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

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. P., H. B.   (b. Unknown - d. Unknown)
Family plot. Initials: HBP
2. Page, Annie   (b. 10 Dec 1926 - d. 10 Dec 1926)
Stillborn.
3. Page, Arnetta   (b. Abt 1898 - d. 30 Jun 1930)
Daughter of Haywood Morgan and Lucy Thompson. Age about 32 years
4. Page, Calvin   (b. Abt 1854 - d. 26 Jun 1915)
Widowed. Son of Isaac Page and Agnes Lowe Page.
5. Page, Infant   (b. 14 Feb 1928 - d. 14 Feb 1928)
Son of W.W. and Mattie Page. Age 6 hours
6. Page, Infant   (b. Jul 1919 - d. 28 Feb 1920)
Age 7 months
7. Page, Martin S.   (b. Abt 1847 - d. 19 Jul 1917)
Age about 70 years
8. Page, Pattie   (b. Abt 1848 - d. 11 Jun 1910)
Age 52 years
9. Page, Rufus   (b. Abt 1855 - d. 10 Mar 1920)
Age 65 years
10. Paige, Bullock B.   (b. May 1923 - d. 9 Jul 1924)
Age 1 year 2 months
11. Palmer, Wesley   (b. Abt 1905 - d. 16 Jun 1928)
Age about 23 years
12. Parham, Eloise   (b. Abt 1898 - d. 30 Sep 1925)
Age 27 years.
13. Parham, Elvin   (b. Abt 1896 - d. 30 Sep 1925)
Age 29 years. Son of Walter Parham and Mary Brandon Parham. Father and son.
14. Parham, John   (b. Abt 1882 - d. 30 Jan 1917)
Age 35 years. Husband of Mollie Parham.
15. Parham, Macey   (b. Abt 1897 - d. 23 Jan 1919)
Age about 22 years. Died from flu.
16. Parham, Madie   (b. 2 Jan 1893 - d. 21 Feb 1919)
Age 26 years. Daughter of Walter Parham and Mary Brandon Parham.
17. Parham, Sie   (b. Abt 1834 - d. 22 Oct 1909)
Age 75 years
18. Parham, Walter   (b. Jan 1876 - d. 11 Apr 1928)
Age 52 years. Husband of Mary Brandon Parham. Son of Jourdan Paraham and Marie Haire. Father and son.
19. Parker, Bettie   (b. Abt 1869 - d. 5 Jan 1922)
Age 53 years
20. Parker, Emily   (b. Abt 1883 - d. 26 Feb 1918)
Age about 35 years
21. Parker, Lottie   (b. Abt 1874 - d. 20 Feb 1911)
Age 36 years
22. Parker, Maggie   (b. Abt 1879 - d. 11 Mar 1920)
Age 41 years
23. Parker, Margaret   (b. Jan 1912 - d. 5 Jun 1912)
Age 5 months
24. Parker, Margaret   (b. Abt 1857 - d. 2 Aug 1920)
Age about 63 years
25. Parks, Elijah   (b. Abt 1895 - d. 1 May 1927)
Son of James Parks and Octacer. Age 32 years
26. Parnell, Annie   (b. Abt 1896 - d. 3 Sep 1922)
Age 26 years
27. Parrish, Eva   (b. Abt 1891 - d. 21 Apr 1912)
Age 21 years
28. Patterson, Cornelia   (b. Abt 1909 - d. 31 Aug 1926)
Age 17 years
29. Patterson, Cornelia   (b. Abt 1881 - d. 16 Jun 1926)
Age about 45 years
30. Patterson, Emma Jordan   (b. Abt 1850 - d. 14 Mar 1915)
Widowed. Daughter of Obie Jordan and Ellen Turner Jordan.
31. Patterson, Eva   (b. Abt 1874 - d. 14 Jul 1915)
Age 41 years
32. Patterson, Henry   (b. Abt 1862 - d. 27 Mar 1932)
Age 70 years
33. Patterson, Lucy   (b. 20 Sep 1921 - d. 20 Sep 1921)
Stillborn.
