Tag: Markers and Memorials

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George Nock: NFL Player and Professional Artist

Breaking Barriers image courtesy Ted Haddock

George Nock—NFL Player and Artist

Sometimes it takes a while before an individual finds their true calling in life. For George Nock he grew up with art before taking a slight detour toward the world of college and professional football, before returning to his real love and talent, art. George Nock was a college star, NFL player, and later a professional artist.

Born March 4, 1946, in Baltimore, and raised in Philadelphia, Nock came from a big city background and lived a big city life.

George Nock courtesy Morgan State Athletics.Nock was a college football star, NFL player, and professional artist.
George Nock courtesy Morgan State Athletics. Nock stared in college football, played in the NFL, and returned to his true love, becoming a professional artist.

Nock excelled at both art and athletics during his early years. Even in his earliest years he was drawing and during junior high he crossed paths with two mentors who had a distinct influence on his life path. African American artists and educators William Tasker and John Battle III allowed George to excel in his coursework and even provided weekend lessons at the Fleischer Art Memorial. While still interested in art, Nock began to focus energies on sports during high school.

Nock attended Morgan State College (now University after 1975), where he and the Bears had several memorable moments during his career there. During the 1965 Orange Blossom Classic, facing Florida A&M, Nock returned a punt for a touchdown and the Bears defeated the Wildcats 36-7.

George Nock, Morgan State running back image courtesy Morgan State Athletics. Nock would later go on to a career in the NFL before becoming a professional artist.
George Nock, Morgan State running back. Image courtesy Morgan State Athletics

The following year, Nock and the Bears played in the first bowl game where a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) won an integrated game. Morgan State College defeated the West Chester Golden Rams by a final score of 14-6, in the Tangerine Bowl (now called the Citrus Bowl) in Orlando, FL, capping off an undefeated season at 8-0.

Several Morgan State players from the 1966 team went on to NFL careers including Tangerine Bowl MVP, Willie Lanier, Bob Wade, Baryl Johnson, Alvin Mitchell, Jeff Queen, and Nock. Lanier went on to be a star in the league, playing in 149 games, intercepting twenty-seven passes, and recovering eighteen fumbles in an eleven-year career. He was an eight-time all-pro, went to the Pro Bowl six times, was selected to both the 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time teams, and had his number retired by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

 

 

George Nock was an NFL player and professional artist. This image from his NFL career is courtesy New York Jets
George Nock in action for the New York Jets. Image courtesy New York Jets.

Nock’s college career was strong enough to invite interest from the NFL, and in the 1969 draft he was taken by the New York Jets in the 16th round, the 416th player taken overall. Being drafted that low, it was a struggle to make the team, but he did, playing alongside quarterback Joe Namath. He only played in two games that season and totaled negative five rushing yards.

While Nock’s numbers were not strong, the team ended the regular season with a 10-4 record, good enough to make it to the playoffs where they would lose to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The young Nock came back strong in the 1970 season, not just earning a roster spot but playing in all fourteen games, starting in nine. He finished second on the team in rushing yards with 402 and also caught eighteen passes for an additional 146 yards. Combined he scored six touchdowns. This was certainly a solid year, but the team was poor. Namath broke his wrist in the fifth game of the season and the team finished a dreadful 4-10.

Nock was to play one more season with the Jets. In 1971 he played in all fourteen games and totaled 137 rushing yards, 44 pass reception yards, and scored five touchdowns.

In 1972 he moved on to the Washington Redskins where in his final year in the league, he played in only seven games, cut down due to injury. He ran for twenty-two yards and caught no passes. The Redskins went to Super Bowl VII but were defeated by the undefeated Miami Dolphins.

Nock did not play in the 1973 season due to injury and was later traded to the Baltimore Colts. He was to later file suit against the Redskins for negligent treatment by team physician Dr. P.M. Palumbo, Jr.


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In a post-career interview posted on the Washington Commanders website, in discussing how he transitioned from football to art, Nock stated, “I was always drawing and doing something related to the arts. I pursued it in a way that could be considered a career at the time, [but] I pursued it as a hobby just because I loved to do it. Doing it on my own, I developed my skill.” In discussing his passion for art, he went on, “I just decided to pursue the artwork, and see what happens. There’s a thing that eats away at you and there’s where your passion lies, so follow it. That’s what I did.”

The interview continues, delving into how Nock got into bronze sculpture,

Well, it took a while to do the bronze. I could always sculpt, but I never took a class. I’m self-taught. But then in ’89, I decided to really take a look at it and I was at a football convention in L.A. and when I came back I just made up my mind to do bronzes. I just made up my mind. I went directly to a foundry out in Northern Virginia. They took me in and I asked if they could show me how to do this. [But] they said, “We don’t let people [bronze] off the street.” So, I went and got this sculpture of a football player that I had done and brought it back to them. I said, “I’m going to be doing this for the rest of my life.” They said, “come on in, man.”  That’s how that happened.

