Gray/Poff/Kropff Cemetery Check, Floyd Co., VA. On a hilltop along Hwy 221, across road from the Check County Store. (Verified June 2021 by Floyd County Hx Society)

N37.034016 W80.173276

Original Source: Compiled by Mary Conner Williams from lists compiled earlier by: Charles Gray, Gordon Obrecht, David Shank and Edgar Vest on separate occasions. (Mary did not personally see these stones and does not vouch for the accuracy)

Find A Grave Name: Gray Cemetery, Simpsons, Floyd Co., VA

aka

The GRAY/POFF cemetery located in the Check area, Floyd Co, Va.
Coordinates: 37.2'2.71"N, 80.10'24.45"W

charlesgray128 Posted: by Charles Gray - 1 Mar 2011 3:02PM:
This cemetery is located on a hilltop alongside hwy 221 and across from the Check Country store. It was in use from 1830 until about 1930. It contains about 30 graves. All the stones except for a few were laid flat as this hill is used as a large hay field. Charles Gray was back there in 2008 and all the laid down stones had become sodded over with grass and weeds. Charles Gray had all the buried stones uncovered and cleaned. Some are no longer readable. but Charles Gray had copied the inscriptions some 60 years ago.

On the 1st and 18th of March 2014, Find A Grave Member - 48269220 verified all the headstones in and around the block wall of this cemetery.

Note: Joseph Howard "Joe" Gray Jr., likely buried in the grave next to his wife Elizabeth "Terry" Gray.

The Kropff Family were victims of the 1862 Diphtheria Epidemic

GRAY-POFF-KROPFF CEMETERY is a link to Mary Conner Williams work.

The Grays of London, England

(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014 with the note “The Poff & Kropff stones are within the cinder block area”

(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014 with the note “The stones of the Gray, Sowder & Collins family stones are laid flat in the field surrounding the blocked in stones.”

