February 2003 Fort Brooke Record

The Old South....
Where Your Word Was Your Bond

Presented by: Martha Sue Skinner

Martha Sue Skinner is a true daughter of the South. She is a 5^th generation Floridian and lives on the old homeplace of her fathers in Plant City. The land she lives on now was homesteaded in 1855 by her great, great grandfather who lived in Florida before Florida became a State. He signed a petition, which she has in her possession, stating the fact of wanting the territory to become a State at Mineral Springs, Florida in 1838. Her great grandfather, John Wesley Hawkins served in Capt. John T. Lesley's Company of the Cow Cavalry.

Martha Sue credits her mother, whose family hails from South Carolina, who gave her the insight and love of heritage. She followed in her footsteps and her papers in both the UDC and the DAR, which she belonged to in the 1940s. Martha Sue became a member of both of these organizations in Plant City 15 years ago. She has served as Registrar for the Plant City Chapter #1931 for the past seven years. Last year, she was elected President of the Chapter, where she presently serves.

Martha Sue was awarded the UDC's prestigious Winnie Davis medal two years ago for spearheading the goal of replacing 19 Confederate Iron crosses in Plant City Oaklawn cemetery, which had been vandalized over the years, and stolen from the gravesites. Under her leadership, primarily through the Lee-Jackson Ball, all the funds were raised and a beautiful memorial and rededication service with excellent news coverage. It took over a decade to originally pace the Iron crosses and less than a year to replace them under her leadership.

As registrar, Martha Sue received an award for the most new members accepted in 2002 in all of Florida - quite an accomplishment.

Her book title is "The Bond"...the story of the Old South when your word was your bond.

CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL SERVICE AND MARKER DEDICATION
IN HONOR OF PRIVATE J. RICHARD QUARLS, CSA

Stonewall Jackson Camp #1381 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is hosting a Confederate Memorial Service and gravemarker dedication ceremony for Private J. Richard Quarls, Co. K, 7th South Carolina Infantry Regiment, Confederate States Army. Private Quarls, a black Confederate veteran, served in the Confederate States Army from October 1861 until April 1865, when he was paroled near Richmond, Virginia. Until recently, Private Quarls' grave had gone unmarked for over 77 years after his death.

The Confederate Memorial Service for Private Quarls is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2003, at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

This observance is being held jointly with the John T. Lesley Camp #1282 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Dixie Chapter #1008 and Mary Custis Lee Chapter #1451 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the Clearwater Harbor Confederate Sentinels of the Children of the Confederacy. Guest speakers include John W. Adams, Florida Division Commander, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Compatriot Nelson Winbush of Jacob Summerlin Camp #1516, Sons of Confederate Veterans. Several descendants of Private Quarls will also participate in the memorial service.

Please join us as we pay tribute to Private Quarls' honorable service in the Confederate States Army and the marking of his final resting place.

For more information, please contact Ted Dahlem with Stonewall Jackson Camp #1381 at (727) 894-5224.

Rose Hill Cemetery is adjacent to the eastern side of the larger Cycadia Cemetery, and is located at the intersection of Tarpon Avenue (also known as

State Road 582) and Jasmine Avenue. Cycadia and Rose Hill Cemeteries are essentially located in the N.W. corner of the intersection of U.S. 19 North and Tarpon Avenue.

From U.S. 19 North, head east on Tarpon Avenue for approximately 1/4 mile (about two blocks), then turn left (north) on Jasmine Avenue, and Rose Hill Cemetery will be to your right (Cycadia Cemetery will be to your left).

For those coming from Tampa who prefer to avoid the traffic on U.S. 19 North, take Highway 60 west to McMullen-Booth Road (also known as State Road 593) in Clearwater. Turn right on McMullen-Booth Road and head north for approximately 13 miles. McMullen-Booth Road will eventually change to East Lake Road (also known as County Road 611). Continue north until you reach Keystone Road (also known as State Road 582), where you will turn left and head west for approximately 2 1/2 miles before coming to Jasmine Avenue. Turn right on Jasmine Avenue, and the cemetery to your right is Rose Hill Cemetery.

January Meeting Report
"WHY ARE YOU HERE?"
by: Judge Advocate Roger Crane

The return of the ever-popular Rev. Farley to deliver yet another of his impassioned messages has become an annual highlight at the John T. Lesley Camp. Addressing the ongoing attacks on Confederate leaders and our Southern heritage, he noted the charge of Gen. Stephen D. Lee. We, Sons of Confederate veterans, have been duty bound to vindicate the Cause for which our ancestors fought and to defend their good name. He reminded us of the courage and bravery of those noble men, men who thought their very lives less precious than the liberty they sought to defend. Today their sacrifice is vilified, disparaged by government, media and the political elite. As he spoke of the worthiness and justice of our Cause and of our Duty as sons, emotions rose and fell with the need and the vision to redouble our efforts.

We are asked who might serve as a better example to ourselves and to future generations than Robert E. Lee? Where do we find another such example of Christian manhood? At the outbreak of war, Lee was summoned to Washington where he was offered command of the entire U.S. Army. He must surely have wrestled with his decision. Looking back on his career he must have counted the costs to have arrived at this point in his career. Always very much a family man he had, nonetheless, left his loved ones behind as his assignments had carried him from one lonely and remote outpost to another. Through ability, courage, and perseverance he had risen through the ranks and, at that moment, stood to receive the just rewards of years of labour. He had no illusions as to the probable outcome of the conflict. Without foreign intervention he was sure that the South would not prevail. In that moment of crisis, he searched for solitude and prayed through the night. By morning, he knew that those rewards, while others might count them as great, were small when compared to loyalty, duty and honour. The outcome of the conflict was not his concern. He could not in conscience elevate himself by raising sword against his own brethren, against his native land. How difficult it must have been to turn his back on fame, glory and privilege-to accept a mere colonelcy and a mediocre administrative post in the Virginia militia.

Where do we find men with these values? They are indeed rare. Yet the city of Richmond chose to remove his face from a series of public paintings because of those who choose to be offended by this man. Today, we find a federal plan to change the focus of the national battlefield parks to ignore the men and the bravery that they displayed in defense of their nation. Today these things are to be put aside and the displays are to focus on the role of slavery. All of history is to be rewritten so that these men will be placed in the most unfavorable light. Unless we act, their sacrifice will be forgotten. We have a solemn duty, sons. Rally to the Cause!

Because of the great interest, we are bringing back the LeMat Navy Model Caliber .44 revolver for the next drawing. Extremely well-made replica of the original model made for the Confederate Navy in France. 20 gauge shotgun barrel in the center. Cylinder holds 8 shots and one shot gun shell in the bottom. Drawing will be held in the Spring, check your mailbox for your tickets.

The "On Fire" Lesley Camp is constantly striving to fulfill our Charge. The following items are on our 'wish list'. If you can help or know someone who can...please contact any of the officers.

The Fort Brooke Record

February 2003
Volume 9, Issue 2

See Back Issues Subscribe

The Fort Brooke Record

February 2003 Volume 9, Issue 2 See Back Issues Subscribe

February 2003
Volume 9, Issue 2

See Back Issues Subscribe