Creekside

Quarterly

Moultrie

Creek

June 2015

Creekside Quarterly

A
Quarterly Publishing
Proposal
From
Moultrie Creek

D. B. Olson - Editor

Contents
Introduction

The Strange Story of the Picolata Cemetery

Col. Davy Crockett

Dolphs Letters

11

Building A Digital Quarterly

17

Distribution

18

Managing Content

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Introduction
This is a proposal describing how a small genealogical or historical
society can publish a quarterly with a focus on content. This publication
demonstrates a simple format created using Apples Pages word-processing
application. It could just as easily be created using Microsofts Word. The
societys publications manager would need to know a few advanced
word-processing features (styles, table of contents generation and section
breaks) to recreate this format.
Once the working copy is finalized, the word-processing file is converted
to Portable Document Format (PDF) for distribution. PDF files can be read
on any digital device using a PDF reader application. There are a number of
free reader applications available for computers, tablets and even smart
phones. This format allows us to include photos, charts and functional
hyperlinks in the final document.
Another reason for this simple format is to have something that can easily
adapt to both digital and print readers. The 8 x 11 page size is quite
readable on tablet devices yet can be printed by members who prefer
paper. Digital distribution eliminates postage costs for all but the few
members who dont own computers.
The next few pages include several sample articles demonstrating the use
of images, functional links and various formatting options. When the reader
clicks/taps a link, it will open his browser and take him to that web site.
These are simple demonstrations, but societies will quickly discover any
number of ways to put them to use.
The details of this proposal continues after the sample articles.

The Strange Story of the Picolata Cemetery

D. B. Olson
Today, Picolata is little more than the intersection of State Road 208 and
State Road 13, but throughout Floridas history, Picolata has been a strategic
military and transportation location.The name is derived from the Spanish
terms describing a broad bluff that looks out across the St. Johns river.
From the early Spanish period, this area was used as both a crossing point
and a defensive location. Many military operations took place here, from
early raids by the British to later battles with the Seminoles.

LITHOGRAPH OF FORT PICOLATA (1837) COURTESY OF THE FLORIDA ARCHIVES

It was during the Seminole Wars that yet another fort and military
cemetery were established here. At the end of the Second Seminole War,
General William J. Worth had the U.S. Army collect all the wars casualties
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from throughout the territory and move them to the post cemetery (now
national cemetery) in St. Augustine (seeThe Dade Monument). This
included the casualties interred at the post cemetery at Picolata.
Sometime later, a group of people requested and received military
markers from the U.S. government, placed them at the old Picolata
cemetery and re-dedicated the site as a cemetery. A small piece in theSt.
Augustine Record, dated May 23, 1937 states:
Most impressive were the services conducted yesterday morning at the
Picolata National Cemetery, by the St. Augustine Post No. 2391, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, paying tribute to the memory of those who fell in battle at
Picolata.
Thanks to events like this, there is confusion regarding the original
cemetery and the recreated cemetery. Recent development along the St.
Johns River focuses again on the issue. A recent Homesfeature story on
Jacksonville.comstates:
Perhaps the most important and touching part of the estate is the Indian
War Memorial of Picolata, erected in the early 1900s to commemorate
those who lost their lives during the Second Seminole War. Restored by the
Taylors, its wrought ironwork surrounds 50 headstones inscribed with the
names of those soldiers, although they are buried in the St. Augustine
National Cemetery.
Because it is now on private property, there is no longer public access to
the cemetery site. Even local historians have been denied access. While it is
private property and there are often hard feelings related to development
around historic cemeteries, it is regrettable that this historic site is off limits
to both historians and the descendants of the people who died there
regardless of where their remains are now located.

