History of the West Elfers Cemetery
Section 19 - Township 26 - Range 16
This historic marker once marked the West Elfers Cemetery but was recently removed by Pasco County who has certain representatives that claim that the county has never maintained the cemetery and the historic plaque is not correct. This marker was only way to identify the West Elfers Cemetery now there is nothing to indicate the name of the cemetery to visitors.
This cemetery, at one time, was apart of
the Anclote Community, which was centered a few miles south. This
part of the community, where the cemetery is located, was also referred to as the Baillie Settlement
named after the Baillie Family. According to D. B. McKay in "Pioneer Florida","Traveling
by mule team, the [Baillie] family got as far as
Brooksville when their food supply gave out. They stayed in that area
for a year to raise a food crop; then moved on to the coast, to the
location known as Baillie's Bluff, two miles north of the mouth of the
Anclote River." According to a homestead deed dated December 24th
1850, Peter K. Baillie received a permit on March 6th 1843, for one
hundred and sixty acres of property, located in Section 7 and 17,
Township 22, Range 19, near Brooksville. These permits were issued to early
homesteaders who would later use the permit to show when they settled
and prove their homestead to obtain title to the property. To
homestead property the settlers would have to build a home and make
good use of the land for a minimum of five years after which they could
obtain a deed for the property, typically deeds would be for one
hundred and sixty acres; it appears the Baillie's stayed in Brooksville
for more than a year. It was ca. 1867 that Peter Karr Baillie
moved to the coast of Pasco County and settled just north of Anclote,
this location would become known as Baillie's Bluff. Peter
established a merchant business here and began trading with local
fishermen. According to fivay.org Peter's property, on the coast,
was located in Section 22 presumably of Township 26, Range 15, it is
not known how Peter Baillie received title to this property however it
was not acquired through homestead. There are tales as to how
Baillie acquired the property but they are just that tales since no
documentation has ever been provided to give the story any truth.
According to a web page on January 8th 1876 the Rev. John W. Wells became the pastor of the Union Church, which had been recently established near the Baillie Settlement. This church was likely the first church established on the west coast of Pasco County and many settlers would have to travel, from other local communties, to attend services. During this time the congregation had six members who were considered to be charter members, they were W.F. Baillie and wife, Allen Hill and wife, Rosanne Baillie and W.A. Cobb; Cobb was also the first post master for the Anclote Post Office est. September 10th 1878. The Union Church had a congregation of both Baptist and Methodist. By March of 1877 the Union Church made the first burial in the church cemetery after the death of Peter K. Baillie in 1877, this small church cemetery would become known as the West Elfers Cemetery. From 1878-1880 there were sixteen members of the Union Church, in 1881 the church baptized a new member and the number of members remained at seventeen until 1885 when membership totaled 24. However in 1885 there were 14 members dismissed from the church under pastor J.T. Pittman. It was sometime ca. 1885 that the church building was destroyed by fire, it was then that the Methodist members formed their own church and this may be the explanation for the dismissal of 14 members. According to Pasco County land records it was on November 17th 1885 that the Lake Butler Vila Company, for the sum of one dollar, sold five acres to A.C. Turner, J.M. Diffenworth and J.P. Brownlow trustees for the Clearwater Circuit, Tampa District, Florida Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, this church was located on the East Elfers Cemetery property.
The Baptist members continued to hold meetings however after the fire services were held at the Baillie School House. The exact date the Baillie School House opened is not known, however according to Pasco County land records on April 5th 1888 Samuel and Elizabeth Baker deeded one acre of their property, located in Section 20, Township 26, Range 16, for a school.(click here to see 1888 school deed) According to school borad minutes dated May 7th 1888 "The deed from Saml. Baker and wife for one acre of land, upon which is located the Bailey School house no. 25, was also accepted and ordered placed upon record", these minutes indicate that the Baillie School house was already open during the time the property was deeded. The church continued to worship at the Baillie School until they built a new church building. According to Pasco County land records on August 25th 1890 William J. Baillie and Sarah A. Baillie, for the sum of one dollar, deeded one acre of their property, located in Section 16, Township 26, Range 16, to B.B. Baillie and John Baillie, trustees of the Anclote Missionary Baptist Church. (click here to see 1890 church deed) This is the first known use of the name "Anclote Baptist". In 1894 the Anclote Missionary Church building was valued at $200. From the Union Church formed the Anclote Baptist and the First Methodist Church of Elfers. The Anclote Baptist Church continued to use the church cemetery and made several burials in the 1880's and 1890's, among those who were buried at that time were Charley G. Brown b. 1851 d. 1886, Samuel Stevenson Jr b. Oct 10 1876 d. Apr 23 1882, James Whidden d. 1882 (only date), Mary Thomas Whidden d. 1882 (only date) and Jacob Worley b. 1818 d. Aug 8 1881. According to fivay.org "In a 1978 interview, Peter Joseph "Uncle Joe" Baillie recalled that his father, William John Baillie, purchased 80 acres of land and donated one acre to the Anclote Baptist Church as a site for a church building. He recalled that when Elfers began to grow, the church moved to Elfers and returned Baillie's land to him". It is not clear when the Anclote Baptist Church ceased its services however the First Baptist Church of Elfers was formed sometime ca. 1910.
