Visiting my family history in Welaka FL

After learning of my family connection to the book Rose Cottage Chronicles I decided it was time to visit this small Florida fishing village. I loaded up my son Mason and off we went in search of our ancestors!

Welatka is about 1hr and 30 minutes from our home. As I approached the town I began to get a feeling of excitement and a feeling of awe knowing.  I was about to see everything I had read about in the book. To actually stand on the ground they stood on and visit their actual gravesite's. 

The first place I went looking for was "White Cottage". This was the home of my Great Great Great Grand Aunt Octavia (Bryant) Stephens family and later in life, her. Unfortunately once I tracked its location down via a map drawn by my Great Great Great Grand Uncle Winston Stephens himself I found the home was no more. 

Only a large vacant lot remains. I am curious as to owns the property now and would like to walk the property with a metal detector and see what I find. 

Our next mission was to find a playground to let Mason play a little. Quickly we discovered a PLAYGROUND!

After Mason stretched his legs and got some energy out we headed to find the family gravesite's.

Just a short drive North we discovered Oakwood Cemetery. The final resting place of many of the characters in the book Rose Cottage Chronicles including Winston and Octavia Stephens, their Daughter Rosa, son Winston Jr. and Baby Belle who died as an infant.

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Directly behind their graves is the Bryant and Stephens family plot where many other family members are buried. My other Great Great Great Grand Uncle Clark Stephens is buried here along with his wife Augustina of the Fleming family in Jacksonville. Fleming Island is named for this family. 

As I studied the map I had I was able to locate Clark and Augustina's  home. It is off old Welaka road on a beautiful piece of property. I will be back to see if I can convince the current owners if I could take a tour of the home.

All in all the trip was a success! Nothing like taking your son along to discover your family history.