Ghost in the National Cemetery

There’s something truly haunting about Cedar Hill Cemetery in Covington, VA

Covington Virginian, July 2, 1930.

With just a couple of weeks to go before Haunted Virginia Cemeteries is released, I find myself both counting down the days and diving even deeper into the stories that inspired it.

This project has never just been about ghost tales, though there are plenty of those to share. This research has been about honoring memory, tracing forgotten histories, and paying attention to the places where the veil between worlds feels just a little thinner.

On Wednesday morning, I’ll be leading a Meandering Among the Markers writing event in Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery. We’ll be walking, talking, and listening closely to the quiet echoes of the past. And later this week, a few friends and I are preparing for a séance. These are the ways I stay close to the material, and how I continue to be reminded that these stories don’t always stay on the page.


One site that continues to haunt me is Cedar Hill Cemetery in Covington, nestled in the Alleghany Highlands. With more than 10,000 burials stretching back to 1816, the cemetery is a striking landscape of stone and shadow. But it’s more than just historic. Cedar Hill pulses with the kind of eerie energy that makes even skeptics like me hesitate. Strange lights have been reported there for nearly a century. In a 1930 article from Covington Virginian, witnesses described blue flames flickering over a single plot, vanishing when anyone tried to get close. Others reported seeing them on the same night, describing them as ghostly, bluish will-o’-the-wisps. No source was ever found. No earthly explanation ever confirmed. And yet, they’re said to appear still.

Folklore has long warned us about blue fire. In European traditions, it’s often a sign of spirits or hidden treasure. Bram Stoker’s Dracula featured them, too, glowing mysteriously in the Carpathians. In Cedar Hill, they may just signal the presence of a soul that never found peace.

And then there’s the legend about the statue, a marble woman forever frozen mid-step, said to represent a young bride who died tragically on her wedding day. According to local legend, she fell down the church steps and broke her neck. Her grieving husband commissioned the statue in her image, but visitors claim she mourns still. Some even say the statue bleeds but only on Halloween. Journalists have gone out to witness it. None have succeeded. But the stories persist.

Nearby lies another grave, and another story, one that chills me every time I think about it. A young mother buried in 1848, was thought to have died of grief after losing her child. When the cemetery moved her grave decades later, workers discovered her remains face down, one hand raised near her head. It’s believed she had been in a coma, mistaken for dead, and awoke after burial. Her final moments must have been pure terror. Some say her spirit still lingers, her anguish imprinted in the ground itself.

Cedar Hill is not a place you simply visit. It’s a place that lingers with you. Those who walk among the graves at Cedar Hill don’t always leave unchanged. 

Sometimes, they carry a little of the place with them.

Two Weeks Until My Book Release—A Reflection on Pocahontas Cemetery

In just about two weeks, Haunted Virginia Cemeteries will be released. As I count down the days, I’m also deeply immersed in the work that led to this book: honoring memory, summoning stories, and yes, even preparing for a séance later this week (more on that soon). 

This week is a full one. I’ll be leading the TLA Community Circle via Zoom tomorrow evening and leading a Meandering Among the Markers event in Richmond’s Hollywood Cemetery on Wednesday morning. 

As I think about conjuring spirits, my thoughts return to my own family story—my grandfather, Stanley Pajka, a coal miner in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, who died of tuberculosis at forty-four. My father was just a child, unable to hug his “Pop” during those long, isolated months in a sanitorium. 

That history echoed strongly during my trip to Tazewell County, Virginia, where I visited Pocahontas Cemetery, established after the tragic 1884 mine explosion that killed at least 114 men. Walking among the graves, I saw inscriptions in Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Italian, and English, reminders of the immigrant labor recruited to Appalachia by coal barons, far from the American dream they were promised. 

Like the towns I visited in my childhood, Pocahontas is steeped in memory and haunted by loss. Ghostly sightings and unexplained phenomena persist in the cemetery. With recent state funding for restoration, including ground-penetrating radar to locate lost graves, perhaps the spirits are stirred by our renewed attention. 

A century after the disaster, Historic Pocahontas Inc. erected a memorial near Centre Street. Every year, the town holds a candlelight vigil to honor the miners. The dead are not forgotten, and their presence, I believe, is still felt. 

