Anna's Stories -- A Mason's Story, Walton County, FL -- Brenda Rees--Shaping Florida
Posted 06-13-2009 at 10:50 AM by Brenda Rees
Updated 08-13-2009 at 09:38 AM by Brenda Rees (McDonald Red Bay Mason 1806-1875, Anderson, Woodmen of the World, Alaqua)
Updated 08-13-2009 at 09:38 AM by Brenda Rees (McDonald Red Bay Mason 1806-1875, Anderson, Woodmen of the World, Alaqua)
Anna’s Stories – A Mason’s Story, Walton County, Florida
Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida Presentation
Masonic program from the collection of Anna Smith and Sonny Hollingsworth, 1955. Other pages posted at end of blog. Be sure to Log In to see historic pictures and program.
Anna Smith’s handwritten notes (Written around 1978 recalling her maternal grandparents.)
Hugh Thornber 4-8-1844 --11-30-1928
Martha E. Burrow Thornber 3-6-1851 – 8-4-36
Page 5 …
Granddad Thornber’s and Uncle L.I. Smith’s life-long friendship started in Tyndall. Granddad’s main interests were his business, the Masonic Lodge, card games such as “set back”, and lawn croquet.
Anna wrote on back of this picture "Granddad Thornber and Uncle L.I. playing croquet at Wiscasett." Wiscasett was the name of home at Smith Dairy in DeFuniak Springs. From the private collection of Anna Smith Hollingsworth Reardon and Sonny Hollingsworth. L.I. Smith's great nephew, Tuff Smith, had a beach home at Grayton Beach. L.I. and his nephew, P.W. Smith, made a trip to Grayton in 1899. Read about it in Grayton Blog. L.I. also owned other beach properties at Camp Walton and Mary Esther along with a home on historic Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs.
Soon after the move to DeFuniak Springs in 1903, the Thornbers bought a large two-story house on the corner of Live Oak Avenue and 11th Street, now the home of Mrs. Bert McCall. One of my early recollections was of spending two weeks with grandma at the …
Page 10 …
Granddad had little interest in gardening. He loved to visit in town with his friends, “Uncle” Buddy Cawthon, Mr. M.A. Warren, Judge A.G. Campbell
Page 11 …
and others. He was proficient in the rituals of the Masonic Lodge, and was called on to perform burial services all over west Florida, and to instruct applicants for membership. His dress was inclined to be sloppy, and he chewed tobacco, which was a great cross for Grandma to bear. In the Masonic rituals, the Worshipful Master is required to wear a hat. As a joke, and possibly to get rid of the disreputable felt hat he always wore, the local lodge gave him a collapsible silk opera hat. He dug out a frock coat and gloves and Mr. Carden made his photograph in all this finery. I believe a copy of the picture still hangs in the Masonic Lodge hall in DeFuniak Springs.
Grandma was the one who dispensed presents to us …
(End of this segment of Anna’s handwritten notes.)
Excerpt follows of more notes from Anna, copied in Anna’s Boat Blog
"My mother married Percy Warren Smith, an abstractor and former school teacher,who lived with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. L.I. Smith. Hugh Thornber and L.I. Smith became lifelong friends. This uncle had been a merchant and banker in Lamar, Missouri, but had moved to Tyndall where he founded a bank, and owned considerable property.
These three families had comfortable homes, and "hired girls"; these were live-in maids, daughters of German immigrants in the area.
Hugh Thornber, L.I. Smith and P.W. Smith were members of the Masonic Lodge in Tyndall. My parents were members of the Eastern Star there. Later, all resumed their memberships in DeFuniak Springs. …”
Masonic membership, 1955, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. p. 2
p. 3
p. 4 Some of these Smith, Wesley, and Anderson members, along with other Masons, also had homes in South Walton. Wonder if they knew the county's namesake had Masonic ties as well as his famous father, George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Masonic sign on top of Hotel DeFuniak.
Hotel DeFuniak lobby. Building in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, has historic Masonic symbols on outside of building.
