Tallahassee Meridian -- the Marquis de Lafayette -- Walton County, Florida Connections
​Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida post 6-1-2016

All realtors should be familiar with the Tallahassee Meridian -- in longitude 84*16'37.59 west from the prime meridian at Greenwich, runs north and south from the initial point on the base line at Tallahassee, in latitude 30*26'04.12" north . It governs surveys in Florida and Alabama as part of the Public Land Survey System.

​Those interested in Walton County history connections would want to know that Lafayette, who had close ties to the Walton family, had land given to him in gratitude by the United States at the southwest corner of survey monument at Cascade Park near the amphitheater. Lafayette's lands were part of Township 1 North Range 1 East.

There is a street named Walton not far from the Meridian.

​Surveyors and Title Companies should know this mark. Local legend has it that some survey markers have gone missing. Perhaps, they can go back and start from here and make sure due diligence is made that surveys are correct.

​Lafayette fought in the American Revolution with Declaration of Independence signer George Walton. Walton's son, George Walton, Jr. is the namesake for Walton County, Florida. Octavia Walton met with Lafayette in 1825 when he made return trip to America where he was greeted as a great hero.

BRACKENRIDGE
 
Henry Marie Brackenridge played a huge role in Territorial Florida's importance in national defense through his land and live oaks, now part of the Naval Live Oaks and Gulf Island National Seashore near Gulf Breeze and Pensacola in Northwest Florida. Live Oak trees were used to build naval ships like the Constitution or Old Iron Sides. Brackenridge wasn't just the oak forest's first national forester, he was also Judge of West Florida and lawyer for Florida Territorial Governor Andrew Jackson. Here's a few pictures I took of Brackenridge's land. Brackenridge had a home here so lots of archaeological artifacts are probably yet to be found. Florida Territorial Governor and fellow lawyer with Brackenridge, Richard Keith Call, failed in his financial obligations for the land. Territorial West Florida Judge Brackenridge also had home and held court in Alaqua, Walton County (off 331 and near I-10). Photographs by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida (c) All Rights Reserved Picture of Brackenridge from Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center on south side of 98 next to north side park display. Other pictures in National Park visitor center. May be of interest to Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute

2-13-2015 FB post by Brenda Rees | Shaping FloridaDo you want to read some great love letters? Explore the letters of early Florida Territorial leader Henry Marie Brackenridge of Pensacola and Alaqua. Brackenridge and his wife Caroline were separated by his service to Florida. Dr. Jane Honeycutt did her dissertation from University of California, Davis on Brackenridge papers and letters. Here is a picture of Henry Marie Brackenridge at his property near Gulf Breeze which became the Naval Live Oak Preserve part of Gulf Island National Seashore. Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida State Archives of Florida Viva Florida 500 Florida Historical Society Museum of Florida History 2-13-2015
​BRACKENRIDGE
 
Henry Marie Brackenridge played a huge role in Territorial Florida's importance in national defense through his land and live oaks, now part of the Naval Live Oaks and Gulf Island National Seashore near Gulf Breeze and Pensacola in Northwest Florida. Live Oak trees were used to build naval ships like the Constitution or Old Iron Sides. Brackenridge wasn't just the oak forest's first national forester, he was also Judge of West Florida and lawyer for Florida Territorial Governor Andrew Jackson. Here's a few pictures I took of Brackenridge's land. Brackenridge had a home here so lots of archaeological artifacts are probably yet to be found. Florida Territorial Governor and fellow lawyer with Brackenridge, Richard Keith Call, failed in his financial obligations for the land. Territorial West Florida Judge Brackenridge also had home and held court in Alaqua, Walton County (off 331 and near I-10). Photographs by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida (c) All Rights Reserved Picture of Brackenridge from Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center on south side of 98 next to north side park display. Other pictures in National Park visitor center. May be of interest to Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute
 
Need to find my picture of him I took on north side. Ok… Picture of Brackenridge and his NLO land, Santa Rosa Island and Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay
 
FB POST 3-20-2014
  
 

2-13-2015 FB post by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida Do you want to read some great love letters? Explore the letters of early Florida Territorial leader Henry Marie Brackenridge of Pensacola and Alaqua. Brackenridge and his wife Caroline were separated by his service to Florida. Dr. Jane Honeycutt did her dissertation from University of California, Davis on Brackenridge papers and letters. Here is a picture of Henry Marie Brackenridge at his property near Gulf Breeze which became the Naval Live Oak Preserve part of Gulf Island National Seashore. Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida State Archives of Florida Viva Florida 500 Florida Historical Society Museum of Florida History 2-13-2015

OCTAVIA -- MARDI GRAS – COWBELLIANS -- MOBILE
BY Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida    January 11, 2016

Mardi Gras connections to Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert – Florida – Mobile – New Orleans

            Octavia was connected to early Mobile Mardi Gras Cowbellian activities and is honored now by Le Krewe de Bienville. (check AL.com for more information in 2015 post).

