Near Nelson in Saline County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Sappington African American Cemetery Burials
Sappington African American Cemetery State Historic Site
Photographed by Jason Voigt, May 14, 2024
1. Sappington African American Cemetery Burials Marker
Inscription.
Sappington African American Cemetery Burials. Sappington African American Cemetery State Historic Site. This cemetery has existed since at least 1856. At first set aside as a burial ground for enslaved individuals, members of the Arrow Rock African American community continued to use it after emancipation in 1865 and into the 21st century. The cemetery had a board of directors that managed upkeep and acquired additional property. Although a 1950s fire destroyed most records, thorough research of remaining records has led to this burial list. There are many interred here in unmarked graves, or their markers have worn away, been misplaced or damaged. This list is incomplete, if you have information about a loved one to add, please visit with the staff at Arrow Rock State Historic Site. Letters and numbers beside each name, for example (A1), will assist in locating individuals on the map by following the grid locators along the map borders. The grid locators can also be found along the fence line. The grounds are uneven; depressions may also be evidence of a burial., (list of names of people buried in the cemetery)
This cemetery has existed since at least 1856. At first set aside as a burial ground for enslaved individuals, members of the Arrow Rock African American community continued to use it after emancipation in 1865 and into the 21st century. The cemetery had a board of directors that managed upkeep and acquired additional property. Although a 1950s fire destroyed most records, thorough research of remaining records has led to this burial list. There are many interred here in unmarked graves, or their markers have worn away, been misplaced or damaged. This list is incomplete, if you have information about a loved one to add, please visit with the staff at Arrow Rock State Historic Site. Letters and numbers beside each name, for example (A1), will assist in locating individuals on the map by following the grid locators along the map borders. The grid locators can also be found along the fence line. The grounds are uneven; depressions may also be evidence of a burial.
(list of names of people buried in the cemetery)
Erected by Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Missouri State Parks.
Location. 39° 1.965′ N, 93° 0.897′ W. Marker is near Nelson, Missouri, in Saline County. It can be reached from Missouri Route AA north of County Route 216. Marker is located outside the cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Co Rd AA, Nelson MO 65347, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Missouri River Corridor. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 369 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 20, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
