Recollections: Legends of Yesterday - Mr. A.A. Hodges

In 1942 Mr. A.A. Hodges sold the residence where his older children grew up. He spontaneously called Mrs. L.M. Keen in Monticello, the widow of L.M. Keen, the owner of Graceville's Coca-Cola plant and ice plant, and told her what he had done and that he needed a home. He asked if she would sell her house in Graceville and if so to name the price. She said yes and quoted her a price and said she would send the deed and he could send her a check. –

The above incident reflects the maturity and dependability of my father in being able to make a decision and stand by it.

Sometime after this property purchase, Mrs. W.D. McRae, Sr., asked my father how he managed to buy it. All these years they had rented it since their arrival in Graceville. By that time they had purchased the former Mike King property where they had lived when Mr. McRae died.

My father was not a person of financial means but was a very caring and generous person. My grandmother's side said he had to be a generous man because he gave away more than the average man made.

Mr. Hodges was predeceased in death by one son, L.C. Hodges, who was one of Graceville High School's start basketball players.

Another son, Millard A. Hodges (Goog) died after Mr. Hodges.

Two sons, Joe B. Hodges of Graceville, and Robert B. Hodges of Pasadeпа, CA, survive, as well as two daughters. Mary E. Watford of Graceville and Frances H. Roberts of Tallahassee.

Two surviving grandchildren are Roy W. Watford and Sharon R. Young of Atlanta, GA.

I have a few closing remarks about the Hodges family. I had the pleasure of knowing the family since 1948 and I know they contributed very much to the Graceville community. Besides their public service and church work, they helped many of the less fortunate.

Joe says he remembers his father installing Graceville's first walk-in meat cooler, that had to be supplied with ice from the ice plant. Dr. John Gorrie invented the first ice machine about the same time Florida came into the union. Most ice plants were of the anhydrous ammonia type and made ice pound blocks. Joe said his father's walk-in cooler held 1600 pounds of ice, also four cows on the hook with two large hogs on the hook plus shelf storage. I remember during the great depression we had these same kind of meat markets and you could buy a big soup bone with a good bit of meat for five to ten cents.

I knew Joe and Goode real well since they were both in my veteran's class and I taught school with Mary E. Watford for about ten years.

For Mr. Hodges to accomplish what he did, he had to have a good woman behind him. He had a perfect jewel in this respect, as Mrs. Hodges was a hard worker and backed her husband in his many activities. Mrs. Hodges was a personal friend of my mother's and Mrs. Hodges to a ripe old age of 97 1/2 years. I am proud to have known these legends of yesterday.

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