In Search of The Diamond Brooch

In Search of The Diamond Brooch is a southern historical saga starting with the migration of the pioneer families to the North Florida area. This is the story of a family that settled in North Florida in the early 1800s in Wakulla and Leon Counties. They established homes on the St. Marks River near Tallahassee, hacking a life out of the wilderness. The family was, and remains dependent on The St. Marks River and the forest that surrounds it. Beginning in a time when Magnolia was thriving, the historical journey continued through the Civil War to modern day. Through the fall of Magnolia and the Civil War, this family continued to flourish. The text includes the family’s personal account of the Battle of Natural Bridge during the War Between the States. The reader will find a delightful combination of documented history mixed with historical personal stories, photos, and folklore. Additionally, photographs taken of rare artifacts from the battle are also included. After the Civil War, the text moves to the early 1900s. It includes stories & a description of the area in the 1930s & 40s after the Depression, as written by Pete Gerrell. Pete grew up in the area and vividly recounts daily life from learning to operate a turn plow to cattle ranching and farming in North Florida. The co-author describes how the ‘No Fence Law’ in Florida affected the area and his family’s livelihood. The reader will learn how the people operated a turn plow, built a potato bank, or cleared an acre of land without modern farm machinery. This book is a unique work that gives the reader a glimpse into the life of North Florida’s people while bringing the history they lived through to life.