According to fivay.org this photo taken in October 1945 and shows the congregation of the Anclote Baptist Church. Take note of the old style, hand built wooden structure with wood shingles on the roof. The man in the back row, with the white shirt and striped tie under the entry way, is William J. Baillie. (Photo courtesy of Ben Harper and fivay.org)
According to the History of the First Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs:
"On September 26, 1892, a little band of Baptist Believers in Christ
met for worship in a small school house in Anclote, Florida. [This was
likely the Anclote School and not the Baillie School] Bro. A. L.
Randall conducted the preaching service and Bro. T. M. McGill, acting
as moderator called the body to order, stating the purpose of the
meeting was to form a new and independent church, where upon three
brothers and five sisters presented letters for that Purpose. Thus, the
West Anclote Baptist Church came into existence. After prayer, Mrs.,
Sarah Thompson presented herself for Baptism. The charter members were
Brothers E. A. Hill, W. A. Cobb, A. Z. Dekleand, Sisters Eunicie A.
Hill, Mary T. Hill, T. Gause, Lettie Dekleand Sarah A. Meyer. On
September 16, 1894, the West Anclote Baptist Church was dissolved and
reorganized as the Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs", some of these
member had previously been members of the Union Church and Anclote
Missionary Baptist Church. There were numerous churches formed
from the small Union Church and many of these churches still offer
their service to the community and many of these churches recognize
their roots in the Union Church.
Ca. 1890 John Cheyney (1858-1939) built a home and settled in Tarpon Springs, soon after he established the Anclote and Rock Island Sponge Company on Bailey's Bluff, it was during this time that the community and activity grew around the Baillie Settlement. According to the 1900 federal census John Cheyney, born April 1858, was living in Tarpon Springs, Hillsborough and is listed as being a sponge dealer. John was enumerated with his wife Mable S. born April 1868 and they are recorded as being married for three years. There were two children also enumerated in John Cheyney's household, Alma Eagl-illegible born March 1891 and Starr Cheyney born March 1899; Alice was likely from Mable Cheyney's first marriage since the last name is different. According to "Tarpon Springs Florida: The Early Years" by Gertrude K. Stoughton, "During the nineties [1890's] the land belonged to Samuel Baker of Elfers, who leased it first to Cheyney and then to Wyatt Meyer for a sponge market. Meyer built a long wharf jutting into the Gulf, with a water tank at the end, and set up crawls which he rented to boat owners. The sales were held outdoors, where the cleaned sponges were piled up under the trees. There was one packing house at the Bluff, but most of the sponges were hauled in rack-sided wagons to the packing houses in Tarpon Springs. The major buyers were Cheyney and Ernest Meres, but the list must include A. P. Beckett, John B. Cowsert, W. W. K. Decker, Leon S. Fernald, G. A. (Bert) Louden, Duncan Morrison, Arthur Pinder, and several more. Across the river from Anclote was a small community called Sponge Harbor, and this was the mooring place for many of the boats that worked out of Bailey's Bluff. There was a long wharf, marine ways, and a two-story dwelling house and general store. There were also a few streets and blocks of houses for the black sponge men. No trace of this place remains today. Rounding the curve to the left were the small Lone Cabbage and Union crawls, and then Decker's packing house at Anclote. The Bailey's Bluff sponge business was successful. Over $1,000,000 worth of sponge is said to have been shipped by Cheyney alone by 1901."
