Huguenot Cemetery
Encyclopedia
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 defacto 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 Huguenot
s, a French Protestant sect started in the 16th century in France.
Ghosts: The cemetery is reputed to be haunted by a variety of ghost
s and is one of the stops on the city's flourishing ghost tour industry along with the neighboring Tolomato Cemetery
. One of the alleged ghosts is that of a specter named Elizabeth. According to the various themes of her origin, she has been described as the daughter of a Spanish era guard at the City Gate who would often visit him and greet people entering the city or she is the ghost of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl who died in the 1821 yellow fever epidemic either at the City Gate or was left at the entrance of the cemetery.
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
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
Florida Territory
The Territory of Florida was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 30, 1822, until March 3, 1845, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Florida...
became defacto American possessions after the 1819 signing of the Adams-Onis Treaty
Adams-Onís Treaty
The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty or the Purchase of Florida, was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that gave Florida to the U.S. and set out a boundary between the U.S. and New Spain . It settled a standing border dispute between the two...
. 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
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
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
Memorial Presbyterian Church
The Memorial Presbyterian Church is an historic church located a 36 Valencia Street in St. Augustine, Florida. The church was built in 1889 by business tycoon and St...
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 Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s, a French Protestant sect started in the 16th century in France.
Ghosts: The cemetery is reputed to be haunted by a variety of ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
s and is one of the stops on the city's flourishing ghost tour industry along with the neighboring Tolomato Cemetery
Tolomato Cemetery
Tolomato Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery located on Cordova Street in St. Augustine, Florida. The cemetery was the former site of "Tolomato", a village of Guale Indian converts to Christianity and the Franciscan monks who ministered to them. The site of the village and Franciscan mission was is...
. One of the alleged ghosts is that of a specter named Elizabeth. According to the various themes of her origin, she has been described as the daughter of a Spanish era guard at the City Gate who would often visit him and greet people entering the city or she is the ghost of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl who died in the 1821 yellow fever epidemic either at the City Gate or was left at the entrance of the cemetery.