Some of the names of the old lakes of the section were these:  “Brooklyn Lake; Magnolia Lake; Soldier Pond (near Keystone); Half-Moon Pond, near Putnam Hall; Hick’s Lake” and others.  On one of them was the large grist mill of Dr. McCray; Coker suggests that this might be the origin of the town of McRae of the present period.

To add to its natural water facilities, Coker points out, Bradford County also had a canal.  This canal ran from the interior of the county to the St. John’s River near Green Cove Springs, and with Mandarin on the other side of the river still a major shipping point, the canal handled much of the commerce of Bradford and Clay Counties.

Coker recalls vividly the Indians of the area in the days before 1870.  These, he claims to have been friendly, but reserved, fellows; he does not recall any of the Indian women.

Negro slaves from the region around St. Augustine and what is now Hastings used to escape and use Bellamy’s Road on their way to the area about Micanopy.  It was considered equivalent to freedom to reach that section, with its friendly Indians and impenetrable forests and swamps.

The little town of Melrose probably had the most unusual name of all the strange ones prevalent at the time.  It was call, very simply, “Shake-Rag.”  Coker makes no effort to explain the appelation.

REFERENCES

1.  Interview with subject, Neil Coker, Grandin, Putnam County

FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT American Guide, (Negro Writers’ Unit)

Rachel Austin, Field Worker
Jacksonville, Florida

YOUNG WINSTON DAVIS

Young Winston Davis states that he was born in Ozark, Alabama, June 28, 1855 on the plantation of Charles Davis who owned about seven hundred slaves and was considered very wealthy.  Kindness and consideration for his slaves, made them love him.

Reverend Davis was rather young during his years in slavery but when he was asked to tell something about the days of slavery, replied:  “I remember many things about slavery, but know they will not come to me now; anyway, I’ll tell what I can think of.”

He tells of the use of iron pots, fireplaces with rods used to hold the pots above the fire for cooking peas, rice, vegetables, meats, etc.; the home-made coffee from meal, spring and well water, tanning rawhide for leather, spinning of thread from cotton and the weaving looms.

“There was no difference,” he states, “in the treatment of men and women for work; my parents worked very hard and women did some jobs that we would think them crazy for trying now; why my mother helped build a railroad before she was married to my father.  My mother’s first husband was sold away from her; shucks, some of the masters didn’t care how they treated husbands, wives, parents and children; any of them might be separated from the other.  A good price for a ‘nigger’ was $1500 on down and if one was what was called a stallion (healthy), able to get plenty children he would bring about $2500.