34. Patterson, Maggie   (b. 2 Sep 1918 - d. 19 Nov 1918)
35. Patterson, Mary   (b. Feb 1907 - d. 18 Jun 1910)
Age 3 years
36. Patterson, Nathaniel   (b. Jun 1921 - d. 4 Mar 1922)
Age 9 months
37. Patterson, Rebecca   (b. 1844 - d. 12 Jun 1923)
Age 79 years. Another photo from February 2008.
38. Patterson, Sarah McGowan   (b. Abt 1836 - d. 21 May 1924)
Age 38 years. Wife of James Mustain Patterson. Daughter of Pete McGowan and Sarah McGowan. Another photo.
39. Patterson, Sterling   (b. May 1914 - d. 4 Jan 1915)
Age 7 months
40. Peace, Haywood   (b. Abt 1889 - d. 12 Jan 1911)
Age 24 years
41. Pearce, Calvin   (b. 1910 - d. 1 Sep 1918)
Age 8 years
42. Pearce, Jannie   (b. Abt 1879 - d. 21 Mar 1927)
Daughter of Callny and Minnie Green. Age 48 years
43. Pearce, Sallie   (b. Abt 1908 - d. 6 Jun 1911)
Daughter of John Pearce and Ada Ferrell Pearce.
44. Pearson, Annie L.   (b. 26 Dec 1915 - d. 15 Sep 1917)
45. Pearson, Cyniluce C.   (b. Abt 1832 - d. 10 May 1912)
Age 80 years
46. Pearson, George W.   (b. 1821 - d. 1902)
"Death is eternal life. Why should we weep."
47. Pegram, Nancy   (b. Abt 1871 - d. 3 Jul 1934)
Wife of W.D. Pegram. Daughter of Rowana Strudwick and Elizabeth Sowell Strudwick.
48. Pegram, William H.   (b. Abt 1874 - d. 17 Sep 1927)
Son of Gastin and Pattie Pegram. Age 53 years
49. Pennington, Elliott   (b. Abt 1855 - d. 6 Aug 1928)
Son of Wiley Pennington and Ellen Thompson. Age 73 years
50. Pennington, Flora   (b. Abt 1867 - d. 11 Sep 1927)
Daughter of Judie McKenney. Age 60 years
51. Peoples, June   (b. Abt 1881 - d. 2 Jun 1929)
Son of Jane Peoples. Age about 48 years
52. Peppers, Infant   (b. 24 May 1917 - d. 25 May 1917)
Child of Lovie Pepper. Age 1 day.
53. Peppers, Infant   (b. 11 Apr 1927 - d. 11 Apr 1927)
Son of Henry Peppers and Edna Stone. Stillborn.
54. Perkins, Esther   (b. Abt 1873 - d. 18 Feb 1919)
Age 46 years
55. Perkins, Hester   (b. Abt 1896 - d. 13 Oct 1918)
Age 22 years
56. Perkins, Infant   (b. 8 Mar 1910 - d. 8 Mar 1910)
Child of Lizzie Perkins. Stillborn.
57. Perkins, Mary   (b. Abt 1897 - d. 9 Feb 1926)
Age 29 years
58. Perkins, Pearl   (b. 15 Dec 1912 - d. 3 May 1913)
Age 4 months
59. Perry, Candis   (b. Abt 1865 - d. 12 Apr 1917)
Age about 52 years
60. Perry, Infant   (b. 17 Dec 1923 - d. 17 Dec 1923)
Stillborn.
