This is a reprint of original articles by Hugh Woolley, a longtime resident and community leader of Graceville. Woolley published these articles in The Graceville News more than 20 years ago.
Originally published in the September 14, 2000 edition of The Graceville News.
I was not going to write about people who were legends that appeared in Dr. Windsor's history of Graceville. Since Dr. Windsor and Mr. George Grace produced the only written history of Graceville that I know of, I feel I owe it to Mr. George to reprint this letter that Margie Mixson wrote for family history. She mailed it to me along with a copy of the Grace Notes which I had requested.
George Jefferson Grace
by Margie Mixson
Though George Grace had several careers- educator, diplomat, businessman- he is best remembered for his vocation, a lifelong Love Of History, especially Florida history. Perhaps hearing tales of the past from his grandfather, a captain in the civil war, or from his father, born the year the Civil War began, made the past seem especially Vivid to him. He developed a strong interest in history and a belief that it should be recorded for the sake of future generations. Accordingly, he wrote a series of articles recounting the history of the Graceville area which were published in the local newspaper in 1960- 61 and later we published as a booklet which has become a valuable resource for local libraries.
George Jefferson Grace, the third child of Jefferson Davis Grace and Margaret Williams Grace was born February 2, 1886, in a small Log Cabin in the Poplar Springs community of Holmes County, about 4 miles west of Graceville. His siblings were Essie(Cassidy), Lee, Thad, and Eunice (Watson).
His love of education began when he entered the one-room log-and-stick school, where seats were split-log benches with no backs and no desks. There were no bathrooms no running water, and very few books.
In 1899, when George was 13, his family moved to Graceville, a town named for his grandfather, Captain Henry Bartlett Grace, and his uncle, Dr. George Marshall Grace. He attended School in Graceville through the 8th grade, the highest grade offered, but had to board in Marianna to finish high school at the only high school in the county.
In those days, when getting an education was so difficult, a high school diploma, or even an 8th grade certificate, qualified one to be a teacher, so George began teaching at various schools in the state.
In 1907 he entered the University of Florida, which had a student body of approximately 100 students, on a $200 scholarship, which paid all his expenses for the year. After graduating in 1912, he became principal of Graceville High School, the first year that school had a senior class. The only two graduating seniors that year were Ruth Miller (Rawls) and Fred Grant. George's career in education was interrupted by the Advent of World War I, when he went to work for the government in Washington. In 1918 he was appointed US Vice Consul to the Azore Islands, off the coast of Portugal, site of an American Naval Base. He served there a year without seeing anyone he'd ever seen before. Though he took lessons in the Portuguese language, he had to depend mostly on interpreters to communicate with the local people. He remembers dating local girls, saying they couldn't carry on a conversation, but enjoyed holding hands. Dates were often a trip to the movies, always chaperoned by a family member.
After the war ended, he returned to teaching. In 1925 he was elected superintendent of schools in Jackson County. That same year he married Wilkie Bowen from Chipley, who was teaching in Graceville and rooming at the home of Georgia's sister, Essie Cassidy. Wilkie and George got acquainted at the 1924 Williams reunion where she had taken her mother, Lena McCrary Bowen, and he had taken his, Mag Williams Grace.
George and Wilkie spent the first years of their marriage in Marianna, moving to Graceville in 1928 with their 18- month-old daughter Margalena (Margie Mixson). They built a house on Cotton Street next door to his parents. George opened Grace Insurance Agency and Wilkie taught math at Graceville High School.
For more than three decades George was actively involved in the community. In addition to operating his own insurance agency he served on the Jackson County School Board, was President of the Graceville Lions Club, and was a long-time member of the Board of Stewards of the Graceville Methodist Church.
Always a teacher at heart, George loved working with children. He drove needy children to the eye specialist as part of the Lions Club sight conservation project. He endeared himself to neighborhood children by building them dog houses and swings, explaining scientific phenomena such as eclipses and tides, and taking them exploring in caves. He was always available to drive Margie and her friends to class picnics or ball games. He enjoyed gardening and provided fruit and vegetables from his "patch" for family and neighbors.
George died on August 4, 1964, of heart failure at the age of 78, and was buried in the Marvin Chapel Cemetery. He was a kind, gentle man with a lively sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. The ultimate compliment was paid to him by his niece, Mary Clyde Grace Knight. Following his death, she said," Uncle George always said his uncle, Dr. George Marshall Grace, was the best man he ever knew. I think MY Uncle George was the best man I ever knew." His son-in-law, Wayne Mixson echoed her sentiments: "He was the kindest man I ever knew."
I fully agree with Margie (Mr. George's daughter) I knew Mr. and Mrs Grace, the whole family were legends. My family and I enjoyed being next door neighbors. Mr. Thad was a legend, mail carrier and brother of Mr. George.
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