Shaw Family Cemetery (Private)
Rural Jasper, Florida
Abstracted by Lesleigh Laite Butts
It appears that Shaw Cemetery (Private) may no longer exist. Some time ago it was said there was only one headstone left, that of a 12 year old girl. The cemetery was reported in the WPA Veterans' Graves Registration Project, St. Augustine, Florida 1940-1941; Hamilton County, Florida No. 24 (hereafter referred to as WPA). Prepared by Veterans' Grave Registration Project Division of Professional and Service Projects Work Projects Administration. Sponsored by the Military Department of the State of Florida and co-sponsored by the American Legion, Department of Florida Hamilton 1940 - 1941. No burials of veterans were reported.
Shaw Cemetery was also reported by Winnie Smith Hodges in her book Cemeteries of Hamilton County, published in 1991 in which she stated it was south of Ray Roebuck's no directions given. One interment listed as "Rebecca Holliman with no dates; placed by brother Alfred Holliman". Recent contact with Mrs. Geraldine Fisher, of Jasper provided information on another burial, that of her Gr-gr-grandfather Joseph Kerse, b. 1827, in Georgia d. Abt 1860, in Hamilton County, FL. However, she was unsuccessful locating someone to take me to the cemetery location.
The WPA Veterans' Grave Registration Project (1940-41) cites the following: Location Section 26 Twp 2N Range 13E - from the town of Jasper, go north on US Hwy 41 for 6 miles. Turn left (west) on SR 116 and go one mile, turn right (northwest) on county road, go 2 miles, turn right (north) on obscure dirt road and go 1 and 5/10 miles to cemetery which lies 100 yards on right (east) of road (No veteran burials reported).
However, following those instructions today (with named roads) the directions would read: From Exit 460 on I-75 (west of Jasper) take State Road 6 West and travel 3/10 mile and turn right onto County Road 146 and travel 2.0 miles to NW 66th Avenue. Travel NW 66th Avenue 1.5 miles the cemetery lies 100 yards on the (right) east side of the road. Following these directions leads to the driveway belonging to Hamilton County Property Appraiser Parcel 3766-000 in Section 26 Twp 2N Range 12E. (I conferred with Mr. Richard Young in the Property Appraiser's office to see whether I interpreted the directions correctly, he said I had.)
Reviewing parcel map grids for juxtaposition comparison of 26-2N-13E in relation to 26-2N-12E, I find they are horizontally aligned with five sections between them. Additionally, it was noted that 26-2N-13E is on the west side of US 129 N, the railroad track runs through the NE corner and the northeast corner touches US 129. The Official Map of Hamilton County has the cemetery placed just below the ending of NW 76th Lane which is timberland owned by Kenneth Newsome in Sect 30 Twp 2N Range 13E.
Locating Shaw Cemetery at this point is difficult as there are discrepancies on several points:
1. The directions provided in the WPA (1940-41) do not lead to the Section/Twp/Range they cited. 2. The Section/Twp/Range cited by WPA (26-2N-13E) butts up to US 129 north of Jasper, thus nowhere near US 41 or CR 146. 3. Placement of the cemetery on the Official Map of Hamilton County does not coincide with directions or Section/Township/Range cited by WPA. 4. The Sect/Twp/Range, based on the position on the Official Hamilton Map, is 30-2N-13E. Information compiled by Lesleigh Laite Butts March 22, 2011.
