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

Category: Family | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 31

The Jacob’s Jeweler Clock

This photograph hangs in the Brandenberg Room of the Oaklawn Cemetery.  You should go see it if you have some time.  There are other Jacksonville photos in that room and it would be worth a 30 minute stop.

Time Union writer Sandy Strickland wrote of the clock “Once dubbed the handsomest of its kind in the South” that it was later designated “local landmark status”.      When I was a kid growing up and we would ride the bus from the Woodstock area, and would say at some point, “I’ll meet you at the clock at certain time” and a time would bring us there.  I was about 7 or 8 when we spent a good deal of our lives in downtown Jacksonville.  Some of that time was definitely spent near that landmark.

It was by that clock that our little red Simca stick shift wouldn’t crank and my Dad could be seen popping the clutch and with all 4 doors open, each of us hopping on one leg trying to push it for a crank.  My Mother ended up almost falling as we were yelling to her, “Jump in!”  Oh, that was a day and it occurred right there at the corner of Laura Street and the clock.

The clock dates back to the rebuilding of Jacksonville after the Great Fire of 1901.   At the top of the clock it reads “Jacob’s” and is located outside of the Greenleaf building. Jacob Crosby and D. Greenleaf had a jewelry store and the clock, a Seth Thomas was placed on the corner of Laura and Adams.  

Over the years it has had its own tragedy including being hit by a city bus in 1974 and clock parts stolen causing it to be out of commission for a time.  In 1996, the clock was refurbished again as voted on by the City Council. According to theFlorida Times Union, the restoration was paid for by city and private funds.  It was also renovated in 2011 and in 2022, it still sits there as Jacob’s Jewelers move from that location where they have been for over 132 years. Jacob’s gave the clock to the city so it will remain. What are your memories about this clock?

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Buildings, Random Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT