Locke Family Cemetery on Boggy Creek Road

This one was a surprise. I’m not even sure how to describe how I got there, Shawn and I were talking and I was fiddling with the music the entire time we were driving. It was hot. I needed a snack. I’d run out of iced tea from Starbucks already. You get the picture.

When we finally pulled up to the gate we found that it was indeed a small family cemetery on the side of the road, and that we had to park on the shoulder because there wasn’t designated parking. The first thing we saw was a big sign that said No Trespassing, and another that said the cemetery was monitored by video surveillance. We ignored them both and unlatched the gate to walk in since it was broad daylight and the gate wasn’t locked. I did take a quick look around though and I saw that the telephone pole next to the cemetery had a floodlight on it aimed at the cemetery, and I know that goes a long way toward preventing vandalism. If I heeded by every No Trespassing sign that I saw I’d never get any writing done because I’d be avoiding every cemetery I’ve ever been in. I usually will research them first to see if they’re privately owned. If so I’ll still visit anyway and see if the gate is locked. If it is, I don’t go in.

This cemetery is OLD, which was another surprise. Almost all of the names are Lock or Locke, but supposedly there is a Jane Green buried there who was in a specific type of trade and ‘worked’ with the cattlemen in the area. Having once dated a farmer who raised cattle for breed stock, I have to say I do not blame her one bit. Nothing makes my hormones stir like a man on a horse, but that isn’t really relevant. Whether or not the story about Jane is actually true remains a mystery, but it’s the legend, and I remember stopping in wonder at her modern headstone because she lived to be 99 years old.

There are some beautiful hand stamped headstones in the center rows that date back to 1892 and 1898. My favorite of the two features a star motif stamped into the top curve of the stone and the epitaph reads “She Died Triumph In The Lord”. Her name was also unusual, Marzila Lock.

When you walk though this cemetery is seems like it’s another sandy lot filled with burrs and old headstones, but when you stand back and view it from the front you notice that a large section is shaded by a beautiful oak tree, and I stood for a moment imagining those strong roots carefully holding the people together underground. All of my shots from the gate were beautiful.

 

Find A Grave shows 67 burials on the lot but I’m pretty sure there were more given the age of the cemetery, and there are a surprising number of children buried here. 12 out of the 67, in fact.

And finally, a particularly nice tribute on Find A Grave is this one for Cennie Tison Lock, and it shows how large this family really was. Enjoy.

9 thoughts on “Locke Family Cemetery on Boggy Creek Road

  1. Jane Green in the Lock Family Cemetery did not live to 99 years old. One Halloween someone stole Jane’s headstone. A relative want to replace it and went to the court house to get her death date and he got the wrong dates. it turned out there was another Jane Green in Orlando during that time frame from Columbia County and died while she was here and was shipped back to Columbia County to be buried and her dates was 1819-1918. Jane Green was born in 1835 and died in 1920. I Hope this was helpful. James Kramer

  2. Very cool! I’m glad you went on in…we’ve had some problems in the past, which is the reason for the signs. But, the gate is unlocked for visitors. I’m a trustee of the Lock Cemetery, and 4th Great Granddaughter of Jane Green. Nearly a century after her death, she’s still an interesting topic of conversation. Some people in our family aren’t happy about the stories, but I think she would have been a cool lady to know…and good or bad, she’s definitely not forgotten. I wish someday her original headstone would turn up… thanks for visiting and posting about our cemetery!

    1. Thank you so much for reading! Honestly, I found her story inspiring, I like it when women take charge of their fate and fortunes. It’s an incredible cemetery!

  3. This Is a wonderful write up, since your write up there has been additions to the cemetery one of which was my Grandmother
    Gwyndola Ward Thompkins she was 102 born Oct 18, 1916 and passed on November 5, 2018. We laid her to rest this past Saturday 11-10-18.
    It was a neat experience visiting the cemetery, I had never been to it before.
    Thank you for the write up

  4. Hi! Just found this in a search… Dola McConnell… I am Aunt Gwennies great niece. Daughter of Buster Ward. I am working on a family tree on Ancestry.com. You seem to know more than me…Maybe you could help?

    1. Lol! Honestly, genealogy is not my strong suit at all. A lot of my research comes from Find A Grave and the census records. If you would like a professional to assist you I have 2 friends who do that, so let me know! And thank you for reading, that is really a fascinating cemetery.

  5. There is lots of info on the lock’s and related families in central Florida and lots of long family trees. They are many willing to share. There is a lock family reunion every year usually in Oct. If there is someone you would like to contact me and i will be happy to pass it on. My contact i– James Kramer nosark55@gmai.com Thanks for your comment.

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