This picture taken ca. 1893 shows the activity of the spongers at Baillie's Bluff. It is possible that this picture was taken near the community of Sponge Harbor as described by Gertrude K. Stoughton. (Photo courtesy of fivay.org)
Ca. 1894-95 one of the many locations along Baillie's Bluff where sponges were cleaned and then dried under the trees. The building pictured is likely where the sponges were stored once ready for market. (Photo courtesy of Laurie Baker and fivay.org)
According to a web page on January 8th 1876 the Rev. John W. Wells became the pastor of the Union Church, which had been recently established near the Baillie Settlement. This church was likely the first church established on the west coast of Pasco County and many settlers would have to travel, from other local communties, to attend services. During this time the congregation had six members who were considered to be charter members, they were W.F. Baillie and wife, Allen Hill and wife, Rosanne Baillie and W.A. Cobb; Cobb was also the first post master for the Anclote Post Office est. September 10th 1878. The Union Church had a congregation of both Baptist and Methodist. By March of 1877 the Union Church made the first burial in the church cemetery after the death of Peter K. Baillie in 1877, this small church cemetery would become known as the West Elfers Cemetery. From 1878-1880 there were sixteen members of the Union Church, in 1881 the church baptized a new member and the number of members remained at seventeen until 1885 when membership totaled 24. However in 1885 there were 14 members dismissed from the church under pastor J.T. Pittman. It was sometime ca. 1885 that the church building was destroyed by fire, it was then that the Methodist members formed their own church and this may be the explanation for the dismissal of 14 members. According to Pasco County land records it was on November 17th 1885 that the Lake Butler Vila Company, for the sum of one dollar, sold five acres to A.C. Turner, J.M. Diffenworth and J.P. Brownlow trustees for the Clearwater Circuit, Tampa District, Florida Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, this church was located on the East Elfers Cemetery property.
The Baptist members continued to hold meetings however after the fire services were held at the Baillie School House. The exact date the Baillie School House opened is not known, however according to Pasco County land records on April 5th 1888 Samuel and Elizabeth Baker deeded one acre of their property, located in Section 20, Township 26, Range 16, for a school.(click here to see 1888 school deed) According to school borad minutes dated May 7th 1888 "The deed from Saml. Baker and wife for one acre of land, upon which is located the Bailey School house no. 25, was also accepted and ordered placed upon record", these minutes indicate that the Baillie School house was already open during the time the property was deeded. The church continued to worship at the Baillie School until they built a new church building. According to Pasco County land records on August 25th 1890 William J. Baillie and Sarah A. Baillie, for the sum of one dollar, deeded one acre of their property, located in Section 16, Township 26, Range 16, to B.B. Baillie and John Baillie, trustees of the Anclote Missionary Baptist Church. (click here to see 1890 church deed) This is the first known use of the name "Anclote Baptist". In 1894 the Anclote Missionary Church building was valued at $200. From the Union Church formed the Anclote Baptist and the First Methodist Church of Elfers. The Anclote Baptist Church continued to use the church cemetery and made several burials in the 1880's and 1890's, among those who were buried at that time were Charley G. Brown b. 1851 d. 1886, Samuel Stevenson Jr b. Oct 10 1876 d. Apr 23 1882, James Whidden d. 1882 (only date), Mary Thomas Whidden d. 1882 (only date) and Jacob Worley b. 1818 d. Aug 8 1881. According to fivay.org "In a 1978 interview, Peter Joseph "Uncle Joe" Baillie recalled that his father, William John Baillie, purchased 80 acres of land and donated one acre to the Anclote Baptist Church as a site for a church building. He recalled that when Elfers began to grow, the church moved to Elfers and returned Baillie's land to him". It is not clear when the Anclote Baptist Church ceased its services however the First Baptist Church of Elfers was formed sometime ca. 1910.
According to fivay.org this photo taken in October 1945 and shows the congregation of the Anclote Baptist Church. Take note of the old style, hand built wooden structure with wood shingles on the roof. The man in the back row, with the white shirt and striped tie under the entry way, is William J. Baillie. (Photo courtesy of Ben Harper and fivay.org)
Ca. 1890 John Cheyney (1858-1939) built a home and settled in Tarpon Springs, soon after he established the Anclote and Rock Island Sponge Company on Bailey's Bluff, it was during this time that the community and activity grew around the Baillie Settlement. According to the 1900 federal census John Cheyney, born April 1858, was living in Tarpon Springs, Hillsborough and is listed as being a sponge dealer. John was enumerated with his wife Mable S. born April 1868 and they are recorded as being married for three years. There were two children also enumerated in John Cheyney's household, Alma Eagl-illegible born March 1891 and Starr Cheyney born March 1899; Alice was likely from Mable Cheyney's first marriage since the last name is different. According to "Tarpon Springs Florida: The Early Years" by Gertrude K. Stoughton, "During the nineties [1890's] the land belonged to Samuel Baker of Elfers, who leased it first to Cheyney and then to Wyatt Meyer for a sponge market. Meyer built a long wharf jutting into the Gulf, with a water tank at the end, and set up crawls which he rented to boat owners. The sales were held outdoors, where the cleaned sponges were piled up under the trees. There was one packing house at the Bluff, but most of the sponges were hauled in rack-sided wagons to the packing houses in Tarpon Springs. The major buyers were Cheyney and Ernest Meres, but the list must include A. P. Beckett, John B. Cowsert, W. W. K. Decker, Leon S. Fernald, G. A. (Bert) Louden, Duncan Morrison, Arthur Pinder, and several more. Across the river from Anclote was a small community called Sponge Harbor, and this was the mooring place for many of the boats that worked out of Bailey's Bluff. There was a long wharf, marine ways, and a two-story dwelling house and general store. There were also a few streets and blocks of houses for the black sponge men. No trace of this place remains today. Rounding the curve to the left were the small Lone Cabbage and Union crawls, and then Decker's packing house at Anclote. The Bailey's Bluff sponge business was successful. Over $1,000,000 worth of sponge is said to have been shipped by Cheyney alone by 1901."