Stay tuned as I share more stories from the road and behind the veil. The ghosts are ready. Are you? 

Roses, Cemeteries & Friendship: A Sunday at Hartwood Roses

This past Sunday, I spent the day surrounded by blooms, history, and some of the best company at Hartwood Roses Open Garden Day. If you’ve never been, you’re seriously missing out—it’s one of those slow, beautiful days where everything smells like roses (literally) and time just feels softer.

This year’s event was on Sunday, May 25, 2025, and as always, Connie’s garden was pure magic. I still can’t believe we have been friends for ten years now. We first connected through our blogs back in 2015, then became social media friends, and cemetery adventurers together. I've attended the Hollywood Cemetery Rose Days that she led. We attended cemetery picnics together, and I've been on a few of her rose rescue missions. She’s a friend and one of the best advocates for preserving historic roses that I know.

Connie’s the reason I started growing cemetery roses in my own yard. She kind of drafted me (in the best way) into the mission to save these historic roses—once lovingly planted in cemeteries, now often neglected or mowed over by well-meaning (I use that phrase loosely) landscapers who don’t realize what treasures they’re cutting down.

There are probably more cemetery roses blooming in Connie’s garden than in most cemeteries. She’s rescued and labeled so many that walking through her garden is like taking a rose history tour. I spotted roses from Congressional Cemetery, tons from Hollywood Cemetery, and even the Emma Trainer rose—the first one I ever worked on reviving during Rose Day. Now it’s a gorgeous velvety red blooming Dr. Huey, thriving and showing off deep red blooms. Not exactly the rose she once was but still loved. 

Connie also introduced me to Anne Spencer’s garden in Lynchburg years ago, and that visit helped me see gardens not just as pretty places, but as living archives of memory and meaning.

After soaking up all the beauty in the garden, I made a stop at Fredericksburg Cemetery to visit the graves of novelist Helen Gordon Beale and her mother, diarist Jane Howison Beale. Sadly, that visit came with a heavy heart. Earlier this month, there was a major vandalism incident at the cemetery—over 15 gravestones were toppled or damaged, including markers belonging to former mayors and others with stunning religious symbolism. Repair costs are estimated at more than $20,000—a big ask for the small non-profit that maintains the space.

It is another reminder of how important it is to care for these tangible pieces of our past, whether that’s gravestones or historic roses. They tell stories. They hold memory. And once they’re gone, they’re gone.

If this kind of thing speaks to your heart, I highly recommend following Connie on Instagram @hartwoodroses to catch next year’s Open Garden Day (and enjoy some seriously gorgeous rose content in the meantime). She’s always sharing updates, and trust me—you’ll want to mark your calendar when the time comes.

Until then, I’ll be tending my little patch of rescued roses and feeling grateful for this community of caretakers, gardeners, and friends.

Haunted Virginia Cemeteries: Dare to Visit the Restless Dead?

The Richmond Newsletter (September 1936).

   At the corner of East Franklin and 21st Streets in Richmond lies the old Jewish cemetery—quiet by day, but by night, locals say, it stirs with eerie life. According to The Richmond Newsletter (September 1936 edition), neighbors whispered of midnight figures in long black robes slipping through the locked cemetery gate, of strange happenings that chilled the blood. 

   Mary, who lived beside the graveyard, admitted she often lay awake, fearing the ghosts said to roam the streets after dark. 

   Skeptics may scoff, but for those who’ve seen shadows move where no living soul should walk, there’s no doubt: something haunts this forgotten corner of the city. 

Red Moon, Miss Lucy Carter of Shirley, and Westover Churchyard

Earlier this month I noticed the gravestone of Reuben Hardy in Westover Churchyard. A quick search helped me find his death certificate and from there, I learned that he was a schoolboy living in Charles City, who was listed as an (American) Indian who had died of tuberculosis. He was originally from Utah. His father was James Hardy from Colorado and his mother’s maiden name was Teyuaruty. She was from Utah. 

The top of his gravestone reads "Red Moon," and the image appears to be a tipi. I had not seen this before so I posted the image on social media to see if anyone knew. No leads. 

From my initial searches, I found that there was a play called The Red Moon in 1908-1910, which "introduced audiences to African American and Native American solidarity"(Paula Seniors, “Beyond Lift Every Voice and Sing”). That made some sense for the area and the dates. I wondered if Reuben was in the play. 

Tonight, I took a deeper dive in research. In the US Indian Census Rolls for the Census of Uintah (June 30, 1913 and June 30, 1918), Reuban was listed as an orphan by the age 9. He was just 16 years old when he died. I was not expecting to find much more but then the informant listed on the death certificate caught my eye-- Miss Lucy Carter of Shirley, the daughter of Robert Hill Carter of Shirley Plantation, who would marry Edmund Fanning Wickham. She is most likely the reason that I found so much information on Reuban Hardy, including a death announcement in The Myton Free Press (Myton, Utah, 11 Jul 1918, page 5) which answered so many of my questions. 

The Myton Free Press (Myton, Utah, 11 Jul 1918, page 5) 

Reuben Hardy was Red Moon, which he kept as his Indian name. He was born on February 16, 1902 and was adopted by Lucy Carter when he was just a day old. She had been a missionary to his tribe, the Ute Indians of the Uintah and Ouray reservation which was located in Northeastern Utah. 

At 8-months old, Lucy Carter brought Red Moon to her home “High Hills” near Shirley. Red Moon appears to have traveled back and forth from Virginia to Utah but at the age of fourteen, his health declined. He was treated “going for some weeks to a hospital for the best medical care.” 

Red Moon was confirmed by the bishop before he died on Sunday, June 23, 1918. The next day, at three o’clock in the afternoon, he was buried in Westover Churchyard.  

Westover Parish was established in 1613. Around 1730, the present Westover Church building was completed. After the Revolutionary War and the disestablishment of the Church in 1784, there was prejudice against Anglicans who were considered English loyalists. Clergy fled for their safety, and congregations were confiscated or abandoned. Church services were revived in the 1830s but then the church was again desecrated during the Civil War by Federal troops who used the building as a stable. They even removed the gravestones in the cemetery to use as "tent floors." Meandering through the churchyard, you will not find any pre-Civil War gravestones today because of this. The church was again restored in 1867 and has been in use ever since (“History,” Westover Episcopal Church). 

Five American Presidents have attended church services at Westover, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and Theodore Roosevelt.  

Other than Red Moon's grave marker, what struck me most about this cemetery were the epitaphs. There were so many lovely sayings. And then there was this epitaph that focused on family. I mean, no pressure, right! 

October Candlelight Tours at Old City Cemetery-- the best living history event!

This year was the 16th season of the Candlelight Tours at Old City Cemetery Museums and Arboretum; it was my first time attending after wanting to go for many years. I attended on October 21 and was on the 8:10 tour, which I think was the last tour of the night and the last tour of the season. 

It was also right after I packed up from holding a book signing event in
the cemetery, so the evening felt extra special.

 The sky was clear and the moon was bright in the sky as visitors were led by lantern light by our “Spirit Guide” through the cemetery to visit six vignettes of actual cemetery residents “from beyond the grave” to hear “their fascinating tales of life — and death.” 

The scene actors and spirit guides were phenomenal. The amount of work that went into this event showed in all the details-- a great script, skilled actors and performers as well as parking attendants (old cemeteries just are not equipped for the size of today’s vehicles or any vehicles!), those who placed hundreds of candlelight bags along the paths, to the ticket takers. 

It was everything that I wanted it to be and more! It was one of the best living history events that I've ever witnessed, which just makes me love Old City Cemetery even more. 

It’s one of my top 3 favorite cemeteries for a reason. Also, it is perfectly normal to have a list of favorite cemeteries. I was excited to see a women writer from my book represented on the tour, but I had not expected that she would be the guest speaker at a church celebration. 

Actress Makeda Payne brought Ms. Lizzie Chambers Hall to life! I wanted to cry and hug her! It was quite emotional, especially since she was portraying a woman writer who is not frequently showcased. 

That is one of the best parts of these candlelight tours- they are not about being spooky or merely spotlighting the who’s who from the cemetery; each year, different cemetery residents are featured after months of research. 

