A South Florida family whose history dates back to the first days of Miami's founding are getting a new landmark that celebrates their heritage and preserves their name.
But it's not a statue or plaque - it's a grave marker.
Right next to the 100-year-old Peacock family monument, workers gathered dirt and placed it evenly around the cemetery plot at Miami City Cemetery Tuesday while Suzanne Tripp looked on with pride.
“This is the family plot of the John Thomas Peacock Family. He was the founder of Coconut Grove, one of the founders. It was called Jacks Bite,” Tripp said.
Among some of the first permanent settlers in South Florida, the Peacocks had the first hotel in Coconut Grove. It was called Bay View House and later expanded into the Peacock Inn.
“Well it’s very exciting because the Peacocks have a very important role in the history of Miami,” said Penny Lambeth, who chairs the restoration of the Miami City Cemetery.
Tripp contacted Lambeth to purchase the plot for the family members who are buried there but not listed.
“When Suzanne called a few months ago I was very excited about it, that we were going to have a new marker to list all of these people who were here who might be forgotten in years to come,” said Lambeth.
On the brand new Peacock family tombstone there are 17 names engraved including William R. Groves Jr.
"This is very special and I’ve been down here since 1960 and I went to many of the funerals of the names that are on the tablet here," Groves Jr. said.
His wife of 55 years, Ruth Peacock Groves, is buried there and their 60-year-old son’s name is there for when he passes. Right now there are 13 Peacock family members buried there.
Tripp’s parents are in ashes now but not buried with the family yet.
Tripp was asked why she hadn’t buried her parent’s ashes.
"So we can get the family together," she said. "We’re going to have a family reunion. It will be a very nice time!”
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Photo Credit: NBC6.com