St George's Caye Archaeology Reserve

In 2010 the St George's Caye Historic Cemetery was officially declared an Archaeology Reserve by the Institute of Archaeology.  Many of Belize founding fathers and families were laid to rest here.  The earliest burials are from the 1700s. 

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Epitaphs

In 1907 John Purcell Usher published the epitaphs from the tombstones at St George's Caye, British Honduras in Memorial Inscriptions & Epitaphs, Belize, British Honduras.  We are thankful for this publication since Hurricane Hattie devastated the cemetery and created a channel through the island along the southern boundary of the cemetery, causing many stones to be misplaced. The sarcophagus of Thomas Potts was last observed submerged in this channel. 

Sacred to the Memory
of
JOHN EMMONS HILL, ESQRE,
Who departed this life
11th May, 1808
Aged 37 Years

"Long have I been tossed to and fro,
Till God's decree is cast, from all storms free,
Until my swelling sails shall waft me, Lord, to Thee"

Sacred
to the Memory of
Mrs. Mary Estill
Daughter of
Mrs. Catherine Ferrall
of this Settlement
Born July 1, 1784
and departed this life
the 23rd of February, 1818
in the 34th year of her age

HERE
LIES THE BODY OF
EDWARD JONES, ESQRE.
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON MONDAY THE 9TH DAY
OF APRIL, 1804
AGED 49 YEARS
E.J. 1804

(born 1755)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
ROBERT PERRY
WHO DEPARTED
THIS LIFE THE 14TH PF OCTOBER, 1787
AGED 45 YEARS
R.P 1787

Note - This stone is very much worn and hard to decipher.