The holidays are a time to enjoy the company of family and friends, give to those in need and celebrate the gifts of God. One of those gifts is the freedom to learn about our own history and grow from that knowledge. Today, we Americans are far better off than at any time, but today’s prosperity is far different than those who lived in some eras of our past. In the post-Civil War south, very hard times of those years left some thinking of the prewar days in a much different light than the period is generally seen today.
He was known by those who knew him as Uncle Joe, an itinerate preacher in the area around DeFuniak Springs whose last pastoral efforts were for several churches near a community called Mossy Bend. While traveling, Joe visited his niece Kate and her husband Bazy Andrews on a farm in the lower part of the county that had been Joe’s home during his youth before the Civil War. At that time Bazy was supervisor over the old plantation that Joe had not seen for more than twenty five years. Uncle Joe later shared his thoughts on the visit with John McKinnon, the son of Uncle Joe’s former owner.
“I stayed at the house with Bazy and his family from Friday until Monday morning, and what a change there was in the place, all our cottages in the quarters done gone, most of the stables and cribs falling in, no big cow pens full of cows, just Bazy’s little bunch of cows where there use to be several hundred to milk,-- the nice peach and plum and apple orchard all gone, just the pomegranate orchard, with its yellow, brown and purple fruit, was all that looked natural, and it seemed to me farther from the ‘Big House”; the deep brick curbed well that we thought would last forever, it was tumbling in; and too, that big two story white house with its wide hallway through it, that we could see from the distant hills on that high hill among the pines and cedar, was shut out by the scrub oaks on my way coming; and when I reached it, what a change, the white paint worn off, the window panes were broke out, the most of the blinds had slammed to pieces, the long broad steps were becoming rickety. And there was none of you white folks in the Big House, just Bazy and his family, and so many of my white people that used to be so happy in that Big House were gone, gone away to Heaven; and so many of my colored people gone like our cottages that stood in the groves in the rear of the Big House, so many of them gone too I hope, like my good white people to the better land.
Kate and her family were just as kind as they could be; but Sunday, there, was the lonesomest, the saddest day I ever spent on this earth. In the evening as the sun was going down, I went out and sat on the cow pen fence to watch them drive in the herd; I looked around me and saw the great changes on every hand, and thought of the many, many happy days I had around there, when there were so many of us living at that old home of plenty and contentment, before I learned anything about care and want; and how they were scattered now, like steep without a shepherd; I became so sad that I hung my head and could not keep from crying. I don’t know if I shall ever want to go back. Bazy and Kate love to stay there, but they weren’t old enough to remember away back like me.”
The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society works to share our local history with families of the region. Our museums are open Saturdays, or whenever you would like to schedule a tour, our president speaks on local radio, we bring exhibits to local schools and share stories of our history in this space each week. To continue these efforts, we need your help. This year a major project must be completed in order for one of our museums to stay open. Donations for the project are much needed and would be much appreciated. Also, this is yearly membership time, come join us; fees are only $5. The address is 610 4th St. Century, Fl., or call Mr. Fischer at 850-256-3980. And, Merry Christmas!
