Historical Books

By tradition this house was built for the Friars who came with Menendez, when they moved into the large Convent it was turned over to a Spanish deputy and came down in the same family until sold by them in 1882. St. Elmo Acosta and his sister Ella were the last of this Alvarez and Menendez family to own this ancient house. It is shown on the map of St. Augustine made in 1765 and another of 1778 that gives the ground floor plan of the house and the description states it is in "mal estado" bad condition. It is a different plan to every other old house in St. Augustine. In 1690 the Governor's house was rebuilt with every other old house in St. Augustine. In 1690 the Governor's house was rebuilt with Coquina, first floor, also the other official houses in "the way it is done in this province". The Governor's house was one of the first built in this province, but the English found a house with the date upon it 1571. In Dr. Caceres letter he speaks of the Governor (Don Pedro with the date upon it 1571. In Dr. Caceres letter he speaks of the Governor (Don Pedro Menendez, cousin of the Adelantado) as building a house for himself. Drake's map 1586 plainly shows the city of that date was near St. Francis street. Lately the Assessors list 1802-180 ?, (translation) has been obtained from the Library of Congress that gives the block number, lot number, material built of, of every house in St. Augustine, but the materials used in two or three. Many are built of palm, some of wood and those of coquina are mainly one story, coquina, second floor wood or tabique (thin walls) . Large two story coquina houses were built after that date. Many houses claiming to be old were not built at that time. This built after that date. Many houses claiming to be old were not built at that time. This assessors list can be seen at the office of the County Clerk. The Historical Society hopes to find sometime the deed of the Spanish houses to Fish, and the deeds of the first Spanish occupation sent to England about 1772. The Historical Society is continuing its research work, and discovering valuable data from time to time, which will be published in future editions of this history.

CEMETERIES.

Tolomato cemetery is the one containing the oldest tombs with inscriptions. The large brick tombs in the rear of the lot may have been used as in Cuba as temporary graves. To the south of this cemetery was Campo Santo (see assessor's list) . In Tolomato cemetery among others lies buried Antonio Alvarez (son of Geronomo Alvarez) an early mayor, treasurer, councilman, keeper of the archives by appointment of President John Quincy Adams.

The antique church of the Spaniards was on St. George St. where the Spear Mansion now stands. When the English came they added a tower and bell and called it St. Peter's, and it was there that the English dead were buried, tombs are underground buried by leaves and loam. This was a large wooden church, called the Parish Church of the Spanish. Where the Parochial school now stands is the lot called "Lot of the Souls" de las Animas, possibly an older burying place. Old records speak of people using their own lots for internment, this was forbidden by the city later.

On Ocean Street was the Chapel of Our Lady of the Milk, on a map of 1757 called Nombre de Dios (the name given to an Indian chapel on a map before 1600 in the south end of the city) . In this cemetery on Ocean Street are a number of graves of soldiers without any dates. The cemetery called Huguenot was opened in 1821 on account of an epidemic of yellow fever. Among old deeds one finds that there were a number of French owning property in St. Augustine. The English records speak of bringing a French colony here, how the name Huguenot originated is not on the records. Early American historians, before they had access to the Spanish records, describe the French being shot in front of the Fort by Menendez.