This may seem like a morbid subject but as family historians it is very helpful to understand how our ancestors handled the death of someone in the family. I can’t tell you the numbers of times I’ve heard someone lament not being able to find a death certificate or even the burial location of one … Continue reading Burial Practices in Early Northwest Florida
Author: Northwest Florida History
April 1864-April 1865 Bringing the Death and Destruction to an End
In this post we will wrap up this series on the Florida panhandle during the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War, War Between the States). We’ve looked at the conditions at home, and the motivating factors for some of the responses of the men who were expected to defend the homefront by those in … Continue reading April 1864-April 1865 Bringing the Death and Destruction to an End
Late Florida Regiments in the War for Southern Independence: 1863-1865
These later Florida regiments begin to show how the Confederacy was hemorrhaging men by this point. New regiments were formed by consolidating regiments that were no longer able to function as a regiment due to significant loss of men. In working to understand your ancestor’s experiences of the War it is critical that you trace … Continue reading Late Florida Regiments in the War for Southern Independence: 1863-1865
April 1863 – April 1864: The Independence Experiment Begins to Falter and the Florida Panhandle Homefront Becomes Chaotic
Let’s do a thought experiment to open this month’s post. It is June 1863. You are a 32-year man who was born and raised in the Florida panhandle. You are married with four children still living. Your wife is a small woman with a strong will but losing a couple of children over the last … Continue reading April 1863 – April 1864: The Independence Experiment Begins to Falter and the Florida Panhandle Homefront Becomes Chaotic
Early Florida Confederate Regiments in the War for Southern Independence: 1861-1862
Let me shift hats from local historian to genealogist. If you really want to know how your Florida panhandle ancestor experienced the war, you must go beyond finding the same name on an index of Confederate soldiers from the general area where your ancestor lived and assuming it is the correct man and that the … Continue reading Early Florida Confederate Regiments in the War for Southern Independence: 1861-1862
April 1862 – April 1863: War Begins in Earnest. The Impacts Become Noticeable
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts on the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War, War Between the States) in the Florida Panhandle (post 1) (post 2) (post 3). It will be followed within a few days by a follow-up post on some of the early Florida Regiments from this period. … Continue reading April 1862 – April 1863: War Begins in Earnest. The Impacts Become Noticeable
April 1861-April 1862: “Unnecessary, wanton and atrocious vandalism reaches much beyond the individuals who have suffered.” – A.C. Blount to Governor, 1862
This is the third in a series of blog posts on the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War, War Between the States) in the Florida Panhandle (post 1) (post 2). Sorry it is a bit late. June was a challenging month! We left off in the last post with the closure of the Florida … Continue reading April 1861-April 1862: “Unnecessary, wanton and atrocious vandalism reaches much beyond the individuals who have suffered.” – A.C. Blount to Governor, 1862
1861: The Florida Panhandle’s Role in the War for Southern Independence, Part 2
Last month I began a series about the Florida Panhandle in the War for Southern Independence and this month we are going to pick up where we left off, at the Florida Secession Convention and explore the early days of the War in 1861. In January 1861, the delegates chosen to represent the State at … Continue reading 1861: The Florida Panhandle’s Role in the War for Southern Independence, Part 2
1861: The Florida Panhandle’s Role in the War for Southern Independence, Part 1
A hundred and sixty years seems like a lot and plenty of time to heal wounds and move forward. And yet, today’s political climate tells us it was either not enough time, or we didn’t bother to use the time wisely. We are still struggling with some of the same issues today that our ancestors … Continue reading 1861: The Florida Panhandle’s Role in the War for Southern Independence, Part 1
Celebrating Our History During a Pandemic: Taking a Step (or Two) Towards More Resilience While Having Fun!
I’ve seen a lot about the isolation and depression that seems to have gripped a lot of people during this past year. The pandemic has caused us to have to take stock in how we manage our lives day to day, how we interact with people, and how we entertain ourselves. All of that while … Continue reading Celebrating Our History During a Pandemic: Taking a Step (or Two) Towards More Resilience While Having Fun!
Northwest Florida History & Genealogy 