Huguenot Cemetery

The Huguenot Cemetery 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.

INSCRIPTIONS IN THE OLD PROTESTANT GRAVEYARD AT ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. Vol. XLVII (1893), Page 300 Communicated by B. Frank Leeds, Esq.

This graveyard is just without the old north gate of the town. It has for its southern boundary the town ditch or moat, eastwardly the shell road, a continuation of George St. northward, and north and west the grounds of the large (Saint) San Marco Hotel. Two lots outside (west side of its north-west corner) of the nearly square area of the yard proper are burial lots (one or both) for Jews, but containing no inscribed stones. The fence of the graveyard proper is of posts and boards the entrance gate on its east side being mainly of wrought iron and upheld by cement posts.

A hedge, additionally, of low cedars runs along and inside its east line. Scattered about within are various planted trees, the cedar predominating, some of which are hereafter mentioned as occurring close to graves. The yard and its contents are in very fair condition, though I am told without a care taken. The list following, of the occupants of graves covered with inscribed stones, is complete. I have also noticed the graves indicated by fencing, or uninscribed boards, or stones, whenever such occur.

...
Wikipedia