This picture taken ca. 1893 shows the activity of the spongers at Baillie's Bluff. It is possible that this picture was taken near the community of Sponge Harbor as described by Gertrude K. Stoughton. (Photo courtesy of fivay.org)
Ca. 1894-95 one of the many locations along Baillie's Bluff where sponges were cleaned and then dried under the trees. The building pictured is likely where the sponges were stored once ready for market. (Photo courtesy of Laurie Baker and fivay.org)
Soon after John Cheyney opened the Anclote
and Rock Island Sponge Company he realized how much money could be made
from sponges, experienced divers were brought to Tarpon Springs from the Dodecanese Islands in
Greece. Using rubber dive suits with dive helmets they were able
to increase the size of the harvest. By 1905 there were over 500
Greek sponge divers living in Tarpon Springs and sponging the Baillie's
Bluff area. In 1907 sponge buyers created the Sponge Exchange where
auctions were held twice a week. A building with a courtyard was
erected in Tarpon Springs, in the courtyard sponges could be kept while
spongers awaited the auctions. The creation of the Sponge Exchange
shifted the sponging industry from Baillie's Bluff to Tarpon Springs
and the activity around the bluff disappeared; the Tarpon Springs
Sponge Exchange is still open today. By the 1930's Tarpon Springs
became known as the "Sponge Capitol of the World" with the majority of
the spongers now being Greek.
Recently
it was discovered that John Pinder (pictured left) is buried in the
West Elfers Cemetery. John Pinder is another sponger and early
settler of Pasco County, who was laid to rest on July 02, 1902 in an
unmarked grave in the Pinder Family Plot, also unmarked. John
Pinder was born in the Bahamas on March 01, 1854. In September of 1865
he and his mother, Elizabeth Sands Pinder and six other siblings came
to Key West. The exact date that John came to Pasco County, at
that time a part of Hernando County, is unknown. He did arrive sometime
between 1870 and 1878. According to Hernando County marriage
records on July 28, 1878 John married to Virginia Maryland Brown,
daughter of John Allen and Abigail Brown. John and Virginia had 8
children; John Allen (1882-1954), Joseph Thomas (1884-1899), William
Charles (1886-1932), Alma Louise (1887-1966), Samuel Jesse (1889-1894),
Sarah Ida Elizabeth (1893-after 1975), Daniel Whitmore (1895-1930), and
Ira Eugene (1897-1958). On March 16, 1881 John and Virginia
received the deed to 40 acres of property they had purchased from the
state of Florida. The property was located in section 21, township 26,
range 16. This property would have been located in the Baillie
Settlement or what would become known as Elfers, it is believed that
this is where John and Virginia built their home. Among other
Pinder family members to be buried in the family plot at West Elfers
Cemetery is John's wife, Virginia, two young sons’, Samuel Jesse,
and Joseph Thomas, and their daughter Alma Louise Pinder Houston.
On March 10, 1908 Alma Louise Pinder was married to Moses Fizer
Houston, who is buried beside his wife. The entire Pinder Family
plot lies unmarked, except for some broken corner markers, however the
family is working to have the pioneer family plot properly marked and
identified.
Alma and Moses Houston with their two children, David William and Virginia Eloise, on the front porch of what is believed to be the home of John and Virginia Pinder in Elfers, dated 1915. (Pinder Photos and Information Courtesy of Sam Houston)
With Tarpon Springs now being the center for the sponge industry and the establishment of Elfers, Baillie's Bluff became a ghost town as people moved away. With the formation of the many churches from the Union Church the cemetery sat idol and was not used as often. The taxes on the cemetery were not paid and ca. 1930 New Port Richey real estate broker Michael Milbauer acquired the cemetery property through a tax deed, after paying the delinquent taxes, the property was deeded to M.L. Milbauer and Betty J. Milbauer, his wife. Milbauer donated additional land with the idea of making the cemetery a community cemetery, Mr. Milbauer began giving plots away at no charge. In 1955, being a devout catholic, Milbauer designated a portion of the cemetery as a "catholic section" and only those who were catholic could be buried in this section. According to Pasco County land records this portion of the cemetery was deeded to Joseph P. Hurley, as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, a corporation sole. It was not until October of 1983 that the property was deeded and transferred to W. Thomas Larkin, as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, a corporation sole, the Diocese of St. Petersburg still own the catholic section of the West Elfers Cemetery. The Milbauer Family continued to own the remainder of the cemetery, which contained the old or original church cemetery. Just prior to the catholic section being established in 1955 Mr. Milbauer had the cemetery mapped and surveyed. In August of 1955 surveyor W.R.O. Veal surveyed the cemetery property, this is the only known survey of the cemetery property. (click here to see survey map) In 1964 Michael Milbauer passed away and his son and wife, Richard Joseph and Betty J., inherited the cemetery property, according to the 1955 plat map all three were owners of the cemetery property. After the passing of Betty Milbauer in 1970 Richard Milbauer became the sole owner of the property. Both Michael and Betty Milbauer were buried in the West Elfers Cemetery in a family plot.
