Well, yeah I had no clue that they had some of these on the Grayton Beach site. Glad I found it now.
Just thought I would say, Van R. Butler is my great-grandfather. His daughter Helen Janice Toole is my grandmother, and her son Stan Toole is my father.
It used to be lots of fun when I was little and there was almost nobody on the beach except for my big family. Now I have people at my school wearing Red Bar shirts.
Replies
57
Beach Fanatic
:welcome:
Funnkalicious
:welcome:
Message Boards...Crack...they're both addictive! :shock:
Message Boards...Crack...they're both addictive! :shock:
SoWal Expert
Welcome Beachblonde, I bet you can give us much perspective regarding Grayton, and I hope you continue to chime in.
SoWal Expert
:welcome:
Message Boards...Crack...they're both addictive! :shock:
I don' know what you are talking about. I gave up crack years ago. :floor:
Darlene is my middle name, not my nickname
I don' know what you are talking about. I gave up crack years ago. :floor:
:floor: :floor: :floor:
:welcome: Bleachblonde!!!!
Beach Fanatic
Well, yeah I had no clue that they had some of these on the Grayton Beach site. Glad I found it now.Is this the little girl next door (JT) that played with my daughter Jancy Steele?
Just thought I would say, Van R. Butler is my great-grandfather. His daughter Helen Janice Toole is my grandmother, and her son Stan Toole is my father.
It used to be lots of fun when I was little and there was almost nobody on the beach except for my big family. Now I have people at my school wearing Red Bar shirts.
Meow
This is the CUTEST thread in a long time!!! It's a REUNION!
Beach Fanatic
Welcome! I'm not technically kin to you, but your dad is my cousin's cousin. ;-)
Beach Lover
:welcome:
My daughter is very proud to go to Van R. Butler. Can you tell us anything about him? She would love a good story to tell her class. Especially one that comes straight from a descendant.
My daughter is very proud to go to Van R. Butler. Can you tell us anything about him? She would love a good story to tell her class. Especially one that comes straight from a descendant.
Admin
http://graytonbeach.com/history.html
"The hogs were all over the place, " Butler said. "They would get under the house and have a big time."
In the early '20's, Butler left Grayton Beach to study at the University of Florida, where he earned an education degree. He returned to Grayton Beach in 1926 to start his own homestead and teach, first in Santa Rosa Beach and later at the Point Washington school. Butler got back to Grayton Beach just in time to survive the hurricane of 1926, the same storm that is credited with creating Destin's East Pass and turning Choctawhatchee Bay into a saltwater body. The hurricane also swept out the foundation of Grayton Beach's largest home, giving it the name the Wash-A-Way. The storm blew away a good portion of the dunes, leaving the beach flat and hard enough, Butler said, that he and a friend drove a Model T along the shoreline to see what was left of Destin.
http://graytonbeach.com/butler.html
Van Ness R. "Van" Butler Sr., of Grayton Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully on Aug. 25, 2000, at the age of 96. He was born in Canova, S.D., on Sept. 21, 1903, and arrived in DeFuniak Springs with his parents, Willis H. and Elsie Holmes Butler, and family in 1907.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Helen Enzor Butler; brothers, Bert Butler and James Butler; and sisters, Alice Kennedy and Ruth Gardner. Survivors include his son, Van Ness R. Butler Jr. and his wife, Jonnye, of Grayton Beach; daughters, Helen Janice Toole of Grayton Beach and Elsie Gretchen Enfinger of Tallahassee, Fla.; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Van grew up in DeFuniak Springs, where he graduated from Walton High School in 1922, and attended Palmer College. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1926 and began a teaching career in Point Washington and Santa Rosa Beach that same year. Van married Helen Enzors, also a teacher, in 1929. Van taught and was principal of what is now Bay Middle School and also the old Cessna Built School in Santa Rosa for over 30 years. He was honored for his educational contributions by having a new elementary school in South Walton named for him in 1996.
Van homesteaded 80 acres of land in Grayton Beach in 1926. In 1936, he inherited additional property in Grayton Beach and began a second career in the summer season selling lots and renting cottages. In 1938, he built a store and recreation hall in Grayton Beach, where many generations of young people gathered to dance and get acquainted. The building is now a popular restaurant known as the Red Bar.
Van helped organize Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative to bring power to South Walton in 1942 and served on their first board of directors. In the 1950s, he worked with C.H. McGee to get the first telephones in South Walton. He also built the first water system south of the bay in 1939. Over the years, he served his community in many roles.
"The hogs were all over the place, " Butler said. "They would get under the house and have a big time."