Breaking Barriers sculpture by George Nock, a former NFL player, turned professional artist. Image courtesy Ted Haddock
Breaking Barriers, created by George Nock, former NFL player turned professional artist. The sculpture is installed at Lorna Doone Park in Orlando, FL. Image courtesy Ted Haddock

George Nock, the artist, has firm ties to the Orlando area. Visitors to Lake Lorna Doone Park can visit the “Breaking Barriers” monument. This incredibly important work, highlights two Little League baseball players, one African American, the other White. The monument is in commemoration of the first integrated Little League game played in the South. This game was played here in 1955 at what was then called Optimist Park.

Rather than attempt to retell the story of how the Pensacola Jaycees Little League team came to Orlando to participate in the district tournament, I refer readers to this excellent Major League Baseball article.

The world lost George Nock in 2020 at age 74 to COVID-19. An online memorial for him may be found using THIS LINK.

1955 Pensacola Jaycees Little League team. Image courtesy MLB.com
1955 Pensacola Jaycees Little League team. Image courtesy Major League Baseball.
1955 Orlando Kiwanis Little League team. Image courtesy Major League Baseball.
1955 Orlando Kiwanis Little League team. Image courtesy Major League Baseball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sources

“67 Years Ago, 2 Teams of 12-Year-Old Boys Made History.” https://www.mlb.com/news/1955-little-league-baseball-history-pensacola-jaycees-orlando-kiwanis.

“Breaking Barriers.” Orlando Arts. July/August 2023.

George Nock. https://www.georgenock.com/.

“George Nock, Jets RB from 1969-1971 & Acclaimed Artist, Dead at 74.”  New York Jets. https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/george-nock-jets-rb-from-1969-71-acclaimed-artist-dead-at-74.

“George Nock.” Just Lookin. www.justlookin.com/bios/gNock.htm.

“George Nock.” Pro Football Reference. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NockGe00.htm.

“Mayor Dyer & Commissioner Hill Unveil Barrier Breakers Monument. https://www.orlando.gov/News/Press-Releases/2022-Press-Releases/Barrier-Breakers-Monument-Unveiling.

“Nock Files Negligence Suit.” New York Daily News. September 28, 1974.

“Redskins Past to Present—George Nock.” https://www.commanders.com/news/redskins-past-to-present-george-nock-16952628.

“Willie Lanier.” Pro Football Reference. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaniWi00.htm.

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Burial Sites of United States Presidents A Listing

Presidential Seal

Below is a brief reference to the burial sites of United States Presidents. Only 46 men (well, really 45 since Grover Cleveland was both the 22nd and 24th president) have served in the role of President of the United States. While visiting all these sites will take some coordination, time, and cost, it is certainly an achievable goal. Some of the burials contain elaborate monuments while others are much more  commonplace and almost indistinguishable from their surroundings.

This listing includes links (click the name of your favorite president) so that you can determine when locations are open and if there are any associated costs. Most modern presidents have been buried onsite of their presidential library and museum. These websites are often tremendous sources of information on the Presidents and their accomplishments, especially those operated by the National Archives. For some of the earlier presidents, the sites related to their burials are lacking and you will need to seek outside sources.

This information on these sites may of course be slanted toward putting the president in a positive light. My recommendation is to read several books with different points of view in order to achieve a more balanced look at each of these successful, but still human and flawed, men. For more modern presidents, good luck. The literature is a minefield with most of it being partisan garbage.

 

1             George Washington        December 14, 1799         Mount Vernon   Fairfax County, Virginia

Mount Vernon, the final resting place for President George Washington and his wife Martha. Click the link to reserve your tickets.
Mount Vernon is the incredible estate of George and Martha Washington. Click the photo or THIS LINK to reserve your entry ticket and audio guide.

2             John Adams        July 4, 1826        United First Parish Church            Quincy, Massachusetts

3             Thomas Jefferson             July 4, 1826        Monticello          Charlottesville, Virginia

4             James Madison June 28, 1836    Montpelier         Orange, Virginia

5             James Monroe   July 4, 1831        James Monroe Tomb,                 Hollywood Cemetery                Richmond,  Virginia

Click the photo for information and to purchase tickets for an incredible tour of Hollywood Cemetery, final resting spot for President James Monroe.
Hollywood Cemetery is full of history including that of Presidents James Monroe, whose tomb is shown in the image, and John Tyler. Click the image or THIS LINK for information and to purchase tour tickets for Hollywood Cemetery, in Richmond, VA.

