Christopher Friebele and younger brother Samuel were German immigrants and pioneer Tampa merchants. Samuel Friebele (who died at age 38 in 1849) was originally buried at Fort Brooke's civilian burying ground and was one of the first interments at the "new" municipal cemetery of Oaklawn. Samuels's epitaph exemplifies the nineteenth century view of death as a preamble to reunion in the hereafter: "Now, as no better we can do, we love each other for sake of you, and trust in God to meet you again, in Heaven together to remain."
