A History of Levy County, Florida ★ ★ ★ Chapter Thirteen ★ ★ ★ MARCH -1983 Published By The Levy County Archives Committee Sponsored by the Levy County Board of Commissioners Bronson, Florida A Bicentennial Publication Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries https://archive.org/details/searchforyesterd1319levy THE LATEST NEWS, ABOUT A CENTURY AGO As we may have already stated, the intent of The historically significant parts of the papers SEARCH FOR YESTERDAY is to look back in are presented here in notations along with a few time at the people who have lived in Levy Coun¬ annotations. Four researchers worked indepen¬ ty. The usual format for the history of a county dently to assemble the presentation, which may or town is a precisely organized account of the account for the abrupt shifts in writing styles. parade of government officials, famous people, The nature of the material has produced a chop¬ wealthy people, and powerful persons who exert¬ py and random format, but that is the way the ed influence and caused events to happen; they events happened. Any attempt to organize all of shaped the destinies of whole cultures, or at least this into a scholarly work would be an exercise in they appeared to do so. At the other end of the futility; the reality would be warped into a historical spectrum were the peasants, peons, and distorted impression of itself. underdogs. Those in the middle lived out their Our excursion back into time may reveal some lives at various levels between the two extremes, factors and people who reach across that irrever¬ and they were anything but precisely organized. sible flow; we can imagine the proud little girl The Archives Committee has researched a who made the honor roll in elementary school, stack of old newspapers published at Bronson 71 years ago. Some of her classmates are now during the 1880s through the early 1900s, and deceased but she still lives in Levy County. that is what this chapter is about. People from And the structures they built, the faith they all levels show up in it. Some of them are still lived by, the mistakes they made, the good ac¬ living (1982). They were children during the times complishments of their lives, all those things are covered by some of the old papers, and a few of left as their contributions to the mortal existence. the edifices they built are still standing. The We owe these old ones a lot, and we can look newspaper was THE LEVY TIMES- back at them with respect and affection. Let us DEMOCRA T. Its office building is still in not forget them. existence at the corner of Masonic Street and Court Street. On the front and on the south wall, Norene Andrews up high and under several layers of white paint, S. E. Gunnell the name is faintly discernable in large black let¬ Kathryn Harris ters, TIMES-DEMOCRAT. Lindon Lindsey The Times - Democrat was published from the first floor of this building for many years. Masonic Lodge No. 7, chartered in 1876 and now merged with the Chiefland Lodge, occupied the top floor. 1 DEDICATION We are indebted to Mrs. Annie Sue Wellman High School and the University of Georgia, is Otto, granddaughter of Johann Conrad married to Max Otto. Max and Annie Sue are Christian Wellman, for the use of old the proud parents of Cherie and Walter Wellman newspapers published in Bronson, dating back to Otto, both students at Valdosta State College. the 1880s. Annie Sue is the daughter of Sue Thank you, Annie Sue, for your wonderful Wicker Wellman and the late Herman Wellman contribution to the history of Levy County! of Williston. Annie Sue, graduate of Williston Annie Sue, Cherie, Walter, and Max Otto ( 2 JOHANN CONRAD CHRISTIAN WELLMAN Johann Conrad Christian Wellman (Wellman CHILDREN OF CONRAD WELLMAN on birth certificate and many early records from 1. Lizzie B. b. 15 Mar 1883 - d. 1 Jul 1970 Germany and Levy County) was born November m. Arthur F. McDonell (1876- 5, 1844, Hamburg, Germany, and died Novem¬ 1952) ber 1, 1921. He came to America shortly after he graduated from a German school. He must have 2. Norma b. Feb 1887- been about sixteen or seventeen years of age. In America, he joined an uncle for a while before 3. Bertha b. May 1892- coming to Levy County. He became a citizen of this country on December 9, 1879, Levy County. 4. Martha b. 26 Nov 1893 - d. 15 Jul 1912 Mr. Wellman was married three times. His first wife died in childbirth when very young. 