Mickey Starling reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com As a teenager, I was proud of the various jalopies that miraculously got me to and from school. A jalopy was a wonderful sight for the parents of my…
Category: History
Remembering Suwannee: Robert A. Reid
Eric Musgrove Contributor Suwannee County has seen many “out-of-towners” make their mark on its history, and the topic of today’s article is just one of them. Robert Alexander Reid was born in…
A Legacy of Leadership: J.M. “Buddy” Phillips, Part 3
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com As J.M. “Buddy” Phillips wrapped up his three weeks at the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, it appeared that he would be able to settle back in his position as…
A stitch into the past: Queenie Udell
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com Queenie Udell’s history in White Springs has contributed not only to the Black community but also to the quilting community. Her contributions to quilting were even honored through a…
A Legacy of Leadership: J.M. “Buddy” Phillips, Part 2
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com J.M. “Buddy” Phillips was sworn in as Sheriff of Suwannee County on Jan. 7, 1969. Having grown up in Suwannee County and being the son of former Live…
Fighting for Equality: Harry Tyson Moore
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com Harry Tyson Moore, a native son of Florida, sought to make his home state a better one for Black people. Moore’s story is one of the early struggles…
A Legacy of Leadership: J.M. “Buddy” Phillips, Part 1
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com John Marvin “Buddy” Phillips, Jr., gave his life to the citizens of Florida as a public servant, leader, and most notably, one of Florida’s prominent law enforcement officers. To…
Remembering Suwannee: Summer in the winter time
Eric Musgrove Contributor In my research, it is interesting to find period articles dealing with Suwannee County and the surrounding area. Today, we have television, the internet, and a host of other…
How Black History Month began
Hailey Heseltine reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com As February begins, along with it comes the beginning of another notable time—Black History Month. Black History Month exists as a time to recognize history and culture that has…
Lost for words: Gee, willikers! I’m feeling just peachy!
Mickey Starling reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com In our continuing pursuit of trivial knowledge pertaining to rarely used words or phrases, this week’s offerings originate in the mid 20th century and are of Anglo-American origin….
Remembering Suwannee: Nancy Parshley’s will
Eric Musgrove Contributor I have spoken of Nancy Parshley in previous articles. She and her husband, John, were instrumental in establishing downtown Live Oak as we now know it after the…
Remembering Suwannee: Old-time issues
Eric Musgrove Contributor It is very interesting to read through old documents and newspapers to see how people lived before us. One of the most fascinating aspects of this research is to…
Remembering Suwannee: Traffic Laws
Eric Musgrove – Contributor We live in a society and time in which 341 million Americans own close to 283 million vehicles. For as long as any living person can remember, there…
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream
Christian Peterson reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to…
Remembering Suwannee: Wiley Lee, Part 2
Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, we began a discussion of one of my relatively obscure ancestors, Wiley Lee. Today, we’ll finish this look into some of my own family’s past. Despite…
Remembering Suwannee: Wiley Lee, Part 1
Eric Musgrove Contributor My family has lived in Suwannee County for at least seven generations, eight if you include my children. As such, in my work as a historian and records manager,…
Remembering Suwannee: Christmas celebrations and events in Suwannee County history
Suwannee County has a long tradition of celebrating the Christmas holidays. Old newspaper articles and scattered records give us a glimpse of how our forefathers celebrated the holiday. Today, in honor of…