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Saints, Sinners need cleansing
By
Linda Walton
OAK HILL -- No special memorial here honors war veterans but, in one cemetery, many of the occupants, including those who fought in battle, aren't resting in peace. The grave of World War I veteran Tom F. Jones is hard to find at the historic Saints and Sinners Cemetery because it is in a heavily wooded area that often requires a machete and an ax to access. Jones is buried in the Saints section of the cemetery, a faded military marker his only epitaph. Nearby, just part of a marker for Nancy Richards remains visible. Farther away, but also hidden in the heavy woods, are tombstones for Lena Granger, who died Feb. 5, 1921, at age 38 and Florence Granger, who died May 4, 1925, at age 24. A large tree has fallen down, obscuring the two graves, now entrenched under sprawling limbs. Down the road a bit is the second section of the all-black cemetery. Historically known as the Sinners area, it still is used for burials today. There, a bullet-ridden tombstone marks the grave of another World War I veteran, Private Robert Lee King. "Someone has used the back of the tombstone for target practice," said Courtney James, a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy, who wants to restore both sections of the cemetery. The sugar sand road leading to the cemetery is difficult to cross and frequently is used as an illegal dumping ground, with trash, discarded furniture and appliances littering the way. The condition of the cemeteries is obviously counter to what William (Bill) Williams, a freed black slave, had in mind when he came to Oak Hill in 1863, acquired property through land grants and gave the land for use as a cemetery. His son, John, and daughter, Mary, both are buried in the Saints cemetery. Bill Williams and his Indian wife, Flora, might also be buried there but those graves haven't been found. Deputy James, a member of the National Association for Gravestone Studies and Saving Grace (the association's Florida chapter), wants to find graves that have been missing. "There are indentations with no markings where graves are that need to be documented," she said. "There are also broken markers with pieces missing and obvious grave sites with no markings remaining." James, along with Doris "Dusty" Smith of Daytona Beach and about a dozen volunteers, have taken on the Saints and Sinners Cemetery as a pet project. "We are working on full documentation for all of the graves and want to do a full restoration. This obviously will take years," James said. "So far, they have documented about 172 graves, including about 20 in the now unused and historic Saints portion of the cemetery." The group hopes eventually to clear the site so that the hidden part of the cemetery will be accessible. They also are working to document the names of all who are buried there and plan to restore gravestones that have been vandalized and broken throughout the cemetery. The crypt of an Oak Hill woman's husband was so badly damaged by vandals several years ago that she had her husband reburied in Edgewater. Vandalism still is going on, according to James, who said many of the headstones have been damaged. And people still are using the present burial property as a dump. A week ago, a funeral was scheduled on a Saturday at the Sinners section of the cemetery, but the area was a mess. "We got a truck and hauled away four couches and other trash that had been left in full view of the cemetery by illegal dumpers," James said. "We also mowed the grass. I just couldn't imagine having to bury a loved one with all of that in view." There is no easy answer to protecting the graves. No burial charges at the cemetery mean no maintenance funds. In addition, the remoteness of the site makes it difficult for any constant surveillance by the city's small police department. After the death of the cemetery's founder, the property came under the ownership of Howard G. Putnam, who became a state representative, then served in the Florida senate. In later years, former Oak Hill city commissioner and mayor Toreatha Wood and her husband, Mathew, were appointed trustees of the property and they have remained in that position. Toreatha Wood's sister, a military veteran, is buried in the cemetery and her gravesite is one of those that have been vandalized. Wood has tried unsuccessfully to find financial assistance or a grant to restore the historic Saints cemetery and maintain the still operational Sinners cemetery. James and Smith may have the answers, since both said they believe grant funds can be found for several reasons, including the cemetery's historic standing. Other factors that might produce grants, according to the women, include the large number of military veterans buried there, the graveyard's status as an African-American cemetery and its poor condition. "There are grants available for endangered and neglected cemeteries, James said. Some of those alternatives will be discussed in a June 4 meeting between the Woods and several city officials. Meanwhile, James and the volunteers, who now come from areas other than Oak Hill, are continuing to document burials and clean up what they can in both sections of the cemetery. "These are people who built this town," James said. "They deserve respect."
