Recollections: Legends of Yesterday - Dr. Clifton L. Hart

­­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 April 19, 2001 edition of The Graceville News.

Nick Hart 1884-1951, father of Dr. Clifton L. Hart, owned and operated a large plantation in the forks of the creek. Th beautiful spread is located between Campbellton and Malone. This is where Dr. Cliff, his sister, Willie and his brother Alva grew up. I have been told that Mr. Nick Hart was a steel driving man (a hard worker). I have heard it said if he was behind with cultivation, that he would hang a lantern on his plow and plow at night. Mr. Nick's wife was Betty Scrammell and mother of his three children.

James Reeves, who went to school with the Hart children at Campbellton High School, said that Alva Hart could throw the hardest softball that he had ever seen. Hartwell Taylor married Willie. She died about three days after giving birth to Wendell Taylor. That was before antibiotics and sulfur drugs. Modern drugs have kept most of us alive one time or another.

Wendell was the apple of Cliff's eye and he encouraged him growing up. Wendell finished Campbellton High School, Chipola and U of FL. He then entered the Vietnam Conflict and rose to the full rank of Colonel. He and his baby brother, Bruce saw action at the same time. Wendell also held an important post with SAC (strategic air command).

When Wendell retired, he returned to Jackson County and was employed as a County Administrator.

Hartwell remarried, this time to Mary Alice Hart, Cliff's first cousin. Their children were Grady, Martha, Bruce and Janet. Hartwell and Mary did a good job raising these children. Hartwell told me about Mr. Nick Hart's operation, Besides his 1,000 acres, he also would rent extra land. He was a mule breeder, owned many female horses and two jackasses.

I first met Cliff at Auburn where he was a veterinarian student. I knew Cliff had a high IQ, he finished 8th in his class.

One day, I asked Doc why he didn't just go on to medical school and become an MD. He replied, "Probably two reasons. One, as a vet your patients cannot talk back. And another reason is animals are cleaner than humans.

About 1950, Bill Pace opened a veterinarian office in Graceville and was soon drafted into the military. Dr. Hart was just getting out of the military. So, he came and took over Dr. Pace's practice. This office or clinic was where Subway now stands on Cotton Street.

Hart was an appropriate name for Cliff because he had a big heart for his fellow man. He was so generous with his services. After rendering a service, time and time again I heard a farmer say, "Doc, how much do I owe you." "Let us wait and see how the animal does." Doc didn't keep the best of records. A farmer would come to the office to pay up and Cliff would say, "What did we do?"

It was the honest people that kept him here as long as he lasted. He was here maybe five or six years. Then he had to take a government job that paid him a monthly salary.

Doc first worked for Dr. Culpepper and Dr. Willis in Marianna. They said, "Put Cliff in the lab to diagnose and treat, he is the best. Send him on a farm call and he would not collect enough for gas money, let alone something for medicine and services."

A lot of times I would run by Cliff's office or clinic when I had a few minutes. Doc would say, "Fessor," as he would call me, "How about riding with me on a customer call. I need a driver so I can eat." He would call Grady Spears at the Circle Grill and say, "Grady, this is Cliff. Do you have any scraps left? How about throwing them in a bag. I'll be by in a few minutes."

Grady and Cliff were the best of friends. So, Grady would meet Cliff's request generously. usually about a gallon and a half to a peck of food. Doc would usually devour all or most of it shortly. He usually did not eat but one meal a day. His eating was like a camel drinking. When he finished he was ready for a big run.

I remember one day my mother had cooked the first mess of green peas before we had a food freezer. She had to go to Mobile that morning. I ran into Doc. I asked him, "Mom had just cooked a pot fresh knuckle hulls, you eat lunch? He replied, "No haven't had time to eat today." I invited him to eat with me. We delighted ourselves in this homecooked meal. I cannot remember what meat we had but it was a full home-cooked meal.

I do remember a large loaf of bread of which I ate two slices and Cliff consumed the rest, including both ends. He also cleaned all the peas and most everything left on the table. I was concerned about filling Cliff up. I began to pull out canned goods and told Cliff he was not going to leave hungry. After eating about 1/2 can of peaches, he replied, "This is about all I can handle today." I would put Cliff against any big eater that I have ever known. He and Jeff Williams were in the same category.

Cliff was also a strong, tough individual. He weighed about 225 and was hard as a rock.

To be continued...

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