 

6             John Quincy Adams         February 23, 1848           United First Parish Church                Quincy, Massachusetts

7             Andrew Jackson               June 8, 1845       The Hermitage   Nashville, Tennessee

8             Martin Van Buren            July 24, 1862      Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery                Kinderhook, New York

Nomatic

9             William Henry Harrison April 4, 1841      William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial             North Bend, Ohio

10          John Tyler           January 18, 1862             Hollywood Cemetery      Richmond, Virginia

11          James K. Polk     June 15, 1849    Tennessee State Capitol      Nashville, Tennessee

12          Zachary Taylor   July 9, 1850        Zachary Taylor National Cemetery             Louisville, Kentucky

13          Millard Fillmore                March 8, 1874   Forest Lawn Cemetery    Buffalo, New York

14          Franklin Pierce   October 8, 1869               Old North Cemetery       Concord, New Hampshire

15          James Buchanan              June 1, 1868       Woodward Hill Cemetery             Lancaster, Pennsylvania

16          Abraham Lincoln              April 15, 1865    Lincoln Tomb, Oak Ridge Cemetery                Springfield, Illinois

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17          Andrew Johnson               July 31, 1875      Andrew Johnson National Cemetery                Greeneville, Tennessee

18          Ulysses S. Grant                July 23, 1885      General Grant National Memorial                New York, New York

Heavily illustrated and with contributions from historians Richard Norton Smith and Douglas Brinkley, Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb? is about the presidents' lives as much as it is about their final resting places. The book's collection of the presidents' last words, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "I have a terrific headache" to John Adams's "Thomas Jefferson still survives" offers a poignant and sometimes humorous look at the last moments of the great men. This is a great way to encounter the presidents, from the great ones to the near-forgottens. Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb? belongs in the glove box of every traveler and the bedside table of every fan of the American presidency and American history. Click the image to order your copy and learn more about burial sites of United States Presidents.
Heavily illustrated and with contributions from historians Richard Norton Smith and Douglas Brinkley, Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb? is about the presidents’ lives as much as it is about their final resting places. Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb? belongs in the glove box of every traveler and the bedside table of every fan of the American presidency and American history. CLICK HERE or the image to order your copy.

 

19          Rutherford B. Hayes        January 17, 1893             Spiegel Grove     Fremont, Ohio

20          James A. Garfield             September 19, 1881        James A. Garfield Memorial,     Lake View Cemetery Cleveland, Ohio

21          Chester A. Arthur             November 18, 1886        Albany Rural Cemetery   Menands                New York

22/24    Grover Cleveland             June 24, 1908    Princeton Cemetery        Princeton, New Jersey

23          Benjamin Harrison           March 13, 1901                Crown Hill Cemetery       Indianapolis, Indiana

25          William McKinley             September 14, 1901       McKinley National Memorial                Canton, Ohio

26          Theodore Roosevelt         January 6, 1919                Youngs Memorial Cemetery                Oyster Bay, New York

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27          William Howard Taft        March 8, 1930   Arlington National Cemetery       Arlington, Virginia

28          Woodrow Wilson             February 3, 1924              Washington National Cathedral                Washington District of Columbia

29          Warren G. Harding          August 2, 1923        Harding Tomb     Marion, Ohio

30          Calvin Coolidge January 5, 1933                Plymouth Notch Cemetery           Plymouth Notch, Vermont

31          Herbert Hoover  October 20, 1964             Hoover Presidential Library          West Branch, Iowa

32          Franklin D. Roosevelt      April 12, 1945    Springwood        Hyde Park, New York

33          Harry S. Truman               December 26, 1972         Truman Presidential Library                Independence, Missouri

Visit the Harry S. Truman "Little White House" in Key West, FL. Click the link for information and to book your visit.
Visit the Harry S. Truman “Little White House” in Key West, FL. Click THIS LINK for information and to book your visit.

34          Dwight D. Eisenhower     March 28, 1969                Eisenhower Presidential Center                Abilene, Kansas

35          John F. Kennedy               November 22, 1963        Kennedy Gravesite  Arlington National Cemetery          Arlington, Virginia

36          Lyndon B. Johnson          January 22, 1973             Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park    Stonewall, Texas

37          Richard Nixon    April 22, 1994    Nixon Presidential Library             Yorba Linda, California

Click the photo for information and to book your Nixon Presidential Library tour.Burial sites of United States Presidents

Visit the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and find out why it has been voted Orange County’s Best Attraction and Orange County’s Best Museum by LA Times readers. Tour the most modern presidential museum in the United States to learn about Richard Nixon the man, his life, and his presidency. Click THIS LINK or the image for information and to book your admission.

 

38          Gerald Ford         December 26, 2006         Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum                Grand Rapids, Michigan

39          Jimmy Carter

40          Ronald Reagan   June 5, 2004       Reagan Presidential Library          Simi Valley, California

41          George H. W. Bush          November 30, 2018        George Bush Presidential Library                College Station, Texas

42           Bill Clinton

43           George W. Bush

44           Barrack Obama

45          Donald Trump

46          Joe Biden

 

Thank you for taking this tour of the burial sites of United States Presidents. While these are the most famous men in our countries history, why not take a tour of those who have been forgotten. In Charnel Cemetery in DeLand, FL, you can learn about a cemetery for those who were indigent at death yet were still provided with a proper burial.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

In this history-driven memoir, Deion reconstructs his decade-long, cross-country quest and analyzes the evolution of his perspective on the commanders-in-chief and what it means to visit a cemetery. Click the photo to purchase your copy.Find the burial sites of United States Presidents in this interesting book.
In this history-driven memoir, Deion reconstructs his decade-long, cross-country quest and analyzes the evolution of his perspective on the commanders-in-chief and what it means to visit a cemetery. Click THIS LINK or the photo to purchase your copy.
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Lorenzo Dow Huston of Daytona Beach Great Floridians 2000

Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker at the City Island Library in Daytona Beach

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the plaques.

