Family – Jacksonville Blogger

Witness To The Lives of Others

Family members are our biggest heroes. (Ramey, age 10 at Capitol)

“Nobody cares”, some say but, I care and my Aunt and Dad are why…

Aunt Urbanna and my Dad are credited for the passion to keep up with history. Many who knew them feel the same. They spent so much time in their lives, photographing and writing it all down. All of my young life my aunt had camera in hand and took photos from the time we visited South Carolina, (our parent’s home), until we left. Often she would develop and send the photos to Jacksonville. We all loved it! It made us feel important, special and she was a witness to our lives. From that, our Dad would have us write on the back of the photographs so we later would know the occasion. Being a witness to the lives of others all fits together with everyone participating.

For items too big for a small box

Because of the love of history, my own archives, have photos of the founders of the internet, Rosa Parks, Jesse Jackson, several Presidents, and a dozen or more astronauts. There are famous people representing high-profiled cases like Cyril Wecht, Johnnie Cochran, and Jacksonville’s own, Judge Oliff. Also pictured is Mikhail Gorbechav, the Queen of England, the Prince, Princess and even Charlotte and the king-to-be, George. Oh, and there’s the King and Queen of Spain while in St. Augustine too. Jacksonville’s great First Baptist Church, has allowed for photos of famous pastors such as John MacArthur, John Philips, Adrian Rogers, Billy Graham, Franklin, his son and more. All being a witness to God’s greatness.

Boxes of labeled photos

History matters and Jacksonville, Florida has had the run of it. In recent months, I have wondered what in the world will happen to those pics going forward, so I’ve tried to organize them, categorize them and put them in ABC order but it’s just not as simple as that. Certainly not if you have at the very minimum of many thousands of photographs. For example, there are 88,000 photos in my 2 terabyte Apple phone right now. (Really). (And I have photos of Apple’s co-founder, Steve Wozniak too.)

Filing system to get photos filed

Now, it must be said. I’m really a “wanna-be photographer. I am not professional by any stretch. I consider myself a historian, so some of my photos are simple basic shots and simple images of very famous people.

Being a witness to the lives of others is important. While I’ve taken pics of the famous, I keep up with my own family, the real heroes in my life and click away every chance I get. Also, it is important to write on the backs to document those events. Anyone finding those photos will know who those famous family members are one day.

What about you? Whose lives are you viewing on a day-to-day basis and are you saving their images for future family members and historians alike? Tip of the day. Put names, dates and places on the back of all photos. History fades with time so as you witness, document as well.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Faith, Family, History, People, Random Posts | Comments Off

February 10

David Scott, Moon Rover Driver Visits Jax

He was a Colonel in the United States Air Force and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. He was a fighter pilot, test pilot and astronaut.

On January 20th, David Scott sat with his wife and daughter, at the front section of the Florida Times Union Center listening to the co-founder of Apple Computers, Steve Wozniak. We were in the room when his name was announced and he was asked to stand. The crowd went wild as he waved to the elite group.

Scott was the 7th person to walk on the moon according to NASA. His first flight was as a pilot along with Neil Armstrong on Gemini 8. He was one of a few who flew into space on several missions and was commander of Apollo 15.

After the speaker’s forum was over and Apple founder, Wozniak had left the stage, I told my daughter I’d meet her at the entrance of the building. I wanted to get a few photos and possibly meet Scott. As quickly as possible, I weaved through the out-going crown and stood beside the Astronaut, now 91 years old. A man had already gotten Scott’s attention and basically took over a great amount of his time. There was a line waiting to talk to Scott and then his wife and daughter began to encourage him to go into the aisle. While I did not shake his hand, we met eyes and I was able to get a few photos. To my surprise, my daughter was behind me clicking away as well.

We both followed he and his family out of the room and as he turned to go left, and as he turned to look right for passage, my daughter, Kristie Cross reached out and he shook her hand and gave her a kind greeting. “Just the simple shaking of the hand of the man who drove the first rover on the moon is enough to bring about a surreal feeling”. She said.

