The William and Frances Broxson family, who lived and worked on Boiling Creek on what is now Eglin Air Force Base property
Representatives from the founding families of the area are planning a Nov. 1 reunion on Navarre Beach to celebrate their rich local heritage, which dates back to the 1800s.
Wendy Harvell Lincoln, whose family moved to Santa Rosa County in 1872, is heading up the group, which will be called Panhandle Pioneers, a non-profit organization aimed to preserve, promote and protect local history.
“We’re preserving our history and teaching the next generation where we came from so that our story is never forgotten,” said Lincoln, who said the effort began when her cousins, Tom White and Tom Nichols wanted to host a family reunion. “Creating a nonprofit for the Inaugural Family Reunion just made sense—it ties directly into our mission to preserve the history and heritage of Northwest Florida by honoring our ancestors, protecting artifacts, and sharing the stories that shaped our communities for future generations, while also educating our younger generation so they understand and carry forward the legacy from which we came.”
Pictured left to right are Dee Barlow and her sister Vella Mills (right), fishing in East Bay. Photo courtesy Shawn Barlow Wildman.
Shawn Barlow Wildman is one of the group’s founding members and says she’s participating so the area’s true history will be preserved, noting that newcomers may not realize that early settlers started moving into the area in the 1800s. “A lot of people talk about our area’s 20th century history without realizing it goes back much further,” she said.
Before then, Santa Rosa County was mostly inhabited by Native Americans who lived along the shores of what would one day become Santa Rosa County, according to Dr. Brian Rucker, an author and professor of history at Pensacola State College.
Per Rucker, during the British Colonial Period (1763-1781), several “intrepid” colonists began settling the shores of East Bay, Mulat Bayou and Blackwater and Escambia Rivers. “By 1821, when Florida became a U.S. possession, even more American frontier families moved south into Santa Rosa County, creating the ‘first families’ of the area,” stated Rucker.
Some of those early families include: Anderson, Axelson, Barlow, Broxson, Campbell, Crain, Harvell, Hurst, Jernigan, Pyburn, Tolbert and Wells.
During today’s Santa Rosa County Commission meeting, two members of the newly formed group, Gene Sullivan of Holley and Romi White of Navarre, asked the board to support allowing a permanent display inside the Navarre Visitors’ Center, featuring local artifacts, including the late Troy Grimes’ sketches of buildings which no longer exist and some of Raymon Melvin’s turpentine industry artifacts.
Commissioners Ray Eddington, Bobby Burkett and Rhett Rowell voiced support for the display:
- Eddington said he is “all about putting” the historical display in the building;
- Burkett described the local heritage as “rich,” statng he’s for placing the historical documents, noting it would help educate youth;
- “I’m all for any time we can preserve our culture,” said Rowell.
The Inaugural Panhandle Pioneers Reunion will start at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 1 at the Dolphin Pavilion, located inside Navarre Beach Marine Park. The event will feature food, speakers and live entertainment. Attendees are encouraged to bring family photos.
To register to attend or sponsor the reunion, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1369837341013122
Current event sponsors include: Herbst Homes, Three Trade Consultants, and Sam Nichols with Milton Insurance.
Panhandle Pioneers is seeking to connect with more descendants of local pioneers. If your family settled in Northwest Florida in the 1800s, email wklincoln04@gmail.com.
