Stemple Cemetery

The Stemple Cemetery is located one and one-half mile’s north of Norborne, on top of the first set of bluffs.
Benedict Stemple, of Prussia, was one of the early settlers of Egypt Township. At the time he arrived in the area there was no town of Norborne, and few cemeteries in the area. Benedict Stemple plotted the cemetery around 1850, as one of the first graves recorded was 1852. After the town of Norborne was founded in 1868 the only cemeteries were south of the town and near the river. Consequently many of the older tombstones have the Sir names of the early residents of Norborne and the surrounding area, one in particular is John Dietrich who owned the land that Norborne was built on. Other names of the early settlers are: Auld, Hannsz, Hecke, Heil, Heisinger, Kallenberger, Kleman, Koontz, Pile or Pyle, Renzleman, Schies, Stevens, and Zimmerman.
Sketchy records of the Stemple Cemetery began in the 1880’s with Benedict Stemple recording the purchase of lots, giving the lot and block number. By 1889, John Dietrich was recording for the Stemple Cemetery, and in 1906 William Traugher was recording the purchases of the lots.

In 1908, Fairhaven Cemetery was developed. The developing of Fairhaven caused the demise of Stemple. However there were still a few families using Stemple.
Years later Stemple, became known as the only cemetery being used by the Black community of Norborne, however it is a cemetery of all ethnicities. Some of the names of the black community of Norborne buried in Stemple are: Alexander, Duncan, Holly, McCorkle, Peeler, Robinson, and Slaughter Thompson.

An account has been set up at Goppert Financial Bank in Norborne to accept donations for the upkeep and maintenance of Stemple Cemetery.