Book accurately paints picture of past

This column is part book review, part remembrances of my hometown, part discovery of things I didn't know about my hometown, and part admiration of a friend's excellent writing and research.

I've just re-read If Perfectly Agreeable by Anne Stanton Sims, subtitled “A love story and life in the 1880's and 1890's in Northwest Florida and Southwest Alabama.” If you live in this area and like history, find and read this book. It is the story of a young couple, Frances Rebecca “Fannie” McDavid and Joseph Parmer “Joe” Harrison, as told mostly through their letters to each other.

It is of interest to those outside Joe and Fannie Harrison's family for the glimpses of life in this area in the late 1800's. If your family is from this area they most likely had similar experiences and attended the parties mentioned in the letters. The places and families mentioned are probably familiar to the older members of your family. You've probably heard many of the names mentioned yourself.

Anne has done an excellent job of compiling the letters to unfold into a story of the young couples' developing love for each other as well as giving us a glimpse into life in our area in the times of our grandparents (for some of you great-grandparents).

If you have read many of my columns you know that I grew up in McDavid, Florida. You may have noticed that Fannie's name was McDavid. She, however lived in the Coon Hill community in Santa Rosa County. Her future husband lived across the river in McDavid (Escambia County) This was in the times before there was a bridge between Century and Jay so their ability to visit with each other was affected by the stage of the Escambia River. Those of us who live along the Escambia River can sympathize with their plight of wanting to cross the river only to find it at flood stage.

Anne included in the book a hand drawn map of the McDavid, Florida area in the 1920's and 1930's. Some of the places shown still exist today or existed during my childhood: Ray's Chapel Baptist Church, Cotton Creek with swimming holes marked (not the same swimming hole I swam in), the Levi Brewton home (Mr. Johnnie Brewton lived there during my childhood.), McDavid Methodist Church (the one that burned during my teen years), the Roy Brewton home (They still lived there during my childhood and are remembered fondly.), the Parker home and Parker's Store and Post Office and Aunt Sue King's house (If you lived in McDavid during the 1950's you remember Aunt Sue.)

Some of the places were visible as ruins during my childhood: the swimming pool at Mystic Springs and the sawmill near the present boat ramp to the river (A portion of the road was paved with brick during my childhood, the only remains of the sawmill.).

Some places I learned of by looking at this map: a Baptist Church at the corner of Mystic Springs Road and Gunter Road (misspelled Gunner Road on current street signs), Mystic Springs Campground (near the swimming pool, not the current Airstream Park), another sawmill on Railroad Street, and the Ed and Emma Bowman Store and Post Office.

Another interesting thing I learned from the map, “At narrowest point, ½ stick of dynamite by Roy Brewton and L. C. Baker in 1932 created 'Whipstock' and changed course of river.” Another note of interest, “In 1926 hurricane (They weren't named in those days.) water came up to Levi Brewton's fences and boats could run on railroad tracks.” The highest I have seen water come during a flood is the east side of the tracks. The tracks created a dam, which the 1926 storm apparently overflowed to a height that allowed boats to cross over the railroad tracks.

Thanks for the memories, Anne.