Mount Moriah Cemetery (South Dakota)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mount Moriah Cemetery on
Mount Moriah Moriah is a mountain identified in the Book of Genesis; believed in Judaism, Christianity and Islam to be associated with the sacrifice of Abraham's son. It may also be the Temple Mount. Moriah may also refer to: Places In Australia: *Moriah Colle ...
in Deadwood, Lawrence County,
South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...
is the burial place of
Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...
,
Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late ...
,
Seth Bullock Seth Bullock (July 23, 1849 – September 23, 1919) was a Canadian-American frontiersman, business proprietor, politician, sheriff, and U.S. Marshal. He was a prominent citizen in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he lived from 1876 until his death, ...
and other notable figures of the
Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
. By tradition, the American flag flies over the cemetery 24 hours a day, rather than merely from sunrise to sunset. In the early years of Deadwood, there were two graveyards: The Ingelside Cemetery, which was part of the way up Mount Moriah and was filled quickly in the first few years it was open, and the Catholic Cemetery. Many prospectors, miners, settlers, prostitutes and children were buried within the Ingelside Cemetery, alongside Wild Bill Hickok and Preacher Smith. In the 1880s it was determined that the land where Ingelside Cemetery was located could be better used for housing. Most of the bodies there were moved up the mountain to Mount Moriah and re-interred. However, since many graves were unmarked or unknown some were not moved. Today it is not uncommon for people working in their garden or remodelling a basement or shed to find human bones as a leftover from the Ingelside Cemetery days. Mount Moriah's main attraction is Wild Bill's gravesite. Calamity Jane and Potato Creek Johnny are buried next to him.


Cemetery sections

The Cemetery has many different distinct sections in it. There are four different sections in the graveyard labelled
Potter's field A potter's field, paupers' grave or common grave is a place for the burial of unknown, unclaimed or indigent people. "Potter's field" is of Biblical origin, referring to Akeldama (meaning ''field of blood'' in Aramaic), stated to have been pu ...
, where the graves of unknown people or settlers that came from Ingelside were buried without a stone or marker. There is a Jewish section of the graveyard as there was a large Jewish community in early Deadwood and they were afforded more rights and equality in the rough frontier town than other places in the country at the time. Many of the inscriptions are written in Hebrew.
Sol Star Solomon Star (December 20, 1840 – October 10, 1917) was a Jewish American businessman and politician notable as an early resident of the town of Deadwood, South Dakota. Life and career Star was born in Bavaria, Germany, to Jewish parents. ...
, a partner of
Seth Bullock Seth Bullock (July 23, 1849 – September 23, 1919) was a Canadian-American frontiersman, business proprietor, politician, sheriff, and U.S. Marshal. He was a prominent citizen in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he lived from 1876 until his death, ...
, was a member of this early Jewish community. One section is labelled as a Mass Grave site. A fire burned down a lumber mill killing eleven men sleeping there at the time. Another section is labelled the children's section, due to the large number of children buried in Mount Moriah that died from the
typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...
,
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
and
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
outbreaks. Deadwood was home to a sizable number of Chinese that settled into the area during the gold rush, with an estimated 400 living in the city proper. The first recorded Chinese burial in Mount Moriah occurred on September 1, 1878. Over the next fifty years, approximately 33 Chinese would be buried in the cemetery. In 1908, representatives from the Chinese community received permission to construct a burner and altar in Section Six, where the largest number of Chinese were interred. The burner and altar was used for offerings intended for the departed spirits in accordance to their customs. However, because of the desire to be sent back to China, most of the bodies were disinterred. There are only three Chinese graves left in the cemetery, even though official signage lists as two. The three tombstones read: "會大毓坟" (Grave of Hui Tian Fei), Wong Ngan Oi ("January 27, 1915, Age 15 yrs."), and a child of Fee Lee Wong (Born in Deadwood, SD. Died March 20, 1899"). In addition there is a veterans section, where many Civil War and Indian War veterans are buried with gravestones supplied by the United States government at the request of their families.


References


External links


Mount Moriah Cemetery records
at
Findagrave Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present fin ...
.
Mount Moriah Cemetery records
at
Interment Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
.
Mount Moriah Historical OverviewMount Moriah Visitor's Guide
{{Authority control Cemeteries in South Dakota Deadwood, South Dakota Protected areas of Lawrence County, South Dakota Boot Hill cemeteries Black Hills 1880s establishments in Dakota Territory