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262. UPDATE: Pensacola's Long Forgotten Veterans


Back in November 2018, I visited the "Old Muscogee Cemetery" in Cantonment, which was so heavily overgrown that you could trip over the headstones without seeing them. A little investigation revealed that this cemetery is separated from the "Muscogee Cemetery" based on the ethnicity of the deceased. I only found five graves with actual grave stones although there were numerous "sunken" areas where I believe graves had once been. There were also two graves discovered belonging to a World War I veteran named John Brown and another a World War II veteran named Huston Owens. I have recently been told that is also a Civil War veteran somewhere under the underbrush. In 2016, Walter McQueen led an expedition to clear away the vegetation that all but covered up the entire cemetery. Sadly, the underbrush has returned once again covering up these veterans along with numerous other graves dating back to the 1800's.

Private John Brown was with the 810th Pioneer Infantry

prior to his death on January 16, 1930

General Orders of the 810th Pioneer Infantry

Provided by Kev Flynn

Brown's induction notice of April 25, 1918

enroute to Camp Johnston, FL

Private John Brown's Headstone Application August 5, 1930

STM2 Huston Owens, enlisted August 18, 1944 and discharged after WWII on April 19, 1946. He was born on August 10, 1927 and passed away on April 7, 1962 and buried in the "Old" Muscogee Cemetery. He was the son of Samuel E. Owens and Elsie Weatherspoon with his father working as a laborer in a Muscogee sawmill to support their nine children.

Grave of Huston Owens, US Navy, WWII

Huston Owens

Twin brother of Huston Owens is Hugh Owens,

US Navy, WWII, buried at Barrancas Cemetery


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