Recollections: Legends of Yesterday - The Kirklands

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 November 28, 2002 edition of The Graceville News.

The following story was written by Katherine Kirkland Keplinger of Bridgewater, Virginia to be included in the Jackson County Heritage Book.

Pioneer Spirit

When I received a notice that my Graceville High School 40th Reunion would be held in June, 2002, I was disappointed to realize that I would not be able to attend. Before receiving the notice, I had made plans to be in Graceville later in the month to prepare my parents’ home to be sold.

As I pondered my past to send an update on my life to the reunion committee, I thought about my school days and the stories I had heard from Daddy, Grandmother Kirkland, Uncle Joe and Cousin Katrina about life in the “old days”. It became suddenly apparent to me that my heritage in Graceville was quite a wonderful thing and ran deeper in my veins than I had ever stopped to consider.

While I was going through family keepsakes, I was drawn to my past in a way I had never experienced before. I realized why Daddy had always loved Graceville and longed to live there. His roots were planted deep in Graceville soil.

I am Katherine Kirkland Keplinger, a daughter of David Henry Kirkland, whom most people in Graceville known simply as “Sissy”. My twin sisters, Helen and Ellen, and I were born in Tampa, Florida, while Daddy was working in the Tampa Shipyard during World War II.

My grandmother, Leila Earl Day Kirkland had family in Tampa and Daddy had gone to visit an look for employment. Cousin Henry was engaged to Hazel, who happened to be best friend to Doris Estelle McCrorey. Henry took his cousin to Hazel’s birthday party where he met and fell in love with Doris. They were married July 3, 1940.

David and Doris Kirkland

After the war Daddy moved his family to Graceville. He worked at Jones Motor Company as service manager for several years and helped open a new company in Bonifay, where he worked for two years. Even though Daddy had natural ability as an automobile mechanic and loved the work, he was not able to adequately support his family, so he returned to the work he learned during the war.

As a boilermaker, life was good and money was plentiful, but it required Daddy to be separated from his family for long periods of time. Daddy could not escape that deep desire to return to his roots, and wanted his girls to grow up in Graceville where we would be safe and have experiences we would not have in the big city.

In 1953, during a visit with my grandmother, he accepted an offer to return to Jones Motor Company. My school years were all that Daddy had expected for me and I am grateful for his decision. For several years he worked for the Atomic Energy Commission, before opening Kirkland Auto Parts in 1968.

During the past two years my life has made some unexpected turns. My husband of 32 years died quite unexpectedly, Daddy moved to a nursing home ad Mama to an assisted living facility in Virginia to be near me, and shortly after they arrived, I was diagnosed with lymphoma. While I was recovering from surgery Daddy died. My friends watch me in wonder and often asked me how I manage to go on. I simply tell them that I put one foot in front of the other and keep on going.

I have come to realize that I am what I am because of my heritage – first my Christian faith and second my family genes. My lineage comes from a great, great grandmother, Martha Patricia

Dais Kirkland, who as a young widow had adventures which include fighting off wolves with an axe on several occasions to protect her family’s meat supply. After her husband, Moses F. Kirkland, was killed in the Civil War, Pattie brought her two sons to Graceville. Her son David A. Kirkland and his brother, George, bought Collins Mill in 1887. They had a gristmill, saw mill and cotton gin.

David A. Kirkland married Melissa Elizabeth Crutchfield and they bore my grandfather Joseph Walter Kirkland in 1880. While I don’t have any knowledge of my great grandmother, I feel confident that the Crutchfield family would be able to document her life as one of pioneer spirit.

Walter was married to Leila and owned Kirkand Merchantile in Graceville with his brother John. My daddy, David Henry Kirkland, was born to them in 1913 and is buried at Collins Mill Cemetery on land once owned by his grandfather.

Walter and Leila’s son, Edward, died as an infant, and when Walter and their young daughter, Katrina, died during the flu epidemic in 1918. Leila was left to raise her five remaining children alone. Their home burned and she lost her precious family treasures and pictures, but she persevered with poise and dignity. She had pioneer spirit.

The Kirkland men married women of great courage and strength. Mama was such a woman. While growing up, I was amazed at the things she was able to do, and no task seemed impossible for her.

My brother, James Walter Kirkland, was born in 1961. As the years have passed, I have seen in him that same drawing Daddy had to his roots in Graceville. As we worked together getting our family home ready to sell and building a ne home for him (and yes, an auto repair shop!), I began to see that pioneer spirit rising up in him. When we were discouraged by unexpected events, we simply dug our heels in a little deeper and got the job done. In retrospect, nothing has really changed. It doesn’t matter in which house he lives, his heritage is still deeply rooted in Graceville soil.

Jimmy is married to Kimberly Faye Corbitt and they are expecting their first child in December. Their child will be our sixth generation of Kirklands to live in Graceville.

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