Recollections: Legends of Yesterday

This is a reprint of original articles by Hugh Woolley, a longtime resident and community leader of Graceville. Woolley published these articles in The Graceville News more than 20 years ago.

Originally published in the August 24, 2000 edition of The Graceville News.

I cannot refuse to try to tell the story that Albert tells about he and Guyton Williams frog hunting. Albert was raised in the City of Jacksonville and was always ready and excited to take on any aspect of rural life. Guyton, an outdoor man from Central Florida was an experienced gator hunter. He said to A.P. "We need a 22 rifle. I have the frog gigg. Whit has a 22." He meant Mr. Ghrod Whitfield, the agriculture teacher.

They went by Mr. Whitfield's who was relaxing in his rocking chair. Albert said, "Mr. Whitfield did not miss a rock while we were there. "We explained our mission to Whit. Guyton finally said. "Whit ain't you got a 22 rifle." Whit replied, "Yes, but not to hunt frogs with tonight." So, they had to go elsewhere.

Finally, after arriving at the creek Guyton wadded in and stood real still. "Throw me the rifle here is a snake." After the shooting. Guyton pitched the rifle back to Albert. and stepped over where he had shot. Albert said, "I don't know whether he hit the snake or not." Guyton continued gigging and came out with his jacket full of frogs. Then Albert spotted what looked like two lit cigarettes floating in the water. "What is that Guyton", asked Albert "It is a gator and I want him", replied Guyton. "You are obliged as long as I don't have to get involved."

Guyton Williams tells another story of one time they went to the creek frog hunting and put the boat in the water. "Look", says Guyton. There is a hind quarter of a hog floating in the water. "A gator did that", replied the ole pro. "Let’s see if we can find him." Get this picture- Guyton was holding the light and rifle and A.P. is paddling the boat. In a couple of minutes, the old pro said, "I see him, judging the width of his eyes he is a big one." "Albert paddle up closer to where I can get a good shot." Albert paddled and with each stroke he shouted, "shoot him". Guyton finally noticed the boat was moving backwards and that A.P. was taking back strokes. Certainly, the University of Florida yell "Gator Bait, Gator Bait" became real to Albert.

A. P. liked growing and peddling watermelons. He would like to go on halves with me or Ellis Cannon. He used to kid me about being his sharecropper. I said, "Albert who ever heard of the landowner being a sharecropper?" We would kid each other about this from time to time.

When Peggy got married, she had an elaborate wedding. Albert was there in the receiving line, dressed in a white tux. He looked like a successful southern planter. I walked over to him and said, "Just to be a sharecropper you are walking in mighty high cotton tonight."

Albert and I had some good times peddling watermelons. We usually ran a route around Selma, Alabama. Dallas County has many commissaries and country stores. We usually ran out of watermelons before we left Selma and wound up in my hometown, Brent, Alabama, 50 miles north of there. I always had good quality melons and we had no trouble getting rid of them.

One time, Albert and his co-worker Chick Dwyer, bought a load of cull melons and were having a time disposing of them. After much exasperation Chick said, " Albert let us drive upon the river bridge, park, drop them 200 feet and have the pleasure of watching them float off." A.P. said he did not come this far to end up in jail. This bridge was the Edmond Pettus bridge, the one Martin Luther King would march over some years later.

Albert and I also helped haul and drive the stakes to pitch the tent at BBI for the R.G. Lee Revival. A.P also designed and supervised the building of Lake Albert on the campus of the Baptist College. The lake is shaped like the state of Florida.

After A.P's death his family presented an oil painting of Lake Albert to the City of Graceville. According to Kathleen Turner this painting still hangs in the conference room of the Graceville City Hall. Also, another record came to be, husband & wife, both serving as commissioners.

To be continued…