Annotations in Blue – added May 2021 by Barb Camery Reininger

Annotations in Red – correction to original text by Barb Camery Reininger

+ indicates on same tombstone

& indicates a relationship

Collins, Lucy B.	22 Mar 1872	25 Aug 1886		d/o James Matthew Collins and Sarah Ann Conner. (I have James Madison & 2^nd wifeSarah Ann (Conner) Collins. – BarbR
Collins, Mary F.	29 Aug 1878	10 Aug 1886		d/o James Matthew Collins and Sarah Ann Conner. (I have James Madison & 2^nd wife Sarah Ann (Conner) Collins. – BarbR CHECK)
Collins, Sarah A.	22 Apr 1850	29 Nov 1914		Nee Sarah Ann Conner, d/o Peter & Mary Jane (Martin) Conner. [Conner_Peter_Mary] James Madison Collins m. Sarah Conner 08-10-1865 at George W. Kelly's, Floyd Co., VA by George W. Kelly. He 26 yo single blacksmith, b. & living in Floyd Co., VA, s/o Thomas & Elizabeth Collins. She single 15 yo, b. & living in Floyd Co., VA, d/o Peter & Mary Conner. [Collins_Thomas_Elizabeth] (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Custer, Henderson s/o J. M. & Sallie Custer	2 Dec 1899	18 Dec 1907		s/o Joseph M. & Sallie Custer. [file] FAG: also have buried here a Mark Henry Custer, b. 30 Jul 1843, d. 04 Nov 1931, s/o Henry & Eliza (Willis) Custer of Franklin Co., VA [no file]; m1 Rhoda E. Gray; m2 Mary Catherine Prillaman.
Gray, Anna Wife of Joseph Gray	1 Mar 1780	3 Jan 1850 69y 10m 2d	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Nee Anna Custer. Erected by Rhoda Sowder 1^st wife of Joseph Gray [Gray_Joseph2]
Gray, Joseph	Mar 1779	Sep 1863 84y 6m	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Joseph Howard Gray Sr [Gray_Joseph2] m1 Anna Custer, 1780-1850, d/o unknown. m2 Nancy G. Walton 1851, d/o unknown. brother of Edward Gray
Gray, Arlington Rumburg	17 Nov 1888	22 Apr 1930	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Margaret Alice Elizabeth “Arlington” Rumburg d/o John Kirtz & 1st wife Margaret L. E. "Maggie" (Graham) Rumburg. [no file] m. James Maynard Gray 1905 Floyd (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Gray, J Maynard	2 Dec 1881	24 Sep 1910	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	h/o Arlington James Abner Maynard Howard Gray, s/o James M. & Nancy Ellen “Nannie” (Lester) Gray. [Gray_JamesH_Rhoda] m. Margaret Alice Elizabeth “Arlington” Rumburg 1905 Floyd
Gray, Elizabeth Wife of Joseph Gray Jr	24 Feb 1805	5 Jan 1880 74y 10m 11d	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Nee Elizabeth Terry, d/o Silas & Catherine (unknown) Terry. m. Joseph Howard Gray Jr 1828. [Gray_Joseph2]
Illegible stone				Thought to be that of Joseph Howard Gray Jr, s/o Joseph Howard Sr & 1^st wife Annie (Custer) Gray. [Gray_Joseph2]
Gray, James H.	15 Oct 1808	21 Aug 1870 62y 10m	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	James Hampton Gray, s/o Joseph Howard Sr & 1^st wife Annie (Custer) Gray. [Gray_JamesH_Rhoda] m. Rhoda Ella Wilson 1830 Montgomery.
Gray, Rhoda	1809	Mar 1872 63y	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Nee Rhoda Ella Wilson, d/o Peter & Rhoda (Hathaway) Wilson. [Wilson_Peter_Rhoda] m. James Hampton Gray 1830 Montgomery.
Gray, Edward	no date	30 Jan 1830 86y	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Edward Howard Gray - First known burial in this cemetery. Note top of map is S. Hand drawn may depicts early Gray family sites in Floyd & Montgomery County Virginia”. (src Find A Grave – added by Kenmare)
Kelley, Asa H	1 Mar 1886	28 Feb-1905	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014) "A voice is stilled, a place in our home which never can be filled"	s/o George Nathan & Jane Ann (Dewese) Kelley. [Kelly_GeorgeW_2wives]
Kelley, Odessa I	22 Jun 1891	Nov 1904	"Budded on earth to bloom in heaven” (src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o George Nathan & Jane Ann (Dewese) Kelley. [Kelly_GeorgeW_2wives]
Kropff, William J. + Kropff, Alice, His Wife	25 Dec 1859 19 May 1860	31 Jan1927 31 Jan 1927	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	William Joseph Kropff, s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff] m. Matilda Alice Poff 1880 Floyd Matilda Alice Poff, d/o Joseph Andrew & Emily (Sumpter) Poff. [Poff_Henry_Sarah] Edgar Vest said this couple died within minutes of each other. First, Mr. William Kropff died and then as his wife was summoning help, she also died. (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Kropff, Ann Wife of R.W. Kropff	24 Jun 1826	20 Jul 1898	Broken stone (src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	nee Mary Ann Gray, d/o Joseph Howards Jr & Elizabeth (Terry) Gray. [Gray_Joseph2] m. Robert William Kropff 1844 Floyd. (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Kropff, Robert William	9 May 1824	3 Mar 1913	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Henry & Barbary (Jenkins) Kropff. [Kropff] m. Mary Ann “Ann” Gray 1844 Floyd. (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Kropff, Asa	12 Mar 1855	20 Jul 1862 7y 4m 8d	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Kropff, Eli	27 Apr 1850	17 Jul 1862	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Kropff, Elizabeth	25 Apr 1857	9 Jul 1862	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	d/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Kropff, Ira	20 May 1856	30 Jun 1862	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Kropff, Lafayett	18 Sep 1852	18 Jul 1853 10m 5d	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Kropff, Martha L	2 Feb 1848	7 Jul 1862 14y 5m 5d	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	s/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Poff, Gladys	1898	1906
Poff, Herman Lee Dr	23 Jun 1887	6 Aug 1921	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Newspaper Article 1: Dr. Herman Lee Poff Homicide (PDF)
Poff, Ileta d/o Dr H L Poff	13 Sep 1918	15 Jul 1924	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Ileta Allie Poff, Herman Lee & Alma Florence “Allie” (Poff) Poff.
Poff, J.J. + Poff, Miriam E.	16 Feb 1864 20 May 1866	17 Jan 1933 9 Apr 1925	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Joseph Johnson Poff, s/o William Henry & Mary Jane (Carr) Poff. [Poff_Henry_Sarah] m. Miriam Ellen Kropff 1883 Floyd. Nee Miriam Ellen Kropff, d/o Robert William & Mary Ann “Ann” (Gray) Kropff. [Kropff]
Poff, Alton B. s/o J. J. & M. E. Poff	17 Aug 1904	18 Jan 1906	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Alton Brooks Poff, s/o Joseph Johnson & Miriam Ellen (Kropff) Poff. [Poff_Henry_Sarah]
Poff, Arvell Terry s/o J. J. & M. E. Poff	19 Nov 1907	21 Oct 1911	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Arvell Terry Poff, s/o Joseph Johnson & Miriam Ellen (Kropff) Poff. [Poff_Henry_Sarah]
Poff, Helena Maude d/o J. J. & M. E. Poff	9 Mar 1900	18 Apr 1900	(src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Helena Maude Poff, d/o Joseph Johnson & Miriam Ellen (Kropff) Poff. [Poff_Henry_Sarah]
Sowder, Peter A.	11 Dec 1852	23 Dec 1917	"Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord" (src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	Peter Auston Sowder, s/o Jacob & Rhoda (Gray) Sowder. (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)
Sowder, Rhoda	19 Sep 1824	07 Apr 1913	“A tender mother and faithful friend” (src: Find A Grave; Tracy C. added Mar 2014)	[Sowder_Jacob_Rhoda] Erected by her son Peter A. Sowder. Nee Rhoda Gray, d/o Joseph Howard Sr. & Annie (Custer) Gray. [Gray_Joseph2] m. Jacob Sowder 1848 Floyd. Jacob Sowder, b. 3-19-1819 Floyd, s/o Anthony & Catherine (Snuffer) Sowder. He d. 1862 in a Richmond, VA hospital of measles. (src: Ancestry.com; added by BarbR)