I appreciated that the interpretation of history included three examples of Black women who were interpreted through the lens of Black joy- these women's stories (including Lizzie Chambers Hall, Harriet Burton, Judy Rieves) were respected and celebrated. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed the story of George Liskecomb Wilkinson who enlisted in the army and earned the rank of Sergeant in the Army Air Corps. Actor Russell Hill played George Wilkinson, which was extra special since Wilkinson had been the actor’s Boy Scout leader when he was young. 

Old City Cemetery even offered an accessible matinee tour during the day for those who were not able or interested in taking the nighttime tour. It was certainly dark! 

The tour brought our senses to life with the smell of apple pies (I believe these were actually fragrant apple candles or I missed out on tasty some pie!); I even went home with smoke from the bonfire in my hair. It was a magical night that I cannot imagine being topped.

Old Town Alexandria, the Ghosts & Graveyard Tour, and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider of the American Revolution

Yesterday, I had a book signing at Old Town Books in Alexandria. It was their town's Family Trick or Treat Day and the streets were filled with kids and families in costumes. We've had such nice fall weather during the last month but yesterday I was reminded that I live in Virginia and the summer likes to have one final moment like the end of so many horror movies. The temperature was in the mid-80s and sunny! Many of the kids and family members in costumes looked like they were going to melt. One father was dressed in a polar bear costume and I hoped he had an icepack tucked in place somewhere. 

When I had scheduled the book signing event, I thought it would be fun fall day to bring my best friend Sandy aka “Babushka” to check out the Trick or Treaters; and after the book signing, we could walk around town and even go on the Alexandria’s Colonial Tours “Alexandria’s Original Ghost & Graveyard Tour. While we didn't have the fall weather, there were plenty of activities in Old Town. 

We had tickets at 7:30pm, which was the perfect amount of time between my book signing, some shopping, and a dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. They had pumpkin spice margaritas, but I opted for black cherry, which I’m pretty sure ended up being watermelon flavored. That was probably a better choice for such a warm day. 

Old Town Alexandria makes it easy for tourists to visit because there are so many parking deck options. We stashed our purchases in the car before joining the Ghosts & Graveyard tour. There were many tours happening around the same time, which may have been other tour companies. The streets were packed and tour guides were leading groups everywhere. 

We went through an alley and down some streets in the area to hear ghostly tales and some pretty good/bad Dad jokes. There was a bit of history, some questionable history when it came to a story about a burial (someone without a knowledge of cemetery history in the US might not think much about it but it wasn’t accurate) and the biggest disappointment was that on the Ghost and Graveyard tour, the tour didn’t include any graves or graveyards! 

Before I scream “False advertising,” there were several different routes and the weekend before Halloween isn’t the best time to take a tour. The tour guides are probably exhausted from packed schedules, and the streets are crowded with activity. 

Because “Graveyard” was in the title of the tour, I pulled out my Find A Grave app and found the nearest churchyard—Alexandria’s Historic Old Presbyterian Meeting House and Churchyard. We headed over and I realized that this was the churchyard where the Tomb of the Unknown Solider of the American Revolution is buried. I had checked my app earlier in the day and wanted to walk over to see the grave. 

Normally, I would not have entered a churchyard at night. I was hesitant about doing so last night until Babushka and I realized that the church was filled with a congregation watching a silent movie. The gates were open and the churchyard was well-light. Plus, there was a large sign reminding us that EVERYONE is welcome. 

The visitor’s guide brochure shares that the churchyard was active as a burial ground between 1760 to 1809 and includes over 300 people including “Andrew Wales, the first commercial brewer in the Washington area,” a confidant of George Washington, Dr. James Craik, Thomas Porter, “who participated in the Boston Tea Party” as well as an unidentified Revolutionary War soldier “whose remains were unearthed just to the north of its current tomb” and was reburied in this churchyard in 1826.

All adventures with Babushka are fun. We spent time together and in the end, I had a fun book signing event in the cutest book store, had a great dinner, saw some amazing home decorations, had great guests on our tour, and Babushka and I saw "ghosts"(ghostly decor) and found the graveyard where history is haunting! 

