mar 1910)
Age 4 months
6. Jeffries, Ethel   (b. Abt 1892 - d. 25 Jun 1930)
Age 38 years
7. Jeffries, Thomas Anderson   (b. Oct 1919 - d. 26 Apr 1920)
Age 6 months
8. Jenkins, Annie   (b. Abt 1924 - d. 1 May 1930)
Daughter of Clarence Jenkins and Flossie Williams. Age 6 years
9. Jenkins, David   (b. Abt 1895 - d. 11 May 1928)
Son of Tom and Sarah Jenkins. Age 32 years
10. Jenkins, Delia   (b. 10 Jun 1880 - d. 22 Oct 1923)
Age 43 years.
11. Jenkins, Edgar   (b. Abt 1900 - d. 6 Oct 1934)
Husband of Annie Lee Jenkins. Son of Warren Jenkins and Dora Dickson Jenkins.
12. Jenkins, Jasper   (b. Sep 1923 - d. 8 Dec 1923)
Age 3 months
13. Jenkins, Josephine   (b. Abt 1908 - d. 22 Aug 1922)
Age 14 years
14. Jenkins, Warren   (b. Abt 1876 - d. 8 Apr 1924)
Age 48 years
15. Jenkins, Washington   (b. 1862 - d. 22 Jun 1922)
Age 60 years
16. Johnson, Alex   (b. Abt 1888 - d. 10 Mar 1911)
Single. Son of West Hall and Eliza Dunigan.
17. Johnson, Ann   (b. Abt 1836 - d. 7 Nov 1923)
Age about 87 years
18. Johnson, Annie   (b. Abt 1875 - d. 13 Jun 1911)
Married. Born in Chatham County, NC. Wife of Charles Johnson.
19. Johnson, Annie   (b. Abt 1848 - d. 30 Oct 1915)
Age 67 years.
20. Johnson, Clinton F.   (b. Sep 1927 - d. 9 Jan 1928)
Son of Daniel and Rebecca Johnson. Age 4 months
21. Johnson, Delia   (b. Abt 1877 - d. 12 Jun 1922)
Age 45 years
22. Johnson, Ella   (b. 1908 - d. 16 Jan 1912)
Age 3 years
23. Johnson, Etta   (b. Abt 1864 - d. 10 May 1924)
Age 60 years
24. Johnson, Infant   (b. 5 Nov 1922 - d. 5 Nov 1922)
Stillborn.
25. Johnson, Infant   (b. 20 Nov 1922 - d. 22 Nov 1922)
Age 2 days
26. Johnson, Lanita   (b. Abt 1861 - d. 10 May 1921)
Spouse - Stephen Johnson. Age 60 years. "Honored, beloved and wept, here mother lies." . Bottom part of marker from February 2008.
27. Johnson, Laura   (b. Abt 1875 - d. 5 May 1921)
Age 45 years
28. Johnson, Lula   (b. 9 Jul 1910 - d. 24 Nov 1910)
Age 4 months
29. Johnson, Mary J.   (b. 18 Feb 1873 - d. 8 Mar 1910)
Age 37 years
30. Johnson, Nancy Catherine   (b. 1923 - d. 16 Jul 1924)
Age about 1 year
31. Johnson, Robbie   (b. Abt 1887 - d. 28 Dec 1909)
Age 22 years
32. Johnson, Robert   (b. 27 Dec 1926 - d. 27 Dec 1926)
Premature.
33. Johnson, Steven   (b. Abt 1871 - d. 28 Dec 1931)
Age about 60 years
34. Johnson, Theodora   (b. Nov 1917 - d. 10 May 1918)
Age 6 months
35. Johnson, W. H.   (b. Abt 1884 - d. 15 Jun 1901)
Age 17 years
36. Jolley, Yellous   (b. Unknown - d. 8 May 1912)
Infant.
37. Jones, Abram   (b. Abt 1907 - d. 22 Sep 1911)
Age 4 years
38. Jones, Charlie   (b. Abt 1892 - d. 18 Mar 1918)
Age 26 years
39. Jones, David Gilbert   (b. May 1922 - d. 25 Aug 1923)
Age 1 year 3 months
40. Jones, Ernestine   (b. Jun 1928 - d. 12 Nov 1928)
Daughter of Darthon Jones and Mary Throps. Age 5 months
41. Jones, Infant   (b. 30 Oct 1928 - d. 30 Oct 1928)
Son of Haywood and Mabel Jones. Stillborn.
42. Jones, Infant   (b. 26 Oct 1928 - d. 26 Oct 1928)
Son of Nathaniel Wooten and Osie Jones. Stillborn.
43. Jones, Infant   (b. 5 Nov 1930 - d. 12 Nov 1930)
Child of Haywood and Mabel Jones. Age 7 days
44. Jones, Infant   (b. 14 Apr 1912 - d. 14 Apr 1912)
Child of James A. Jones. Stillborn.