It was another good day in Jacksonville, Florida. Jan. 2024

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Family, History, Science, Travel | Comments Off

February 5

Papa’s House After it Sold

It was the first time after the sale that I had visited the old home place of my Father’s parents in South Carolina. So many of my childhood memories are still there. The precious home-going service of my cousin, Judy, in Ridgeland, SC had been held not too far from my Father’s childhood home so I decided to just ride on over to see what had happened to it since the sale only last year. It was an approximate 52 acre farm with a large old wooden home and many out-buildings. The lane was important to all family members as it was a place we all walked and talked thereby catching up with the family news all of our lives. The old sugar cane mill, Papa’s blacksmith shop, the chicken coop and more was along that grassy lane so we spent a good many hours looking, walking and talking along that way for as long as it was owned by the family. It was a Century Farm so many family members walked many a mile along that family land over the years.

Driving by, the old wooden 6 bedroom shotgun house could now be fully seen from the road; something not done for many years due to the overgrown shrubs and trees. The old fence at the front was gone and there was a big fire going in the front by one of the huge old oak trees. Upon careful stares, chainsaws and other lawn equipment could be seen laying spaced out on the grounds. It was obvious to see someone was there and quite busy. I pulled in behind a big white truck.

Walking past the blazing fire, I went to the double wide, where my Aunt Urbanna once lived, left of the old home place, and knocked on the door as I yelled, “Anyone home?”. I didn’t want to be shot traipsing on my own Grandfather’s land so I thought I should announce my intentions right away. These are country woods so stragglers may not be welcome depending on who bought the property. I didn’t know.

Walking past the front windows, the pitter patter of little feet tromping on the wood-front porch could be heard and when the boy opened the door the approximately aged 5 year old said, when I asked if Mom and Dad was here, “I don’t know where he is but my dads’s out there working”.

Being anxious to get back to Jacksonville and I hadn’t really had plans to stop but It could not be helped. I just could not just drive on by without getting one last look at the home before leaving the area, the land and the lane. The lane was a treasured spot to all family members so I went out there first to find his dad.

Actually, a lot had already changed in less than a years time of the place being sold. The large fire in the front yard had a huge oak trunk about 5 feet long and was roaring so whoever bought the land would use that method to clear the lot. So many of the gardenias, milkweed and red ink plant had been trimmed producing beautiful flowers again. The old fence where Pat and Rose, Papa’s mules so often stood was gone and the gate leaning. Along the lane, the out-buildings were caved in. Now, that hardy planed timber will be some good fire wood. I’m happy to say, my cousin, Charlotte allowed us to take a few items from the property and one treasure was to take with me a 10 foot old wooden barn door which will be used on my Dad’s Dad’s property very soon.

Walking along the land, I took a handful of photos with my cell phone and all along the way yelled, “Anyone here. Anyone here?” After a good walk down the land, I went on back to my car and drove past the land and acreage once filled with corn, tobacco, green beans, squash and more. I hugged one tree on the property left for my Dad which I’ll leave for my own children. My Dad moved to Jacksonville, Fl after WWII but still had roots in SC where his portion is still a Century Farm.

It was a good day on the family farm in Hampton, South Carolina.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

2-3-2024

Category: Family, History | Comments Off

January 13

Three Miracles Already in This New Year

Two things and then three miracles. I don’t know how God works but wow and you’re just not going to want to believe these stories but you decide. Here goes in order.

First, our Dad’s home was built in the 1960’s. As a result, everything is not “code”. It’s not perfect, first because my Dad built it and he in himself worked outside of the box. (Literally in this case.) This week, there was water outside of the home in an unusual place thus the problem was a need to have the septic tank pumped which was promptly done. When the guy came to pump it, he told me the septic tank should not be this close to the house, that people should not ride over the drain field and that a new lid was needed. I explained that because we recently had a barn built and had to pull a permit that they “grandfathered” the septic tank in due to the situation and it was approved having worked well for over 60 years. Over time, we knew that regardless, we would certainly do what we could to upgrade so we immediately squared off wood 28 ‘’ x 35” and bought the cement for creating a new septic tank lid including rebar to secure safety. Meanwhile, since all of the walkway brick had been pulled up, the guests in the apartment needed a nice and most importantly, safe walkway for coming in and out. The day of the clean-out, we put a temporary entrance but I was not satisfied regarding safety so in the next days there were plans to make a safer and more sturdy walkway.

