| 9. RICHARD FERDINAND FLOYD born 07 July 1810 at Fairfield Plantation in CCG; married MARY ANN CHEVALIER
on 05 September 1831 at St. Marys, GA by Rev. Joseph C. Stiles (CCG Marriage Bk. B 1831-1880 p. 2). She was born 05 September 1813 in St. Marys, GA, the daughter of JOHN CHEVALIER & "Polly" ANN SLEIGH. Three children (Melinda Isabella, Anna Maria, Caroline Collibee Blackshear). Richard F. Floyd was a musician, writer & painter - men commissioned him to paint portraits of their favorite horses. He lived at Hermitage
Plantation - on the Satilla River & Todd's Creek. On 22 January 1831, John Floyd gave his son a gift of thirteen Negroes (CCG Deed Bk. L p. 478). On 22 April 1836, Horace L. Pratt sold Brookfield Plantation (loc. bet. Harriett's Bluff & Satilla Bluff) containing 1200 acres, plus three other tracts containing 715 acres for $4000.00 to Richard F. Floyd (CCG Deed Bk. M p. 371 & 372). From 1836-1846 he was Capt. of & commanded the local militia unit - The Camden
Chasseurs of Horse - a unit that searched for Indians in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1838 (Camden's Challenge, by Marguerite Reddick, p. 26). In 1839 he qualified as one of the executors of his father's will (CCG Inf. Ct. Minutes). In December 1839, Richard & Mary Ann Floyd sold their St. Marys town house on Ready Street (lot #25) "... the houses, outhouses, Edifices, buildings, stables, yards, gardens ..." (CCG Deed Bk. N p. 157 & 158). On 05
April 1843, Richard F. Floyd negotiated a loan agreement for "four hundred twenty dollars and thirteen cents" with Everard H. Blackshear of Laurens Co., GA - giving him a promissory note - if R. F. Floyd did not comply with the terms in the note by a certain date, E. H. Blackshear would rec. 1288 acres in Camden County, five slaves & another 819 acres known as the Shelbine [sic] Tract (CCG Deed Bk. N p. 446 & 447). He was sheriff in Camden County, GA from 1844-1846 (History of Camden County GA,
by Vocelle p. 154). Sometime after 1846 he & his family moved to Florida. On 11 June 1848, he wrote a letter to his brother, "Mr. Henry H. Floyd, near Jeffersonton, Camden County, Georgia." The letter was sent from Richard's home "Near Flemington, East Florida" & it contained a detailed, hand-drawn map of Black Point with written descriptions of the drives (hunts for deer, wild boar, turkey) the Floyds had there: "While drawing the foregoing
little map, I experienced many pleasurable reminiscences in connection with Black Point as it was, before the vile axe - that destroyer of Nature's chief beauties was introduced there. What a pity it is that a cotton planter ever was supposed to purchase that place ... Dr. Delaroche nor Mr. Hardee could appreciate Black Point for anything excepting the poor little amount of cotton it yields. The truth is, Black Point is not fit (nor ever was) for anything but a hunting park
... That is what Nature intended it for, not for the vulgar pursuit of cotton making---vulgar when compared with the pursuit of game" (Original letter in Bryan-Lang Hist. Lib., Woodbine, GA). He was listed on the 1850 St. Johns Co. FL census with his wife & three daughters; his occupation - Draftsman. During the Civil War, he was appointed Brigadier-Gen. of the FL State Troops by Gov. John Milton. He made every attempt to defend Apalachicola from Union forces
but his troops were poorly equipped. In 1862, his force became the 8th FL Infantry & he became a Colonel (Confederate Col. CSA). They were sent to VA where they were armed & sent into combat at 2nd Bull Run as part of Gen. Longstreet's right flank. He served under Gen. Roger Pryor. He also saw action at Cedar Mt. It was at this time, he along with many of his troops, became ill- complained of heat & humidity. Sometime near the eve of the Battle
of Antietam - Sharpsburg, MD - Richard resigned & returned home. He never served again (Civil War Files of William C. Floyd, Edgewater, MD). From Jacksonville, FL in 1867, Richard F. Floyd wrote to his friend, John D. Gibson in New York. He described the ravages of the Civil War: "Bellevue & Fairfield - the old houses of my childhood & early manhood - have also (every vestige of a building) disappeared under the torch. They were destroyed
during the same week by the blockading vessel stationed at St. Andrews Sound: a party being sent ashore to execute the deed." (Original letter in possession of Helen L. Gibson, Newark, NJ; copy in "Fatio Letters" file, St. Augustine Hist. Lib.; extracted copy in Floyd Col. #1308, GA Hist. Soc. Lib.). Richard bought property on the St. Johns River in FL called "Barden's/ Beardon's Point." He sold the property in 1869 to William Racy/Racey, Esq.,
