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
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
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
The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 3
This is the third in a series of blog posts on the 1st Florida Union Cavalry and the Florida panhandle (and south Alabama) during the War for Southern Independence (aka War Between the States or Civil War). You can find the first blog here and the second one here. Again, let’s pickup where we left … Continue reading The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 3
The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 2
We left off last time exploring which States the men of the 1st Florida Cavalry Union Volunteers were living in during the 1860 census. Let’s pick up from there and dig a little deeper. Today the Northwest Florida panhandle consists of the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, … Continue reading The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 2
The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 1
Pensacola Bay Today outside the ranks of the intensely interested students of the Civil War, many do not know of the Southern participation in the Union Army. Many Southerners are unaware that every Southern state, except South Carolina, had at least one white regiment fighting for the Union. For those of us in the Florida … Continue reading The Hidden History of the Florida Panhandle During the Civil War, Pt 1
Follow the Red Brick Road
When I bought my property in 2005, other than falling in love with the house that was built 50+ years ago and wanting acreage to garden and not hear my neighbors, I did not make an effort to get to know the property before closing. Soon after moving in, I realized there was evidence of … Continue reading Follow the Red Brick Road