5. Conrad b. Nov 1896 - d. ca 1966 The baby died also. He was married a second time, July 4, 1882, Levy County, to Rebecca 6. Emma b. 9 Aug 1899- Douglas. According to census records, Rebecca was born in 1862 in Scotland. The first two 7. Herman F. b. 6 Nov 1902 - d. Apr 1976 children in the family listed below were by m. Sue Wicker of Montezuma, Rebecca. His third wife, Pauline Hartman, was Ga. born 1869 and died 1943. She is buried beside Conrad in the new Bronson Cemetery. Pauline 8. Carl b. 24 Jun 1905 - 20 Feb 1980 Hartman Wellman had the last eight children m. Lillie Maude Kimble, dau. listed below. of Joseph P. Kimble The old Conrad Wellman home still stands in 9. Max D. b. 1 Oct 1907 - d. 26 Oct 1967 Bronson on South Pennsylvania Avenue. It was originally the Shands home. 10. Otto R. b. Sep 1909 - d. 7 Aug 1969 Part of the Conrad Wellman Family, about 1905. Back row: Martha, Bertha, Herman, Norma. Front: Mr. Wellman (holding Carl), Emma, Mrs. Wellman (holding Max). 3 The Conrad Wellman House in Bronson, 1982. The person propped against the post is Mr. Gun¬ nell, Archives Member. Mr. Conrad Wellman and his home in Bronson, sometime in the late 1800’s. Before the Wellmans, this was the Shands home. The identity of the original owners is not known. The house still exists, with the trees grown old and large. 4 THE LATEST NEWS, ABOUT A CENTURY AGO From THE LEVY TIMES-DEMOCRAT 22 OCTOBER 1896 ♦The Board of Levy County Commissioners met *S. H. Highsmith advertised horses and buggies October 7. Commissioners present were: William for hire at his livery stable, located at W. H. M. Barton, Oliver H. P. Kirkland, John Brooks Bigham’s old stand in Bronson. Lutterloh, and Elias Walker. The chairman, Samuel Quincey was absent. Perry M. Colson ♦CHURCH DIRECTORY: was granted $113.90 for payment to inspectors, Rev. James Perryman DePass and Rev. Joseph clerks, and deputy sheriffs for October. Edward Boothby, preachers, and Dr. James Maxwell H. Lambert was paid $49.20 for food for Jackson, Sunday School Superintendent, at the prisoners. Mrs. Laura Garrison’s pension was Methodist Church; Rev. J. S. Geiger, Pastor, reduced from $6.00 to $4.00 per month, Mrs. and O. J. Farmer, Superintendent of Sunday Nancy Turner’s from $7.00 to $5.00, and Mrs. School, at the Baptist Church; Rev. J. S. Geiger, D. Criss was granted $3.00 per month. It was or¬ Pastor at Levyville; Dr. Samuel Bean, Pastor of dered that notice for bids to build Number Four the Evangelical Church; and Rev. W. M. Wam- bridge in Cedar Key be placed in the TIMES- bolt, Pastor of Albion Baptist Church. DEMOCRAT until the fourth of November. ♦The farmers and businessmen of Williston made ♦OBIT: Samuel Hall Worthington, Age 75 a contribution of three barrels of meal and one- Despite demoralized conditions as a result of half barrel of sweet potatoes to the storm victims the storm, a large number of friends and of Cedar Key. W. H. Anderson is in charge of relatives gathered to pay last respects to S. H. the distribution. More will be shipped in the near Worthington who died Sunday, October 11, and future. was buried in Rocky Hammock. S. H. Worthington was born July 15, 1821, on ♦James L. Cottrell of Cedar Key, John Peter the St. Mary’s River in what is now Nassau Reddick and T. T. Reddick of Williston, Edwin County. He moved to Levy County in 1851 or Louis Janney of Chiefland, Sam Hartman of Ot¬ 1852. ter Creek, Capt. William A. Hammond and his He took part in the Indian War of 1835-1842 daughter, Gertrude, were in Bronson this week. and hunted Indians from the Suwannee River to the Withlacoochee River. He was also in the War ♦Mrs. Henry Benjamin Lloyd (nee Jennie of 1885. In addition, he was a Confederate Hogan) had a visit from Mrs. Granville H. Wor¬ soldier, belonging to John C. Chambers’ Com¬ thington of Rocky Hammock. pany A-9th Florida, made up of Levy County boys who used to rendezvous on the Wacasassa. ♦Everyone was concerned about the storm. Sam In the Battle of Ocean Pond near Lake City, Hartman’s house was lifted off its blocks. H. Samuel was struck by a minie ball which pierced Suliyant of Needmore is contemplating moving eighteen thicknesses of cloth and a wooden but¬ because of the severe damage to his place. ton. The blow knocked him down, but stopped William P. Geiger of Double Sink reported that short of the flesh. his people have gone to work with brave hearts The deceased married Felicia Brown in 1844. to repair damages in his area. In addition to his wife he is survived by the following six daughters and one son: Mrs. C. K. ♦Mrs. William W.