Michael Milbauer (1894-1964) became owner of the West Elfers Cemetery property in the 1930's. This picture was taken in front of his real-estate office located on the corner of Grand Blvd. and Main Street in New Port Richey, this building is one of the oldest in the city being built ca. 1919. (Photo courtesy of fivay.org)
In 1981 Richard Joseph Milbauer passed away leaving a last will and testament. According to the last will and testament of Richard Joseph Milabauer, filed for record with Pasco County on January 5th 1981, Item II "I hereby, devise and bequeath One Hundred Thousand ($100,000) Dollars to the First National Bank of Clearwater as Trustee to be held in trust by them or their successors, for the following: 1. My Trustee shal invest and reinvest the proceeds passing into this trust under the terms of the Prudent Man Investment Rule. 2. My trustee shall 'expend the entire' set annual income derived from the trust for the care and maintenance of the 'West Elfers Cemetery', said cemetery having been set up by M.L. Milbauer, Betty J. Milbauer and myself, said expenditures shall be made on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis or as Trustees might deem available. The perpetual care of the cemetery shall contain perpetual care of the old West Elfers Cemetery, of the Catholic section of the West Elfers Cemetery and of the Milbauer Family Plot in the West Elfers Cemetery. 3. This trust shall terminate twenty (20) years and eleven (11) months after every child on earth born on March 17, 1981 shall have died, if the last applicable at the time permit a longer [illegible] of the trust for the perptual care of the West Elfer Cemetery, [illegible]". Item III "I hearby give, devise and bequeath the sum of Fifty Thousand ($50,000) Dollars to the First National Bank of Clearwater as Trustee, to be hld in trust by them for the following use and purpose: 1. My Trustee shall invest and reinvest the proceeds passing into this trust under the terms of the Prudent Man Investment Rule. 2. My Trustee shall within three (3) years from the date of my death expend the entire sum to improve the cemetery ground of the West Elfers Cemetery. In this connection, I desire to have all of the streets in the cemetery resurfaced and the balance of the money expended on improving the cemetery at the discretion of the trustee."
There was no stipulation in the last will and testament of Richard J. Milbauer as to who the West Elfers Cemetery property would be deeded to. However, listed in Item XXI "After all of my leagal debts, funeral expenses and the expenses of the administration of my estate have been paid, I give, devise and bequeath all of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, be it real, personal or mixed, wherever situated or located of which I die seized or possessed, or to which might become in any way entitled, or in which I have any interest to be divided into two (2) equal part and distributed as follows: A. The first part of the equal parts, I give, devise and bequeath to St. Leo College, St. Leo, Florida. B. The second part of the two equal parts, I give, devise and bequeath to University of Florida Foundation Inc. a Florida Corporation. I futher direct that this bequest be applied to the establishment of endowed chairs under the Eminent Scholars Act of the State of Florida in areas selected by the President of the Universtiy of Florida." Since Richard Milbauer did not specifically will the West Elfers Cemetery property to anyone, the property was deeded equally to both St. Leo College and the University of Florida, according to Pasco County land records in April of 1987 both entities deed thier equal parts to Pasco County.
