Everywhere people have lived, people have died, and had their remains cared for. Cemeteries function as outdoor museums, teaching us about the lives of those before us.

Burials contain clues to the human past including settlement, subsistence, trade, and religious belief. The human remains in a burial tell only one part of the story. For all intentional burials, at least one person, if not many, were present to bury the deceased. These special places are a glimpse into the life of the individuals who settled and influenced our communities, and reflect the cultural practices and ways we care for others. Many of Volusia’s rural cemeteries are all that remains of once thriving settlements and the hopes and dreams of these pioneers.

Cemetery information provided by:

Julie Adams Scofield, AICP | Historic Preservation Officer
County of Volusia Parks, Recreation & Culture
202 N. Florida Ave., DeLand, FL 32720
(386) 736-5953 x 12008

Seville Cemeteries (1894)

Cemetery Rd., Seville

Four cemeteries sit beneath the oak trees on Lake Louise. To the north of the Seville community cemetery where many founders of the northern part of Volusia County are laid to rest are three African American cemeteries. The largest, known as the Mason’s Colored Cemetery is on land purchased from the Masonic Lodge in 1899 for a church and burial ground. The foundations of the St. John’s Baptist church remain in the center of the cemetery. The other, smaller cemeteries are known as Ward Chapel AME and AME Church cemetery.

Causey Family Cemetery (1873)

Church St., Seville

This cemetery is on private property but can easily be seen US 17. The Causey Settlement was made up of several brothers who arrived from Georgia in 1857. Thomas Erastus was accompanied by his wife, Ann C. and baby son, John Gibson. Their first home was a log cabin, which would later be considered the first home to have been erected within what was to become the city limits of Seville when it was incorporated in 1887. Erastus and Ann are believed to be buried with their descendants and other members of the extended family in this cemetery, although Erastus’ grave maker is no longer there.

Harris Family Cemetery (1918)

1435 N. US 17, Seville

This private cemetery is open to respectful visitors during daylight hours. One of the earliest burials in this family cemetery was Stephen Harris, a Civil War veteran who was born in Georgia in 1830. According to the military headstone, he served in Co. “F” 7 Fla. Inf. CSA.

Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Cemetery (1874)

S. Volusia Ave., Pierson

The focal point of this cemetery is the meeting house that was built in 1877. This structure housed the congregation of Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church, the first organized church in Pierson, and also served as a schoolhouse. As was often the custom at the time, the churchyard was a gathering place for the community. One of the notable burials is Melvin Long, the inspiration for a character in The Yearling.

Ebenezer Lutheran Cemetery (1885)

Corner US 17 and 3rd Ave., Pierson

Land for this cemetery was donated by Nils Pierson in 1885 and is associated with Ebenezer Lutheran Church founded in 1884 through the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Association of Pierson, Volusia, Florida. Headstones for Piersonville founding families of Swedish descent, the Andersens, Piersons, Eckman, Hagstrom, and others are located here.

Purdom Cemetery (1879)

Purdom Cemetery Rd., Barberville

Joseph Underhill, a Seminole War veteran who served from 1857-1858 and was stationed at Ft. Volusia is buried here, along with other Underhill family members, and early settlers: Minshews, Davis, Roberts, Purdom and others. The brick crypts in this cemetery are the earliest markers and are among only a few of this type monument found in Volusia cemeteries.

Midway Cemetery (1880)

385 Barberville Cemetery Rd., Barberville

The original Midway United Methodist Church was built on this site in 1872. It was so named to signify the midpoint of the Jacksonville-Tampa circuit at the time. A larger church was built in 1890 that was used until the 1960s. Visitors can visit this historic structure today at the Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts. Church members and Midway’s early pioneers are buried here– McBride, Morrison, Barber, Reeves, Cade, Buckles and other families.

Clifton Cemetery (1852)

Clifton Cemetery Rd., De Leon Springs

Soon after arriving in Volusia County in 1852, Henry and Phoebe Clifton’s infant child died and was buried south of their house. The baby’s grave was the beginning of the Clifton Cemetery. Later, the Clifton brothers joined the Confederate army leaving their families at the homestead. Fear of Union raids forced those remaining to flee to Marion County, and upon their return, the original grave was overgrown and couldn’t be found. The general area was well known, and when the next family member died, a fence was put up around the new grave, insuring no more lost graves.

Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Cemetery (1896)

735 Johnson Lake Rd., De Leon Springs

This small cemetery sits on high ground overlooking Johnson Lake. The Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church built in 1920 once stood at the front of the graveyard – it was demolished in 1965. The Daughtery family and others associated with the Spring Garden settlement rest here.

Lake Dias Cemetery (1887)

Lake Dias Cemetery Rd., De Leon Springs

Early settlers Tobias Blackwelder and his wife Dora (coming to the area in 1852) and other early settler families– Clifton, Hunter and Tedder– are buried on this high ground rising above Lake Dias. Here you can see many simple concrete markers decorated with shell, fragile and impermanent.

Pinehurst/Fairport Cemeteries (1886/1902)

495 Rhetta St./5030 Fairport, De Leon Springs

This large cemetery is the final resting place for several Confederate soldiers, and early DeLeon Springs families – Broderick, McGinness, Hamilton, Lynch and others. Adjacent to Pinehurst is the Fairport African American Cemetery with many unmarked graves, and headstones impacted by the modern roadway.