Col. Davy Crockett

D. B. Olson
Samuel Albert Link, my great grandfather, was an educator and an
authority on 19th century Southern literature. This sketch comes from the
second volume of his book, Pioneers of Southern Literature. Originally
published in 1900, the sketch of Col. Davy Crockett was included in the
chapter titled Southern Humorists.
Truth is stranger than fiction, says the
adage, and it is verified in the case of Col.
Davy Crockett, who fell among the last of
the immortal band struck down at the
Alamo. No character in all American fiction
stands out in such life-like proportions as
Col. Crockett, and yet his adventures were
real. If courage and patriotism had not
made him famous, his unswerving integrity,
shrewd common sense, and quaint humor
would have perpetuated his name. Davy
Crockett was born in Greene County, Tenn.,
DAVY CROCKET BY CHESTER HARDING
August 17, 1786. Being brought up as he
was in a log cabin, he received little
education, but early became noted as an expert marksman, trained in the
lore of the forest. He commanded a battalion of rifles in the Creek
campaign. He lived for a time in Middle Tennessee, but finally settled near
the Obion River, in West Tennessee.
Col. Crockett, after having served in the Legislature, was elected to
Congress in 1827, and served two terms. He was defeated for the third
term, but reelected later on. He was a Jackson man at first, but, like John
Bell and many others, disagreed with the national policy of Old Hickory.
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So firm a stand did he take that in a tour through Northern cities great
crowds turned out to hear him arraign the administration of Jackson.
Crockett picked up information rapidly, so that if caught unawares upon
any point he sought information, and was soon in position to speak
advisedly upon the subject. His motto was Go ahead, and he never fell
below his motto. In 1835 the entire power of the administration was put
forth against him, and Crockett was defeated for Congress by a small
majority. As he had previously announced in case of such event, he
immediately set out for Texas. His dauntless courage at the Alamo is known
to all the world. Crockett gave out his Reminiscences for publication
because others had invented adventures for him. Even now it is next to
impossible to determine the veracious from the fictitious, as almost
anything of a comical nature which has happened to any one is credited to
Crockett. Eccentric and unique he may have been, nevertheless his racy
humor lifted him out of the ordinary, and his courage and straightforward
honesty made him an honor to the State which seemed to drive him into
the wilderness.
When his Reminiscences were published he gave the following
account of the affair:
I dont know of anything in my book to be criticized on by
honorable men. Is it on my spelling? Thats not my trade. Is it on my
grammar? I hadnt time to learn it, and make no pretensions to it. Is it
on the order and arrangement of my book? I never wrote one before,
and never read very many, and of course know mighty little about
that. Will it be on the authorship of the book? This I claim, and Ill
hang on to it like a wax plaster. The whole book is my own, and every
sentiment and sentence in it. I would not be such a fool, or knave
either, as to deny that I have had it hastily run over by a friend or so,
and that some little alterations have been made in the spelling and
grammar; and I am not so sure that it is not the worse of even that, for
I despise the way of spelling contrary to nature. And as for grammar,
its pretty much a thing of nothing at last, after all the fuss thats made
about it. In some places I wouldnt suffer either the spelling, or
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grammar, or anything else to be touched, and therefore it will be

found in my own way.
A glimpse of Col. Crockett in Philadelphia throws into bold relief the
man as he was:
Early after breakfast I was taken to the waterworks, where I saw
several of the gentlemen managers. This is a grand sight, and no
wonder the Philadelphians ask everyone that comes: Have you seen
the waterworks? Just think of a few wheels throwing up more water
than five hundred thousand people can use yes, and waste, too for
such scrubbing of steps, and even the very pavements under your feet,
I never saw. Indeed, I looked close to see if the housemaids had not
web feet, they walked so well in water; and as for a fire, it has no
chance at all. They just screw on a long hollow leather with a brass
nose on it, dash upstairs, and seem to draw on Noahs flood. The next
place I visited was the mint. Here I saw them coining gold and silver
in abundance, and they were the rare e pluribus unum; not this
electioneering trash, that they send out to cheat the poor people,
telling them they would all be paid in gold and silver, when the poor
deceived creatures had nothing coming to them. A chip with a spit on
the back of it is as good currency as an eagle, provided you can get
the image of the bird. Its all nonsense. The President, both Cabinets,
and Congress to boot, cant enact poor men into rich. Hard knocks,
and plenty of them, can only build up a fellows self.
The backwoods philosopher was equally at home in New York:
From thence I went to the City Hall, and was introduced to the
mayor of the city and several of the aldermen. The mayor is a plain,
common-sense looking man. I was told that he had been a tanner.
That pleased me, for I thought both him and me had clumb up a long
way from where we started, and it is truly as Honor and fame from no
condition rise, that Its the grit of a fellow that makes the man.
No one can read the life and autobiography of Crockett without having a
higher appreciation of one of natures noblemen."
9

Source: Link, Samuel A.Pioneers of Southern Literature Vol. II. Nashville,

Tenn: Pub. House M.E. Church, 1900. Print.
Portrait:By Chester Harding (1792 1866) (cliff1066) [CC-BY-2.0], via
Wikimedia Commons

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Dolphs Letters
D. B. Olson

In 1908, Lois Link left her family in Thomasville, Tennessee, to take a

position teaching at the Holland School a one-room school in rural north
Georgia. She taught there one year then spent the next four years teaching
in small rural schools around Georgia and Alabama. Her tenure at the
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THE HOLLAND SCHOOL