At last check by this website the current trustee of the West Elfers Cemetery trust was LaJ Sims with the AmSouth Bank in Birmingham, AL. The maintanance of the cemetery has been a major issue in the past few years as it is apparent that the specific direction of Richard Milbauer are not being followed. It is also apparent that the money set aside for the perpetual care of the cemetery is not being spent on that care. In May of 2005 Bay News 9 article, local residents began to ask questions as to why the West Elfers Cemetery was in such "disrepair". Those who had loved ones buried there wanted to know why there was money for perpetual care but the cemetery was not receiving any care at all. According to a September 2005 St. Petersburg Times article, "Today the trust is worth $268,228. But the bank holding the purse strings, AmSouth Bank, says it cannot earn enough interest to pay for mowing the 3-acre cemetery just west of U.S. 19. So the bank has dropped the $500-a-month lawn service, to the dismay of Pasco County government and the Diocese of St. Petersburg, which each own roughly half of the cemetery. 'It is unfortunate, really,' county attorney Robert Sumner said with a sigh. Even Sumner wonders: How can anyone with more than a quarter-million dollars in the bank not afford the lawn man? In a June 1 letter to county officials, AmSouth trust officer LaJ Sims said Milbauer's trust agreement allows the bank to use only the interest, not the principal. After taking out the bank's administrative fees, Sims wrote, the interest amounted to only $5,200 a year, or roughly $433 a month. 'Due to market conditions, the trust cannot support distributions of $500 per month for lawn care,' Sims wrote. Lawn care is only part of it, Sumner said. Even when there was someone mowing the grass, he said, 'There hasn't been anybody to see if the maintenance is being done properly. If it's being done at proper intervals, whether it's also being weeded, whether the limbs are all taken up, a lot of issues.' 'When you have a bank out in Birmingham that's in charge,' he said, 'they just send the money and don't do a lot of the oversight."
Recently
it was discovered that John Pinder (pictured left) is buried in the
West Elfers Cemetery. John Pinder is another sponger and early
settler of Pasco County, who was laid to rest on July 02, 1902 in an
unmarked grave in the Pinder Family Plot, also unmarked. John
Pinder was born in the Bahamas on March 01, 1854. In September of 1865
he and his mother, Elizabeth Sands Pinder and six other siblings came
to Key West. The exact date that John came to Pasco County, at
that time a part of Hernando County, is unknown. He did arrive sometime
between 1870 and 1878. According to Hernando County marriage
records on July 28, 1878 John married to Virginia Maryland Brown,
daughter of John Allen and Abigail Brown. John and Virginia had 8
children; John Allen (1882-1954), Joseph Thomas (1884-1899), William
Charles (1886-1932), Alma Louise (1887-1966), Samuel Jesse (1889-1894),
Sarah Ida Elizabeth (1893-after 1975), Daniel Whitmore (1895-1930), and
Ira Eugene (1897-1958). On March 16, 1881 John and Virginia
received the deed to 40 acres of property they had purchased from the
state of Florida. The property was located in section 21, township 26,
range 16. This property would have been located in the Baillie
Settlement or what would become known as Elfers, it is believed that
this is where John and Virginia built their home. Among other
Pinder family members to be buried in the family plot at West Elfers
Cemetery is John's wife, Virginia, two young sons’, Samuel Jesse,
and Joseph Thomas, and their daughter Alma Louise Pinder Houston.
On March 10, 1908 Alma Louise Pinder was married to Moses Fizer
Houston, who is buried beside his wife. The entire Pinder Family
plot lies unmarked, except for some broken corner markers, however the
family is working to have the pioneer family plot properly marked and
identified.Alma and Moses Houston with their two children, David William and Virginia Eloise, on the front porch of what is believed to be the home of John and Virginia Pinder in Elfers, dated 1915. (Pinder Photos and Information Courtesy of Sam Houston)
With Tarpon Springs now being the center for the sponge industry and the establishment of Elfers, Baillie's Bluff became a ghost town as people moved away. With the formation of the many churches from the Union Church the cemetery sat idol and was not used as often. The taxes on the cemetery were not paid and ca. 1930 New Port Richey real estate broker Michael Milbauer acquired the cemetery property through a tax deed, after paying the delinquent taxes, the property was deeded to M.L. Milbauer and Betty J. Milbauer, his wife. Milbauer donated additional land with the idea of making the cemetery a community cemetery, Mr. Milbauer began giving plots away at no charge. In 1955, being a devout catholic, Milbauer designated a portion of the cemetery as a "catholic section" and only those who were catholic could be buried in this section. According to Pasco County land records this portion of the cemetery was deeded to Joseph P. Hurley, as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, a corporation sole. It was not until October of 1983 that the property was deeded and transferred to W. Thomas Larkin, as Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, a corporation sole, the Diocese of St. Petersburg still own the catholic section of the West Elfers Cemetery. The Milbauer Family continued to own the remainder of the cemetery, which contained the old or original church cemetery. Just prior to the catholic section being established in 1955 Mr. Milbauer had the cemetery mapped and surveyed. In August of 1955 surveyor W.R.O. Veal surveyed the cemetery property, this is the only known survey of the cemetery property. (click here to see survey map) In 1964 Michael Milbauer passed away and his son and wife, Richard Joseph and Betty J., inherited the cemetery property, according to the 1955 plat map all three were owners of the cemetery property. After the passing of Betty Milbauer in 1970 Richard Milbauer became the sole owner of the property. Both Michael and Betty Milbauer were buried in the West Elfers Cemetery in a family plot.
