Why I love Jackson County, Florida

Many people stop by and take pictures of James and Fannie Ray Reeves home place in Jackson Co FL. Some stand across the road and others come up and ask if it is alright to take a few. It is always alright.

Located on Hwy 273 just south of Peanut Rd (Hwy169) about 1/8 mile on east side of road.

James Reeves father had the place before him and they don't change a thing if does not fall down. Even the cloths line post out back has that great moss growing on them. I love to sit on the back porch and listen to Circle City Radio Station (Dothan AL for all you out of state people).

It is so quite and peaceful unless a car or truck goes by and losses their hubcaps on the bumps at the stop sign. But not to worry James Reeves goes out and picks them up and hangs them on the side of his barn until they come back looking for them. One year my sister Helen James Potter was up there in a new truck and she loss all her hubcaps and when she was telling James and Fannie Ray about it they just laughed, they had all of them.  

James Reeves and his brother Crib Reeves use to survey the fields for the government to tell people how much acreage they could plant in certain crops. So he is a wealth of information about the Jackson County. I could sit on the porch and listen (and I have many nights) to him and his neighbors talk of coon hunting and the war and how it used to be.  A Mr Bruner was there one night and they got to talking about the wars and military service. (I could go on forever about that.)

One of the things I love most is Fannie Ray's cooking. She shells butter beans before they get very big. If you have never had a pot of them you don't know what eating is. She shells pecans and freezes them and sells them to me and other people.  She used to milk a cow and make butter and butter milk. She had to give that up as it is to much for her. Fanny Ray had a little motor with paddles on top of the big crock and it turn real slow and make the butter real good. I always brought home lots of butter and pecans. Fanny Ray makes great home made pies and cakes and the little tea cakes.  Last time I was there her dog had died and she said she was not getting another one. I loved the little dog to.

Fanny Ray and James love to play cards and any time they can get a card game going it is a wonderful afternoon for them. They were told they could have lots of money for the trees on their property and James said he didn't need money as much as he needed to look at those trees.

For years James has visited many people in the nursing homes and hospital, taking some little thing Fanny Ray had cooked or made. This is his way of keeping in touch and many times I have been there and he says I have to go make my rounds they will be looking for me.

I see right now I got to go back  to Jackson County to refuel my soul. There is just something about the dirt and air there that calms the mind and washes away the grim of life.

Circle Drive of James Reeves and Fannie Ray Miles Reeves home place.
(Photo by Sandra High Mclin)

Corn Crib at James and Fannie Ray (Miles) Reeves home place.
(Photo by Sandra High McLin)

James and Fannie Ray Reeves

The kitchen - were all my dreams come true...Betty

Betty Mae James Smith, Sylvia Smith, Patricia Smith
and Aunt Veleta Auston Miles (half sister of Charles Alfers James)
December 1983

Aunt Veleta Austin/Auston wife of Jason David Miles
(holding Ruth Miles Alsobrooks)
Veleta Miles is mother of Fannie Ray Miles

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Date last modified:

Web Page by
Betty James Smith
7 Jan 2000