The Jones Family Cemetery in Colonial Williamsburg

October 21st, from 5:30 - 8pm at Old City Cemetery- Last Night of their Candlelight Tours

 "Announcing a Very Special Guest on October 21st, from 5:30 - 8pm! Dr. Sharon Pajka, author of Women Writers Buried in Virginia, will be joining us to chat about her book, and sign copies for anyone who is interested! Her book features (among lots of incredible women) the writing & life of Lizzie Chambers Hall, who rests here at OCC, and who is a character in this year's Candlelight Tours" 

Grave marker symbols and a secret society

This is the grave of Henry Noble Taylor, known to his friends as Harry, who rests in the University of Virginia Cemetery in Charlottesville, Virginia. Taylor was a journalist and a war correspondent for the Scripps-Howard newspapers. He was killed on the job by machine-gun fire in the Congo on September 4, 1960. The inscription on his footstone reads: “He died to find and tell the truth.” 

 

While many of us delight in discovering grave markers with symbols from society and fraternal orders, it was fun to see the mark of the Seven Society, one of the secret societies of the University of Virginia. The Seven Society was founded in 1905. Their symbol includes the number 7 surrounded by the signs for alpha (A), omega (Ω), and infinity (∞). 

 

Siskiyou Daily News, September 8, 1960.

The inner workings of the Seven Society remain secret but their philanthropic gifts to the University include great flair. Gifts from the Seven Society have varied with donations including numerous sevens. In UVA Magazine, Robert Viccellio explains, “One notable example occurred during Final Exercises in 1947, when the commencement address was interrupted by a small explosion at the front of the stage, followed by a check for $177,777.77 floating to the ground. The money established an interest-free loan fund for any student, faculty or staff member who was in financial trouble.” 

 

Membership is revealed only upon a member’s death when a banner appears during the funeral. There is also a tradition of wreaths in the shape of the number 7 with black magnolias.  

 

Sources:

Robert Viccellio, “Wrapped in Mystery: A Guide to Secret-and Not-so-Secret-Student Organizations at UVA.” Virginia Magazine, UVA Alumni Association, 2012, https://uvamagazine.org/articles/wrapped_in_mystery. 

Siskiyou Daily News (Yreka, California), 08 Sep 1960, page 6.

...a student memorial in a university cemetery...

I have a new research project that I have started and was searching for a particular grave; yet I’m always distracted by cemetery memorials and epitaphs, which make me curious to learn about those who are interred in the cemeteries that I visit. 

Saturday was a beautiful day to be in the cemetery. I headed to Charlottesville to the University of Virginia Cemetery that was founded in 1828 and used as the burial ground for many of the prominent individuals from the university. 

Thomas Jefferson never made plans for a cemetery on the university grounds but disease, explicitly the typhoid epidemic in Charlottesville made the space necessarily.  

 

In this particular cemetery, numerous epitaphs note how each individual was connected to the university from professors, librarians, doctors, students, and even the children of those who worked for UVa. 

 

The memorial of John A. Glover

I’m intrigued by unusual deaths, deaths of students, and nearly anything circus-related so the grave of John A. Glover, who died on April 11, 1846 at the age of 21 years and 6 months piqued my interest when I saw that a Find A Grave bio noted that Glover was killed by the elephant keeper of a circus that came through Charlottesville. The source was listed as a letter from C.C. Wertenbaker, who was the son of UVa’s first librarian William Wertenbaker, to Prof J.A. Harrison (1897) in The Alumni Bulletin of the University of Virginia, Volumes 1-4. Professor Harrison had been inquiring about the history of the cemetery when Wertenbaker, who may have also enjoyed the unusual, shared details about the tragic incident.

 

 

Richmond Enquirer, March 26, 1846

After doing a little research, I learned that John A. Glover of Alabama had been a beloved student and his classmates offered a “tribute of respect” in that they believed the murder was “an atrocious murder” so they would wear black armbands, or the “badge of mourning for a period of thirty days.” (Richmond Enquirer, Tue May 26, 1846, page 4). 

Richmond Enquirer, April 21, 1846

The murder occurred when there was a fight at the the exhibition of Raymond & Co’s Menagerie of Animals. Glover, considered “an unoffending bystander, in no way participating in the conflict, received a blow on the head with a stick or heavy bludgeon, which occasioned his death in a few hours.” (Richmond Enquirer, Tue April 21, 1846, page 4). The article continues by noting that the person who had been arrested was discharged. 

