For any of you who have followed me for any length of time, you know one of my favorite subjects to discuss is Yellow River Baptist Church, in the very northern part of Okaloosa County, FL, nestled near the banks of the river by the same name. The church was founded in June of 1840, … Continue reading Updates and Links to My Posts on Yellow River Baptist Church
Author: Northwest Florida History
Updates and Links to My Posts on the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
As I indicated in my post at the first of November, I’m taking some time from writing new material to give myself time to adjust to no longer having my Mom with me. But I am taking the time to do some updating of some of my prior posts and thought I would start by … Continue reading Updates and Links to My Posts on the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree – Part 3
My last two blog posts (Part 1, Part 2)have delved into the presence of Native ancestry in Southern lineages and the theory that the community of Barrow’s Ferry/Oak Grove in what is now Okaloosa County, Florida and Yellow River Baptist Church in the same community was settled or founded by persons of mixed blood who … Continue reading The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree – Part 3
The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree, Part 2
Introduction Last month, I began a series of blogs on Native American ancestry in the Southern family tree. This blog will continue that series. Maybe I should start by explaining how I express my own Native ancestry. I’ve had my DNA done by several providers and appear to have between 2% and 8% Native ancestry … Continue reading The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree, Part 2
The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree
I’ve not met many Southerners whose family has been down here for a while, not get around to sharing that there is a family story of a Native American in the family tree, usually a great-grandmother one or more times over (only story more common is the 3 brothers who immigrated or moved to America). … Continue reading The Lore of Native Americans in the Southern Family Tree
Getting to Know a Community from the Past
As some of you may know, a good number of my ancestors helped settle the upper banks of the Yellow River in what is now Okaloosa County, Florida. First known as Barrow’s Ferry, believed to be a name taken from one of my ancestors and an early settler to the area, John Barrow. But since … Continue reading Getting to Know a Community from the Past
Common Sense, Heritage and Sacrifice
This will not be my usual kind of post. I’m going to back up a bit and take a view of the entire United States. I started this post very late. I’m writing this early on the morning of the 4th of July. Our nation is struggling to define who we are and who we … Continue reading Common Sense, Heritage and Sacrifice
Teasing Out the History of Yellow River Baptist Church
Why is Yellow River Baptist Church’s (northern Okaloosa County) history so important to the Florida Panhandle’s history? Now, I might be a bit prejudiced on the side of importance because my family has been involved with the church from its beginnings but there is a broader, more important reason. It is the oldest Baptist Church … Continue reading Teasing Out the History of Yellow River Baptist Church
Infectious Diseases: Then and Now
I started this blog as the whole world was beginning to take seriously the COVID-19 Pandemic. In short order we've seen the World Health Organization declare it a pandemic and in the U.S. we've seen a major upswing in positive cases, a demand for more testing of suspected cases, self-quarantine recommendations and requirements, and the … Continue reading Infectious Diseases: Then and Now
The Controversial Excursion of 2nd Lt. Joseph Sanders of the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
We’ve made a brief journey through the history of the 1st Florida Union Cavalry over the last three blogs (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). We’ve looked at where these Southern men came from, whether they were deserters or dodgers of Confederate service and how they served while in the 1st Florida Union Cavalry. In … Continue reading The Controversial Excursion of 2nd Lt. Joseph Sanders of the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
