April 1, 1960 Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wiley Sirmon of Madison, March 27, a baby boy. He weighed 8 lb and 15 oz. Robert H. Wilson, representative of the Dale Carnegie…
Category: History
Just who was Haffye Hays?
Rick Patrick rick@greenepublishing.com The popular lakeside park in Greenville, Fla. carries her name, but just who was Haffye Hays? Not much is known about the woman after whom Haffye Hays Park is…
Coronavirus and the sun: a lesson from the 1918 influenza pandemic
Fresh air, sunlight and improvised face masks seemed to work a century ago; and they might help us now. Richard Hobday medium.com When new, virulent diseases emerge, such as SARS and Covid-19,…
Reddin Parramore and the Town of Livingston
John Willoughby reporter2@greenepublishing.com Within miles of the Suwannee River, what could possibly be the same piece of land Florida Governor George Drew dwelled on 30 years later was once founded to be…
Winter was a formidable foe in Madison’s past
Mickey Starling reporter3@greenepublishing.com Currently, winter dips its chilling finger into North Florida for an occasional visit and we barely notice the effects of it before it’s time to put away our sweaters…
Were there really any black cowboys?
Gene Hall Contributor “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32. Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning Western, Django Unchained, is one of relatively-few Hollywood films depicting a…
Pictures from the Past
Madison County’s horse-drawn fire wagon in the early 1900’s. On the near side of the wagon is Fire Chief Howell Waring.[Florida Memory/Courtesy]
Way Back When
January 29, 1960 The Woman’s Club sponsored a benefit party Wednesday afternoon which netted $27.80 for the Polio March of Dimes. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bell of Concord announce the engagement of…
David Dukes: Madison’s civil rights leader
Savannah Reams editor@greenepublishing.com As we celebrate the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. this week, it’s important to reflect on those who followed in his footsteps and dedicated their lives to the…
Tobacco in Madison County
Rick Patrick rick@greenepublishing.com The farmers of Madison County have seen many crops come and go. At one time, Sea Island cotton was big in Madison County. Then, the boll weevils came and,…
November 13, 1959 At the Rotary Club meeting Wednesday, Rev Cesar Benitez was the guest speaker and gave a most interesting talk. He has been with the Board of Methodist Missions in…
Way Back When
October 30, 1959 The Madison Junior Chamber of Commerce voted at a luncheon recently to support the Boy Scout’s Annual Finance Campaign. The Thanksgiving Jaycee Turkey Shoot will be held Thursday, November…
The events of which you are about to read commenced September 27, 1942.
The following segment was written by the late Dale Leslie, former Clerk of the Court and a Madison County native. He offers fascinating descriptions of the events that occurred during a recovery…
Daddy’s passing
Savannah Reams: Greene Publishing, Inc. Bill Hutto is a Madison County native and grew up in Greenville, Fla. In his memoir titled “Country Living,” he describes in detail times gone by, his…
Fun day turns deadly in Madison streets
Mickey Starling reporter3@greenepublishing.com On Thursday, Nov. 18, in 1909, the citizens of Madison had just enjoyed a wonderful afternoon being entertained by the John Robinson Circus, which was in town. As Range…
Harris tells of the end of WWII
John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc. There are many of things Morgan “Sonny” Harris could flip to in his scrapbook when asked about World War II and his ties to the transition between…
Beggs’ hearse was first of its kind in Florida
Mickey Starling: Greene Publishing, Inc. In the early years of the twentieth century, Madison County was not known for being a place full of modern innovation. Our dirt roads looked more like…
Remembering the Brooks brothers
Story submitted: Norman Bush World War II came and the Brooks family, surrounded by young men, were one of the first to see their boys go off to war. To see their…
Farm Work
Savannah Reams: Greene Publishing, Inc. Bill Hutto is a Madison County native and grew up in Greenville, Fla. In his memoir titled “Country Living,” he describes in detail times gone by, his…
The Farm
Savannah Reams: Greene Publishing, Inc. Bill Hutto is a Madison County native and grew up in Greenville, Fla. In his memoir titled “Country Living,” he describes in detail times gone by, his…