The short biography below is the official biography published as part of the Great Floridians 2000 program.

Lorenzo Dow Huston

Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker at the City Island Library in Daytona Beach
Lorenzo Dow Huston Great Floridians 2000 marker on display inside City Island Library in Daytona Beach**

Lorenzo Dow Huston was born in 1820 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was admitted to the Kentucky Conference as a Methodist minister and was a journalist and editor of the Christian Advocate in Nashville, Tennessee before the Civil War. In 1874 he retired from the ministry and with his family settled in Daytona at the Palmetto House. Mary Huston Hoag, Huston’s sister, had bought the Palmetto House in 1874.

Dr. Huston was appointed Daytona’s first mayor in 1876, served as a justice of the peace, and was Volusia County Superintendent of the Public Schools. He served as a county commissioner and in 1887 was appointed by Governor Perry to the State Railroad Commission.* That same year he and his wife Maria died of yellow fever within a few days of each other.

Huston’s Great Floridian plaque is located at the Volusia County Library Center, 105 East Magnolia Avenue, Daytona Beach.

*Editorial Comment–The governor of Florida in 1887 was Edward Alysworth Perry, not to be confused with Madison Starke Perry who served as governor from 1857-1861.

**Thank you to librarian Kim Dolce for letting me know this marker is located inside City Island Library.

Palmetto House in Daytona Beach, FL Courtesy Florida Memory
Palmetto House in Daytona Beach, FL Image courtesy Florida Memory

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Below, is a small bit of additional research into the life of Huston. It might call into question his inclusion as a “Great Floridian.” I have not delved deeply into the life of Huston, or his political activities in Volusia County,  but he does seem to have a problematic history that the author of the above biographical short either was unaware of or purposefully ignored.

Before arriving in Daytona Beach, Reverend Dow ran afoul with the law, and prior to that, United States military forces.

The Adams Sentinel reported on October 10, 1865, that Huston had been arrested by the order of General James Sanks Brisbin after complaints from a local congregation. Huston was described as having “attempted to force himself upon a local congregation against their will.” The arrest order called Huston a “notorious Rebel preacher.”

The “notorious rebel” line could make sense. The 1860 United States Slave Census shows a Lorenzo Huston, living in Tennessee, owning a single female slave, age 26. When cross referenced with the 1860 United States Census, this same Lorenzo is listed as married to Maria and is shown as being employed in “Methodist Clergy” with real estate valued at $4,000 and a personal estate of $6,000.

A New York Times article dated June 17, 1872, reprinted from the Baltimore Sun dated June 15, 1872, ran under the headline “Indictment of Rev. Dr. Huston for Adultery—Curious Provisions of the Maryland Law.”

Reverend Huston was accused of committing adultery with a “Sunday School girl” by the name of Mary Driscoll in January 1872.

For a full history of this event, it is recommended that readers read the following article.

Curtis, Peter H. “A Scandal in Baltimore: The Trials of the Reverend Lorenzo Dow Huston, 1872-1873.” Maryland Historical Review. Vol. 105: No. 3 (Fall 2010) 227-242.

This scholarly article may be referenced using THIS LINK.

Reverend Huston was to later write his own account, which may be purchased using THIS LINK. The Volusia County library system does not hold this title. They do, however, hold non-circulating copies of All We Have to Fear is the Lonesome: The Letters of L.D. Huston from Pre-Civil War Days Through his Relocation to the Florida Frontier in 1874, edited by Maria M. Clifton. CLICK HERE for library holdings.

Lorenzo Dow Huston headstone Image courtesy Findagrave
Lorenzo Dow Huston headstone Image courtesy Findagrave

An online memorial to Huston may be found using THIS LINK.

Additional posts from the Great Floridians 2000 series may be found by using THIS LINK.

 

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Adelfa Botello Callejo Texas Activist Sculpture in Dallas

Close up detail of the Callejo sculpture.

 Adelfa Botello Callejo

Born on June 10, 1923 in Millett, Texas, to parents Felix and Guadalupe Botello, Adelfa Botello Callejo was the oldest of five children (her siblings in age descending order being, Felix, Consuelo, Lillee, and Gilberto) in the home; a home that while maybe not rich in money, valued education and the opportunities it could bring.

Adelfa’s mother, Guadalupe, was born on August 13, 1904 and passed away on February 4, 1983 at age 78. Guadalupe was fifteen years the junior to her husband, and often worked outside the home to help make ends meet. In 1940, Guadalupe worked as a sack sorter for a burlap bag company. In 1950 Guadalupe worked the quite respectable job as a “floor lady” at a department store according to the United States Census.

Felix was born in Mexico, on November 27, 1889 and died May 15, 1970 in Dallas, Texas. Felix, with only a fourth-grade education and not speaking English, was often working in manual, backbreaking jobs. such as in 1930, he worked as a laborer in Sulphur vats, to support his family. In 1940, Felix was working as a farm laborer. By 1950, he had moved on to working for a landscaping company, which at the age of sixty still must have been difficult for him.

