Douglas Dummett was a white orange grower and married a woman from a wealthy family which deserted him so he moved to what is where New Smyrna is today. Dummett decided to move so he built his home on an Indian Burial Mound calling it Mt. Pleasant. It would provide refuge for settlers fleeing from Indian attacks at the Dunham Mansion across the river in 1835. A time when the Seminoles grew in strength in hopes to rebel for Florida Lands.

The Indians made even an attempt to burn the Dunham Mansion but to a surprise they were unsuccessful. Douglas eventually got married again to a young black slave by the name of Anna. He had a black son by the name of Charles who died while hunting at the age of 18 in 1860. Nobody knows how he died some say it was suicide cause he was ashamed of being black. Others say he died when he tripped while his friend watched the gun discharge killing him. To me it sounds a little suspicious either way and perhaps his spirit is restless.

The spot where he fell and died is the exact burial location. But as you know over time land around the grave was being developed with boat yards, parks, piers, little shops, restaurants and eventually concrete roads. When we did our first investigation we walked over the bridge, to the park, and around some of these shops near the graves location. 

Unusually people that tend to commit suicide end up in a state of limbo so we were hoping maybe to catch a phantom or residual energy in the area. When the area built up the street it sat on was built around the grave. I did not find the grave unfortunately until I did more research on it so I do not have a picture of it. But here is what it says according to my research. 

It said "Sacred to the Memory Of Charles Dummett, Born August 18th, 1844 Died April 23, 1860. The grave sits in the middle of the street and the road is split with pavement on both sides. The developers decided to leave it out of respect.  The Drive the grave is located on is named after the brother of entertainer Judy Canova a former landowner here. 

©  By

Rick-AngelOfThyNight

 
   

 

 
 

 

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