 

David Maurer of Virginia Magazine goes into more detail about the incident pointing that Glover was not necessarily free from blame as he “foolishly tossed a burning cigar into the arena” of a lion pulling a cart with an animal trainer. Glover’s actions spooked the lion and caused an uproar. Maurer writes, “In a moment of blind rage, the infuriated trainer picked a large tent peg off the ground and struck the student with it” and explains that according to Wertenbaker’s letter, the man was tried for murder but acquitted. An evening that was intended to be a fun outing for some students turned into a tragic event. 

David Maurer. “Set in Stone: The Serenity of UvA's Cemetery Belies a Colorful Past.” Virginia Magazine. UVA Alumni Association. Accessed March 29, 2022. https://uvamagazine.org/articles/set_in_stone/. 

Richmond Enquirer, Tue April 21, 1846, page 4.

Richmond Enquirer, Tue May 26, 1846, page 4.

Feminist, writer, and game designer, Lizzie Magie's grave in Columbia Gardens Cemetery

Grave of Lizzie Magie in Columbia Gardens Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

Yesterday, I went out to visit the grave of feminist, writer, and game designer, Lizzie Magie. Born Elizabeth J. Phillips on May 9, 1866 in Illinois to Mary Jane Ritchie Magie and James K. Magie, her father was a newspaper publisher and an abolitionist who traveled with Abraham Lincoln in the 1850s. 

Photograph of author Lizzie Magie in My Betrothed, and Other Poems (1892), The Brodix Publishing Company, unknown photographer.

In the 1880s, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked as a stenographer and typist at the Dead Letter Office. Magie received a patent for her invention that allowed paper to go through the rollers more easily thus making the typewriter more user-friendly. This was during a time that it was quite rare for women to obtain patients. 

While I could find a good amount of information about Magie as a game designer and entrepreneur, finding information about her as a writer was a bit more of a challenge. 

 

In 1892, she published a collection of poems, My betrothed, and other poems.

 

In 1895, her story, "For the Benefit of the Poor" was published in Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly. This ending of this story was rather unexpected and if you read it and know me, you'll know that I love endings like this. 

And, in 1897, she had her short story, “The Theft of a Brain the Story of a Hypnotized Novelist and a Cruel Deed,” published in Godey's Magazine. I rather enjoyed this latter story about an aspiring novelist named Laura who just needed a little time to sit down and write her great American stories. She found the time when she was hypnotized but unfortunately, the professor who was the one who hypnotized her was not so trustworthy and shenanigans ensued. There were some aspects of the writing that were a bit dated but overall, I thought it was entertaining and I really liked the premise of the story and the characters for the most part.  

What Magie is most known for was popularizing the circular board game. In 1903, Lizzie Magie invented The Landlord's Game, and applied for a patent on her board game. Decades later after her patent had expired, Parker Brothers published Monopoly. Charles Darrow was credited as inventing the game until economics professor, Ralph Anspach discovered Magie's patents. He wrote a great tell-all book The Billion Dollar Monopoly Swindle (2010) about this.  

 

Landlords Game® ~ 1906, board game. Designed by: Lizzie J. Magie (Phillips); Published by Economic Game Company, New York, 1906; Patent Filed: Mar 23, 1903 - No.149,177 - Lizzie J. Magie; Patent Granted: Jan 05, 1904 - No.748,626 - Lizzie J. Magie; Image courtesy of Thomas Forsyth owner of the REGISTERED TRADEMARK "The Landlord's Game®" - See http://landlordsgame.info/

Magie passed away on March 2, 1948. She was buried beside her husband Albert Wallace in Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. 