Millett, La Salle County, Texas, where Adela was born was a small community at the time. In 1930, barely 8,000 people called La Salle home. Today, the county is even smaller, registering just over 6,500 residents, who are mostly of Hispanic heritage. As for Millett itself, it is unincorporated; fire and drought having ravaged an already small population.

Adelfa graduated high school in 1939 and soon after moved to California. It was in California where she met William Fernando Callejo, the man she was to wed in 1946.

The couple moved often, residing in Mexico City and later New York City, before moving to Dallas in 1951 where Adelfa would be close to family.

By 1961, Adelfa had earned her bachelor’s degree and later her law degree. She was the first female Mexican American graduate of the SMU Dedman School of Law.

Adelfa Botello Callejo
Adelfa Botello Callejo

Despite her academic achievements, employment proved elusive at any of the established law firms and Adelfa began her own practice. Her husband would join the firm after earning his J.D. in 1966. The Callejo and Callejo law firm was born with specialties in immigration, family, and personal injury cases.

The firm was successful and Adelfa herself was becoming influential in the Dallas area. The firm often took on cases involving the rights Mexican immigrants. She was a cofounder of the Mexican American Bar Association of Texas, renamed the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association. She served a term as regional president of the Hispanic National Bar Association. In 1966, the United States Supreme Court admitted her to practice law before them.

Throughout her life Callejo put forth the value of education. She understood that it was education which allowed her to live the life she had. She wanted that for all and was a tireless crusader towards this goal, particularly for Hispanic children.

 

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In 2004, Adelfa and her husband donated one million dollars to endow the Adelfa Botello Callejo Leadership and Latino Studies Institute at the SMU Dedman School of Law.

In addition to this endowment, the Callejo’s put their money to use, significantly toward education. Hispanic youth wanting to further their education specifically received their attention. They provided scholarship money allocated through the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Bar Association, and numerous other organizations.

Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School. Image courtesy Dallas Independent School District.
Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School. Image courtesy Dallas Independent School District.

 

While fighting brain cancer, Adelfa gave what was to be her last speech on April 12, 2013, at an elementary school named in her honor, the Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School, in Dallas. It was during this speech that she stated,

It is through education that we are truly set free, and it is only through education that we shall make this world a better place than we found it for education is the Great Equalizer. I have spent my entire life on this earth promoting the inherent value of knowledge, the unobstructed use of our imaginations and the development of proficient leadership as we run the course of the 21st century. And, I want you to know that I shall never rest nor waver from that commitment.

Cancer claimed the life of Adelfa Botello Callejo on January 25, 2014. Her impact continues to be felt to this day.

Restland Memorial Park, in Dallas is where Callejo’s remains were laid to rest. You may visit an online memorial for Callejo  HERE.

Before Adelfa’s passing, the Callejo Foundation was planning for a larger-than-life sculpture to be created in her memory. Callejo, however, expressed her traditional modesty, and was not interested in such.

The Foundation persisted and commissioned Mexican sculptor German Michel  to create a lasting memorial.  Michel created the impressive 10 foot tall, 1,500-pound bronze statue. This statue can now seen on Main Street in Dallas, near the UNT-Dallas law school.

After many years of indecision, the city of Dallas accepted the art donation. A public dedication ceremony held in her honor on September 29, 2022, cemented that her “memory lives on forever as “La Madrina” or “godmother” of Dallas.

Adelfa Botello Callejo statue located near the Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas.
The Adelfa Botello Callejo statue located in Dallas, Texas.
Close up detail of the Callejo sculpture.
Close up of the Callejo statue.

 

 

I relied upon information from the Dallas News, Texas State Historical Association, SMU Dedman School of Law, and the Callejo Botello Foundation in writing this article.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are visiting Dallas, I recommend a visit to the Oswald Rooming House Museum. Read my post on this small but interesting museum HERE. 

 

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Great Floridians 2000 Charles Grover Burgoyne Daytona Beach Florida

Charles Grover Burgoyne--Great Floridians 2000 marker

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the plaques. The text below is taken from the Great Floridians 2000 biographies written to honor their inclusion.

Charles Grover Burgoyne

Charles Grover Burgoyne was born in 1847, came to Daytona in 1894 having made a fortune in the printing business in New York. In 1896 he bought the entire block south of Bay Street between Palmetto Avenue and Beach Street where he built a three-story mansion. He was elected commodore of the Halifax River Yacht Club in 1899 and in 1912 built a large gazebo at the corner or Orange Avenue and Beach Street and began to bring bands to perform public concerts of classical music. He and his wife held lawn parties for area children and paid for them to have milk at lunch every day. In 1914 he built a promenade and seawall along the river from Orange Avenue to Bay Street, lined with street lights, and called the “Esplanade Burgoyne.” In 1915 he built a casino and gave it to the city. Burgoyne died in 1916. His widow, Mary, continued to live in the mansion until 1941, after which it was demolished.

