It has been a while since I last posted. It has not been for lack of wanting to post something. I had a major life altering event occur in February as I was getting prepared to post after the holidays and found myself in the hospital and working through endless hours of rehab. While I … Continue reading Things Can Always Be Worse
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It Is Time For A Change
I've been writing this blog for three years. That is a lot of words and thoughts. I find at this point in time that I need to make some changes to my life to accommodate my ever-changing circumstances. As I've mentioned a number of times, I am blessed to have my Mom still with me. … Continue reading It Is Time For A Change
The Challenge of Holmes County Family History Research
Introduction I, like a number of other native Floridians, have ancestors who helped settle Holmes County, Florida. It is a difficult county to research in. As I mentioned in my post of 8 January 2018, the early moving county boundary lines for the area that would become Holmes County in 1848 makes it a challenge … Continue reading The Challenge of Holmes County Family History Research
The Intimate Connections Between South Alabama and Northwest Florida
When I was growing up, I would occasionally hear the following observations: 1) Central and South Florida are suburbs of New York (and sometimes Cuba), and 2) the Florida panhandle is lower Alabama (L.A.). Usually, it was folks from the opposite area taking a pot shot at the other part. Folks in the panhandle, to … Continue reading The Intimate Connections Between South Alabama and Northwest Florida
Southern Music Back in the Day
We drive around these days listening to the radio, free or paid; listen to music from our TV satellite service; watch musical videos that entertain visually more than stimulate our hearing sense; and have a band accompanying many church services so the voices can't be heard well. Many people can't read music, can't play an … Continue reading Southern Music Back in the Day
A Glimpse of Early Holmes County
I was recently reminded that I did most of my 2017 posts on Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa County. So, to start 2018 out, I will move east to Holmes County and start by exploring its earliest days and settlers. It might be good to start with the ever changing county list that the land … Continue reading A Glimpse of Early Holmes County
Brick Walls in Your NW Florida Family History
When I’m out talking to groups about my books on Northwest Florida, I almost always have at least one person come up and start talking about one of their brick walls. It is just natural for family historians to get around to commiserating about their research brick walls. If you do genealogy, you likely have … Continue reading Brick Walls in Your NW Florida Family History
Pensacola & Disease Outbreaks: the 1905 Yellow Fever Outbreak & the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
When we look at life in the past versus today, we can see advantages and disadvantages in comparing the early 20th century with the early 21st century. Hurricanes are in both periods but in the early 20th century they often didn’t know where or when they would strike or how strong they would be. Regardless … Continue reading Pensacola & Disease Outbreaks: the 1905 Yellow Fever Outbreak & the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Reuben Hart: FL/AL Pioneer, Slaveholder & Enigma
It is believed that Reuben HART was born in NC around 1783, migrated to GA sometime before 1810, migrated first to south Alabama then to northwest Florida sometime around 1816-1817, then back to Alabama before 1840. In tow from Georgia to Alabama/Florida were his family - wife Nancy Ann RIGDON HART and their children Reuben, … Continue reading Reuben Hart: FL/AL Pioneer, Slaveholder & Enigma
Learn From the Past; Prepare for the Future
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how our Florida panhandle ancestors produced their food, preserved it for the long winter and protected it from bad weather. While there is much about our current way of life that has its benefits, our fragility in the face of bad weather events is clearly laid out in … Continue reading Learn From the Past; Prepare for the Future
Northwest Florida History & Genealogy 