The ghosts of Amélie Rives

Episode 53 - The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast-- I discuss Shockoe Hill Cemetery and Edgar Allan Poe

The grave of Narcissa Owen- memoirist, artist, and "Indian Princess"

On the Spring Hill Cemetery website under “Notables,” Narcissa C. Owen (183l-1911) is listed as "’The Indian Princess’ who lived at Point of Honor during the Civil War.” She is also listed as an “artist and the daughter of Thomas Chisholm, the last hereditary Chief of the Western Cherokees [as well as the] wife of Robert Latham Owen, Sr.”  After visiting her grave, I did some research and learned that she wrote Memoirs of Narcissa Owen, 1831-1907, published in 1907.[1] She also was a prominent voice in woman suffrage and the rights of Cherokee people. [2]

While she was a memoirist, she identified as a portrait artist and her most notable works include a notable a self-portrait, and Thomas Jefferson and His Descendants.[3] Her interest in Jefferson was an association with her father, Thomas Chisholm, who received the silver Peace and Friendship medal in recognition of being the last hereditary war chief of the Cherokees from Jefferson in 1808.[4]

Graves of husband and her son.

Born on October 3, 1831 to Thomas Chisholm and Malinda Wharton, Narcissa was the youngest of four children. She was the direct descent of Queen Quatisis, “the lineal successor of the seven original chiefs of Cherokee blood.”^[5]

Young Narcissa did not have the easiest upbringing. Her father died in 1834 and her mother was unable to care for all four children so her siblings were sent away to school. She remained with her mother for two years before she was also sent away.[6] When she was nearly 11 years old, she moved in with her older sister. She would go on to a women’s college in Indiana and then attend Miss Sawyer’s Female Seminary in Fayetteville, Arkansas.[7]

The Caney News, (Caney, Kansas: July 21, 1911).

She married her husband Robert Latham Owen, a descendant of George Washington on October 4, 1853, a day after her nineteenth birthday.[8] And since it sometimes feels like all roads lead to Richmond, Charles Dimmock, the architect who designed Hollywood Cemetery’s 90-foot pyramid that was erected in December 1868, was one of the groomsmen at their wedding.[9] This is a complete aside but while researching Narcissa Owen and then falling down a rabbit hole about Charles Dimmock, I learned that the Hollywood Memorial Association sent him to monitor the exhumation of the Southern remains in the Gettysburg battlefield. It was his report about the horrid conditions and desecration of the graves by farmers that recommended that the bodies be moved to Hollywood.[10]  

By the Civil War, Narcissa Owen and her family were living in Lynchburg. Along with five hundred other Lynchburg ladies, she helped provide young recruits with uniforms and hospital supplies. When there weren’t jobs enough jobs for sewing and earning an income, Narcissa Owen collected money from wealthier families to provide for the wives and children of Lynchburg’s soldiers.[11]

In June 1873, her husband passed away. Her son, Robert Latham Owen, Jr. and she moved to the Cherokee Nation. She was offered a position to teach in the Cherokee Female Seminary in 1880 and continued in the position until 1884.

Memoirs of Narcissa Owen, 1907

Although she was always interested in art, she began to focus on learning perspective and oil colors after she left her teaching position.

In 1907, she published her memoirs and then passed away a few years later on July 11, 1911. She was 80 years old.[12]

 

Epitaph of her son

---

[1] Narcissa Owen, Memoirs of Narcissa Owen, 1831-1907, 1907, The place of publication is not identified. Amherst College Digital Collections, Archives & Special Collections, https://acdc.amherst.edu/view/asc:788769/asc:788826

[2] “Mrs. Owen Was Indian Princess,” The Poteau News, (Poteau, Oklahoma: July 20, 1911)2.

[3] Stacie Boston, “Owen's Life Consisted of Love for Art, Music and Her People.” Cherokee Phoenix, March 4, 2021. https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/culture/owen-s-life-consisted-of-love-for-art-music-and-her-people/article_caaf7e08-7cf9-11eb-8e2e-fff0b25be0df.html.

[4] Janet Shaffer. "Narcissa and Robert Owen: The Point of Honor Years." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 89, no. 2 (1981): 166.

[5] The Caney News, (Caney, Kansas: July 21, 1911).

[6] Shaffer, 155.

[7] Shaffer, 156.

[8] Shaffer, 157.

[9] Shaffer, 156.

[10] Adrienne E. Robertson,"Charles Henry Dimmock (1831–1873)," Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Library of Virginia, published 2015.

[11] Shaffer, 159.

[12] Shaffer, 167.