Casino Burgoyne located in Daytona Beach, FL. Courtesy State Archives of Florida
Casino Burgoyne located in Daytona Beach, FL. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida

 

Burgoyne Home courtesy State of Florida Archives
The Burgoyne Home located on Beach Street. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida

 

Charles Grover Burgoyne--Great Floridians 2000 marker
Charles Grover Burgoyne, Great Floridians 2000 plaque. Image courtesy of Heather Files

Charles Grover Burgoyne’s Great Floridian plaque is located on the front of the Halifax Historical Museum, 252 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach.

An online memorial to Burgoyne may be found HERE.

To read all my Great Floridians 2000 posts click HERE.

Charles and Mary Burgoyne are buried in Pinewood Cemetery, beachside in Daytona Beach. Their plot is very easy to find in the cemetery and the cemetery itself is worth the visit. The photos below were all taken by me during a recent visit to the cemetery.

My apologies for the unusual angle of Charles and Mary’s markers. The sun was causing havoc with shadows. 

Mary died on February 8, 1944.
The inscription on the Burgoyne cross is difficult to read.To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die. Lord, remember me when thou comes into thy kingdom. Luke 23 Verse 46.
The inscription on the Burgoyne cross is difficult to read.
To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
Lord, remember me when thou comes into thy kingdom. Luke 23 Verse 46.

 

Main Street entrance to Pinewood Cemetery. Walk straight back. The Burgoyne plot will be on your left. You can’t miss it.

 

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Daytona Beach paddleboad or guided kayaking
Enjoy a 2-hour paddleboard adventure on the Halifax River. Meet your guide and begin your tour with an introduction to riding a standup paddleboard. Start on land and then head into the water to practice. If you prefer, join the tour with a kayak. You may see dolphin, manatee, turtles, or other wildlife. Click THIS LINK or the photo for information and to book your tour.
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Gabordy Canal Historic Marker New Smyrna Beach Florida

Placement of the Gabordy Canal marker, adjacent to Riverside Drive

Gabordy Canal

The Gabordy Canal Historic Marker is located where the cities of New Smyrna Beach and                                            Edgewater come together. The name of this canal is often spelled in differing ways. I have                                         seen alternative spellings of Gabardy, Garbordy, and Garbardy.

The Gabordy Canal marks the dividing line between the city of New Smyrna
Beach, to the north, and Edgewater, to the south.

This marker is located on the eastern side of the road, near the corner of Riverside
Drive (north and south) and Hamilton Road (west). Private property surrounds the area                                                and the marker is located close to the busy south Riverside Drive.
There is really no parking right at the marker (don’t park in people’s yards). There
is a sidewalk located on the eastern side of Riverside Drive. See the image below to note
just how close this marker is to the road.

Placement of the Gabordy Canal marker, adjacent to Riverside Drive
The Gabordy Canal historic marker, sits adjacent to the busy Riverside Drive.

 

Problems

This marker, while important, has multiple problems in its text.

The marker itself does not talk much about the canal system. The marker also uses
the terms “colonization” and colonist” when the more accurate terms are
“settlement” and “settler” (as in the Turnbull, or Smyrnea, Settlement). The use of
terminology related to the word colony implies Florida could have been associated
with the original thirteen colonies we have learned about since grade school.

The marker references the number of over 1,400 persons being “attracted” to the area.
While there is some truth to this number, it being the number who originally left
Europe, less than 1,300 appear to have survived the journey. Archaeologists Dr.
Roger Grange and Dorothy Moore have put forth the number of 1,255 who
survived the voyage across the Atlantic. As to whether those owing indenture to                                              Andrew Turnbull and his partners were “attracted” to the area, I think history                                                     showed that is highly debatable.

Finally, though the marker text states that Governor (James) Grant granted release
to the settlers from their indenture, it was Governor Patrick Tonyn, (who served as
governor of East Florida from 1774-1783) a confirmed enemy of Turnbull, who
did such. (See Grange and Moore p. 25, linked below)

For more information on the Smyrnea Settlement, I recommend reading a booklet
written by Dr. Grange and Ms. Moore and published by the New Smyrna Museum
of History. In addition to clicking the link provided above, you may pick up a free copy at the museum.

I also recommend reviewing the University of North Florida, Florida History Online site for letters and papers related to the Smyrnea Settlement.

 

Marker Text

The Gabordy Canal

Gabordy Canal Historic Marker New Smyrna Beach, Florida
The State of Florida historic marker, located at the divide between New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater, FL

The Gabordy Canal, also known as the South Canal, was built by colonists brought to the New Smyrna area in 1768 by the Scottish physician, Dr. Andrew Turnbull. As part of the largest single attempt at British colonization, New Smyrna attracted more than 1,400 Minorcans, Corsicans, Greeks, and Italians who sought new opportunities as indentured servants. Turnbull, impressed by the Egyptian canal system, wanted to replicate it in New Smyrna. Three canals, including this one, ran east-west and were linked with a fourth, longer canal that ran north-south. These hand dug canals provided irrigation and drainage  or rice, hemp, cotton, and indigo crops grown by the colonists and served as a mode of transportation withing the colony. Local historians believe that the Gabordy Canal was named after the Gabardis, an original colonist family who lived in the vicinity of the canal. After nine years of harsh treatment, drought, and crop failures, the population was reduced to about 600 people. A group of colonists petitioned English Governor James Grant of St. Augustine in 1777 for release from their indenture. The governor granted land north of St. Augustine to these colonists.

