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
Oak Grove, Okaloosa Co, FL
Updates and Links to My Posts on Oak Grove in Okaloosa County, FL
How many of you have a place where your heart and soul has bonded with the land and when you find yourself there you have a feeling of intense peace and having arrived at your soul’s home? I know that sounds pretty New Age, but it is a real thing. And for me that place … Continue reading Updates and Links to My Posts on Oak Grove in Okaloosa County, FL
Updates and Links to My Posts on Yellow River Baptist Church
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
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
Getting to Know a Community from the Past
1827 Map of Florida showing Barrow's Ferry (upper middle section on river) 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 … Continue reading Getting to Know a Community from the Past
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
The Bethel, FL Sub-Alliance: Farmers Organizing in the Bethel, Oak Grove & Laurel Hill Areas
A good place to start is probably how these records came to light. As many of you who read this blog regularly know, many of my ancestors helped to found and serve the Yellow River Baptist Church from 1840 through my grandparents. I’ve been working with the church for a while trying to digitize their … Continue reading The Bethel, FL Sub-Alliance: Farmers Organizing in the Bethel, Oak Grove & Laurel Hill Areas
Southern Farmer Unrest, 1865-1905
For Southerners the period immediately after the Civil War, or Reconstruction, lasted from 1865 until 1876 (see blogs Part I and Part II). For the rest of the country, the end of the War brought a significant amount of change and innovation up until the Great Depression. This is the period in our history where … Continue reading Southern Farmer Unrest, 1865-1905
The Black and White of Oak Grove, Okaloosa Co, FL
This blog has proven hard to write. I am busy with both personal and family responsibilities and projects but I think also because it is painful to dig into activities of the past that don’t show off a place you feel attached to in the best light. But I am not sure how we as … Continue reading The Black and White of Oak Grove, Okaloosa Co, FL
Oak Grove in Okaloosa County, FL: It’s Importance & Development in the History of the FL Panhandle
Anyone who knows me, or follows my blogs, knows I have an affinity with the upper Yellow River area known as Oak Grove. For the last couple of years, I’ve been researching the genealogy and history of the area that will eventually culminate in a book. Some of us with family from the area like to … Continue reading Oak Grove in Okaloosa County, FL: It’s Importance & Development in the History of the FL Panhandle
Northwest Florida History & Genealogy 