In the early '20's, Butler left Grayton Beach to study at the University of Florida, where he earned an education degree. He returned to Grayton Beach in 1926 to start his own homestead and teach, first in Santa Rosa Beach and later at the Point Washington school. Butler got back to Grayton Beach just in time to survive the hurricane of 1926, the same storm that is credited with creating Destin's East Pass and turning Choctawhatchee Bay into a saltwater body. The hurricane also swept out the foundation of Grayton Beach's largest home, giving it the name the Wash-A-Way. The storm blew away a good portion of the dunes, leaving the beach flat and hard enough, Butler said, that he and a friend drove a Model T along the shoreline to see what was left of Destin.
http://graytonbeach.com/butler.html
Van Ness R. "Van" Butler Sr., of Grayton Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully on Aug. 25, 2000, at the age of 96. He was born in Canova, S.D., on Sept. 21, 1903, and arrived in DeFuniak Springs with his parents, Willis H. and Elsie Holmes Butler, and family in 1907.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Helen Enzor Butler; brothers, Bert Butler and James Butler; and sisters, Alice Kennedy and Ruth Gardner. Survivors include his son, Van Ness R. Butler Jr. and his wife, Jonnye, of Grayton Beach; daughters, Helen Janice Toole of Grayton Beach and Elsie Gretchen Enfinger of Tallahassee, Fla.; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Van grew up in DeFuniak Springs, where he graduated from Walton High School in 1922, and attended Palmer College. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1926 and began a teaching career in Point Washington and Santa Rosa Beach that same year. Van married Helen Enzors, also a teacher, in 1929. Van taught and was principal of what is now Bay Middle School and also the old Cessna Built School in Santa Rosa for over 30 years. He was honored for his educational contributions by having a new elementary school in South Walton named for him in 1996.
Van homesteaded 80 acres of land in Grayton Beach in 1926. In 1936, he inherited additional property in Grayton Beach and began a second career in the summer season selling lots and renting cottages. In 1938, he built a store and recreation hall in Grayton Beach, where many generations of young people gathered to dance and get acquainted. The building is now a popular restaurant known as the Red Bar.
Van helped organize Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative to bring power to South Walton in 1942 and served on their first board of directors. In the 1950s, he worked with C.H. McGee to get the first telephones in South Walton. He also built the first water system south of the bay in 1939. Over the years, he served his community in many roles.
Beach Lover
Thanks Kurt. As usual you really provided some great information.
So, in other words, the bay used to be just another (huge) coastal lake? Wow. And I promise to never disgrace his legacy again by acting goofy at the Red Bar.
So, in other words, the bay used to be just another (huge) coastal lake? Wow. And I promise to never disgrace his legacy again by acting goofy at the Red Bar.
Beach Fanatic
That's neat info about the bay. Never knew that
Admin
Click to read more. http://graytonbeach.com/history.html
The salt content was much lower before East Pass existed - we used to have lots of oysters and other critters that are gone now.
The salt content was much lower before East Pass existed - we used to have lots of oysters and other critters that are gone now.
SoWal Expert
Click to read more. http://graytonbeach.com/history.html
The salt content was much lower before East Pass existed - we used to have lots of oysters and other critters that are gone now.
even lobsters I am told, though very few people ate the cockroaches of the sea.
Beach ComberAuthor
Thank you, y'all are much more welcoming than other message boards I've been on.
Is this the little girl next door (JT) that played with my daughter Jancy Steele?
Well, I do remember Jancy, but I never played with her. That was my older sister Jennifer. I'm Jennifer's younger sister Julie.
Welcome! I'm not technically kin to you, but your dad is my cousin's cousin.
That's cool! Which cousin?
My daughter is very proud to go to Van R. Butler. Can you tell us anything about him? She would love a good story to tell her class. Especially one that comes straight from a descendant.
Well, I have very random memories of "grandpa" as we called him. I mostly remember what his house was like and going to play in his toy room and visiting him before we went to the beach. We would also have lemonade sells in front of his house.
I have heard lots of stories from my dad and grandma, though. His nurse used to bring him down to the beach on the boardwalk before sunset. He would go to watch all the people that were there (mostly the women) lol.
My dad says that one of his favorite foods was pickled pigs feet.
He was also like the only Gators fan in our family. He had a big team blanket on his bed.
We used to go to his house alot to eat fish that we caught and stuff.
I can't remember much right now, but I'll search my head while I try to sleep tonight for more. : )
Is this the little girl next door (JT) that played with my daughter Jancy Steele?
Well, I do remember Jancy, but I never played with her. That was my older sister Jennifer. I'm Jennifer's younger sister Julie.
Welcome! I'm not technically kin to you, but your dad is my cousin's cousin.