After leaving the house, and while taking home a worker, I was driving and saw a large piece of about 4 inch in thickness wood on the side of the road. It was a really nice walkway about 4 x 6 feet in size. A mental note was made of its location but I was tired and still had to take the worker to his home so on I went. After dropping him off with it raining and me being totally exhausted, I almost did not go back to look at the walkway but instead forced myself to go return… Good thing too. The walkway was going to be perfect. In the rain, it was heaved-ho into the back of the truck. Miracle # 1.

That same day, after leaving my daughter and son-in-laws home, I saw a nice table on the side of the road. It was too heavy for me to lift so I asked my kids to drop by on their way out and help me get it. While we were there, the worker who was riding with them was looking through the other items left and grabbed a small drawer. They came with me to the barn where we would off-load the table. I said in passing that I had lost the key to my riding lawn mower. The worker said, “Hey, I found a little drawer on the side of the road today. It has keys in it. Maybe one will fit your lawn mower. He tried the first and then the second, the third and in a total shock, the fourth key turned the lights on and then cranked the Craftsman riding lawn mower. The odds? Miracle # 2

I’m sorry to say, but this worker has not been honest and has stolen a circular saw, drill and battery, and a metal cutting saw from us. We, even he is well-aware of the whole debacle but we have needed his help and after discussions have kept him while being on the watch of his behaviours. When he cranked the lawn mower, and found a key that worked, he handed over a key to me. Naturally, I was in such shock that it fit, I had to try it myself. The key did not work. He had given me a key that did not crank the mower. In hind-sight, was it so he could later come remove the lawn mower or an accident? I say the latter but… you decide but in our mind it was “Miracle # 3” that the key was tried and found not working so that success could occur later and the lawn mower not be stolen.

How does God work? BTW, we’re trying to help the worker find God so maybe there will be a Miracle # 4. Pray with us.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Faith, Family, Random Posts | Comments Off

January 1

Journals Galore

January 1, 2024

I have apologized time and again to my daughters for the amount of “stuff” they are going to inherit. There is a meme on the internet of a father standing in front of an open storage compartment filled with stuff. He says to his son, “One day, you’re going to inherit all of this”. The son is not impressed. Neither will my girls be. Oh my.

It could end that I spend every dime of their financial inheritance but for sure, I’m leaving behind my stuff. For example, a great amount of money was spent when I sold a property and bought a lake place and a mountain cabin. Then there was the Homestead property of my parents where we converted our Dad and Mom’s barn into a chapel and continue to work on it. There are the rental storage areas full of plunder to keep them going and of course, my own personal stuff. They will be shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. Again, I’m sorry.

I’m often reminded of the scripture that warns us not to store up treasures on earth but in heaven. That is going to be my new years resolution. I’m going to downsize and focus more on heavenly treasures but I can’t imagine I’ll get rid of that much to begin.

I am guilty of earthly treasure worship but in 2023, there are plans to work on that error. That won’t involve my journals though. I won’t part with my fifty- plus handwritten journals but will in fact possibly expand them with spiritual writings of growth and glory. There are probably more than fifty journals at this writing, but who’s counting. When I die the girls, out of curiosity might begin that task of counting them. They will be worn out too because for a good many years, a new journal was begun every year and sometimes even two or possibly three. Again, who’s counting?

So, what would be so interesting that a person would write daily. Well, in all honesty, there are days I don’t write in my journal. When I was in a working environment and had a desk it was easy to jot things in a book every day but being retired, the schedule is so up an down, I may not write for a week or so but when a writing happens, it is more of a factual entry of things occurring in real time.

During the pandemic, a Pandemic Journal was kept, so it will be of interest to pandemic historians. As a staunch conservative, all of the scare tactics will not be in there but can be compared to the majority of untruths put out by current left news outlets in their pandemic files online. What a difference they will read.

