The Huguenot Cemetery (also known as the St. Augustine Public Burying Ground) in St. Augustine, Florida, located across from the historic City Gate was a Protestant burial ground between the years 1821 and 1884. The Spanish colonial city of St. Augustine, along with the entire Florida Territory became de facto American possessions after the 1819 signing of the Adams-Onis Treaty. The actual physical occupation of the city and Florida territory occurred in 1821.
Prior to American occupation the Spanish city of St. Augustine was predominately Catholic and the only burial ground within the city, the Tolomato cemetery, was reserved for Catholics. Recognizing a need for a formal Protestant burial ground an area just outside the city gate was chosen by the new American administration in St. Augustine. The first burials occurred in 1821 just prior to a yellow fever epidemic which claimed the lives of a large numbers of the city's inhabitants.
The cemetery until title to the cemetery property was acquired by the Rev. Thomas Alexander, who then turned over it to the Presbyterian Church in 1832, burials continued until 1884 when both Huguenot and Tolomato cemeteries were closed. The cemetery is believed to hold at least 436 burials according to city records. The cemetery although named "Huguenot Cemetery" isn't believed to contain any members of the Huguenots, a French Protestant sect started in the 16th century in France.St. Augustine and St. Johns County: A Historical Guide by William R. Adams P. 20A Guide to Historic St. Augustine, Florida by Steve Rajtar, Kelly Goodman Page 31
Tomb locations-inscriptions
INSCRIPTIONS IN THE OLD PROTESTANT GRAVEYARD AT ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. Vol. XLVIIPalatka, Fla. Oct. 20, 1881. Aged 5 years 18 days. This grave is about 7 feet from the south fence of the yard. Godfrey Foster, born Mch. 4, 1818, died Sep. 3, 1879. This and the preceding stone near each other and nearly alike. Flora Fairbanks, daur of C. & G. Foster, died Feb. 10, 1879, aged 25 years. Marble upright head and footstone. My husband P. O. Craddock born Sep. 22, 1824 - died Jan. 8, 1884. White marble head and footstone and wooden curbing. The four above graves are in the south-east corner of the yard - lot apparently one - 36 to 40 feet north and south, 9 to 10 feet east and west, paling fence partly down. Row 2. Mrs. Mary T. Smith a native of Liberty Co., Georgia, died at St. Augustine April 27, 1860. Aged 77 years. Stone erected by her daughter. Marble upright head and footstone. Row 3. An enclosed child's grave with four substantial posts and 3 rails on each side - no monument. Mary Almyr Mickler, died Augt 7, 1882. This grave has a wooden headboard, and stands north-east of the two Meckler graves in the adjoining row, 4. Row 4. Doctor Wm Robertson - by his only child. Mrs. Ann Robertson - by her only child. Lot close against the south fence of the yard - 9 feet by 9 feet, raised a foot above the general surface and entirely covered with coquina and cement. A cast-iron railing enclosed the two raised tombs each with a broad white slab placed horizontally atop. Next the above lot northwardly a wooden curbed grave - no monument. Captain Robert Mickler - who was born at St. Mary's, Georgia, 7 May 1800, and died at St Augustine, Fla., 9th Dec. 1848. Aged 48 years, 7 mos., 2 days. A horizontal marble slab on cemented foundation - a cedar at north-east corner. James A. Mickler, died Jan. 29, 1878. Aged 53 years. A native of St. Mary's, Georgia. Upright wooden head and footboard adjoins preceding northward. Mrs. O. Howes of New Haven, Conn., died May 29, 1883. A headboard in a lot with slatted curbing 2 feet high. Row 5. A large lot with cemented curb and paling fence above enclosing 3 graves - two adults and a child between; each grave with a cemented curbing and 3 cemented horizontal stones (apparently) at head. No inscriptions. Nancy Pinkham, died