Then And Now: Lincoln Cemetery

The Lincoln Cemetery which sits directly between and the Pinellas Trail on 58^th street south has remained frozen in time. It takes us back to a time when wars abolished our nation, when brothers fought against brothers and segregation was legal. 

My father told me that as child he and his friends would walk through the cemetery and think that someone would pop out of the grave and grab them because its appearance seemed haunted with the long grass and plethora of trees that consumed it. There is an old winding road that goes straight through the cemetery, but now the grass is trimmed the trees are tall and green, and many vibrant flowers rest a top the graves of the many beloved people that are buried there.

History

Lincoln Cemetery is predominately an African American cemetery and was established in 1926 by Reginald H. Sumner who was the owner of Sumner Marble and Granite Inc.(Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006). Sumner also owned the neighboring cemetery Royal Palm. Between August 1926 and October 1927 Arch Royal Funeral Home and Wilhelm Funeral Home removed eighty-six unknown individuals from Moffett Cemetery, which dates back to the year 1888, to Lincoln Cemetery (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

1926

According to burial journals the first funeral took place on February 4, 1926 for 19-year-old John Peterson, (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

1957 - 1974

From 1957 to 1974 the cemetery was owned by McRae Funeral Home

In 1958 approximately 150 bodies were moved form Moffett Cemetery to Lincoln Cemetery by McRae Funeral home, (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).  Many of these bodies had no identity. There are three civil war veterans that are known to be buried in the Lincoln Cemetery, their names are:

• John W. Sharter: Served in the Spanish-American War, in company K third Confederate Infantry. There is no headstone or further information available on Sharter (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).
• Joeseph Brownlow: Served in company A of the second Calvary Florida.  He enlisted on January 1, 1865 (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).
• John Lasker: Served in company F first N.C. Colored H. (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

Record keeping over the years was difficult, and although burial dates may have been provided, some death dates are not. In addition to this, many records were lost in fire at McRae Funeral Home. (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

In 1974 the cemetery was resold to Sumner Marble and Granite (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

2001

Unfortunately there are still unknown identities buried in the Lincoln Cemetery, and because of this, many of the individuals buried do not have headstones.

5,407 bodies were known to be buried in the Lincoln Cemetery in March 2001.

The Pinellas County Genealogy Society began a research project in accordance with Sumner Marble and Granite, and found and added an additional 1,097 to their database (Pinellas Genealogy Society, 2006).

The biggest problem that the cemetery has faced over the years is keeping up with city codes, and its appearance being up to par.

“I remember we would go up there many years back and literally fall into a grave.” Sgt. Robert Burkhart from the said.

Although it may have undergone some neglect it has stayed in place since 1926, and adds a great deal history to the town of Gulfport.

“The Lincoln Cemetery is a place with a lot of history behind it, and up until recently had been a bit neglected,” Burkhart said.

2006

In March, 2006, Vice President of Sumner Marble and Granite, Richard Alford asked Gulfport City Manager Jim 0'Reilly in an email about donating the cemetery to the city of Gulfport. These transitions never took place.

Recent History: 2009 - Now

In late 2009 the cemetery was transferred to Lincoln Cemetery Memorial Park Corp.

Lincoln Memorial Corporation has kept up with mowing and trimming the grass, and the graves that are engraved can all be read without weeds covering them.

“Lincoln Memorial Corporation has done a lot with the cemetery, as far as I know all city codes have been met, and we are supportive of it, but it is a private entity,” City Manager Jim O’Reilly said. 

The Lincoln Cemetery is part of Gulfport's and St. Petersburg's history, and maybe in the future it will designated as a historical landmark. It holds many precious people along with many precious memories to the people of Gulfport and St. Petersburg.

More Information

For more information check out the book Lincoln Cemetery, by Jon Wilson or contact the Pinellas Genealogy Society.