Bronson Closes Historic Cemetery, Contributes Funds for Marker

The future Coulter Cemetery overlooks the former Bronson High School and Elementary School, which is being renovated for the Courthouse Annex office building.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

It isn’t often that an elective board makes a decision to close a cemetery to future burials, but it happened at the Bronson Town Council meeting on Jan. 21 this past Tuesday.

The Bronson cemetery, owned by the town, saw its last burial 30 years ago. It is an historic cemetery and will soon have its own historic marker if all goes according to plan.

The cemetery isn’t marked with a sign giving it a name. Levy County Historical Society President and Founder Toni Collins said the cemetery should be named Coulter Cemetery for the man who donated the land.

William R. Coulter, Sr. also donated the land for the Levy County Courthouse, the old Bronson High School and Elementary School behind the courthouse and First United Methodist Church.

The grave of William R. Coulter, Sr. indicates his age when he passed but not the date of his death, but the style of the headstone is nearly identical to his wife's. Cemetery records indicate date of birth as October 15, 1832, & date of death as September 11, 1892. — The grave of William R. Coulter, Sr. indicates his age when he passed but not the date of his death, but the style of the headstone is nearly identical to his wife’s. Cemetery records indicate date of birth as October 15, 1832, & date of death as September 11, 1892.

The wife of William. R. Coulter, Sr., listed on the headstone as Lydia Brewster, is buried next to her husband's grave. — **The wife of William. R. Coulter, Sr., listed on the headstone as Lydia Brewster, is buried next to her husband’s grave.**

Collins is spearheading an effort to place an historic marker at the cemetery. The Bronson Council on Tuesday voted to contribute $500 to the marker. The historical society will donate $500 and the remaining $1,000 is to be funded by a state historic grant. Collins will handle the grant application.

At the same time, the town council voted to contribute an additional $500 for an historic marker at the Jackson House, site of the current Town Hall. Once again, the historical society will contribute $500 and a state historic grant will fund the remaining $1,000. The Jackson House is named for former Bronson physician Dr. James Jackson.

The cemetery is the final resting place for a number of Confederate soldiers. It is also the final resting place for Mary Glenn Shands, mother of Dr. James Jackson, Jr., who founded Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Shands Hospital in Gainesville takes its name from the same family.

Benjamin Friedman, the longest serving Levy County Judge is also buried in the cemetery along with one of the town’s first postmasters.

“A lot of Levy County’s pioneers are buried in that cemetery,” Collins said.

The Bronson Council has also agreed to loan historical photographs in Town Hall to the Levy County Historical Society for display in its building in downtown Bronson. The historical society recently purchased the former White Foundation building located a short distance south of the courthouse on Picnic Street.

Town Clerk Shirley Miller said the historical society can display the photos and other historical items owned by the town, including an antique Davis sewing machine in its building. She said if the historical society ever decides it no longer wants the items, the town will bring them back to Town Hall.

Miller said the town is relocating the cemetery gate from School Street, which runs in front of the former high school, to Capital Street which runs behind the courthouse, the state attorney’s office and the Methodist Church. She said the current cemetery front gate empties into a grassy area owned by Natalie Thomas. The grassy area connects to Thomas’s property next to the cemetery.

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Town of Bronson Regular Meeting January 21, 2020; Posted January 24, 2020

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