Jan. 31, 1876, aged 73 years. Erected by her niece S. J. Mitchell. Sallie Pinkham, died Sept. 11, 1875, aged 69 years. Erected by her niece S. J. Mitchell. Each of the Pinkham graves has erect marble head and foot stones on brick foundation. A large osage orange to the north of the S. Pinkham grave. George H. Emery, died July 30, 1880, aged -0 years. Only one figure of the age decipherable - doubtless an adult. Wrought iron fence in good condition, set in a cement foundation, under gate an iron plate with the name Emery. Lot 10 by 15 with paling fence around, contains several graves - one marked by a large cross another by a small headstone with the letters A. T. on it. Two large cedars, one at the north-east corner of the lot, the other at the foot of the cross-marked grave. A 3d small cedar at the lot's north-west corner. To my husband John Manucy, born Dec. 24, 1820, died Oct. 20, 1879 - aged 59 yrs. 9 mos. 27 days. White marble head and footstone and white marble curbing. (Third Florida Inf. Co. B CSA) An adult's grave with coquina head and footstone, both low. 6 feet north of the Manucy grave and east of the Whilden grave. Dr. J. Hume Simons. Lot with paling fence around - the size of one grave, and nailed to paling at head of grave a heart-shaped shield with zinc plat nailed to it containing above name.(from Charleston, South Carolina ) "A fond father and mother have caused this stone to be erected to the memory of their dutiful and affectionate son Edward S. Robinson, who departed this life 21st Oct. 1821 aged 20 y. 1 m. 8 d." A large cedar west of the broad marble upright headstone. Samuel Fleischman, son of Dirk and Elizabeth Fleischman born 6th Feb. 1807, died 18 Oct. 1821. Horizontal marble slab broken in two at centre, rests on brick foundation with marble corners. North of the above a coquina block with a depression for vertical headstone which is absent. Row 6. Robert Johnson Gibbs, obit Sep. 12, 1830. AEt. 23 years. Upright marble head and footstone within a brick walled enclosure - 7 by 9 feet. Grave in north portion of lot, and the lot is close against south fence of yard. "Mrs. Ann Campbell, who departd this life May 3, 1836, aged 60. A marble horizontal slab on a brick foundation." "Daniel W. Kissam, who departd this life on the 22d of March, 183-, in the 24th year of his age. He was a native of the City of New York." Inscription on a marble slab 3 feet 6 inches high and 2 feet wide, which rests against a large cedar. The trunk of this cedar has flattened out and at both __ upper corners overlaps the headstone. A large cedar also just outside footstone - both trees apparently planted at one time. Freeman Foster, died Nov. 12, 1877. An upright marble head and footstone. Grave adjoins that of Daniel W. Kissam. Ella M Foster, died Augt 26, 1877. White marble upright head and footstone. Adjoins preceding. "Maria Carman, who departd this life April 8, 1833, aged 40 years." Marble head and footstone - 2 feet high and wide. John B. Stickney, born in Lynn, Mass., May 25, 1832. Graduated at Yale College 1856. Died in Washington, D. C., Nov. 5, 1882. A blue and red marble monument of a number of pieces - nine to ten feet high. (Captain, 35th Massachusetts Volunteer InfantryPublic documents of Massachusetts, Issue 7 By Massachusetts p. 802 U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, 1876-82Reports of committees: 30th Congress, 1st session - 48th Congress, 2nd session By United States. Congress. Senate p. 474) re-interred Washington, D.C.) Mrs. A. W. Bradford, born in Charleston, S. C., Mch. 31, 1816, died in St. Augustine, Feb. 9, 1881. Wooden head and footboard, with wood curbing around the grave. An acacia by the headboard. "William R. Whilden, son of Elias and L.E. Whilden, Christ Church Parish, So. Car., who departd this life 23rd day of Oct. A. D. 1821. Aged 4 years 10 mos. 17 days." A horizontal marble slab on a coquina foundation. Row 7. Alfred