­­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 December 14, 2000 edition of The Graceville News.

In reviewing August 1961 REA Light Flashes, the picture below appeared. I wish to make a few comments about the men in this picture.

**REA BOARD (l-r) Mr. Clemmons, Mr. Sapp, Mr. Heisler, Webb Standifer, Mr. Cozart, and Mr. Register standing on the porch of the State Capital in Tallahassee in the Spring of 1957.**

Jimmy Clemmons was a very young man at this time, he may have been the first young man to serve on the Board. He was a bright young farmer and cattleman from Washington County. He also did seed cleaning as custom work for other farmers. He cleaned Bahia and soybean seed for me and did a very excellent job. Our business dealings were very satisfactory. I believe his wife was on the staff at Chipola Junior College, English Department.

Mr. Jessie Sapp is the second person, an uncle of Annie Lee Clark, my next door neighbor. Mr. Sapp was a brother of Annie Lee's mother, Mrs. Bullock. As it has been said before, Mr. Sapp married Jeffie Barfield, Mr. Alfred Barfield's sister. Annie Lee said, "Aunt Jeffie was one of the most even-tempered people that I ever knew. " Annie spoke about the time she had a new dress on while trying to walk a picket fence at her aunt's house. She fell and tore the new dress Aunt Jeffie said, "Come Annie Lee, let's fix that dress before your mother finds out about it." Miss Clark says, "Aunt Jeffie save me from a whipping.”

I remember Mr. Sapp as a good, hard working farmer and a down to earth sort of fellow. As it has been stated before, Mr. Sapp and Mr. Jim Heisler were the best of friends

I remember one day Glenn Register had a bulldozer cutting a ditch. Mr. Sapp, Fred Stokes, and myself happened to come along. There was some discussion about the ditch running the water out of the low place Mr. Sapp said, "Glenn, I can tell you how to be sure, lay on your belly on the bottom of the ditch and eyeball it." Mr. Sapp seemed to be a practical man. I am sure his sound advice was welcome on the REA board.

Mr. Sapp also served on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners before J.K. Powell served. He and Mrs. Jeffie had four girls. They were Bulah, who married Holly Watford, Alma, who married a man by the name of Darby, Jessie Lee the third daughter who married Chat Leland and Sadie Malba, who married Harry Hoenny. Mr. Sapp was very active in Damascus Baptist Church.

The third man is Mr.Jim Heisler, whom I have already written about. The fourth young man in the picture is Webb Standifer. Webb went to work for REA around 1950. He was hired by Bennett Rutherford, the manager after Claude Smith went to south Florida. Webb was kind-of a public relations man and he usually drove the older board members to meetings. Evelyn, Webb's wife said, "Webb delighted in doing this and often remarked about the wisdom the older gentlemen had!" Webb later became assistant manager I believe when Elbert Franklin was manager.

Webb was the son of Ed and Ella Standifer. I remember them when they ran a small store at the corner of 1st Avenue and Peanut Road. When they first came to Graceville there were about 25 stores within a mile radius of the city limits. I never seen so many stores in a 2500 populated area.

Mr. And Mrs. Standifer had several children. Jeanette, who married Martin Bedsole. Hub, who was a faithful employee of Liddon and White. Nell, who was a good seamstress, and worked for Kingry's, and Dot, who married Wiley Glass, Eddie Ruth and Bill.

I remember talking to Webb before he had his open-heart surgery. I believe he had three by-passes. This was during the time that odds were slimmer then now a days, but Webb lasted for about 20 years. My life has been blessed to have known Webb Standifer.

In the near future I will write about the other two men in this picture, Rev. C. A. Cozart and Mr. Rufus Register.

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