Sunday, November 17, 2019

Eli Hugh and Louise Howell of Allentown

I remember Hugh and Louise very well. They were related to my relatives and were a close part of family gatherings among Carswell's in Bonifay in the 50s through the 80's.  Eventually they retired from Atlanta and returned to HER father's adopted home of Allentown, FL. 

Marvin Lee raised his family in NOMA Florida near my mom's Carswell family. Louise was a bit older than my mom and some of the younger Carswell children were actually taught in the old Noma School by Louise when she began her teaching career. 

She and Hugh married in 1939 but family was slow to come since there was a war about to take off.  Hugh served in the CBI theater in the ArmyAir Corps.  He was a very intelligent man and finished a career in the Army. He retired, I think, as a Major.

Hugh had two brothers, REX AND Seaborn Linton Howell who each married Carswell sisters - Amy and Onie B.  They were older sisters to my mom, Myrtle.  This explains why Hugh and Louise were regularly present at the Carswell gatherings in Bonifay.  It was years before I realized they were not actually related to me but were Uncle and Aunt to some of my own first cousins.   And their son, VIncent was about our age ... so we had an extra buddy to run around Bonifay with during the boring family conversations among the elders.

I regret those conversations were seldom given the time of day by we - the young of the family.

I learned some Chumuckla and Allentown history ... much later in life ... as it related to Hugh and Louise.   

Louis's dad, Marvin Lee decided to leave NOMA in the very early 30's and move to Allentown, NOrth of Milton.  He built a farmhouse on Jesse Allen Road and planted a magnificent Pecan orchard.  (Both the house and the orchard are no longer there - Marvin and much earlier - his wife, passed on, the house rotted down - It was a classic depression era house of good quality and average size) 

Marvin wrote back to NOMA and told his friends about Santa Rosa County and the great farmland.  The next to arrive here was Solomon (Sling Shot) Davis who built near Chumuckla Crossroads. About a mile East toward Allentown.  The old Davis house and Sling Shot are gone now too.  I remember picking cotton for him in the early 60's. It was a picturesque farm house with a hand pump for water in the house and a well outside.

More word of good farmland drifted back to NOMA and the next family to take the bait was the CARSWELL family.  My grandfather Carswell (whom I never knew) and my Granny Carswell, moved to a farmhouse near the UF Ag Experiment Station on Allentown Highway.  Their youngest FOUR children came and finished school at Allentown. I Think they arrived at Allentown about 1935.   E.W. Carswell was the older of these children and he left school a year or two to make money for the family with the CCC. When he came back, he was 20 or nearly that age and the senior class took him in so he could get his diploma. Then he went to Louisiana for a couple years of college before the war. He became a journalist and began writing stories for his unit newspaper in North Africa and Italy. He became a respected Panhandle journalist for the Pensacola News Journal and was a well known historian for the region.

Bobby Carswell graduated Allentown. He went to the Army but got pneumonia which wrecked his health and they sent him home. He became a city leader in Panama City, FL and  was a barber there for 70 years. He practically died at the chair. He married a  Milton girl named Louise Chavers who grew up on Park Ave in Milton - part of a prolific an well known Chavers family.  They never had any children - and Louise was remembered by her nieces and nephews at the Bonifay Cemetery in Nov, 2019. She was the last of the Carswell family of children and their spouses.  It was solemn but happy too. They blessed us and the whole Carswell family blessed us. 

Very few of the Carswell relatives spent more than a night or two in jail.

Ronald Victor Carswell (I was named for him - he died the year I was born-1949) died very young. He was barely 20 and died of a heart ailment and pneumonia.  He was remembered to me by one of his Allentown Classmates when I attended a reunion there in memory of my mom.  Mr. Bowers remembered him being very dapper and trying to impress the girls.  He studied to be a barber, like Bobby.  But sickness was a shadow and his love of cars and girls ... would not have a chance to bloom.

