Dykes, Early Florida Pioneers
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Mary Jane Dykes, was born August 25, 1868 at Lake Johannah, near Eustis, Lake County, Florida. She was the first child of Jasper J. Dykes and Sarah Ellen Robertson. Her mother, Sarah Ellen, died when Mary Jane was fifteen. Since she was the oldest she became "mother" to her younger siblings. She was the second wife of Rev. Daniel Palmer. She was the mother of nine, including triplets. She died at age fifty-seven, in the house on highway 19, Altoona. She's buried beside her husband and his first wife in the Glendale Cemetery, Umatilla, Florida. She died May 6, 1925.
Mary Jane Dykes Palmer and Palmer children ca 1900
Jasper J. Dykes, was born Jan 12, 1841 in Florida. His father was George D. Dykes and mother was Mary Rosannah Hurst.
Jasper married Sarah Ellen Robertson on November 7, 1867. ( according to family records). He served in the Confederate Army from Florida. After the death of his wife, Sarah Ellen in 1883, he moved to Miami, Florida in the 1890's and ran a business there. His daughter Caroline ( Aunt Carrie) went with him and died in Miami at the age of 104. He was buried in the Old Fort Mason Cemetery, near Eustis, Florida, but may have been reinterred in the Glendale Cemetery, Umatilla, Florida. There is a gravestone there for him. He died October 18, 1913 in Lake County, Florida.
Jasper and Sarah Ellen had the following children: Mary Jane Dykes Palmer , Sarah Elizabeth Dykes Bethea,George Middleton Dykes, Carolina Matilda Dykes Dorothy, Clarasie Lee Dykes, Louisa E. Dykes, Florida Ellen Dykes Faver, Susan M. Dykes Lassiter.Faver-Dykes State Park (Florida) located near St Augustine, Florida is named after Florida Dykes, who married Alexander Hall Faver.
Jasper J Dykes and Children, left to right- Clarissa Lee "Lee",Caroline "Carrie", Elizabeth," Lizzie", George Middleton, Louisa, Susan "Susie" , Florida, inset picture Mary Jane Dykes
Photo ca. 1907- Mary Jane Dykes Palmer and Florida Dykes Faver and Children
Photo - George Middleton Dykes and Family, February 1917
Photo - Caroline Matilda Dykes Dorothy and family
Florida resident in 1836
George Duncan Dykes, was born October 9, 1811 in Barnswell District, South Carolina. He was the son of Jesse Dykes and Mary. He married Mary Rosannah Hurst in Effingham County, Georgia on December 22, 1829. He was listed as a resident of Alachua County Florida in " Suffering Inhabitants of Florida" at Fort Heilman, Florida in 1836. He was also listed as a veteran of the Florida Seminole Indian War.The 1840 census of Florida finds him living in Duval County.The 1850 census shows him located in the Buddy River Settlement of Benton County. He was on the 1860 Census of Putnam County, Florida, no wife listed. His residence was Welaka, Florida. The children of George and Mary Hurst Dykes are listed as follows: Jessee William, b 1830, Marian Ansory b 1832, George Levi b 1833, John Benjamin b 1835, James Richard b 1838, Jasper Jackson, Martha Ann b 1842, Elbert Duncan b 1844, Rosannah Elizabeth b 1846. George D. Dykes is buried in the Fort Mason Cemetery, near Eustis, Lake County, Florida. See a photo of his grave on the Cemeteries page.
Jesse Dykes, was born about 1770. He was the son of George Dykes.He resided in Effingham County, Georgia. His wife was Mary. Their children were listed as George D., Jesse D. b 1813 (who married Frances Ann Blitch also in Effingham Co. Ga. and also migrated to Marion County, Florida) , and daughter Pencey who married Furney Willis.
1830 Will of Jesse Dykes of Effingham County, Georgia
George Dykes, father of Jesse Dykes was born in Virginia. His wife was Unity ? He left a will listing his children as: Jesse Dykes ( administrator of will), George, Susannah, Esther, Unity, Mary, Levi, Noah, Rebecca,and Martha.
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