A Florida Heritage Site

Sponsored by the City of New Smyrna Beach, the Historic New Smyrna Beach
Preservation Commission, Mayor James Hathaway, Vice Mayor Judy Reiker,
Commissioner Jake Sachs, Commissioner Jason McGuirk, Commissioner Kirk
Jones, and the Florida Department of State.

F-924
2016

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purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect
any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are
never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Menorca: Book your guided tour of Mahon including boat trip
Click the photo above or THIS LINK to book your Menorcan guided tour of Mahon. Discover the southern tip of Menorca on a guided day trip. After pickup at your hotel, enjoy a 1-hour glass-bottom boat trip around Mahon Harbor, one of the deepest natural harbors in the world. Next, head into Mahon city center. Explore the capital’s historic center with official guida and enjoy some free time for shopping. Continue to Punta Prima Beach and enjoy some free time for sunbathing or lunch (at your own expense.) Finally, visit the fishermens’ village of Binibeca. Wander its streets to admire the white-painted houses and picturesque streets. You will be dropped off at your hotel at the end of the day.

 

 

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Great Floridians 2000 John Anderson Ormond Beach

John Anderson

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy, public service or personal or professional service, and who have enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens. John Anderson, of Ormond Beach, is included in this group of important contributors to Florida history.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridians 2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the plaques.

John Anderson

John Anderson
John Anderson

Born in Portland, Maine on August 6, 1853, to parents Samuel J. and Jane W. Anderson, John Anderson is considered Ormond Beach’s greatest promoter. He came to the city, then called New Britain, in 1876 from New York City. From 1876 to 1878 and 1881 to 1882 he was the Volusia County Tax Assessor. He built the Santa Lucia Plantation and, in 1888, the Hotel Ormond. Anderson also built Volusia County’s first golf course. His friendship with James Ormond III led to the proposal to name the community after the Ormond family, rather than to use the name New Britain. In 1902, along with Joseph Price, he organized the first auto-racing tournament on the beach. He later promoted a professional baseball team in Ormond Beach. John Anderson died February 17, 1911. An online memorial for Anderson may be found HERE.

John Anderson Great Floridians 2000 marker
The John Anderson Great Floridians 2000 marker as displayed at the Hotel Ormond Cupola

His Great Floridian plaque is located at the Hotel Ormond Cupola, Fortunato Park, 2 John Anderson Drive, Ormond Beach.

To learn more about the history of Ormond Beach, please visit the Ormond Beach Historical Society.

The John Anderson Papers, which focus on the development of the Hotel Ormond, are available at the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

John Anderson His Life and Times in Ormond, FloridaThe only biography of John Anderson that I am aware of has been written by Ormond Beach transplant Ronald Howell. You may order a copy of John Anderson: His Life and Times in Ormond, Florida through Amazon by clicking the link or the photo.

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In Memory: Officer Thomas M. Coulter Daytona Beach Police Department

Thomas Coulter headstone Courtesy Findagrave

 Thomas M. Coulter

Thomas M. Coulter Courtesy Findagrave
In Memory Officer Thomas M. Coulter
Courtesy Findagrave

In Memory Officer Thomas Coulter of the Daytona Beach Police Department. Having only graduated from the police academy at Daytona State College in 2017, Thomas M. Coulter was beginning to live out his dream of being a police officer when hired by the Daytona Beach Police Department in 2018.

Thomas M. Coulter was born January 29, 1993 in New Jersey to parents Ann and Michael Coulter. He later earned his high school diploma and A.A. degree in 2011, finishing early with the assistance of dual enrollment credits. Later, he attend would attend the University of Central Florida.

Coulter began his recruit training on May 14, 2018 after passing a preemployment physical with the Daytona Beach Police Department. On the morning of Friday, May 18, Coulter, along with twenty-three other recruits and three trainers, were participating in what police chief Craig Capri said was a team building exercise. This was was jogging and walking exercise that included stops for pushups and stretching. The group was moving at the speed of the slowest participant.

Around 8:00 a.m. Coulter collapsed during training. Doctors at Halifax Health Medical Center  initially believed the young officer would recover. His condition began to decline on Saturday the 19th and he passed away at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, May 21. Autopsy reports would in fact later show the Coulter died of a heart attack.

Fellow recruits were allowed that Monday off training before being required to return on Tuesday morning. DBPD provided counseling for those in need.

According to Chief Capri, Coulter had made neither a complaint of discomfort nor did he complain of feeling ill before collapsing and as noted prior, had passed the required physical. Capri stated that Coulter was in “average shape” for a 25 year old.