My mom - Myrtle Carswell - was a bit older than R.V but younger than Bobby. Jay High School had a fire about 1937 and My dad, who was a student there - was transferred to Allentown to complete his diploma.  I am thinking Chumuckla (the classic brick school) was at that point serving only as an elementary school.  It may have only reclaimed high school status about 1939 and dad finished Allentown HS about 1938 - worked a few years as a surveyor assistant. One of the projects he worked on was the boundaries of what was to become WHITING FIELD. Then the war. Mom and Dad had met at Allentown. She finished school a couple years later and a few years into the war, they found an opportunity to get married.

It was never clear to me how my mom knew so many Allentown people until long after adulthood. Wards, Allens, Crutchfields, Pentons .... the list goes on.  Gradually - this story of family migration in the depression years took shape.  A whole history of times and people was in development.

Hugh and Louis' son, Vincent Howell, joined us in Bonifay this week. Louise Chavers Carswell was a much his "aunt" as she was ours.  We remembered her .  And we remembered a whole lot of the Carswells that made our growing years colorful.

Louise Howell

LOUISE ANN LEE HOWELL
1915-2007
Louise Ann Lee Howell, age 92, passed away Tuesday, November 20, 2007. Mrs. Howell was born in Noma, (Holmes County) Florida on July 30, 1915, to David Marvin Lee and Clara Estelle (Dyson) Lee.
Mrs. Howell graduated from Florida State College for Women (FSU). Teaching was her career as well as her passion.
Mrs. Howell married E. Hugh Howell on November 17, 1939 in Panama City, Florida. After living in Florida, Utah and for many years in Atlanta, Georgia they retired to Milton, Florida in 1971.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Milton and the Willing Workers Sunday School Class. She enjoyed gardening and flowers and was a member of the Milton Garden Club for many years.
Mrs. Howell is survived by her son, Vincent Howell, of Milton; her cousins, Debbie, Randy and Lindsay Bassett, of Milton; uncles, Alton (Laura) Dyson, of Bonifay, FL, Jimmy (Betty) Dyson, of Atlanta, GA, Joe (Rose Ann) Dyson, of Cocoa Beach, FL; aunts, Mary Dell Collins and Nell (Ed) Austin, of Pensacola, FL.
A very special thank you to Carol, Emily, Gloria and all of the wonderful staff at the Forsyth House in Milton, for their excellent and loving care while she was "at home" there. Maureen, Valerie, Betty, and Evelyn with Emerald Coast Hospice for their care and compassion and the ladies from Caregivers for Seniors for their around the clock care for the last three weeks.
Funeral services for Mrs. Howell will be 11:00AM, Saturday, November 24, 2007 at First United Methodist Church in Milton with the Rev. Gerald Shelton officiating. Burial will follow in Serenity Gardens with LEWIS FUNERAL HOME directing. Visitation will begin at 10:00AM, prior to service at the church.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Willing Workers Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 6819 Berryhill Street, Milton, FL 32570.

Published in Pensacola News Journal on Nov. 23, 2007

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

Virginia (Mullins) Kilpatrick 1926-2019


Virginia Mullins Kilpatrick was born to Walter Delane and Voda Clyde Mullins on July 18, 1926 in Dothan, Alabama and died October 2, 2019.

She grew up in Dothan received her R.N. from Frazier-Ellis Hospital School of Nursing. She worked as an OR nurse at Fraser-Ellis Hospital in Dothan and Lloyd Noland Hospital in Birmingham. She married Rogene Howell Kilpatrick in 1960 and settled with him in Pace, Florida, for the remainder of her life. An active member of Campus Church in Pensacola, Florida, she also served on the board of Pensacola Christian College for many years.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Clyde Mullins; stepmother, Ruth Mullins; husband, Rogene Kilpatrick; sisters, Carolyn Thrasher and Dorothy Weatherly; and her brother, Clarence Mullins.