an attorney in NY - property became known as "Racey Point." Property was later bought by Samuel LaRive Floyd (a grandson of Henry Hamilton Floyd, Jr.). "It is a mile from the landing to Beardons ... one of the most lovely spots I ever feasted my eyes on. It is situated right on the banks of the St. Johns & reminds me a little of our dear Fairfield. The grand old oaks are thickly draped in moss & the orange & lemon trees are so pretty. I never
in my life saw more oleander trees. There are dozens of them, many of which are in bloom" ("Diary," by Augusta Gallie Floyd - on 06 October 1872 describing a picnic outing at Beardon's Point). They moved to Green Cove Springs in Clay Co., FL. Richard Ferdinand Floyd died 27 May (or June) 1870 at his residence in Green Cove Springs. Mary Ann Chevalier Floyd died 30 May 1894 in Green Cove Springs. Both buried at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Green Cove
Springs, FL. 1. MELINDA ISABELLA FLOYD born 04 August 1833 at Bellevue Plantation, CCG; married JOHN DRYSDALE (Jr. or II) on 15 January 1851 in St. Augustine, FL by Episc. Minister Rev. Benj. Wright. He was born 03 August 1827 in St. Augustine, FL, son of JOHN DRYSDALE (b. 1753 in Scotland; d. 1845) & LOUISA "Lois" HINLEY BERNARD/ BARNARD
("Family Record" transcribed by Richard F. Floyd in 1848, in Floyd Biographical File, St. Aug. Hist. Lib.). Five children (Richard Floyd, Lois Barnard, Lena/Lennie,Annie, John Floyd). At age thirty-nine, Melinda Floyd Drysdale died while giving birth to her last child. Her husband was left with five children. "It was a lovely moonlight night, and we walked up to Mr. Drysdales ... Mr. D. has changed much since I saw him
last, which was when we lived at Camp Floyd ... The Drysdales are going to break up housekeeping and the children are going to Jacksonville, to live with their father's relatives. I feel truly sorry for them, for it reminds me of our own misfortunes" ("Diary," by Augusta Gallie Floyd - Vol. I, September 1872 after disembarking from the Nick King at Tocoi on the St. Johns River in FL). She died 06 January 1872 - both infant & mother are buried together at Hickory Grove Cem. in Green Cove Springs, FL. He died in 1879.
1. RICHARD FLOYD DRYSDALE born 23 October 1851; bapt. 11 Jan. 1852 (Drysdale Biographical File, St. Aug. Hist. Lib.). He was adopted by his grandfather, Richard F. Floyd. He upset a boat & was drowned in the St. John's River - died 01 March 1868; buried at Hickory Grove Cem. in Green Cove Springs, FL. 2. LOIS BARNARD DRYSDALE born 24 August 1854; married WILLIAM HOWARD PETT in 1878 in FL - four kids. (Info. on these lines from genealogy files of Catherine Ellen Spencer, Steubenville, OH). He was born 24 December 1854 in Cheltenham, England, son of WILLIAM PETT & ALTHEA RAY.
He sold stationery goods in NYC; they lived on the upper west side of Manhattan. He died 15 August 1938 in NYC; she died in 1946 in Leonia, NJ. -----1. ALTHEA RAY PETT born 08 January 1880 -----2. CHARLES ERNEST PETT born 08 December 1882 in Brooklyn, NY; marr. 1st MARY EDMUNDS - issue?; marr. 2nd FRANCES ELIZABETH DONAHUE on 05 September 1905 - nine kids. She was born 24 October 1879 in Ashland, PA & died 20 December 1942 in Elizabeth, NJ. He died 11 August
1961. -----3. LOIS MARIE PETT born 19 August 1886 in Brooklyn, NY; marr. FREDERICK HOTH - 4 kids. She died October 1961. -----4. WILLIAM HARRY "HOLLY" PETT born 29 September 1889; marr. CATHERINE WELLS - no issue? 3. LENA/LENNIE DRYSDALE born 1856; bapt. Jan. 10 1858 (Drysdale Biographical File, St. Aug. Hist. Lib.); married MR. HUSSEY; lived in Jacksonville, FL. 4. ANNIE DRYSDALE married (a professor - no name). She died in Germany.
5. JOHN FLOYD DRYSDALE "Johnny" (last child?). 2. ANNA/ANNE MARIA FLOYD "Annie" born 19 April 1835 at Bellevue Plantation in CCG; married JOSEPH H. ALSTON on 22 February 1882 in Green Cove Springs, FL - no issue. He was born 02 August 1830. He died 30 January 1887; she died 15 June 1887; both buried at Hickory Grove Cem. in Green Cove Springs, FL. 3. CAROLINE CALEBA/COLLIBEE BLACKSHEAR FLOYD "Carrie"
born 02 March 1837 at Brookfield in CCG; married 1st DR. WILLIAM I. BUTLER on 24 September 1860 at Tocoi, FL - no issue. He died on 11 November 1860 in New York City (while on their honeymoon) three weeks after their marriage ("Family Record" recorded by Richard Ferdinand Floyd, Floyd Biographical File, St. Aug. Hist. Lib.). She married 2nd WILLIAM DUNSTON PAGE ca. 1871 - no issue. He was born 22 November 1838 in OH, the son of
H. C. PAGE. He died 18 November 1890; she died 17 June 1901; both buried at Hickory Grove Cem. in Green Cove Springs, FL. |
