Beginning in 1984, I began purchasing at least 7  pieces of the Seymour and Maria Pickett land grant dating back to 1808. In a matter of time, I had my own “Ville”; “Nanville”. At this time, it is still in existence with population, 29.

Mr. Pickett was at the right place at the right time. Land was being given alway in the 1800’s. According to Jean Mizell, writer of “The Pickett Family”, Seymour had a way of “petitioning” to the government and being awarded land grants. He had already received a grant in 1803 after his former wife had been lost in a shipwreck. Then he purchased land in Fernandina somewhere around 1804 and was living in East Florida . By the time Jacksonville became a town in 1821 he was again petitioning the government again, as the Indians were pillaging and burning down the countryside and he had been affected.  

Somewhere around 1812, due to this loss at the hands of Indians he received 640 acres on Sibbald’s Tract in Duval County, Florida. He and his family settled there and it became what we know as Picketville. That brings us to Nanville, which is located near the crossroads of Old Kings Road and Lane Avenue.

In 1984, I decided to purchase an almost 3 acre piece of this beautiful, majestic land. It was full of oak trees, flora and fauna and was located south of Lane Avenue on Jacks Road.  It was the beginning of Nanville which would grow to at least 9 parcels by 2022. 

While Nanville is a small area, it is significant and part of the Sibbald Tract as well, with 7 small purchases bounded by Lane Avenue, McDuff, Interstate 10 and Old Kings Road.  My neighbor on the Jacks Road property was Cecil Overton Pickett, also known as “Gator”. On his tomb stone it is written of him: “The last of a rare breed. A man of integrity whose word was his bond. He was loved and will forever be remembered”. He was born in June of 1926 and died November 9, 2005 at the age of 79. You can see his old Pickett house in the background.

In 2022, a portion of the property was sold to a land developer who is currently clearning the area, cutting the majestic trees and making way for a full neighbourhood of homes.  The Picketville and Nanville area is certain to change as Jacks Road and Old Kings are making way to the loss of the old way of life which included barns, cows, livestock, farms and wagons, to the hustle and bustle of this new century with automobiles including the new electric ones, cell phones and security cameras. I do hope those people plant trees, flora and fauna and keep their dogs and cats. We need something of the old way of life. Oh, and I hope they trust God too. He will be needed going forward.

I still own parcels of the Sibbald land grant but none as beautiful as the land Gator Pickett and I managed on Jacks Road. Notice the tree tags which will bring a pretty penny to the buyer. The tag says, “Specialty”. Indeed.

See you tomorrow,