West Elfers Cemetery

West Elfers Cemetery. . As part of the Baillie Settlement, a congregation of Methodists and Baptists established a Union Church and cemetery on this site, ca. 1876. In March 1877, the church conducted the first burial with the interment of Peter K. Baillie, pioneer settler and Seminole Indian War veteran. When a fire destroyed the church in 1885, the Methodists established their own church and cemetery, now known as East Elfers Cemetery. In 1891, the Baptists relocated to become the Anclote Missionary Baptist Church. In the late 1930s, Michael Milbauer acquired a tax deed for the greater part of the cemetery property. The Milbauer family then established the cemetery as a community burial place, giving burial plots to the underprivileged. After surveying the property, Michael Milbauer deeded a portion to the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine in 1955, who, in turn, deeded it to the Diocese of St. Petersburg in 1983. The Milbauers retained part of the cemetery for a family plot. After Michael's son, Richard died in 1981, the Milbauer portion of the cemetery was deeded equally to the University of Florida Foundation and Saint Leo College, who both deeded their portions to Pasco County in 1987. Among those buried in the West Elfers Cemetery are former public officials, ministers and veterans of seven U.S. wars.