For many of us who are into history and genealogy, we are always wanting to know what a particular ancestor experienced during certain major events from the past. You might want to know what battles an ancestor was in during the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War, War Between the States) or what an … Continue reading What Can the 1870 Census Tell Us About Reconstruction in the Panhandle?
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Shall We Gather at the River is Published and Available for Purchase
For all those who have heard me say I was busy writing it but it never seemed to be finished, well, it is finished and published. It is available from Lulu.com in hard cover. The book is published on premium, coated paper so the newspaper clippings and photos are as clear as I can make … Continue reading Shall We Gather at the River is Published and Available for Purchase
“Shall We Gather at the River”: A History of Yellow River Baptist Church
I’m sorry I haven’t posted much lately. Given what my schedule is gearing up to look like during the holidays, I decided I needed to seriously focus on getting those few less than glamorous parts of a published book done, and the book uploaded to the printer’s website so I could get a final proof … Continue reading “Shall We Gather at the River”: A History of Yellow River Baptist Church
Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Association and Its Role in the early Baptist history in the Panhandle
Have you ever wondered how the early Protestant churches in the Panhandle got their start? If we are lucky in our search for answers, the churches where we are looking will have a written history or records that will give us a hint as to who in the community was instrumental in founding the church … Continue reading Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Association and Its Role in the early Baptist history in the Panhandle
Three of the Older Cemeteries along the western side of the Upper Yellow River
We’ve come to the third and final installment in this series on burial rituals and cemeteries in the Florida Panhandle. The first two, if you missed them are here and here. In this post, I would like to present three small cemeteries that I am as intimately connected to as a person can be with … Continue reading Three of the Older Cemeteries along the western side of the Upper Yellow River
Some of the Oldest Cemeteries in Northwest Florida
Let me start by saying that I do not have connections in every county in the Florida panhandle. Both sides of my family are mostly congregated in the northwestern end of the panhandle: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Holmes counties. In the 20th century when family began moving out of the area they skipped … Continue reading Some of the Oldest Cemeteries in Northwest Florida
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
Northwest Florida History & Genealogy 