GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Former Green Cove Springs Mayor Connie Butler had tears in her eyes as she roamed around Pleasant Point Cemetery.

There was a connection that she couldn’t shake. A joy that she couldn’t help but feel.

After years of abandonment, the place where her great-great-great-grandmother, Maggie Andrews Lewis, was laid to rest had finally been restored. She could see very clearly where her roots came from.

“It’s rewarding. It’s like a hidden treasure that has been found. It’s a piece of you. You feel proud,” she said. 

The air was chilly, but the spirits were high as community members gathered on Saturday, Dec. 20, to honor Lewis, along with others buried in the historic Black cemetery. More than a year ago, amateur archaeologist and former U.S. History teacher Steve Griffith began his quest to restore the abandoned space.

Pleasant Point Cemetery, located on County Road 209, is a burial ground for some of the county’s most significant Black figures. U.S. Navy Veteran George Elias Forrester, along with some of his family members, is buried at Pleasant Point. He served with the Union in the Civil War. The son of Cyrus and Dorcas Forrester, his family was the first free Black family in the county. 

Elizabeth Lewis-Jenkins, the wife of Thomas H. Jenkins, is also buried there. Thomas was one of the trustees and founders of Mount Zion A.M.E. Church in Green Cove Springs. 

Not too far from them also lies Pizel and Mary Ambrose Robinson, the great-grandparents of R&B singer Patti LaBelle and local educator Thomas Hogans. Since beginning the restoration process, a total of 41 individuals have been identified.

“I started this, but then it just took on a life of its own,” Griffith said.

During the intimate ceremony, Butler read off the names, while the crowd gave a moment of silence.

For months, Griffith, along with a host of volunteers, worked to restore the space to its former glory, helping clear more than 400 trees and vines and dig up graves that had sunk below the surface.

The land was initially given to Thomas Travers as a Spanish land grant in the 1830s. Researchers found that in 1956, the land was given to Clay County native Joseph Johnson, who served as its caretaker. He was deeded the property from Mercer G. and Martha Conway.

A couple of decades ago, the Sohm family purchased the land surrounding the cemetery. They were never 100% sure if Pleasant Point came with it. Charlie Sohm said he would often hang out in the cemetery and tell his friends about all the things he would find.

When he found out about Griffith’s work, Charlie couldn’t help but get involved. He hired a crew to help with stump grinding and the property’s fencing. He, along with his parents, was present during the ceremony.

“We want to remember the souls that are resting here in peace,” said Don, Charlie’s father.

Griffith said the Florida Public Archaeological Department will begin ground surveying with penetrating radar in February.

He said that will be the last step in officially mapping out the site. That includes marking unknown graves with official names.

With the entryway donned with Christmas wreaths, the merry spirit was well in the air, welcoming the community to stop by and garner a piece of county history on their way out.