SIBLEY CEMETERY aka NORTON CEMETERY aka PREVATT CEMETERY

On lands owned by Zafar and Saeeda Chaudhri. Parcel #15-08-24-0000-0030-0000. This cemetery contains the graves of 20 or more pioneer families. All grave markers have been removed except the one for Lemuel G. Sibley 1819-1901, Indian War and Confederate Soldier, who served with Captain J. J. Dickison. The marker reads “Lemuel G. Sibley, Company B., Second Florida Cavalry, C.S.A.” He was sheriff of Putnam County during Reconstruction, 1877-1882. His grave has been vandalized. A descendant re-interred his bones. He is listed as Pvt. Co. B 2nd FL Inf. (Military Record no. 2127, NA). He, along with Captain H. A. Gray, appear on a roll of prisoners of war that surrendered, and was paroled at Waldo, East Florida, May 20, 1865. It is reported that his wife was buried next to him, but in later years, family members had her remains removed and re-interred in a cemetery in Palatka. GOLD HEAD BRANCH QUAD. N 29^o 47.540 W 81^o 52.949. (Abandoned).

To locate this grave, take SR 100 west out of Palatka to Florahome. At the only caution light in Florahome, take Coral Farms Road to the right and go all the way to where it dead ends onto Bellamy Road. Turn left on Bellamy Road and go approximately ¾ of a mile to Marjak Lane. Turn left and go to Lura Lane. Turn right and go to Kenny Lane, then turn left and go to Centerwood Road. Turn right on Centerwood and go to Parkwood Road. Turn left and take Parkwood Road to the end. This is at the southern boundary of Lakeside Hills, section 4-A, Map Book 4, page 156.

There is a 20 foot road south of the south boundary of Lakeside Hills that runs west to the southwest corner of section 4-A. This road is not developed, but is described in Deed Book 98 page 506. Zafar Chaudhri purchased this road, along with others, on a Tax Deed recorded in Official Records Book 634, page 1005.

At the end of Parkwood Road, go right (west) along the above noted 20 foot road, for a distance of 382 feet from the southeast corner of Lot 1, Block 6 of aforesaid Lakeside Hills section 4-A, to a point. Turn left 90^o and follow a cleared and blazed trail south for a distance of 275 feet to the headstone of Lemuel G. Sibley. This trail was cut and blazed by J. B. Roberts, Leroy Zetrouer and Carlis McLeod on November 18, 2003.

Last Sunday, February 16, 2020, a lady and her friend went to try to find this cemetery, and could not.  That trail that Messers McCleod, Roberts, and Zetrouer cut, has likely grown up and not been re-cut.  It's been years since I have been out there.  I will make an attempt as soon as I can, but right now I am undergoing treatment for my back, and that has slowed me down a lot.

Thank you for your patience.

Photograph courtesy Putnam County Sheriff’s Office

The Hartman BIOGRAPHICAL ROSTERS OF FLORIDA CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS 1861-1865, vol IV, c1995, page 1433, gives the following information:

“Sibley, Lemuel Gibbs (b. 1819) lived in St. Johns Co. and enlisted 10/11/63 at Camp Cooper. He was present on the last roll and was paroled at Waldo 5/20/65.”

The Sibley family appears in the Putnam County Census as early as 1850. The 1885 State Census lists the family as follows:

Sibley	L. G.	W	M	65	Head	M
	Sharlet	W	F	55	Wife	M
	Ferryba	W	F	32	Dau	S
	Susan	W	F	28	Dau	S
	Sariah	W	F	26	Dau	S
	Lemiel	W	M	22	Son	S
	Mattie	W	F	17	Dau	S
	Darry	W	F	6	Dau	S

The 1900 census lists the family as follows:

Sibley	Lem	W	M	81	Head	Mar 50 years
	Charlott	W	W	74	Wife	Mar 50 years
	Susan	W	F	40	Dau	S
	Dora	W	F	21	G-dau	S
	Harmon	W	M	15	G-son	S
	Walter	W	M	7	G-son	S

The photograph of Mr. Sibley was provided to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office by a family member. The name and dates listed on it are:

“LEMUEL GIBSON SIBLEY SR 1819-1904.”

There are several Sibleys buried in the Paran Baptist Church Cemetery. If Charlott was moved, I haven’t found her listed anywhere else.

Mary E. Murphy

Putnam County Cemeterian

Last updated 7/15/2017

HOME