            Most in Mobile probably don’t know Octavia’s ties to Walton County, Florida or Fort Walton Beach and Florida Territorial Secretary of State and Acting Governor George Walton, Jr. and Declaration of Independence Signer George Walton.
            In the Krewe’s press release they just referred to Octavia as Le Vert. Octavia was very proud of her Walton name and always included it when describing herself – Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert. She spelled her last name different from her doctor husband Dr. Henry Levert, of Mobile, preferring the proper French.

            In 2015, Pensacola had their Mardi Gras kickoff on January 4th. This made sense with famous former Pensacola, Florida resident Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert’s leadership in Mobile’s “Cowbellians.” Mobile’s Mardi Gras was before New Orlean’s Mardi Gras and “… its parades and celebrations at New Year and Twelfth Night were social events of the year …”, according to Octavia’s biographer Francis Gibson Satterfield, p. 69. The Cowbellians were known as – the Cowbellian de Rakian Society. Also, “Eventually the societies changed their Mardi Gras dates to prior to Lent as it seemed more appropriate for the descendants of the many old Spanish and French families.”
​
The Waltons moved to Mobile, Alabama around 1835 where George Walton, Jr. was soon elected Mayor of Mobile. Here is original research by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida of his signature on an early Mobile document. © All Rights Reserved
Pictures by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida © All Rights Reserved. Original portrait of Octavia as she looked when she lived in Pensacola with her family, now at Oakleigh House in Mobile. Picture of Brenda Rees portraying Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert in front of Walton House in Pensacola where the family lived 1821 to around 1835. T. T. Wentworth, Jr., Brenda’s great uncle, owned the Walton House and deeded it to Pensacola for $1.  Octavia in front of the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum which has a portrait of her family displayed.  Octavia’s house in Mobile before it was torn down!!! Photo by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida © All Rights Reserved by permission of Leora Sutton in her personal album in Pensacola.
    
 

 

BEFORE 30A SONGWRITERS - NEAL MCCORMICK AND HANK WILLIAMS ENTERTAINED WALTON COUNTY -- Both North and South Walton
repost and update 1-7-2016 by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida

Before 30A -- Songwriters “Pappy” Neal McCormick and Hank Williams entertained Walton County. I remember my Dad, Coach Mac Anderson, pictured at his Eastern Lake beach house built from Alaqua lumber, talking about them. I believe he heard them at Wesley House at Eden Gardens Florida State Park (now) in Point Washington.  In fact, Neal McCormick’s grandson bought Florida Governor Catt’s house in DeFuniak Springs, which was next to Anderson’s family home on Live Oak in DeFuniak Springs.

The guitar Neal liked to play was also used by both Hank Williams and Elvis Presley. Neal’s early band was named “The Hawaiian Troubadors” to hide his Creek heritage in those early performing days. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Neal built his Barn Dance Building in Panama City, Florida or Springfield. He invented an electric guitar. There is a picture of Catt’s house on page 157 of book by Neal’s daughter Juanealya McCormick Sutton. There is a great link with Hank Williams talking about Neal McCormick and he specifically refers to DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Copies of the book “The Man Behind the Scenes” used to be available at the Walton County Heritage Museum. Check it out, great story and lots of pictures. Chapter VI is devoted to the Neal and Hank Williams, Sr. story. “This chapter is devoted to the story of Neal and Hank Williams, Sr., named Hiriam Williams at the time Neal first met him. … (Neal) was broadcasting in Pensacola in the W.C.O.A. studio when Hank brought his group to the San Carlos Hotel where the studio was located on the top floor and introduced himself to Neal.” … p.60 “So, with his mother’s full blessing, Hank became a member of Neal’s Hawaiian Troubadours.” Hank Williams was 16 or 17 at the time.

There was great music in Walton County before 30A, just as the beaches and history existed before 30A.

Cover Of Neal McCormick & Hank Williams book illustrated by picture and Governor Catt's house next to Anderson house by Brenda Rees | Shaping Florida.

Book was available at Walton County Heritage Association Walton County Heritage Museum on Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Museum open from 1 to 4 pm weekdays, I believe.