Pigeon Creek Cemetery

This cemetery is in Boulogne, Florida. To reach it, take US 301 north from Callahan and through Hilliard. Just before the St. Marys River and crossing into Georgia, turn right on Lake Hampton Road. Go .4 mile to Pigeon Creek Road. Turn right on this dirt road and follow to the church on the right and the cemetery on the left.

Pigeon Creek Primitive Baptist Church was Florida’s only known Protestant church when the territory became a part of the United States. The church was organized on 7 January 1821 by Isom Peacock and Fleming Bates. Other founding church members were Britton Knight, Edward Dixon, Thomas Prevatt, J. E. R. Prevatt, Chloe Knight, Polley Knight, Sarah Dixon, Polley Prevatt, Susannah Prevatt, Susannah Dixon and Ellender Cread. Bates was the first pastor of the church. In 1822, a man named Peter was the first black member of the church making this the first integrated church in Florida. A concrete block church building replaced the original hard pine board and batten building in 1957.

The cemetery is laid out facing east with the gate on the west side. The inventory was made in two parts B north half and south half starting on the easternmost row. The north half was begun on the north end of the row working towards the middle; the south half was begun on the south end of the row working towards the middle. Inscription are copies exactly as they appear on the markers. Rows 2 and 3 have No graves. Some rows have graves between rows, and these are marked as half rows (for example, a grave between row 4 and 5 is marked row 4 1/2). At the center of the cemetery with an old wooden fence, (row 13 1/2) and only a cross. This may be the oldest grave in the cemetery, but the occupant is unknown.

Pigeon Creek Cemetery Interments

This survey was done on August 15, 2001, by Mary Nelson and Jean Mann. Photographs are courtesy Michael Toomey.

Pigeon Creek Cemetery Photographs