Masonic Cornerstone on northeast corner of Hotel DeFuniak Building. Notice the Lodge No. 170 on this cornerstone is the same as the Lodge No. 170 on the Masonic Membership book cover.
To see the South Walton beach home and summer vacations in Camp Walton of Masonic member Kenneth Robert "Tuff" Smith, view blogs on Grayton Beach and Camp Walton by Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida. Tuff's name is on page 4 of 1955 membership roster displayed here. You may also want to read about P.W. Smith's first trip to Grayton Beach in 1899.
P.W. (Percy Warren) Smith of Tyndall, South Dakota and Walton County, Florida. His family was one of the early settlers from South Dakota to move to Walton County. The Chautauqua was a primary influence as well as the beauty and business opportunities. P.W. was Anna Smith's father and grandfather of Ernest L. (Sonny) Hollingsworth, collector of many of these historic Walton County related pictures. Anna wrote about her father's early Masonic membership in South Dakota and Walton County. Anna's brother, Kenneth Robert "Tuff" Smith is listed in this 1955 booklet.
Kenneth Robert "'Tuff" Smith of Grayton Beach and DeFuniak Springs.
Claudine Thornber Smith (Mrs. P.W.), Anna's mother and Eastern Star member.
Read about a true patriotic family --- the George Walton family. George Walton was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His son, George Walton, Jr. is the namesake of Walton County, Florida. George Walton's granddaughter, Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert, was instilled with the original intent of America's founding fathers by her grandmother Dorothy Walton's stories. Read more about Octavia in my other blogs. Octavia's life story reveals her understanding of freedom. I'll be adding more to Octavia's blog and story soon.
John K. McDonald is buried at Red Bay in Walton County, Florida with Masonic Symbol on headstone. Born 1806 Died 1875. It is just a short trip from Red Bay to DeFuniak Springs. My dad's name was John McDonald Anderson and his name is in this 1955 Mason directory.
Mark Anderson, Woodmen of the World, headstone at Alaqua, Walton County, Florida. 1890-1928
This home of Mr. and Mrs. L.I. Smith on Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, would be the location for many entertaining events for area Masons. Lake DeFuniak, which is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and historic homes on Circle Drive, also provided a beautiful backdrop for the Florida Chautauqua. The Chautauqua was probably the single most significant event that brought these Masons to Northwest Florida.
Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida Presentation
Masonic program from the collection of Anna Smith and Sonny Hollingsworth, 1955. Other pages posted at end of blog. Be sure to Log In to see historic pictures and program.
Anna Smith’s handwritten notes (Written around 1978 recalling her maternal grandparents.)
Hugh Thornber 4-8-1844 --11-30-1928
Martha E. Burrow Thornber 3-6-1851 – 8-4-36
Page 5 …
Granddad Thornber’s and Uncle L.I. Smith’s life-long friendship started in Tyndall. Granddad’s main interests were his business, the Masonic Lodge, card games such as “set back”, and lawn croquet.
Anna wrote on back of this picture "Granddad Thornber and Uncle L.I. playing croquet at Wiscasett." Wiscasett was the name of home at Smith Dairy in DeFuniak Springs. From the private collection of Anna Smith Hollingsworth Reardon and Sonny Hollingsworth. L.I. Smith's great nephew, Tuff Smith, had a beach home at Grayton Beach. L.I. and his nephew, P.W. Smith, made a trip to Grayton in 1899. Read about it in Grayton Blog. L.I. also owned other beach properties at Camp Walton and Mary Esther along with a home on historic Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs.
Soon after the move to DeFuniak Springs in 1903, the Thornbers bought a large two-story house on the corner of Live Oak Avenue and 11th Street, now the home of Mrs. Bert McCall. One of my early recollections was of spending two weeks with grandma at the …
Page 10 …
Granddad had little interest in gardening. He loved to visit in town with his friends, “Uncle” Buddy Cawthon, Mr. M.A. Warren, Judge A.G. Campbell
Page 11 …
and others. He was proficient in the rituals of the Masonic Lodge, and was called on to perform burial services all over west Florida, and to instruct applicants for membership. His dress was inclined to be sloppy, and he chewed tobacco, which was a great cross for Grandma to bear. In the Masonic rituals, the Worshipful Master is required to wear a hat. As a joke, and possibly to get rid of the disreputable felt hat he always wore, the local lodge gave him a collapsible silk opera hat. He dug out a frock coat and gloves and Mr. Carden made his photograph in all this finery. I believe a copy of the picture still hangs in the Masonic Lodge hall in DeFuniak Springs.