She is survived by her sister, Eleanor McCall; and brothers, Walter Mullins (Medora), Joe Mullins (Geraldine), Loftin Mullins (Delores), Frank Mullins (Anton Washck) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2019, at Lewis Funeral Home Pace Chapel. Burial will follow services in Elizabeth Chapel Community Cemetery.

Visitation will be held 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., prior to the service.

Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Herbert Winston Campbell 1947-2019

Obituary

Herbert Winston Campbell, a lifelong resident of Pace, Florida, passed away, Sunday, September 29, 2019, at the age of 72.

He was dedicated to his career as a Heavy Equipment Operator with the Blackwater Forestry Division. He was an incredible jokester and if you know Winston, you have likely been a victim of his rubber snake pranks in one form or another. Winston loved Bluegrass and Gospel music. A couple of months ago, he was blessed with a CD of his favorite songs by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He passed away peacefully while listening to his treasured CD with his devoted wife by his side. Winston loved life, he loved people, but most of all he loved his family. Winston leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter. He was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed.

Winston was preceded in death by his father, Lora Campbell; mother, Foye Campbell; and sister, Laura Jean Schroder.

Winston is survived by his loving wife of 45 wonderful years, Glenda Campbell; son, Michael Brown (Monica); daughter, Paula Campbell; grandchildren, Peyton, Janah, Logan, Joseph, Dakota, Joshua, and Trinity “Poochie;” great-granddaughter, Isla; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 4, 2019, at Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel.

Funeral Services for Winston will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 5, 2019, at Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel. Burial will follow in the Elizabeth Chapel Community Cemetery in Chumuckla, Florida.

The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Sacred Heart Hospital ICU for the love and care given to Winston and all of the family and friends that have shown their love, support and compassion. Thank you to Lewis Funeral home for the care they have given to Winston and his family.

Donations may be made to Lewis Funeral Home f/b/o Herbert Winston Campbell

Thursday, September 12, 2019

TALK CHUMUCKLA NUMBER ONE

ANNOUNCEMENT
TALK
CHUMUCKLA
THIS FIRST EVER “TALK CHUMUCKLA” is a planned monthly program to let local people sit in a relaxed place and enjoy learning some of the interesting stories of the area - even the region as we progress.  Community members and regional specialists are encouraged to request billing for future gatherings (monthly?).  

We will adjust the program over time to adapt to the input and requests of our community attendees.



2-4 PM SATURDAY 9/14

  • FIRST EVER TC 
  • Community Stories - Talent
  • Relax and learn
  • Visit - Ask Questions

AGENDA 

  1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHUMUCKLA
    By Vic Campbell 
  2. Stuart Pooley was a country music groupie and is a poet - a couple of his featured poems from youtube.  (Hank Locklin)
  3. Audience Q & A
  4. Roy Allen - some family stories
A hoped for regular segment. Invited families will share some history.

Bring a cup of coffee and sit with us. Or bring a bottled drink.  We are using the old sanctuary of the old Chumuckla Methodist Church with the graces of Ms Marilyn’s Little Olives Childcare.  
Feel free to leave a small donation in the scholarchip jar that will be present and will go toward tuition for some of the “Little Olives”.   Please take your own cups etc with you on departure. We want to leave a clean auditorium for future use.
WE plan to record the program for future reference. It might become a podcast for “chumuckla.com”. 

We express appreciation to Ms Marilyn Bowman of Ms Marilyn’s Little Olives for offering this venue to help our community keep a sense of “home” and “community”.    FACEBOOK LINK

Contact:  vic@buzzcreek.com

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

RANDOM COFFEE

UPDATES ARE HERE

RANDOM COFFEE
Chumuckla.com
NO AGENDA - Visit - Have a Coffee
Coffee among friends
UNSCHEDULED - INSTANT Notification ONLY
A few of us have coffee in Chumuckla Jay or Pace when
we feel like it. IF you want to post a coffee visit - time and location.
JUST POST IT
on the Chumuckla group FB page
If people want to show up. They will. IF not. Be sure you have good coffee.



The usual folks and anybody else are very welcome.