Michael Milbauer (1894-1964) became owner of the West Elfers Cemetery property in the 1930's. This picture was taken in front of his real-estate office located on the corner of Grand Blvd. and Main Street in New Port Richey, this building is one of the oldest in the city being built ca. 1919. (Photo courtesy of fivay.org)
In 1981 Richard Joseph Milbauer passed away leaving a last will and testament. According to the last will and testament of Richard Joseph Milabauer, filed for record with Pasco County on January 5th 1981, Item II "I hereby, devise and bequeath One Hundred Thousand ($100,000) Dollars to the First National Bank of Clearwater as Trustee to be held in trust by them or their successors, for the following: 1. My Trustee shal invest and reinvest the proceeds passing into this trust under the terms of the Prudent Man Investment Rule. 2. My trustee shall 'expend the entire' set annual income derived from the trust for the care and maintenance of the 'West Elfers Cemetery', said cemetery having been set up by M.L. Milbauer, Betty J. Milbauer and myself, said expenditures shall be made on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis or as Trustees might deem available. The perpetual care of the cemetery shall contain perpetual care of the old West Elfers Cemetery, of the Catholic section of the West Elfers Cemetery and of the Milbauer Family Plot in the West Elfers Cemetery. 3. This trust shall terminate twenty (20) years and eleven (11) months after every child on earth born on March 17, 1981 shall have died, if the last applicable at the time permit a longer [illegible] of the trust for the perptual care of the West Elfer Cemetery, [illegible]". Item III "I hearby give, devise and bequeath the sum of Fifty Thousand ($50,000) Dollars to the First National Bank of Clearwater as Trustee, to be hld in trust by them for the following use and purpose: 1. My Trustee shall invest and reinvest the proceeds passing into this trust under the terms of the Prudent Man Investment Rule. 2. My Trustee shall within three (3) years from the date of my death expend the entire sum to improve the cemetery ground of the West Elfers Cemetery. In this connection, I desire to have all of the streets in the cemetery resurfaced and the balance of the money expended on improving the cemetery at the discretion of the trustee."
There was no stipulation in the last will and testament of Richard J. Milbauer as to who the West Elfers Cemetery property would be deeded to. However, listed in Item XXI "After all of my leagal debts, funeral expenses and the expenses of the administration of my estate have been paid, I give, devise and bequeath all of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, be it real, personal or mixed, wherever situated or located of which I die seized or possessed, or to which might become in any way entitled, or in which I have any interest to be divided into two (2) equal part and distributed as follows: A. The first part of the equal parts, I give, devise and bequeath to St. Leo College, St. Leo, Florida. B. The second part of the two equal parts, I give, devise and bequeath to University of Florida Foundation Inc. a Florida Corporation. I futher direct that this bequest be applied to the establishment of endowed chairs under the Eminent Scholars Act of the State of Florida in areas selected by the President of the Universtiy of Florida." Since Richard Milbauer did not specifically will the West Elfers Cemetery property to anyone, the property was deeded equally to both St. Leo College and the University of Florida, according to Pasco County land records in April of 1987 both entities deed thier equal parts to Pasco County.
At last check by this website the current trustee of the West Elfers Cemetery trust was LaJ Sims with the AmSouth Bank in Birmingham, AL. The maintanance of the cemetery has been a major issue in the past few years as it is apparent that the specific direction of Richard Milbauer are not being followed. It is also apparent that the money set aside for the perpetual care of the cemetery is not being spent on that care. In May of 2005 Bay News 9 article, local residents began to ask questions as to why the West Elfers Cemetery was in such "disrepair". Those who had loved ones buried there wanted to know why there was money for perpetual care but the cemetery was not receiving any care at all. According to a September 2005 St. Petersburg Times article, "Today the trust is worth $268,228. But the bank holding the purse strings, AmSouth Bank, says it cannot earn enough interest to pay for mowing the 3-acre cemetery just west of U.S. 19. So the bank has dropped the $500-a-month lawn service, to the dismay of Pasco County government and the Diocese of St. Petersburg, which each own roughly half of the cemetery. 'It is unfortunate, really,' county attorney Robert Sumner said with a sigh. Even Sumner wonders: How can anyone with more than a quarter-million dollars in the bank not afford the lawn man? In a June 1 letter to county officials, AmSouth trust officer LaJ Sims said Milbauer's trust agreement allows the bank to use only the interest, not the principal. After taking out the bank's administrative fees, Sims wrote, the interest amounted to only $5,200 a year, or roughly $433 a month. 'Due to market conditions, the trust cannot support distributions of $500 per month for lawn care,' Sims wrote. Lawn care is only part of it, Sumner said. Even when there was someone mowing the grass, he said, 'There hasn't been anybody to see if the maintenance is being done properly. If it's being done at proper intervals, whether it's also being weeded, whether the limbs are all taken up, a lot of issues.' 'When you have a bank out in Birmingham that's in charge,' he said, 'they just send the money and don't do a lot of the oversight."