That's cool! Which cousin?
My daughter is very proud to go to Van R. Butler. Can you tell us anything about him? She would love a good story to tell her class. Especially one that comes straight from a descendant.
Well, I have very random memories of "grandpa" as we called him. I mostly remember what his house was like and going to play in his toy room and visiting him before we went to the beach. We would also have lemonade sells in front of his house.
I have heard lots of stories from my dad and grandma, though. His nurse used to bring him down to the beach on the boardwalk before sunset. He would go to watch all the people that were there (mostly the women) lol.
My dad says that one of his favorite foods was pickled pigs feet.
He was also like the only Gators fan in our family. He had a big team blanket on his bed.
We used to go to his house alot to eat fish that we caught and stuff.
I can't remember much right now, but I'll search my head while I try to sleep tonight for more. : )
Beach Lover
even lobsters I am told, though very few people ate the cockroaches of the sea.
I saw a lady send some raw oysters back to the kitchen one time because a fly had landed on them.
SoWal Expert
Is this the little girl next door (JT) that played with my daughter Jancy Steele?
Well, I do remember Jancy, but I never played with her. That was my older sister Jennifer. I'm Jennifer's younger sister Julie.
So you are not a Steele, but your name is Julie and you have an older sister named Jennifer? Coincidence? Interesting.
Beach ComberAuthor
So you are not a Steele, but your name is Julie and you have an older sister named Jennifer? Coincidence? Interesting.
No, I'm not related to them. They would stay next door to my grandma's house and Jancy and my sister Jennifer played togethor lol.
No, I'm not related to them. They would stay next door to my grandma's house and Jancy and my sister Jennifer played togethor lol.
SoWal Expert
So you are not a Steele, but your name is Julie and you have an older sister named Jennifer? Coincidence? Interesting.
No, I'm not related to them. They would stay next door to my grandma's house and Jancy and my sister Jennifer played togethor lol.
You do know Jennifer, Julie, and Joy Steele though?
Beach Lover
I saw a lady send some raw oysters back to the kitchen one time because a fly had landed on them.
Blasphemy!!!!! If flies weren't so important to the food chain I'd say eliminate all those pesky bastidges....and skeeters too.
:idea:
Admin
SJ that reminds me I saw "The Fisherman and His Wife" last week and Jenn was great of course.
Beach Lover
SJ that reminds me I saw "The Fisherman and His Wife" last week and Jenn was great of course.
And, by the way, Kurt, Jenn said you make a great duck quack! :clap_1: Have you thought about the stage? 😀
Beach Fanatic
As far as the cousins - that would be Van & Donna. Van Ness' wife, Jonnye, is my late mom's sister.
However, I grew up here with all "the grandchildren" and now many of our kids are growing up here with each other too. I am often asked if I'm kin to the Infingers and we all laugh and say we might as well be, because that's easier than explaining why we aren't.
Also, I'm kin by marriage to the Butlers through the other side of my family too. Van Ness' cousin, Albert, is married to my late dad's sister. (Freaked out yet?) It is truly a small world.
Grandpa Butler once explained to me that he wanted to go to FSU but they wouldn't let him in. See, back then it was all-female (and you've been told how he liked to look at the ladies!). :twisted:
However, I grew up here with all "the grandchildren" and now many of our kids are growing up here with each other too. I am often asked if I'm kin to the Infingers and we all laugh and say we might as well be, because that's easier than explaining why we aren't.
Also, I'm kin by marriage to the Butlers through the other side of my family too. Van Ness' cousin, Albert, is married to my late dad's sister. (Freaked out yet?) It is truly a small world.
Grandpa Butler once explained to me that he wanted to go to FSU but they wouldn't let him in. See, back then it was all-female (and you've been told how he liked to look at the ladies!). :twisted:
Admin
And, by the way, Kurt, Jenn said you make a great duck quack! :clap_1: Have you thought about the stage? 😀
Life is a stage. :lol:
Admin
As far as the cousins - that would be Van & Donna. Van Ness' wife, Jonnye, is my late mom's sister.
However, I grew up here with all "the grandchildren" and now many of our kids are growing up here with each other too. I am often asked if I'm kin to the Infingers and we all laugh and say we might as well be, because that's easier than explaining why we aren't.
Also, I'm kin by marriage to the Butlers through the other side of my family too. Van Ness' cousin, Albert, is married to my late dad's sister. (Freaked out yet?) It is truly a small world.
Grandpa Butler once explained to me that he wanted to go to FSU but they wouldn't let him in. See, back then it was all-female (and you've been told how he liked to look at the ladies!). :twisted:
We are all related. Just start a family tree sometime and you'll see it's never ending.
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