While it has been in me to write even as a child, my yearly journal endeavors really began in the 1980’s. Since photography has also been of importance, all American presidents since Ronald Reagan have been written about and photographed, including the trips and observances.

Highlights in my journals have been the raising of two girls, their lives and events but in between, having witnessed history, I’ve followed, photographed and journaled about Condi Rice, Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, the home of Martin Luther King, his children, and gone to the funeral of Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Jacksonville Mayors, American Presidents including Carter, Reagan, Obama and Trump, visited NASA with the famous astronauts and the list goes on, including the visits with Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince and King of England. Ha!

Today, January 1, a new journal was begun. The old one was put among the others for another day and in “my stuff” for my girls. “Girls, I’m sorry for all of the stuff” but you’re more valuable to me than all of the folks covered in the journals. I’ve told all about you in those writings so enjoy…

Meanwhile, I’ll keep you posted on my effort to focus on Jesus not stuff.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

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July 12

My Mother at the Switchboard

My Mother spent time as a “Number Please” person. Sometime after 1940, my grandparents, Clifford and Lula Long moved from Estill, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. My grandfather’s family had lost the family farm and he needed work. They moved to Jacksonville where he would work on Liberty ships on the St. Johns River in the Duval County area. My grandmother, Lula was a stay-at-home-mom.

Switchboard. 1940’s (Beaches Museum. Photo-Ramey).

At that time, my Mother was engaged to my Dad who was overseas serving in the Army, 7th Armoured Division. My Mom, Geneva took a job with Southern Bell and worked at a switchboard fielding phone numbers all day long. When a light would appear on the switchboard, my Mother explained, she would take a plug from the bottom of the switchboard and insert it in the hole representing the phone number and say “Number please”. With that, someone would give her a phone number to call and she would connect the caller to the number where it would ring. During that time she used her own connections to make calls by sometimes calling other towns and sometimes even dialing the phone call herself. In the photo, you can see a phone with a dial on the side of the switchboard.

Geneva Long Vaughan (Riverside area- 1940’s)

Switchboard operators had an alphabetical listing of names from which to look for numbers if a caller did not know the number. Those listings with a red dot by their names were unlisted numbers and not allowed to be given out.

Switchboard 1940’s (Beaches Museum- Photo- Ramey).

My Mom was employed with Southern Bell in Jacksonville, Florida for several years.

Interesting too is that my Dad was the administrator in charge of the telephone switchboard operators at Cecil Field Naval Air station during his some 35 years employed there.

See you tomorrow ,

Nan

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June 30

Jacksonville; Our Fair City

I love, love, love this city. Being born here in Jacksonville, Florida and living my entire life here except for my short time in college at Florida State University and a month with my sister in Hepzibah, Georgia, I know nothing else. I’ve enjoyed traveling to different and various places, visited the Queen and now King in London but there is nowhere I’d rather be than in this beautiful city of Duval County with its St. John’s River and magnificent trees such as highlighted on the Southbank at the Treaty Oak site.

My church is here where I love to serve. My immediate family is here and with that, I am set for life.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Faith, Family, History | Comments Off

April 7

12 Stones of Crystal Springs

Symbolism… ” The idea that things represent other things”. In Israel, the twelve stones represented the remembrance of “God’s faithfulness, providence and love every time they would look at the stones”. There were twelve tribes of Israel so each stone represented each tribe.

The scripture says, “Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.” Joshua 4:9. That event occurred when Israel passed over the Jordan river to enter the Promised Land. Each stone was for each Tribe of Israel, such as one stone was for the Tribe of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

Our family has been so blessed and so this Easter time, twelve stones were placed at the entrance of our chapel area at Vaughan’s Homestead in remembrance of God’s faithfulness and providence.

These stones; bricks were those that were put on this property when our home was being built in 1960. Our stones are named: Alec, Geneva, Ronnie, Nan, Daniel, Katie, Ramey, Vaughan, Sargent, Derrick, Kristie and one for the extended family as a whole.

