The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-03
LINKED WITH.
PAST WAS THIS
OLONEGRO MAN
UNCLE STEVE BELLAMY, no
WEARS OLD AND POSSIBLY THE
OLDEST MAN IN FLORIDA, sue
CUMBS TO HIS ADVANCED AGE
SAW FOUR WARS i.'* ) WAS
VETERAN HIMSELF.

Stretching across century and
half score Of years, the life of Uncle"
Stephen Reliamy was returned to it's
maker in his humble cabin home in
Windy Valley, this city, yesterday
Death came at 800 o'clock, quietly
and from sheer exhaustion, due to old
age When the spirit Of Uncle" Steve
took its flight link with one, two and
three generations OF the past was
withdrawn and the curtain had been
rung down on a life filled with events
and not unsimilar to those of the
patriarchs of old. for Uncle Steve
was certainly patriarch of his race.
Born July 10, 1900. according to his
claim and those Of his relatives,
Uncle Steve was permitted to see
the century mark Of age and then ten
years more, He was native Of Flor
ida, being born on a large plantation
near Monticello. and in his native
state he has lived, never leaving its
borders, and in !ts sands his shrunken
bones will be buried this morning az
10 o'clock. This IS in accordance
with his lifelong WISHES
OF Old Type.
Of the old and fast disappearing type
He was stopped and shrunken with
age for several years, but he always
manifested that true slave time cour-
tesy to the superior race Up until
the last, Uncle" Steve recognized in
his white folks his best friends.
At his bedside was Rena Epps, q
grand niece and the closest living rel
alive. Her children and neighbors
were there and attended the Old
darkey in his last wants.
II jefferson Period.
In July. after me f1yst Inauguration
Of Thomas Jefferson as president in
March, Uncle" Steve was born, a few
miles out from the present town Of
Monticello. He has therefore seen no
less than twentv-seven presidential ad-
ministrat;ons and two years Of the
twenty-eighth.
Uncle" Steve was born Spanish
slave, the property of Spanish land
owner, Jack Bellamv, who, from
Uncle" Steye's description owned and
operated one Of the largest plantations
on the gulf coast at that time. From
MS own statements, his right name
family OF that name. but he always
Those who have talked with the
aged black say that he frequently told
Of his early life and experiences and
up until a few years ago was pos
eessed with remarkable memory.
The plantation on which he first saw
the light, it is said, he often described
as being of mammoth proportions. On
It sugar cane and cotton were the
principal products
Saw Four Wars.
Four wars, Uncle" Steve, it is said,
was wont to tell abou,. They were
.aose of 1872, vhen General Andrew
Jackson w-enched Florida from the
Spaniaris for the last time; the Mexi-
can war. the civil war and the Florida
Seminole war But he apparently re-
mcmbered but little of any but the
civil war. in which he was a soldier
in the federal army.
From his plantation home Uncle
Steve ran away 20 join the Yankees,
near the close Of the civil war. He
connected himself with the ordnance
department and drove wagon for the
/ federal army, in its marches, further
north, after it began to invade the
south. This marked the close of his
relations with his old home.
; At the conclusion Of the war, which
! found MIN here, Uncle" Steve set
tied in nsacola, becoming an en-
ploye Of the Pensacola navy yard, and
this position ne retained until about
| thirteen years ago. He accumulated
a sufficient amount of money to pur-
chase his home, in the Windy Valley
| section, and there he has lived for
nearly forty years. He willed it to
| his niece, who has taken care of him
in the declining years of his life.