Grandma was the one who dispensed presents to us …
(End of this segment of Anna’s handwritten notes.)
Excerpt follows of more notes from Anna, copied in Anna’s Boat Blog
"My mother married Percy Warren Smith, an abstractor and former school teacher,who lived with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. L.I. Smith. Hugh Thornber and L.I. Smith became lifelong friends. This uncle had been a merchant and banker in Lamar, Missouri, but had moved to Tyndall where he founded a bank, and owned considerable property.
These three families had comfortable homes, and "hired girls"; these were live-in maids, daughters of German immigrants in the area.
Hugh Thornber, L.I. Smith and P.W. Smith were members of the Masonic Lodge in Tyndall. My parents were members of the Eastern Star there. Later, all resumed their memberships in DeFuniak Springs. …”
Masonic membership, 1955, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. p. 2
p. 3
p. 4 Some of these Smith, Wesley, and Anderson members, along with other Masons, also had homes in South Walton. Wonder if they knew the county's namesake had Masonic ties as well as his famous father, George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Masonic sign on top of Hotel DeFuniak.
Hotel DeFuniak lobby. Building in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, has historic Masonic symbols on outside of building.
Masonic Cornerstone on northeast corner of Hotel DeFuniak Building. Notice the Lodge No. 170 on this cornerstone is the same as the Lodge No. 170 on the Masonic Membership book cover.
To see the South Walton beach home and summer vacations in Camp Walton of Masonic member Kenneth Robert "Tuff" Smith, view blogs on Grayton Beach and Camp Walton by Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida. Tuff's name is on page 4 of 1955 membership roster displayed here. You may also want to read about P.W. Smith's first trip to Grayton Beach in 1899.
P.W. (Percy Warren) Smith of Tyndall, South Dakota and Walton County, Florida. His family was one of the early settlers from South Dakota to move to Walton County. The Chautauqua was a primary influence as well as the beauty and business opportunities. P.W. was Anna Smith's father and grandfather of Ernest L. (Sonny) Hollingsworth, collector of many of these historic Walton County related pictures. Anna wrote about her father's early Masonic membership in South Dakota and Walton County. Anna's brother, Kenneth Robert "Tuff" Smith is listed in this 1955 booklet.
Kenneth Robert "'Tuff" Smith of Grayton Beach and DeFuniak Springs.
Claudine Thornber Smith (Mrs. P.W.), Anna's mother and Eastern Star member.
Read about a true patriotic family --- the George Walton family. George Walton was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His son, George Walton, Jr. is the namesake of Walton County, Florida. George Walton's granddaughter, Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert, was instilled with the original intent of America's founding fathers by her grandmother Dorothy Walton's stories. Read more about Octavia in my other blogs. Octavia's life story reveals her understanding of freedom. I'll be adding more to Octavia's blog and story soon.
John K. McDonald is buried at Red Bay in Walton County, Florida with Masonic Symbol on headstone. Born 1806 Died 1875. It is just a short trip from Red Bay to DeFuniak Springs. My dad's name was John McDonald Anderson and his name is in this 1955 Mason directory.
Mark Anderson, Woodmen of the World, headstone at Alaqua, Walton County, Florida. 1890-1928
This home of Mr. and Mrs. L.I. Smith on Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, would be the location for many entertaining events for area Masons. Lake DeFuniak, which is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and historic homes on Circle Drive, also provided a beautiful backdrop for the Florida Chautauqua. The Chautauqua was probably the single most significant event that brought these Masons to Northwest Florida.
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