Arnold, born in Ironstone, Mass. [?], May 1820, died in St. Augustine, Fla., April 1880. A white marble tablet set inside of a coquina obelisk, which with its supporting stones is 5 feet high. I. G. Happoldt, who departed this life 15 August 1821. Aged 53 years 3 months and 10 days. He was a native of Germany and long a respected citizen of Charleston. A white marble uprights slab - the roots of a large cedar pressed against the base of it. Ten feet south of the McKinney footstone in row 8, an enclosed grave with paling fence around in good condition. No stone. Row 8. Hectorina Kennedy Honfleur, daughter of John Grant, of Inverness, Scotland, died at St. Augustine, April 12, 1854, aged 43 yrs. Upright marble headstone - inscription on scroll.(born January 20, 1807, in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland)Hectorina Kennedy Honfleur Ancestry.com J. E. Knowlton, died Augt 5, 1877, St. Augustine, aged 69 years. White marble headstone. This last tribute placed here by the bereaved children of Josias Campbell, who departed this life 3rd day of Sep. 1830, in the 52 yr. of his age. A native of Ireland. Also, Elizabeth Campbell, consort of Josias Campbell, who died 5 day of July 1830 aged 39 y. 6 m. 23 days. A native of Camden, So. Carolina. Also, in memory of their son Josias, who died on the 4th day of July 1830, aged 3 yrs. 3 mos. 7 days. A large horizontal marble slab containing the above - slab tilted and the south-west corner in the ground. Helen A. Hasseltine, died June 3, 1881, aged 46 years. A coquina obelisk on two base stones, inscription on marble tablet set in one of the faces east of the obelisk. A coquina horizontal block without inscription east of the north line of the Stanbury lot. Covering perhaps a child's grave. Alexander McKinney, born 1818, died Feb. 28, 1882. Erected by his beloved children. Upright white marble head and footstone. Close to footstone a red cedar, and 3 feet north of centre of grave another. Mrs. Mary C. Furguson, of Charleston, S. C., who died 3d day of Novemr 1830, aged 34 years. Stone erected by her bereaved husband. Horizontal marble slab - directly adjoining the Josias Campbell tomb. Joseph Lord, born in New York, Mch. 1832, died in St. Augustine, Jan 12, 1880. White marble vertical tomb of 3 pieces, also footstone. These last two graves are between the Campbell and the Hasseltine graves. Row 9. Captain Edmund Hart, of New York, who died on 24 December 1830, aged 26 years and 4 months. A marble slab on a raised foundation. Dear Adell (perhaps Triay), died Oct. 29, 1877, aged 10 years. A marble head and footstone. Captain Giles Tenker, from Adams, Mass., who died Jan. 1, 1833, aged __ years. Head and footstone. A large hawthorn with ob-ovate leaves having a rusty ___ surface close to headstone. ' Mary Page Hinckley, died Dec. 2, 1877. Otis Hinckley, died Nov. 17, 1877. Each marked by a large coquina cross and coquina footstones - a square marble tablet set in face of the latter. Gustavus Beall, a native of Washington City, D.C., born Sep. 20, 1823, died Feb. 9, 1848. A horizontal marble slab which has been moved to one side, and the coquina foundation has fallen out. A locust at west end of tomb. J. Downing Stanbury, died Nov. 23, 1877. Vertical marble head and footstones with coquina bases. Downing Haydn Stanbury, died Jan. 10, 1878. Small marble cross and footstone - a child's grave. Manuel Crespo, died June 30, 1859; aet. 63 yrs. Head and footstone. Annie A. Lewis, born 1837, died Sep. 29, 1881, 44 yrs. old. A tall post - the board containing inscription, completing a cross. Rev. Wilbur F. Nields, who died Mch 2, 1867, aged 26 years. He was elected to the rectorship of Trinity Church, St. Augustine, Fla. He came but God called him before he assumed the duties of his office. A marble headstone. A rose shrub at foot and a cedar against the edge of headstone, planted, to judge from its size at time of interment.