May we all be found faithful and when we look upon the stones, realize that God is our fortress and strength.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

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April 4

A Partial Story of the Old Family Clock

“Papa’s Clock”…

A Partial Story of the Old Family Clock

(Details in my journal)

The Seth Thomas “October 11th, 1875” model clock “Fashion No. 1; Shelf Type” sat on my Father ’s mantel in Jacksonville, Florida for over 40 years, from the time he got it from the ole’ farm house in South Carolina in 1972, when Papa, Alec P Vaughan, Sr. died, until he, Alec P. Vaughan, Jr. died in 2015 at the age of 94. Then my brother took the clock home in Jacksonville, Florida and it sat on his mantle until his death in 2017. I love tradition, don’t you?

Henry Holbrook Vaughan

My Father’s brother Brook, who had no children, gave the clock to his brother, my Dad’s Dad, Alec P. Vaughan, Sr. and told him to pass it down in the family to the oldest boy. The succession began. My father, Alec P. Vaughan Jr. was the first boy born to Alec P. and Agnes thus he was the rightful heir. From there it was passed down and we all knew who would receive the clock as time went on.

Alec P. Vaughan, Sr.

There is just something so important about family traditions, keepsakes and legacy. I love this ole’ clock. When I see it or think about it, it takes me back me to my young days in South Carolina when it sat on the old mantle in my Grandfather’s bedroom. When we visited South Carolina it would tick as we talked by the old pot belly stove beneath it. Being from Florida, we brought oranges to share and so often we dropped the orange peelings into the round stove holes on the top. The clock would tick, the warmth from the fire warmed and the smell of the oranges wafted as memories were made. Looking at that clock, I’m brought back to a time of my youth. When I look at it, it causes me to so appreciate the strong bonds of our family.

Alec P. Vaughan, Jr.

The Seth Thomas clock was made by none other than, Seth Thomas corporation of Connecticut. His clock company was organized as a stock corporation in May of 1853, although he had manufactured clocks since 1813. It is unknown how our Uncle Brook came upon the clock but tradition followed.

Alec Patrick Vaughan

This clock was never mine to own but in a turn of events, I was able to own it for a very short shelf-life. It sat on my own mantle in Mandarin, Florida for a bit before going to the next in line and I will be forever grateful for those ticking moments.

There is more to this story but time does not permit on this day but as I see the future, this succession of the clock will be such as the royal family experienced. When Queen Elizabeth became Queen of England, the role was supposed to go to a male. After she became Queen, she exercised her authority to reset the clock of that day and signed off on an edict that the throne could go to the next “in line” which could be a female. Sometimes a family may have only males or only females and she saw the importance of this ruling as time would go forward.

That could happen to our clock over time. As the years progress there could be no male in “that” particular family and It could actually go to a female as time ticks along.

I say… “Long Live tradition and may we all adjust to life as it comes to us.” “ Tick…Tick… Tick…”

See you tomorrow,

Nan

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March 12

Geocaching or Treasure Hunting From Your Phone

We found a geocache in the log box of the NASA shuttle fuel tank…

Many of you like to treasure hunt. Geocaching is the new treasure hunting event. In a nutshell, you create an account with Geocaching or another app that offers treasure hunting by phone and you follow treasure hunters in your area who put out different treasures. Some offer free stuff, others simply allow you to find the treasure and login by writing your geocache name. Generally, a pen or pencil is left at the geocache site with a login paper in a secure, box or container.

We wrote our geocache name inside the geocache paper left inside the container…(We left a bracelet).

It’s really a lot of fun. Recently, we visited the external fuel tank from NASA just outside of Duval County City limits in Green Cove Springs. While we were there looking, we happened upon a geocache in a box at the foot of the external tank. While we did not look it up, we did sign the log in the box and logged in to confirm we were there.

You need a geocache account and name to login your visit…

You can do this too. Some geocache apps are free while others cost to be a member. Google geocache and go from there. It’s really neat and definitely an adventure every time you try to find the treasures. Geocaching is world-wide now so you can go to most any town, state or country and find different geocaches.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Geocache . com or other apps that provide the same service. Some are free. Others are paid subscription.

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