This
picture taken in May 2005 shows the fence surrounding the cemetery is
in need of repairs. It has been over a year since this photo was
taken and the fence is in the same condition.
This
picture also taken in May of 2005 shows another section of the fence
surrounding the cemetery that is also in need of repairs. On the
left side of the photo you can see a pile of carpet and trash dumped in
the cemetery, it is apparent there is no care or maintanance being done
to the cemetery.
There are many of the families who have
loved ones buried in the West Elfers Cemetery who are very upset that
Pasco County has not done more to protect this historic cemetery.
In March of 2006 I received a phone call that there had been some
apparent damage done in the West Elfers Cemetery. It was reported
that a semi truck had entered the cemetery and having no place to go,
turned around damaging several graves in the process.
On January 16, 2007 there was a court hearing at the Pasco County Court House, the hearing between Pasco County and the The Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida was to have the Milbauer Trust Fund, established perpetual care, terminated. Named as beneficiary of the trust fund both Pasco County and the Dioceses were both in agreement to terminate the trust fund. The previously mentioned AmSouth Bank was not doing their jobs as the trustee and the standard care of the cemetery was being neglected. Pasco County has currently agreed to keep the $280,000,000 trust fund in tact, having the Diocese act as a maintenance management company to oversee the care and maintenance of the cemetery. If the agreement between the Dioceses and Pasco County is terminated then the money would be equally divided, replaced into trust and Pasco County would provide maintenance for the property that they own. Pasco County feels that this is the best course of action currently for the cemetery.
Currently the condition of the cemetery has improved however this was due to the hard work put forth by the family of those buried in the cemetery. After the many years of neglect to the cemetery the families have become more involved and are currently organizing a cemetery association for West Elfers. This association will work to see that the historic West Elfers Cemetery is preserved as a Pasco County Historic Resource. After having the historic marker removed from the cemetery by Pasco County, claiming that information on the plaque was incorrect, the families fought and worked to have the historic marker replaced and re-dedicated. On January 27, 2007 Pasco County re-dedicated the West Elfers Cemetery as a historic site in Pasco County. At the price of $1,800 Pasco County replaced the historic marker at the cemetery, now with the correct history of the cemetery. To see more pictures from the historic marker dedication service please click here. http://www.fivay.org/markers/west_elfers.html
This new marker dedicated January 27, 2007 reflects an accurate history for the West Elfers Cemetery. This marker replaces a previous marker that was removed from the cemetery by Pasco County due to incorrect information.
As the families continue in their efforts to preserve the historic West Elfers Cemetery the history the cemetery will continue to grow. As this history continues to grow this history will be updated.
This page was last revised on February 05, 2007
On January 16, 2007 there was a court hearing at the Pasco County Court House, the hearing between Pasco County and the The Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida was to have the Milbauer Trust Fund, established perpetual care, terminated. Named as beneficiary of the trust fund both Pasco County and the Dioceses were both in agreement to terminate the trust fund. The previously mentioned AmSouth Bank was not doing their jobs as the trustee and the standard care of the cemetery was being neglected. Pasco County has currently agreed to keep the $280,000,000 trust fund in tact, having the Diocese act as a maintenance management company to oversee the care and maintenance of the cemetery. If the agreement between the Dioceses and Pasco County is terminated then the money would be equally divided, replaced into trust and Pasco County would provide maintenance for the property that they own. Pasco County feels that this is the best course of action currently for the cemetery.
Currently the condition of the cemetery has improved however this was due to the hard work put forth by the family of those buried in the cemetery. After the many years of neglect to the cemetery the families have become more involved and are currently organizing a cemetery association for West Elfers. This association will work to see that the historic West Elfers Cemetery is preserved as a Pasco County Historic Resource. After having the historic marker removed from the cemetery by Pasco County, claiming that information on the plaque was incorrect, the families fought and worked to have the historic marker replaced and re-dedicated. On January 27, 2007 Pasco County re-dedicated the West Elfers Cemetery as a historic site in Pasco County. At the price of $1,800 Pasco County replaced the historic marker at the cemetery, now with the correct history of the cemetery. To see more pictures from the historic marker dedication service please click here. http://www.fivay.org/markers/west_elfers.html
This new marker dedicated January 27, 2007 reflects an accurate history for the West Elfers Cemetery. This marker replaces a previous marker that was removed from the cemetery by Pasco County due to incorrect information.
As the families continue in their efforts to preserve the historic West Elfers Cemetery the history the cemetery will continue to grow. As this history continues to grow this history will be updated.
This page was last revised on February 05, 2007