Cemetery a Day in May: Pablo Cemetery (Duval County)
Cemetery log date: May 17, 2014
Hello there #CaDiMers! You're looking lovely today. I'm really excited to tell you about Pablo Cemetery, near Mayport, FL, as it was the site of our most recent CRPT training. It has also been known as the Mayport Cemetery, and originally as the Dewees Family Cemetery. Recently, both research and preservation have become hot topics at Pablo. As a local and descendant, Janet (last name) began the "Andrew Dewees project", making lots of new discoveries regarding the cemetery's complex history. She has spent years pouring over genealogical records and historic maps to uncover the true nature and extent of the Pablo Cemetery.
Like many historic cemeteries in Florida and elsewhere, the modern fences are probably not an accurate representation of the cemetery limits (i.e. it's not unlikely that there are burials in other areas extending beyond the road, fence, etc.). Recently, Dr. Gordon Rakita of the University of North Florida (UNF) has joined the project to assist with defining the site boundaries and potentially locating unmarked burials and submerged monuments with a GPR unit. He also was present at the CRPT training and performed a GPR demonstration in the field.
WHO:
Founding members of the Mayport region, notably including the Dewees family and relatives, Yellow fever victims, and others.
WHAT:
Pablo is a privately-owned community cemetery just outside Mayport, FL. There is a "Mayport Cemetery Association" that maintains the cemetery.
WHEN:
The earliest known burial dates to 1881, although it's not unlikely that there could be older unmarked graves. It's also possible that nearby tributaries of the St. John's River could have swallowed an early section of the cemetery, as historic maps indicate they once flowed much closer to the modern site boundaries.
WHERE:
Pablo is located at the south end of Sand Castle lane, south of Wonderwood Drive. The address is technically Jacksonville, though the cemetery lies near the Mayport city limit.
WHY:
-Andrew Dewees and family are buried there, pioneering settlers of the northeast Florida area around Mayport
-Lily Thomas--a lady who lived to be 108--was a Singleton of the local fishing company in town
-The cemetery has an interesting and complex history. It's known that yellow fever victims were buried there, once identified by wooden markers that have since decayed.
-An expert witness noticed stone markers being purposely buried to make room for new markers. Locating these stones is a major component of Dr. Rakita's GPR work
-A phase I archaeological survey of the area identified prehistoric toolmaking debris and a soil signature indicating a mound may once have stood on the property.
2014 #CaDiM posts
2013 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: National, May 2: Oakdale, May 3: Murphy's Creek, May 4: Mt. Olive, May 5: Bosque Bello, May 6: Old City, May 7: Espanola, May 8: Tolomato, May 9: Pacetti, May 10: West View, May 11: Magnolia Springs, May 12: St. Peter's, May 13: Gravely Hill, May 14: Pilgrim's Rest, May 15: God's Little Acre, May 16: Dummet's Grave, May 17: No Name, May 18: St. Monica, May 19: St. Joseph's, May 20: Old St. Joseph's (Duval), May 21: Sampson, May 22: Fernandez Reserve, May 23: St. Ambrose, May 24: Sons of Israel, May 25: Sanksville, May 26: Huguenot, May 27: Nombre de Dios, May 28: Beresford, May 29: Jones, May 30: San Sebastian/Pinehurst, May 31: Oaklynn
Hello there #CaDiMers! You're looking lovely today. I'm really excited to tell you about Pablo Cemetery, near Mayport, FL, as it was the site of our most recent CRPT training. It has also been known as the Mayport Cemetery, and originally as the Dewees Family Cemetery. Recently, both research and preservation have become hot topics at Pablo. As a local and descendant, Janet (last name) began the "Andrew Dewees project", making lots of new discoveries regarding the cemetery's complex history. She has spent years pouring over genealogical records and historic maps to uncover the true nature and extent of the Pablo Cemetery.
Like many historic cemeteries in Florida and elsewhere, the modern fences are probably not an accurate representation of the cemetery limits (i.e. it's not unlikely that there are burials in other areas extending beyond the road, fence, etc.). Recently, Dr. Gordon Rakita of the University of North Florida (UNF) has joined the project to assist with defining the site boundaries and potentially locating unmarked burials and submerged monuments with a GPR unit. He also was present at the CRPT training and performed a GPR demonstration in the field.
 |
| CRPT Participants pose for a group shot at Pablo Cemetery |
WHO:
Founding members of the Mayport region, notably including the Dewees family and relatives, Yellow fever victims, and others.
 |
| Participants try their hand at GPR data collection |
WHAT:
Pablo is a privately-owned community cemetery just outside Mayport, FL. There is a "Mayport Cemetery Association" that maintains the cemetery.
 |
| Before |
 |
| After D2 cleaning |
WHEN:
The earliest known burial dates to 1881, although it's not unlikely that there could be older unmarked graves. It's also possible that nearby tributaries of the St. John's River could have swallowed an early section of the cemetery, as historic maps indicate they once flowed much closer to the modern site boundaries.
WHERE:
Pablo is located at the south end of Sand Castle lane, south of Wonderwood Drive. The address is technically Jacksonville, though the cemetery lies near the Mayport city limit.
WHY:
-Andrew Dewees and family are buried there, pioneering settlers of the northeast Florida area around Mayport
-Lily Thomas--a lady who lived to be 108--was a Singleton of the local fishing company in town
-The cemetery has an interesting and complex history. It's known that yellow fever victims were buried there, once identified by wooden markers that have since decayed.
-An expert witness noticed stone markers being purposely buried to make room for new markers. Locating these stones is a major component of Dr. Rakita's GPR work
-A phase I archaeological survey of the area identified prehistoric toolmaking debris and a soil signature indicating a mound may once have stood on the property.
Text and Images by Ryan Harke, FPAN staff, full credit to Janet for historical background information.
To locate more Northeast Florida Cemetery posts, search "Cemetery a Day in May" or #CaDiM
2014 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: Hilliard Community, May 2: Kingsley slave era cemetery, May 3: San Lorenzo , May 4: St. Mary's, May 5: Hibernia Cemetery, May 6: Oaklynn Update, May 7: Norwalk, May 8: Houston Pioneer, May 9: Greenwood, May 10: Geneva ,May 11: Rose Hill, May 12:Garden of Heavenly Rest, May 13: Port Mayaca, May 14: Key West, May 15: Felsmere Brookside May 16: Albritton May 17: Pablo Cemetery May 18: Flagler Family May 19: Masonic May 20: Gethsemane; May 21: Magnolia Springs. May 22: African Refugee, May 23: Pinecrest May 24: Fort Christmas, May 25: St. Luke's Episcopal, May 26: Crabgrass Cemetery, May 27, May 28, May 29: Fort Drum May 30: Pine Rest May 31: Welaka-Georgetown
2013 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: National, May 2: Oakdale, May 3: Murphy's Creek, May 4: Mt. Olive, May 5: Bosque Bello, May 6: Old City, May 7: Espanola, May 8: Tolomato, May 9: Pacetti, May 10: West View, May 11: Magnolia Springs, May 12: St. Peter's, May 13: Gravely Hill, May 14: Pilgrim's Rest, May 15: God's Little Acre, May 16: Dummet's Grave, May 17: No Name, May 18: St. Monica, May 19: St. Joseph's, May 20: Old St. Joseph's (Duval), May 21: Sampson, May 22: Fernandez Reserve, May 23: St. Ambrose, May 24: Sons of Israel, May 25: Sanksville, May 26: Huguenot, May 27: Nombre de Dios, May 28: Beresford, May 29: Jones, May 30: San Sebastian/Pinehurst, May 31: Oaklynn