In this week’s article, I opened a scrapbook on the shelf at the Jasper Public Library and there was the unmistakable and very precise printing of my first grade teacher, the late Miss Virginia Bell. 

Miss Bell was a descendant of Daniel Bell, said to be Hamilton County’s first white settler.  She saved many interesting articles from the “Florida Times Union” and “The Jasper News.”  

The late Mrs. Walter “Maude McCall” Havener of Hickory Bottom Farm, near Jennings, Florida, and descended from a pioneer family of the Jennings, Florida, area was a long-time correspondent for “The Jasper News,” and she wrote many articles relating to the History of Hamilton County. I found one of interest dated April 26, 1966, in her article “From Out of the Past.”

An incident of George Jennings’ Life: (I believe this took place sometime 1820-1825), Mrs. Havener wrote:

“To illustrate more fully the subject of old times in Hamilton County I will relate an incident in the life of the George Jennings. 

“Mr. Jennings lived one year on Cow Creek in Lowndes County, Georgia, which was the year previous to his coming to Florida.

He came to Florida and built his cabin near Micco. Then he went back to his home on Cow Creek to move his belongings to his new home.

“As there was no way of transportation he and one of his friends built a large flat, loaded his things and started drifting right down the creeks and the Alapaha River to Micco.

“He had never been on the river to see if it was “Navigable” or not. This was where he made a mistake.

“The man who was assisting him was Joe Jenkins. They embarked and drifted along very nicely toward Micco until they reached a point not far from Troublesome Creek where they both surprised to see the river divide!! One fork went right under the bank and the other went on. The current of the one going under the earth was very strong under the earth and caught the flat and under it went.

“Jenkins jumped overboard and reached the bank safely and shouted to George to do likewise. But George Jennings decided he would go along and take care of his property. Having served as skipper for the voyage, Jennings decided he would stand his ground but had to jump for his life! He would have drowned if Jenkins had not helped him out. The flat and its contents went down out of sight leaving nothing to Jennings of his worldly goods but his churn. Everything was gone but his churn.

“Jennings and Jenkins decided to go to Daniel Bell’s place where they both were treated to plenty to eat and a comfortable rest.

“Mr. Jennings then went to his new home near Micco and went to work. After some years he moved again down the Suwannee to Old Town and commenced a new settlement. He was industrious, frugal and prosperous. He remained at Old Town until the Indian War of 1835. At that time, he settled down in Hamilton County near Jennings and lived there till he died. He was buried on a high bluff above and not far from where the town of Jennings is now situated at Jennings Bluff Cemetery.

“The place where his flat went under the earth with its cargo is now filled up; and the Alapaha River does not retain in its appearance the slightest trace of the subterranean river down which Jennings’ flat went with such headlong speed on that eventful day.

“This identical spot is known to many, of the people, of our day, however, and is pointed out and called ‘Jennings Defeat.’”

George Jennings was born September 12, 1790, in Cambridgeshire England, United Kingdom, and died June 27, 1860. The town of Jennings, Florida, is named for George Jennings.

His wife was Eliza CA Jennings,  and they had two sons William Thomas Jennings, born February 25, 1812, George Jennings born in 1819, and a daughter Rachel Elizabeth Jennings Towler, not sure of the exact date of birth. The story of George

Jennings on the river, took place, I am thinking at some time 1820-1825 or so, maybe a little sooner. Micco, located on the Alapaha River was the first county seat of Hamilton County in what was, then, the territory of Florida. It was a trading post where the Native American tribes of the area traded and lived in the area until the mid-1830’s. 

In our neighboring Suwannee County, congratulations to Eric Musgrove, Live Oak, on the publication of his newest book “Lost Suwannee County.” Suwannee County is fortunate to have someone in Eric Musgrove, who not only knows the history of his home, but who has a love for it.

I remember Mrs. Havener and her sister, Miss Inez McCall. They were memorable and wonderful ladies in our beloved Hamilton County. Mrs. Havener, with her snow white hair, and her head just peeking above the steering wheel of that big Chrysler and Miss Inez sitting in the back seat on the passenger side. They attended most social functions in the county, and they were ardent supporters of the Stephen Foster in White Springs. I thought the world of both of them. 

From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you all a good day filled with joy, peace, and, above all, lots of love and laughter.