Driver Cemetery / Wesleyan Chapel Cemetery

DIRECTIONS: Directions and mileage are from Bristol, the county seat. The intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 12 South (at the traffic light) is the starting point. From Bristol, travel to Hosford on Highway 20 East; 11 miles. At Hosford, turn right onto Highway 65 South. Stay on 65 South for about 1.5 miles to Junction 67-A. Turn left onto 67-A; continue for one miles to a paved road. Turn right. The cemetery is about two-tenths of a mile on the left.

Cemetery History: The land for this cemetery, which from the beginning amounted to the sum of approximately four (4) acres, was presented to the communities of Hosford and Telogia, Florida for a burial tract, by Mr. Isaac Russell Hosford b. 1811 d. 1878. It was his desire to be buried here and was the first person to be laid to rest in the Northeast corner in the Hosford Family plot. This cemetery land was originally part of the Hosford Plantation and it was adjacent to one of its' various planting fields. Two of Mr. Hosford's sons are buried next to him, one being 2 Lt. John Wesley Hosford and the other Indian John Hosford. These are the second and third oldest graves in the cemetery.

In recent years this cemetery has been referred to by different names by the locals that reside in the area. One of the names it is called is the Burn-Out Cemetery. This name was derived from the fact that there once was a Wesleyan Methodist Church on this site that burned down and was never rebuilt. Another name sometimes and more frequently used is the Driver Cemetery. This name originated from the fact that there once was a man with the surname of Driver who purchased some land across the road from the cemetery and erected quite a large building to be utilized as a local school, which became known as Drivers schoolhouse. This supplied a place for the local children in the nearby community, which was located a little distance south (which no longer exist) of the present day cemetery. It has also been referred to as the Burlington Cemetery, though not to often.

But, the actual true and original name as far back as the 1870's for this cemetery is the "Wesleyan Chapel Cemetery" according to Mr. Wesley Coe Hosford b. 1916 d. 1989 (also buried in the Hosford plot) back in about the year of 1967. He was the grandson of John Wesley Hosford and the great grandson of Isaac Russell Hosford, the first two people to be laid to rest there. A sign has recently been erected with the name of "Wesleyan Chapel".