Some people are regular. Others are just
random new people - usually new in the area.
It's all in good fun. Meet some people around you.





Saturday, April 06, 2019

The BROTHERS CAMPBELL

A poster and canvas available of a found photo of Cuyler and Jim Campbell in Chumuckla in 1902.
You can order a large or small poster or a canvas print.  Enjoy. (use the link)
https://teespring.com/brothers-campbell?7870e69313#pid=583&cid=102396&sid=front


Wednesday, April 03, 2019

Regional activities

 


 


From: Diane Merkel

Panhandle Historic Preservation Alliance members and friends:


The Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood Foundation is sponsoring a Glamour Photo session to raise funds for the restoration of the historic Chautauqua Building. Tickets are only $9.95 and include a free 8” x 10” photo, makeup, hair styling, and more. The photo sessions will be on May 8 through May 11 at the DeFuniak Springs campus of Northwest Florida State College. Please call Voncille McLeod (850-892-7625) or Marie Hinson (850-830-9625) for reservations and information. What fun!


 


Diane

Diane Merkel
Panhandle Historic Preservation Alliance (PHPA)
www.panhandlehistoricalliance.org


THURSDAY:


Tallahassee – Reception and Lecture: “Spanish Culture Alive in Florida: The Impact of Spain’s Heritage Today” presented by the Consul General of Spain, Candido Creis Estrada, at Mission San Luis, 2100 W. Tennessee Street, 5:30-7:30 p.m. EDT – FREE -https://www.facebook.com/events/586222565120719/


SATURDAY:


Chipley – Rock the Falls Music Festival at Falling Waters State Park, 1130 State Park Road, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. – $5 per vehicle park entry fee - https://www.facebook.com/RocktheFallsMusic/


NEXT TUESDAY:


Pensacola – Pensacola Archaeological Society Annual Dinner at the Argo Athletic Club, University of West Florida Campus, 6:00 p.m. – Ticket Required - http://fpan.us/uploads/nwrc/2018-19%20PAS%20lecture%20series%20flyer.pdf



ON-GOING EVENTS & EXHIBITS:


Pensacola – The FPAN Public Archaeology Lab will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. through May 1. Volunteers are not required to commit to more than one day at a time.http://flpublicarchaeology.org/nwrc/volunteer.php


 


Pensacola – Jacksonian Guard Colors Ceremony in Plaza Ferdinand on Palafox Street the third Saturday of each month, 12:00-12:30 p.m.https://downtownpensacola.com/businesses/jacksonian-guard



UPCOMING EVENTSIf you want your events mentioned, send them to me! For more information about the events below, see the PHPA Calendar.


April 13 – Crestview – Strawberry Festival


April 16 – Navarre – Heritage Monitoring Scouts Meet-up


April 17 – Eastpoint – Lecture: “Pirates! The Last Scourge of the Gulf”


April 17 – Fort Walton Beach – Workshop: Interpretation of the National Heritage Area


April 20 – Pensacola – Lunch & Lecture: “Secrets of the Tale of the Christ: Ben-Hur, the Book and the Movie”


April 27 – St. Teresa – Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory Open House


April 27 – Santa Rosa Beach – Earth Day Festival


April 29 – Baker – PHPA Quarterly Meeting


April 30 – Crawfordville – Florida Panhandle Maritime National Heritage Area Meeting


