Headstones Restoration at the Pinehurst & San Sebastian Cemeteries in St. Augustine

Walking around the San Sebastian Cemetery in St. Augustine after Restoration Day 2021, the difference of the headstones before and after cleaning is so stark that it is hard to believe.

Much of the brush has been cleaned, the grass cut and weeds have been removed from many gravesites revealing graves and headstones that were previously hidden.

Edward Primes

March 6 1865

May 15 1919

Edward Primes was the son of Reverend Geo W Primes and Cornelia Primes, the brother of Mary Primes, George L Primes, Kate Primes, Joseph Primes, Nettie Primes, Cornelia Primes, Hattie Primes, Carrie Primes, Horatio Primes, and Quidalis Primes. 

Willie P. Whitted 

Oct. 7, 1879

Died Nov. 5, 1917

Willie P Whitted's headstone has the FLT initials: Friendship, Love, and Truth. 

The Pinehurst and San Sebastian signs on the gate have these initials as well, and according to the Grand United Order of Oddfellows, one of the cemeteries might have been an Oddfellows cemetery.

San Sebastian was a lodge under the Grand United Order of Oddfellows, and it was located at 92 MLK Street in Lincolnville.

Ella Leer

Born February 22, 1881

Died 1913

Ella Leer was only 21 or 22 at the time of her death. Her cross might be broken, but it is still standing more than 100 years later. 

Mose Henderson

Died Feb. 24, 1911

Mose Henderson's headstone is unrecognizable after being cleaned on Restoration Day, and it is almost as if it is a new headstone. 

Henderson was a member of the Silver Leaf Lodge, No, 76 K of P.

According to a newspaper clipping from the St. Lucie County Tribune, "the Silver Leaf Lodge, No, 76 was the only K. of P. hall owned by the colored people between St. Augustine and Key West." The clipping goes on to say that "This order was organized in August 1907, and now has 29 members."

Robert Williams

Born April 3, 1876

Died March 6, 1927

Pernella Wiliams 

Born Unknown

Died September 20,1926

Robert and Pernella Williams, a married couple died less than a year apart. He was a laborer, who had been born in George Town, Pennsylvania, and she was a dressmaker from Camden, South Carolina, but both had lived in St. Augustine for several decades. They lived at 17 Grove Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida. Robert's parents' names are unknown, but Pernilla's father was Scipio English from Camden, South Carolina. 

Sampson Sanders

Died August 22, 1915

Sampson Sanders was born in South Carolina, and he served in the US Colored Infantry as a private for the Union. The 128th Regiment for the United States Colored Infantry was organized at Hilton Head, South Carolina. 

Sanders died at the age of 65, which means he would have been born around 1850. At his death, he lived in New Augustine, which is what is now known as West Augustine in St. Augustine, Florida. 

The Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries Restoration Day on October 9th organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the West Augustine Improvement Association was a huge success with numerous local community organizations and a myriad of individuals and families coming out to help clean up and restore the cemeteries.

Despite the large number of volunteers, there is still so much left to do, and the West Augustine Improvement Association needs help from the community to finish the restoration and to continue with the upkeep and maintenance. 

There have been several attempts to clean up the cemeteries in the past, but unless these are regularly maintained Florida's nature will soon take over again.

The West Augustine Improvement Association is hoping to get a clean-up event scheduled every month, and they are looking for organizations, clubs, and, faith groups that would be interested in taking on and organizing a clean-up event, as the organization does not have the people or the funding to do this by themselves. For background information on how two of the oldest African-American cemeteries in Florida ended up in this state read the previous article. 

The West Augustine Improvement Association also meets every 3rd Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Collier-Blocker-Puryear Park (in the second pavilion) at 10 N Holmes Blvd, St. Augustine.

Everyone is invited to become members of the association, and it is not only for West Augustine residents.

If you would like to become a member, or if you would like to support the association's efforts to restore and maintain Florida's oldest African-American cemeteries in any way, please contact Willie Cooper, Sr. at Williecoopersr@yahoo.com. 

The West Augustine Improvement Association is now on Facebook, follow them for updates and new cemetery clean-up events.

How to Help with the Restoration and Upkeep of the Oldest African American Cemeteries in Florida:

Follow on The West Augustine Improvement Association:

• Visit the West Augustine Improvement Association website
• Sign up for the West Augustine Improvement Association newsletter
• Follow WAIA on social media: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

In-kind Donations:

• In-kind donations such as maintenance equipment, wheelbarrows, gardening tools, gazebos for clean-up events, nylon-bristle scrub brushes, soft brushes, D2 biological solutions spray, spray bottles, 2 or 3-gallon-sized garden pump sprayers and etc.

Donate Your Time:

• Organizations, faith groups, clubs, schools, and individuals can donate their time one weekend or more a year to help with the maintenance and upkeep.
• Organizations, schools, clubs, churches, or businesses can help host fundraising events.
• A law firm and/or an accounting firm can donate their services and help the association move its mission forward as they try to work with the county.
• Tree trimming companies can donate their time to help with tree maintenance and removal.
• Help spread the word about the condition of Florida's oldest African-American cemeteries through word of mouth and share how to help.
• Use your social media accounts to bring attention to the needs of the West Augustine Improvement Association and their efforts to save the Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries.
• If you know of someone, who might be able to help either via donation of time, services, or funding, reach out and help connect them with Willie Cooper Sr.
• If you are a media organization, consider featuring The Pinehurst and San Sebastian cemeteries to help bring attention to the needs of these and so many other forgotten African-American cemeteries throughout the state and the country.

Become a Member:

• Become a member of the West Augustine Improvement Association for a $10 annual membership fee. 

Donate Funds:

• Send a check made out to the West Augustine Improvement Association and mail it to: 

The West Augustine Improvement Association, 
455 South Volusia St
St. Augustine, FL 32084

Or

• Donate to the Pinehurst & San Sebastian Cemeteries GoFundMe campaign (Raising funds for new gravestones and upkeep)
• Donate to the Sponsor-a-Grave campaign at the Pinehurst & San Sebastian Cemeteries - 1 granite gravestone engraved and installed is $210.
• Donate to the West Augustine Improvement Association through PayPal. (You can use a credit or debit card too)

If you have any questions related to the cemeteries, about making in-kind donations, or if you need a donation receipt, please contact Mr. Willie Cooper, Sr. at Williecoopersr@yahoo.com. 

You can find more details from my research on the Pinehurst and San Sebastian Cemeteries Research page here. 

Learn more about black history in St. Augustine and St. Johns County at:

The Lincolnville Museum & Cultural Center 

102 M. L. King Avenue, 

St. Augustine, FL 32084

The Museum Hours Are: Tuesday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

For more information check out the Lincolnville Museum website.

The St. Augustine Historical Society & Research Library

6 Artillery Ln.

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Research Appointments can be made for Tuesday- Friday from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. by calling 904-825-2333 ext. 2.

For more information check out the St. Augustine Historical Society website.

Florida Public Archeology Network (FPAN)

125 Markland Pl.

St. Augustine, FL 32084

For more information check out the Florida Public Archeology Network website.

FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a free, international non-profit organization dedicated to helping people discover information about their ancestors and their family history.

Visit the FamilySearch website to get started.

*This piece was originally posted on the West Augustine News Connection on October 17, 2021.

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