History of Anclote Cemetery

Section 35 - Township 26 - Range 15

According to "Tarpon Springs Florida- The Early Years" by Gertrude Stoughton, in 1867 Frederic and Benjamin Franklin Meyer, brothers, left their plantations in Ocala with their family and livestock.  After traveling the primitive roads they finally stopped about (3) miles west of present day Tarpon Springs.  After acquiring property from Captain Samuel Hope the two men built log cabins, planted their first crops and planted orange seeds they had brought with them.  In 1869 Frederic Meyer contracted yellow fever and after being taken by the illness was buried on the property; this was the first burial in what would become the Anclote Cemetery.  On September 11th 1871 Benjamin F. Meyer became the second burial in the cemetery when he too contracted yellow fever.  Benjamin served as a Sgt. in Co. H 2nd Reg. FL during the Civil War and also as a youth fought in the Mexican War.  Benjamin's widow, Sarah, received a small pension from the United States for her husbands service in the Mexican War.  Gradually others began to settle around the Meyer cabins and the community that was established became known as Anclote.  

Eventually a school, ferry, post office, general store and what was now becoming a community cemetery were established at Anclote.  One of Anclote's more prominent residents was Capt. Samuel Hope who while serving with the State Legislature petitioned the House to establish a lighthouse at Anclote, which on January 16th, 1879 was passed unanimously.  On January 20th, four day later, Hope pushed a joint resolution to establish a mail route from Anclote to Tampa, via the "Stevinson's Bridge".  Hope next asked for a mail route to be established from Troy, FL. to Anclote; both resolution were passed, the latter with only one vote of opposition.  The Anclote post office had been established only a few months prior on September 10, 1878 with William Cobb serving as post master; neither Cobb or Hope are buried in the Anclote Cemetery but both assisted in the building of the small community.  According to a deed dated June 1st 1878, Samuel Hope purchased forty (40) acres of property located in Section 34, Township 26, Range 15, this property is located on the Anclote River at the present day Pinellas/ Pasco Boarder on the Pasco side.  Soon after the purchase Samuel built a home and moved his family there from Brooksville where he had previously homesteaded land.  Hope received the deed for his property in Brooksville about the same time he moved to Anclote with the date on the homestead deed being also June 1st 1878.

Home of Samuel Hope and his wife, Mary Hooker Hope, located on the Anclote River in Pasco County.  Samuel and Mary are standing under the tree on the right, on the porch are William Hope and his wife, May Hope, Edward Hope, James Hope, and Ella Hope.  This picture was taken ca. 1890.  (Photo courtesy of Florida State Archives.)

Soon after the passing of Benjamin Meyer another pioneer resident of Anclote, Sudie Helvenson (1881), was interred in the cemetery.  Sarah A. Meyer (1892) and Sarah Ann Meyer (1899) became the next internments, these were the wives of Benjamin and Frederic.  William and Green Meyer, descendants of Benjamin and Frederic, became owners of the property.  After the death of William Meyer in 1904, Green decided to have the grounds surveyed and platted. In November of 1913 the land was officially designated a cemetery and the plat filed with Pasco County. (click here to see 1913 plat)

In 1915 another of Anclote Cemetery's confederates was laid to rest.  James Richard Jacks was born in 1835, in Tennessee, to parents William Martin Jacks born 1815 KY. and Narcissia Temperence Redding born 1815.  James R. Jacks was married twice, first to Bethany Herridge.  The date and location of this first marriage are unknown, however to this union was born Christopher, Leonidas, Lulla, Robert E. Willis and Conealus.  During the fall of 1861 Mr. Jacks became a member of the 24th Mississippi Infantry Company K, which was organized at Meridian, Mississippi with 11 companies.  The 24th Mississippi Infantry moved to Florida and then returned to Mississippi to take part in the siege of Corinth, after which the company served in Kentucky and then was assigned to an Army of Tennessee where they endured Hood's winter operation.  The 24th Mississippi Infantry participated in numerous battles from Murfreesboro to Atlanta and even saw action in North Carolina, this company also sustained many casualties; 116 at Murfreesboro, 132 at Chickamauga and 189 at Chatanooga.  For a time the 24th Mississippi Inafantry was consolidated with the 27th regiment and in December of 1863 totaled 491 and 354 arms.  After the Civil War on October 5, 1879 Mr. Jacks married Salena Emma Hall (1845-1935) in Layfete, Mississippi; to this union was born Erlie May, Ernest Lee b. 1880, Ouida b. 1884 and Olin E. b. 1890.  It is not know exactly when James and Salena Jacks came to Pasco County, however they appear in the 1910 Federal Census as living in Anclote and Mr. Jacks occupation was a farmer.  Both James and Salena Jacks were laid to rest in the Anclote Cemetery along with their daughter Ouida who on December 30, 1903 married Robert Mason Crumpler.  

     
James Richard Jacks and his second wife Salena Emma Hall, the dates of these photos are unknown. (Photos courtesy of Bill Wallace, TX.)


This is the Jacks Family plot where both James and Salena are buried.  Next to them is the grave of their daughter Ouida Jacks Crumpler.
(Photo courtesy of  Capt. Sally Thompkins- Chapter 2494 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Nellie Robinson)

 There are also a few, of the many, Anclote Lighthouse Keepers buried here. Among those are Benjamin Franklin Meyer, mentioned above, and his son Robert S. Meyer who was a keeper for 43 years.  It is believed that Dr. Baggett is buried here but there is no headstone for him, however there is a small marker with the initials JMB.  Dr. James M. Baggett was the first dentist in Florida to become certified and served as lighthouse keeper from Oct. 1888- July 1891.  Among Dr. Baggett's achievements was helping establish the West Hillsborough Times (now the St. Petersburg Times).  To the left is a picture provided to this web page by Brenda Knowles and may not be reproduced, which shows the Anclote Lighthouse and the home of the lighthouse keepers, the date of the photo is unknown.

Like most cemeteries in Pasco County there are many unmarked graves in the Anclote Cemetery. There are also several graves that lie on the outside of the cemetery property, these names will be included in the list of burial which will be added soon. Many times the graves on the outside of these properties are neglected, in some cases headstones are removed and graves are sometimes developed with the property; forever destroying history.

This cemetery is now under the care of Vincent Funeral Homes and seems to be pretty well maintained at the time of this posting but has had reports of unfit conditions in the past. A newspaper article states that the Anclote Cemetery was recently cleaned by a group of Pasco County inmates in 2005.

Anyone with additional information about the history or internments of the Anclote Cemetery can contact the page designer Jeff Cannon.