The Pensacola journal., 1914-06-14
Mrs. Fannie Bryan Chap
man Has Distinct RecoI-
collection Of Days Of
the Indians.
Came to Jackson County in
1888 and Has Resided
There Continuous
~ Since.

Mrs. Fannie Bryan Chapman,
eighty-four years Of age. is not only
one of the oldest residents of Jackson
county, but one who has a distinct
recollection of the days long before
the civil war. when hostile Indians
still rOamed the forests Of Southern
jackson county. Mrs Chapman came
to Jackson county in 1888, when she
was eight years Of age, and has lived
continuously in Jackson county since
that time, but the story of Jackson
county, as she relates 1t, goes far back
Of that time. for she remem bers the
stories of still earlier settlers, old men
and women when she was a girl who
told her the story Of the earlier set
Elements Of that section of West Flor
ida.
When I first came to Florida the
experience was, I imagine a great deal
like the landing Of the Pilgrims My
father and a family Of five lived in a
single little log cabin near Greenwood,
then known as the Bryan settlement.
The settlements were widely scattered
in those days. and as I recoIIect it
there were but five or six families in
the immediate neighborhood Of where
the town of Greenwood now stands.
Indians Troublesome.
TN those days the Indians were
troublesome and we frequently heard
Of outrages within twenty-five or
often heard the story of General Jack
son ana Natural Bridge cave from
those who were present when General
Jackson passed through the county
which is now named after him. In his
march southwark he had several skir-
mishes with the Indians and was
driving them ahead of him when he
entered Jackson county. Several miles
north Of where Mariana now stands
is a spot known as the natural bridge.
where the waters Of a creek pass un-
der the ground to come up again in a
short distance. This is known as the
Natural Bridge, and right at the
bridge there is an immense cave It
is said that the Indians driven ahead
of General JaCkson's forces. hid their
women and children in the big cave,
the main body proceeding onward and
dra wing the soldiers after them until
assured of the safety of the ones thev
had hidden.
There used to he a fort. as rrotec-
ton against the Indians. on the lot
now occupied by the Chipola hotel al
though this was before my time. The
first building of any note in Mariana
was large. tWo-storN dwelling
painted white. This was chosen q 8 a
place Of safety for the women and
children when the Indians were
troublesome.
Battle of Mariana.
7 was present al the battle Of Ma
rianna. at least I heard The bat
tie, and after it was over assist
ed in the care of the wounded. Ma
rianna, duTiuE tho civil war was the
Headquarters for the home guards and
scouts. 1t was about 10 o'clock in the
morning when word was passed that
the Yankees were coming. and even
then we could see the smoke Of burn
ing buildings several miles away along
the line Of their advance. ! at once
began 10 get my things together. one
Of the first things I did was t0 take
all Of the sold I had. hide i in the
seams Of my boys pants and put the
pants on Him. At that time Mr., Chap
man was Confederate tax col lctOr /
and he had about 500 600 in cash on
hand. I was afraid Of a raid on this, F..
and I hid it in the wood box. where (
it remained until the trouble was over /
Most Of the lighting was about the !
Episcopal church and as the Yankees .
were retreatinE I stood ON my front .
porch with folded hands and watched
them go by. The Methodist church F
was directly opposite and they seemed +.
afraid that they We're goings to be /
After the battle I helped care for /
the wounded. One of the injured was ,
the grandfather of VIII and George /
Farley. who was shot through the ar +
terry Of the arm. A doctor put a Sour !
niquet on the arm and asked me to /
hold it, to keep IL from slipping. l (
was nearly fainting from exhaustion /
when a surgeon came and took charge !
Of him.
From Fort Barrancas.
The raiding party, consisting Of six !
of 200 men. who came from
Fort BarranCdS. near Pensacola and,
according To some Of them. had been
dye days and nights in the saddle |