Glenwood Cemetery (1890)

2155 Guava St., DeLand

This cemetery is associated with the Glenwood Presbyterian Church, established in 1886, still serving its congregation on Grand Avenue. Judge Issac Stone is buried there, as well as early settlers; Van Cleef, Bredow, Buell, Conrad and Sproul families.

Bethel Church Cemetery (1883)

Spring Garden and Glenwood Rd., DeLand

Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church stood on the west side of the cemetery from 1883 till about 1937 when it was destroyed by fire. Here you can find the Rev. James H. Chandler’s grave. Chandler, a Methodist minister, county judge, county treasurer, and signer of Florida Articles of Secession, died in 1888.

Oakdale Cemetery (1882)

800 N. Clara Ave. DeLand

This is one of the largest historic cemeteries in Volusia County with more than 15,000 grave sites. Established in 1882 and called Sylvan Park, the cemetery was expanded and renamed in 1892. The new owners, the Women’s City Improvement and Protection Association of DeLand, Florida, raised $200 to purchase the property for this town cemetery. It is the resting place for many of the town’s founding members and notable figures.

Beresford Presbyterian Church Cemetery (1872)

West Beresford Ave., DeLand

This is one is one of the oldest formal rural cemeteries in Volusia County. Founding families of the of the Beresford community who began to settle here in 1870 are buried here; Kirk, Alexander, Hill, Lowrie, Sparkman, Stuart, Bracey, Wilcox and Douglass. These settlers, Civil War veterans (Union and Confederate) operated steamboats, planted orange groves, packed and shipped citrus, ran a general store, built homes and raised families. The Beresford Presbyterian Church once stood on this site.

Union- Baker/Wright Cemeteries (1898)

W. Euclid Ave. at Fatio Rd., DeLand

This African American burial ground was established by members of the Greater Union Baptist Church still active in DeLand. The earliest graves were unmarked or can no longer be found. The Wright family cemetery sits beside it to the east. This cemetery features several Mosiac Templar headstones. The Mosaic Templars of America was an African American fraternal organization founded in 1882 by two former slaves. The organization was established to provide important services such as burial and life insurance to the African-American community. Mosaic Templars’ burial insurance policies covered funeral expenses for members, both men and women, who maintained monthly dues. By 1913, the burial insurance policy also included these Vermont marble markers.

Hollywood/Lincoln Cemeteries (1875)

1031 S. Carpenter Ave., Orange City

On February 8 of 1875, a group of men from the new settlement of Orange City purchased this land from the state and dedicated this as cemetery for the growing town. In the same year, President Grant signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875 into law. This Act was a United States federal law enacted during the Reconstruction Era that stated all races and colors were “entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theaters, and other places of public amusement.” However, by 1883 the Supreme Court decided the act was unconstitutional. To comply with the ruling, the cemetery promptly divided into equal halves for whites and blacks. The western five acres became Lincoln Cemetery, dedicated for the internment of the town’s African American population. Hollywood became the white cemetery.

Lake Helen/Cassadaga Cemetery (1900)

1000 Marion St., Cassadaga

This cemetery serves the City of Lake Helen (founded 1888) and Cassadaga Southern Spiritualist Camp, the south’s oldest spiritualist community, founded in 1894. George Colby, the man responsible for establishing the camp which is still active, and Mary Stewart, also a Cassadaga pioneer are remembered here. Founding fathers of Lake Helen, A.H. Pelton and Samuel Currier are buried here. This cemetery is noted for its brick mourning benches, intended for those grieving their loved ones, and later adapted in local folk tales to be called “devil’s chairs.”

Enterprise/Evergreen Cemeteries (1882)

Enterprise Road, Deltona

The earliest marked grave in this cemetery is 1882, belonging to W. D. Moore. This cemetery replaced older burial places in Enterprise, probably due to the yellow fever epidemic and the decision to further separate the cemetery from homesteads and businesses. Annie Bradley succumbed to this disease in 1888 and is buried here, along with the Edward Lochhead Turquand (1894) Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church. This cemetery is still in use, alongside the Evergreen cemetery and includes unmarked graves of African Americans.

Osteen Cemetery (1881)

Osteen Cemetery Rd., Deltona

The earliest burials here are twin infant sons of M.F. and Annie Osteen. Later, in 1884 this land was deeded to John Sauls and the Trustees of Saulsville Cemetery. Pioneer families from this area called Osteensville and Saulsville; Sauls, Carpenter, Tate, Pell, Osteens, Ellis and others rest here. Hezekiah Ellis Osteen is buried here. He served as a private in the Florida Seminole War (1839), later settled first near Spring Garden before establishing his homestead and store, naming the settlement after himself. The act that created Volusia County called for an election in 1855, where he was first elected sheriff, assessor and collector. George and Adeline Sauls are also here. Their family came to the area in 1859, There is a memorial in the cemetery recognizing the Sauls community building activities.

Clinton Family Cemetery (1894)

Clinton Cemetery Road, Oak Hill

The Clinton family homestead was located in a small former community called Ariel. Edward Clinton and his family came from Georgia and were among the earliest residents. He served as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War and died in 1922 at the age of 88. Kaye Viola Clinton (born 1875) married James Huskey (born 1871.) Both are buried here along with many descendants in this peaceful rural burial ground.