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 January 18, 2001 edition of The Graceville News.

Due to late information on Mr. Rufus Register, his write up will be delayed until the next writing. But here is a good one written by Arthur Williams, Jr. about his father, Arthur Sr.

Arthur L. Williams, Sr. was born on November 16, 1888, on land homesteaded by his father. Dougal C. Williams. The land is located in the Salem United Methodist Church community near the Washington, Holmes, and Jackson County lines, but in Jackson County. The home place is still in family ownership, now owned by his niece, Annie M. McKean and recorded by D.P. Roberts. Benjamin Harrison was president at the time. The deed is on sheepskin and still in perfect condition.

Arthur L. Williams. Sr. married Irma Belyeu. Mr. Belyeu owned a farm in Washington County, currently known as the Stanton Farm on Hwy. 77 and now in Jackson County. When they married. Arthur and Irma Williams built their first home in Chipley, where he was part owner of a drugstore. They had two sons, Gerald G. and Arthur L. Williams, Jr. Another son lived only a few days.

In addition to the drug store business, he was a progressive farmer, growing crops of corn, peanuts, watermelon, and a variety of produce. One year, he shipped by refrigerated railcar a full car of snap beans to Indianapolis. Indiana. On another occasion, he took a truckload of blueberries to St. Louis, Missouri. In addition, watermelons were shipped to northern markets and his own cane syrup shipped to south Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. On one occasion, he took a truckload of pecans to market but could not sell them. Rather than have them go to waste, he took them to Union School where all the students were allowed to go out and get pecans. He also operated a peanut picker and was picking peanuts for other farmers, as well as for himself. At times, the peanut picker would be in operation twenty-four hours a day, six days a week.

Arthur S. Williams, Sr. believed in education. He played a major role in consolidating several two-room schools into Union Grammar School, established in 1928. At that time, the school was only open six months, he would take his two sons to the Graceville school for the remainder of that school's term which was eight months in length.

Arthur Williams, Sr. was instrumental in getting rural electricity in this area. As soon as President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an order creating a national rural electric association, Arthur Williams immediately began working for the establishment of a local coop. In 1937, he signed up the first member of the West Florida Electric cooperative. He became one of the original board members, along with A.J. Crutchfield, W.R. Powell, and others in the area. Mr. Williams was notified that the local cooperative had been approved and the Board hired the first manager, Claude Smith. Just a short time later, Mr. Williams was killed in a truck accident on Highway 77, between Graceville and Chipley, on July 12, 1938, at the age of 49.

Photo Information: Right Bottom Photo is of Arthur L. Williams, Sr.

Top photo: Mr. A.L. Williams, Sr. of Graceville was one of the original Board of Trustees of West Florida Electric Cooperative. He was also one of the first to sign up as a member of the cooperative. Above is the original receipt that Mr. Williams received in 1938 from the original Board Secretary-Treasurer W.R. Powell.