45. Jones, Infant   (b. 13 Dec 1924 - d. 13 Dec 1924)
Stillborn.
46. Jones, Infant   (b. 18 Apr 1924 - d. 18 Apr 1924)
47. Jones, Infant   (b. Jan 1921 - d. 17 Dec 1921)
Age 11 months
48. Jones, Infant   (b. 20 Aug 1910 - d. 20 Aug 1910)
Child of James and Rosa Jones. Stillborn.
49. Jones, Infant   (b. 28 Nov 1917 - d. 28 Nov 1917)
Infant of Morris and Rebecca Jones. Stillborn.
50. Jones, John   (b. Abt 1893 - d. 12 Dec 1913)
Age 20 years
51. Jones, John W.   (b. 1 May 1891 - d. 10 Mar 1908)
Another view.
52. Jones, Johnny   (b. 10 Jan 1927 - d. 10 Jan 1927)
53. Jones, Lila May   (b. 17 Nov 1922 - d. 17 Nov 1922)
Stillborn.
54. Jones, Lucy R.   (b. 25 Jul 1887 - d. 11 Jun 1922)
Age 35 years. 'Asleep in Jesus'
55. Jones, Minns   (b. 28 Mar 1930 - d. 1 Jul 1930)
Child of Miney and Louis Jones. Age 3 months 3 days
56. Jones, Mollie   (b. Abt 1882 - d. 2 Dec 1918)
Age about 36 years. Died from flu.
57. Jones, Morris   (b. Abt 1896 - d. 10 Aug 1924)
Spouse - Rebecca Jones. Age 28 years
58. Jones, Nellie   (b. Abt 1889 - d. 22 Aug 1927)
Age 38 years
59. Jones, Queen E.   (b. 5 Jan 1928 - d. 21 Jan 1928)
Daughter of Needham and Mable Jones. Age 16 days
60. Jones, R. B.   (b. Abt 1851 - d. 3 Mar 1915)
Married. Son of Frank Jones and Julia Jones.
61. Jones, R.D. (Family plot)   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Plot # 128. Remaining are two stone pillars and a section of ornate wrought iron fence.
62. Jones, Rebecca J.   (b. Abt 1898 - d. 1 Dec 1917)
Spouse - Morris Jones. Age about 19 years
63. Jones, Robert   (b. Abt 1899 - d. 20 Oct 1919)
Age 20 years
64. Jones, Rodemer   (b. Abt 1861 - d. 9 Mar 1918)
Age about 57 years
65. Jones, Rosa   (b. Abt 1863 - d. 17 Jan 1923)
Age about 60 years
66. Jones, Sara   (b. Abt 1881 - d. 23 Feb 1924)
Age 43 years
67. Jones, Thomas   (b. 12 Jun 1894 - d. 10 Mar 1912)
Age 17 years
68. Jordan, Abner   (b. 11 Apr 1865 - d. 27 May 1945)
Widowed. Son of Obie Jordan.
69. Jordan, Phyllis   (b. Abt 1837 - d. 24 Aug 1929)
Age about 92 years
70. Jordan, Waverly   (b. 5 Jan 1918 - d. 21 Oct 1918)
71. Jordon, John H.   (b. Abt 1886 - d. 6 Jul 1928)
Age 42 years
72. Jourdan, Ester   (b. Abt 1842 - d. 25 Feb 1911)
Age about 69 years
73. Jourdan, William   (b. 15 Jul 1890 - d. 13 Feb 1910)
Age 19 years
74. Joyner, A. B., Rev.   (b. Unknown - d. 1926)
Very ornate marker. Another picture of marker in 2008.
75. Joyner, Abram   (b. Abt 1876 - d. 8 Oct 1926)
Age about 50 years
76. Joyner, Minera   (b. Abt 1877 - d. 25 May 1925)
Age 48 years
77. Judge, Amey   (b. Abt 1903 - d. 24 Dec 1925)
Age 22 years
78. Justice, Annette   (b. Abt 1850 - d. 27 Oct 1911)
Age 61 years
79. Justice, Eunice, Jr.   (b. Dec 1921 - d. 9 Feb 1923)
Age 1 year 2 months
80. Justice, Infant   (b. 18 Jan 1925 - d. 18 Jan 1925)
Stillborn.
81. Justice, John   (b. Abt 1883 - d. 29 Dec 1926)
Age 43 years
82. Justice, Madgie Pu   (b. Abt 1920 - d. 24 Apr 1923)
Age 3 years
83. Justice, Robert   (b. 27 Dec 1846 - d. 1 Sep 1926)
Age 79 years
84. Justice, Unknown   (b. 27 Dec 1840 - d. 1 Sep 1928)