Williams-Crews Cemetery

FOUNDED: 1829

ADDITIONAL NAMES: N/A

AFFILIATION(S):

• Fountain Chapel AME Church

HISTORY: Williams–Crews Cemetery is a historically significant African American burial ground that reflects the long-standing presence and resilience of the Black community in Tallahassee. Oral history provided by descendant Ronald Morris indicates that the cemetery has served generations of local families and was once far more visible and actively maintained, with marked and unmarked graves extending across much of the property. The cemetery is owned by Fountain Chapel AME Church, one of the area's historic Black congregations, further underscoring its importance within the community's cultural and religious heritage. Although questions remain regarding the site's earliest history and relationship to the church, the cemetery represents an important place of remembrance for descendants and a tangible connection to the community's past. Despite decades of neglect, overgrowth, and damage from fallen trees, Williams–Crews Cemetery retains significant historical integrity through its surviving vernacular concrete grave markers, including handcrafted decorative elements that reflect local burial traditions. Oral histories and historic aerial imagery document the cemetery's continued presence within a changing landscape and highlight its role as a landmark familiar to generations of neighborhood residents. As one of the few remaining physical reminders of the area's historic Black community, the cemetery possesses considerable cultural, genealogical, and educational value, making its preservation an important priority for both descendants and the broader community.

BCN Contact Information:

Ronald Morris

ronaldonealmorris@gmail.com

BETTON HILLS PLANTATION CEMETERY

FOUNDED: 1930’s

ADDITONAL NAMES: N/A

AFFILIATION(S): N/A

HISTORY:

The site is all that remains of a much larger cemetery for African Americans dating from the pre-Civil War era through the 1940s. It was the main burial ground for black slaves and servants from the Betton Plantation as well as other surrounding plantations. The plantation system grew in North Florida as cotton plantations to the north depleted their soil from overuse. Prominent early plantations in this region included Goodwood, Waverly, and Live Oak. Turbett Betton was a prominent Tallahassee merchant who purchased roughly 1,200 acres from the Lafayette estate, lying between Thomasville and Centerville Roads. Shortly after Betton’s death in 1863, the land was purchased by Guy Winthrop. The emancipation of the slaves ruined the cotton industry, and many planters turned their land into quail hunting plantations. In 1945, the Winthrop family began subdividing the property for a new housing community called Betton Hills. Henry Watson, buried at the back of the lot with his wife, was one of Winthrop’s servants. However, most of the burials were marked with a simple wooden cross or flowers, and so no longer remain. Evidence of a burial site is marked by elongated depressions in the earth covered with altered vegetation.

BCN Contact Information:

Remus March II

remy663@gmail.com