Holland School was significant because it is where she met Adolphus

Montgomery Barker (Dolph), the only son of John Thomas Barker and
Linnie Blake. Born in Lyerly, Georgia, Dolph (1872-1921) was a graduate of
Gaylesville High School. At the time he met Lois, he owned a store in
Lyerly, Georgia, while also managing the family farm on Kincaid Mountain
near Holland. Lois and Dolph were married in Nashville, Tennessee, on
February 12, 1913.
Lois Link (1887-1968) was the daughter of Professor Samuel Albert Link
and grew up in the education business where she had assisted her father
with his own school in Tennessee. She was 21 years old when she arrived in
Holland to accept her first paid teaching position.
Because the Holland community was so small and the Barker farm not
far from the school, its easy to assume that Lois met Dolph Barker shortly
after her arrival. We dont know much about her time at the Holland
School, but at the end of the term she returned home to Tennessee and the
letters from Dolph began. From that time until February 12, 1913 they
12

wrote each other at least once a week. During this period, she continued to
teach at other schools in Georgia and Alabama.
Nancy Duke Murphy wrote about Lois teaching career in her family
history [The Links of Our Family and Connected Kin, Nancy Duke Murphy
& Josephine Duke McMahan, March 2002]:
Soon after high school graduation at age nineteen, Lois started her
own teaching career. It began in Holland, GA, a small town in the
northern part of that state. At the time, a few weeks stint of
institutional training was all that was required of a beginning
elementary teacher. With little training and in a school a long way from
home, Lois Link started a teaching career. She was a very young
woman.
There were several years spent by Lois teaching in the Georgia
schools. She was at McDonough south of Atlanta, then at Albany, and
back to Holland, Ga. An interest in one Adolphus Montgomery Barker,
who lived in nearby Lyerly, GA, probably decided the last move.
The Holland School was originally built in 1896, making it one of the
oldest schools in Chattooga County. It was located just south of the New
Hope South Baptist Church and served the Holland community until the
1940s when its students were combined with those in the Lyerly
community. Three different buildings housed the school. This photograph
shows Miss Links class in front of the second building. (She is the tall
woman wearing a white blouse in the center back of the photo.) In 1914, a
larger school was built for the growing population. After Dolphs death in
1921, Lois returned to teaching at the Holland School until she moved her
family back to Tennessee in 1927.
Much of Lois and Dolphs courtship consisted of letters. While only a few
of Lois letters still exist, she kept many of Dolphs letters. Dolphs letters to
Lois are full of local news and gossip, providing a unique picture of this
small rural community. For his grandchildren, this is our only link to him.

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The first letter is from Dolph and is dated June 9, 1909. It is addressed to
Lois at the family home in Thomasville, Tennessee. The school year has
recently ended and she has returned home for the summer.

Wednesday Evening 6/9/09

Dear Miss Lois:Your highly appreciated letter received Monday and I must admit
that I was delighted to hear from you. It seems like an age since I have
seen you but you know that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Things are about as usual at Holland. Nothing has transpired of great
importance since you left except Miss Fannie Lou is attending
commencement at Milledgeville this week. I know the college felt
highly honored having such noted guest. I dont suppose Holland will
be large enough to hold her when she gets back. Am looking for her to
take up her abode at Sprite. I was away Sunday and didnt get back to
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Holland until eight P.M. Stopped to see Mr. W Collided with Bub.
He was sitting up there crosslegged smoking his pipe of ease. Nothing
to mar his happiness until I made my appearance. Then he began to
grow a little nervous. He wont leave her one minute just followed her
around like a pug dog. Of course there was no cause for him to be
allarmed (sic) but he didnt understand the situation. Still I have
sighted a light house and think I will land my boat yet, after having
been tossed by wind and wave for a fortnight. I am going up there
some night before long (If she will allow me) and see what can be
done. To be sure it is a very difficult undertaking but the old adage
says, when there is a will there is a way.
Gert say that she misses us very much. Says that Bub does not know
how to work anything, that it is nearly impossible to keep oil, for you
know that he has to keep a brilliant light. Tige may write but he is not
going to make any calls. He had enough of that folding beadstead
when he was out here before. I would love to see him and take
another lesson in two-stepping for I think he is very graceful on the
floor.
I havent seen Big Sis since you left. They made some cream over
there the other night and she must be foundered. Lou was telling me
that she was going to marry. That too bad. Dont you pity me?
They are arranging a camping trip on Lookout Mt. some time in the
next month. Mrs. Spencer from Trion will have charge of the party. You
must come and go with us. We are going to take two tents. There will
be about 12 in the crowd.
What portion of Ala. are you thinking of teaching school in? You
must not get plum out of the world. Remember I am coming to see
you about the first of Aug. or before. Am sorry that you didnt get to go
boat riding. I know that you were both disappointed.
You must be good and go to Sunday school. I am afraid that you
will go off in heathernism since you have gotten so far away that you
can not hear Tommie preach.
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I have been worrying this week over a problem. I have been trying
to figure out how long Niagara will stand but have not been able to
solve it yet. Hope they wont fall any ways soon.
Will close as it is growing late.
Excuse haste and write real soon.
Devotedly yours
A.M.B.