The local newspaper quoted Chief Capri, “This young man, all he wanted to do was be a police officer. Talking with the family he wanted to be a police officer. That was his life’s dream, since he was a little kid. That was his goal and he did meet his goal.”

The News-Journal Center in downtown Daytona Beach was the site of Coulter’s memorial service. Law enforcement officers from numerous agencies along with then Florida governor Rick Scott attended the memorial service. Capri stated, “I’m just very proud of the community, the support of the community. And we had police officers from all over.”

Thomas Coulter left behind a wife of only six months, Jazmin, his parents, a brother, Mikey, and sisters Sandy and Bridgette, along with extended family members.

Thomas Coulter headstoneCourtesy Findagrave
Thomas M. Coulter headstone
Courtesy Findagrave

Officer Coulter is buried at Daytona Memorial Pak in the Hero’s Garden of Glory section. His marker includes the words, Have a Great Day Officer Coulter. 

Officer Coulter is memorialized on the Law Enforcement Memorial Volusia and Flagler Counties located adjacent to the Historic Courthouse in DeLand, FL.

An online memorial for Officer Coulter may be found HERE.

 

 

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Book Review Shiloh National Military Park (Images of America)

Shiloh National Military Park book cover

Book Review Shiloh National Military Park

Thank you for taking time to read my book review of Shiloh National Military Park. Here, two experts will take you on a visual tour of the important battlefield and modern day military park.

McCutchen, Brian K., and Timothy B. Smith. Shiloh National Military Park (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing. 2012. ISBN 9780738591353. B/W photos. 127 pages. $21.99.

When armies under the commands of Ulysses S. Grant and Albert Sidney Johnston faced off on April 6 and 7, 1862, they could not have realized the carnage that would be left on the Tennessee battlefield. The Battle of Shiloh left almost 24,000 soldiers dead, wounded, missing, or captured, a staggering sum that included Confederate General Johnston.

In 1866, Pittsburg National Cemetery was established by the War Department; a name later changed to Shiloh National Cemetery in 1889.

Established on December 27, 1894, Shiloh National Military Park now serves as a reminder of those terrible two days of fighting that helped set in motion the events of the next three years. The park first operated under the guidance of the War Department but was moved to the National Park Service in 1933.

This 1894 legislation allowed for participating states to place monuments and memorials on the park grounds. The park as we know it today was beginning to take shape.

The Images of America series of books does an excellent job of providing access to usually older photos that the general public may not otherwise have the opportunity to view. In Shiloh National Military Park, authors Brian K. McCutchen and Timothy B. Smith achieve this standard, using images from the park collection.

Book Review Shiloh National Military Park Shiloh Conquer or Perish book cover. Click to order.McCutchen is a former park ranger at Shiloh and has served at other national parks. Timothy B. Smith is a professor of history at the University of Tennessee, Martin. He is a leading scholar on the Battle of Shiloh and has authored what many consider the definitive volume on the battle, Shiloh: Conquer or Perish.

In this Images of America title, the authors showcase just over 200 images, broken into seven chapters. As might be expected in a collection spanning longer than 150 years, some images have reproduced much better than others. Occasionally there are images that seem a bit fuzzy and hazy. This is not a major distraction however. Each image contains a caption with most being around fifty words. The captions are easy to read and bring additional life to the images. 

I particularly enjoyed the chapter titled, “Memories in Stone and Bronze: Monuments of Shiloh.” This chapter highlights just a few of the more than 150 monuments that are located throughout the 4,000+ acres of the park. As McCutchen and Smith state, “To the veterans of America’s first monster battle…the statuary was much more. It embodied full representations of the brave solders of North and South and thus told the stories that they wished to convey to future generations.: (p.57)

A little-known aspect of the battlefield that the authors cover is the cyclone of October 14, 1909. This storm, that appears to have been building throughout the day, killed seven and injured thirty-three. Damage to the park and cemetery were considerable with Congress ultimately allocating $8,000 for the national cemetery and almost $20,000 for repairs and reconstruction at the park. In just over a dozen photos, the damage to the park is shown, with trees uprooted, buildings destroyed, and monuments smashed.

 

MagazineValues.com

 

The beauty of a book such as this is its simplicity. A reader can know nothing of the battle and still enjoy the rich history on the pages, the book serving as a potential gateway to further study. For those knowledgeable on the battle and the terrain of the battlefield there is still plenty to learn here. Chances are good that many of the images will be new, even to seasoned students of the battle.

 This is not a new release, and the reality is, an expert such as Smith could probably release several similar volumes. Recommended for anybody studying the battle or planning to visit the Shiloh National Military Park.

Thank you for reading my book review of Shiloh National Military Park. I invite you to read more of my book reviews of Arcadia Publishing titles by using THIS LINK. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.


Civil War MonitorCivil War Monitor subscription
from: Magazine Values

Civil War Monitor is one of the leading magazines covering the war from all perspectives. With some of the best practicing historians regularly contributing articles, this is a must read for any student of the war. Click the link above of the photo to the left for exclusive subscription pricing!