Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery
Fort King Highway
Thonotosassa, Florida 33592
In the early 1880's W.A. Eliot donated a piece of property on Fort King Highway about a quarter mile north of Florence Avenue with the stipulation that it only be used for a church or school. Carolyn Edwards Fleetwood described this area this way:
"Where Florence Avenue enters Ft. King, there was a small two story building on the corner we called Uncle Mark's oifics, Uncle Mark being LaMarcus Edwards, Sr. At a distance of what would be a city block, and far off the road, was an unpainted house where the Portervint family liven, although they later moved into the office. Across the road was the Gresham grove, and in the grove a packing house, although it was never in operation as far as I can recall. Usually some old bachelor occupied a room in the downstairs of the packing house, although a family of Smiths lived there for awhile. Our large white house was north of the Portervint residence and also on the west side of the road. Next door was the abandoned Episcopal Church and cemetery, then a very small section of grove, and sitting on a wooded lot, the chapel. I would judge the chapel was a quarter mile from Florence, or maybe a little more, but certainly less than a half a mile. The abandoned Episcopal Church had stained glass windows, red carpet and varnished pews, but there was nothing fancy about the chapel. It was just a white building in the shape of a rectangle, and except for the sign wouldn't have been recognized as a a place of worship, as there was no cross, no spire, or bell tower."
In the 1955 Chamber of Commerce minutes I found the following:
"Mr. Jefferson took the floor and gave a history of the old chapel. It was first a public building and school in Thonotosassa in 1884. The ground was donated by a Mr. W.A. Eliot to be used only for school or religious purposes, and if not so used for 2 years, the property to return to Mr. Eliot or his heirs. It was used by various chuch denominations but after a while ceased to be used. Mr. Eliot was dead so the property was put under trustees, Mr. Jefferson was one, and a Mr. Davis. Property was finally sold except a 40 foot strip where the graves were. This was deeded to the Episcopal Diocese and the property now belongs to Mr. Evans except for the 40 foot strip."
A 1938 aerial of the area definately shows a building in the curve of Fort King Highway and another building further north. A 1973 aerial shows an orange grove, so some time between 1938 and 1973 a citrus grove was planted on the site where the church had been. Later on, probably due to a freeze, the citrus trees were all removed. I would seriously doubt if any remnants of the graves will ever be found.

List of burials
  1. George Cooper October 7, 1884
  2. Owen Mastick no date given but is between the above entry and another for 1886
  3. Illegible name 1886
  4. Ella A. Clendenning April 11, 1891
  5. Marian Cooper December 31, 1891
  6. Robert Archibold Johnson December 18, 1892
  7. Jesse Harrison Johnson April 3, 1906

    Note: The dates given are burial dates taken from the Episcopal Church & clergyman's record book.
Another burial was apparently made even though there is no record of it in the church records. Carolyn Edwards Fleetwood says in her writings that a Gresham baby was buried there. In fact the baby's headstone is the only one she can remember seeing but her father remembered seeing at least 6 wooden crosses marking graves.