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Building A Digital Quarterly

D. B. Olson

My recommended format for a small society quarterly is a PDF

document sized to be read on a tablet (using a page size of 8" x 10") in a
simple single column format. A publication formatted with a simple design
can be laid out with minimal effort yet still contain photos, captions,
footnotes, tables of content and other expected resources.
Building a quarterly isn't that difficult when the design is kept simple.
Once the design elements for the publication are finalized, a wordprocessing template can be created to simplify the layout effort. Another
template can be created for use by authors when writing individual articles.
It would include styles for the article components - title, author, paragraphs,
blockquotes, photo sizes and resolution, photo captions, etc. - along with
basic instructions for content, formatting and submission.
Submissions can be emailed to the editor or posted to a shared online
folder (Dropbox, for example). Topic recommendations could include:
biographical sketches
family stories
transcribed documents such as letters, journals
book reviews
archive reviews
software reviews
research tips

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Distribution
Scribd (http://www.scribd.com) is known for its subscription library
(similar to Netflix but for books). There is also another side to Scribd - as an
open publishing platform.

Users can upload and share or sell their own publications. There is no
cost to use Scribd. When offering publications for sale in the Scribd Store,
the user sets the price and Scribd takes care of the rest. When a sale is
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made, Scribd handles the transaction, downloading and customer support.

The publisher receives 80% of each sale.
A small society can take advantage of Scribds document library and the
Scribd Store in a number of ways. Free documents can be posted publicly
(visible to all) or privately (must have the direct link to the document). It is
also possible to embed public documents on the societys web site so
visitors can read it online or download a copy. Some ideas for putting
Scribd to use include:
post society newsletters publically and embed a copy on the society
site so anyone can read it online or download a PDF copy
create and post a Society Benefits publication describing the
benefits of being a member, types of memberships and dues. Include a
membership application in the publication. Embed it on the society
site to read and download
post your new member Welcome Package as a private document.
When a new member joins, include a link to the document in their
welcome email
quarterlies are posted as private documents and each member is sent
the link to view/download their copy
the society can choose to publish the entire quarterly or individual
articles in the Scribd Store to generate revenue
the society can also publish transcribed records and other local
resources and make them available at no cost and/or set a price in the
Scribd Store.

19

Managing Content
The quality of quarterly content - especially in smaller society
publications - is deteriorating. Often, societies have limited editing support
and are concerned they might offend a contributor when editing a
poorly-written article. If family history writing is not part of your societys
mission, it should be. As part of that mission, you can include speakers to
help inspire members to write and provide resources to get them started
and keep them motivated. Once they begin writing for themselves, they will
soon want ways to share those stories with others - and your quarterly will
be ready for them.
Consider creating a writers group. In addition to providing
encouragement, members can share their individual skills to help each
other. They can provide peer reviews of submissions to the quarterly so that
each authors article looks its best. With help from the group, develop
things like style sheets and templates with instructions on how to use them.
Take advantage of professional resources like The Family History Writing
Studio (http://www.familyhistorywritingstudio.com) for coaching and
instruction. Local colleges often have public history departments which
are documenting their local areas history. They may be open to providing
writing support in hopes of getting personal stories from your members.
There are also a number of online resources freely available. Put them to
work with your group and see what happens.
By emphasizing writing as an integral part of family history and
providing support to your members, you will see improvements in the
quality of content for your society publications. You will also help your
members gain confidence in their storytelling skills and inspire them to
create all kinds of family history projects.

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For More Information

Denise Olson is a native Floridian with family ties from Texas to Virginia.
She began her career in information systems management and support
when she enlisted in the Air Force more than 40 years ago. Now retired,
she focuses on family history and digital research. She blogs at the Moultrie
Creek Gazette, where the focus is on research technology, personal
archives and digital storytelling.

Contact Info

Denise Barrett Olson

St. Augustine, Florida
http://moultriecreek.us/gazette
Twitter - @moultriecreek
Email - denise@moultriecreek.us

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