May 4 – Century – Sawmill Day Festival and Car Show


May 4 – Crestview – Military Appreciation Day


Sunday, February 10, 2019

Remembering Franklin Enfinger

By Denise Fritz

Today makes 5 yrs from my Dad's passing....I know he's in  with our Father.
THIS may get long and I'm not apologizing if it does, but I CHOOSE not to Grieve today, instead I choose to remember things I've learned from him. He taught me so much in this walk in life.
WORK Ethics from a young age, pumping gas,⛽ working at our store Frank & Allen's! Cleaning trailers in our trailer park, cutting pickets, building fences, piers,🔨 pallets and so much more.  Learning to drive...a push mower, 🤣 finally a riding mower,🚜 then the truck (stick shift without power steering) only then, a car.🚗 I was fortunate that he provided a vehicle for me. When he told me he was buying a car, I thought wow, a new car!  To my surprise I got a brand new... that is new to me, a '66 Catalina in '77.  At first I hated it, 🤔 it took me on many rides to school, all my ball games & practices, college, and jobs.  Soon there were many adventures in this car because you could fit
about 8 teenagers in it comfortably!😁  I think this was a time I truly realized his sense of humor!!  Mike & Eddie can attest to this...in this car I once ran out of gas ⛽ which was
MISTAKE #1....When your dad owned 2 stations, one of which was within a mile of your home and the other within a mile of school😱!!
In teaching me this lesson in life, he thought it might be a good idea to ride the bus again for several days.  This is when Mike & Eddie decided to help me out! While trying to put gas in the car it just wouldn't get to the motor due to the incline, a little gas ⛽ on
the carburetor might help. 
Well old cars had fiberglass insulated hoods and a little fire🔥ensued promptly burning any of the rubber hoses and who knows what else except for Mr. German!!
MISTAKE #2,  Again... don't run out of gas and the let your friend and boyfriend try to help you out!  I think Eddie is still traumatized, but he never said a word to either of them.  Following this incident my dad never raised his voice about the whole ordeal (which was sort of scary I thought) and I wake up with a cartoon taped to my door and at the very end it shows a guy tinkering on his car and everything in flames🔥!!
🤣HUMOR was a BIG Thing in my dad's life, this was just one in particular for me I guess, because by then I was the last kid at home. Most anyone that knew my dad had a funny story regarding his humor.  One of his many good traits.
Deciding he needed a new vehicle, into the dealership he goes after working outside, in the heat of summer in his t-shirt, tattered blue jean shorts and probably no shoes.  All the men thinking, he can't possibly buy what he was looking at, sending out a young lady fairly new to selling cars.....BIG mistake for them!!!  BIG commission for the young lady!😃
DADDY was a GENEROUS man and sometimes to a fault, but he tried to trust people. After all a hand-shake is good as a contract as far as he was concerned.  But I can't tell you how many people from school that worked in our backyard, whether it was sawing, hammering, or hauling in some form or fashion of a job.  Or even living with us from time to time, family or not.
HE NEVER Met a STRANGER, something I know for sure I inherited from him.  Some may think this isn't necessarily a good thing, but I've found in my life it truly has been.  After Mike joining the Air Force, with our moving around, meeting new people, making new friends, working as a nurse, it sure came in handy! I could go on, and on, and on, and I have.
SICKNESS!!  Unfortunately it happens and Daddy had a long time of it starting in ’91. We came close to losing him several times before it he finally passed on.  We all want our parents alive, here with us, but we also don't want to see them suffering.  Daddy was miserable not being able to get outside and just work, walk around, go, live untethered but breathing wasn't easy.  He'd head out sit in the chair and watch as  would delegate what and how to do what he no longer could.  He did love to delegate and he did a lot!
I think for me, having been a nurse, I get it.  I'm not saying it was easy for me to watch him deteriorate but I understood it.  I stayed with him those last minutes before his passing.
IT'S not easy watching others perform CPR on your on your dad, but I did, I ty watched furiously, 3 times, as he fought a valiant battle of wanting to stay on this Earth just a little longer. 
I'M thankful I was there,
I'M THANKFUL it took my mom a little longer to arrive, because she didn't want to have to say to the Dr....no more and let the love of her life go.💕
AS I reflect, I Learned so much from him.  Trust, love, discipline (we won't go there😉), kindness, humility, generosity, humor, honor, and I could keep going but
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing though is LOVE!
The love of my dad, but more importantly the love of Our Heavenly Father.... for this I am eternally grateful to him and my mom!!!
Today I CHOOSE NOT to
Grieve...
Love you Dad!💕