61. Perry, Isaac   (b. Abt 1834 - d. 29 Dec 1910)
Age 76 years
62. Perry, James, Jr.   (b. 28 Feb 1923 - d. 1 Mar 1923)
Age 1 day
63. Perry, Mannie   (b. Abt 1875 - d. 18 Apr 1921)
Age 45 years
64. Perry, Willie A.   (b. 12 Nov 1921 - d. 25 May 1922)
Age 6 months 12 days
65. Pettiford, Nossie   (b. Abt 1885 - d. 28 Sep 1924)
Age 39 years
66. Pierce, Elizabeth   (b. 13 Feb 1925 - d. 27 Mar 1925)
Age 1 month 14 days
67. Pierce, Lewis   (b. Abt 1915 - d. 13 Feb 1932)
Age 17 years
68. Pierce, Mary   (b. Abt 1908 - d. 13 Apr 1931)
Daughter of Sylvester Pierce and Jennie Green. Age 23 years
69. Pierce, Ozie Lee   (b. Aug 1921 - d. 27 Dec 1921)
Age 4 months
70. Pierce, Sam   (b. Abt 1882 - d. 23 Jun 1928)
Son of Clara Pierce. Age 46 years
71. Pointer, Addie   (b. Abt 1886 - d. 11 Mar 1912)
Age 26 years
72. Pointer, Alonzo   (b. Abt 1913 - d. 12 Jun 1931)
Son of Will Pointer and Lena Terry. Age about 18 years
73. Pointer, Hattie   (b. Abt 1900 - d. 14 Mar 1918)
Age about 18 years
74. Pointer, Louie   (b. Abt 1898 - d. 12 May 1928)
Son of Simon Pointer and Emily McGeer. Age 30 years
75. Pointer, Novelle   (b. 13 Mar 1918 - d. 13 Jun 1918)
76. Pointer, Oatis   (b. 13 Mar 1918 - d. 13 Jun 1918)
77. Pointer, Simon   (b. Abt 1873 - d. 28 Oct 1925)
Age 52 years
78. Pointer, Will   (b. Abt 1878 - d. 18 Apr 1930)
Son of Sherrick and Annie Pointer. Age 52 years
79. Polk, Infant   (b. Dec 1922 - d. 18 Feb 1924)
Age 1 year 3 months
80. Poole, Fezza Ophelia   (b. 1891 - d. 12 Mar 1908)
81. Poole, Robert Lee   (b. Abt 1860 - d. 11 Feb 1913)
Age 52 years
82. Powell, Fannie   (b. Abt 1867 - d. 5 Dec 1930)
Age about 63 years
83. Powell, Infant   (b. 14 Sep 1928 - d. 14 Sep 1928)
Son of Willie Powell And Lena Davis. Stillborn.
84. Pratt, Bessie L.   (b. 4 Nov 1918 - d. 20 May 1919)
85. Pratt, Janie   (b. Abt 1892 - d. 18 Jan 1924)
Age about 32 years
86. Pratt, Nannie   (b. abt 1892 - d. 21 May 1915)
Single. Daughter of Ed Pratt and Francis Mabane Pratt.
87. Pratt, Tom   (b. Abt 1895 - d. 28 Oct 1920)
Age 25 years
88. Pratt, W. C.   (b. Abt 1880 - d. 6 Apr 1920)
Age about 40 years
89. Prince, Ethel L.   (b. 16 Jun 1922 - d. 8 Aug 1922)
Age 1 month 22 days
90. Purefoy, Clarence   (b. Sep 1894 - d. 15 Dec 1910)
Son of Haywood Purefoy and Sallie Ann Hedgepeth Purefoy. Age 16 years.
91. Purefoy, Haywood   (b. 25 Nov 1863 - d. 23 Sep 1923)
Husband of Sallie Hedgepeth Purefoy. Father of Rufus Baxter Purefoy. GUOOF symbol on grave marker. Another view.
92. Purefoy, Rufus Baxter   (b. 10 Jan 1905 - d. 5 Jul 1930)
Son of Haywood Purefoy and Sallie Ann Hedgepeth Purefoy. Age 24 years. Another view.
93. Purvis, Infant   (b. 25 Sep 1927 - d. 1 Oct 1927)
Son of Lee Roy and Laura Purvis. Age 6 days