Although born in Jacksonville, and now making her home in Boonesville, Virginia, Miss Anne Harwick’s maternal families span four generations of old New River County (Baker, Bradford and Union). Her grandmother Nellie, while still at home on her father Mose Barber’s plantation, killed an Indian in 1840 by pouring burning bacon grease on him. Only 12 years of age, she saved her father’s important bossslave Jason from being brained by the Indian attacker. Miss Harwick’s grandfather Joe Hale was the ancestor of many Union County citizens of that name.
Miss Harwick is a graduate of Florida State University and Tulane University, and was a member of the first U.S. Women’s Olympic Team in Paris in the year 1922. In that same year she broke the world’s record in javelin throwing for women.
Among her first jobs was medical social worker for Baker County, and was greatly responsible for helping eradicate the tuberculosis problem here. She wrote a sports column for a weekly Jacksonville newspaper, and from 1952 to 1966, she was a medical social worker at Blue Ridge Sanatorium in Charlottesville, Virginia.
When she retired, she fulfilled a plan made with Mr. Willard Finley of Baker County to write a book based on her experiences among her friends, relatives and cases in the county. In 1968, “Possum Trot” was published. A small, absorbing book, there are few morals taught, no seat gripping plot, but it is thoroughly readable and entertaining. The dialect is the truest southern “Cracker” and Black speech, ever attempted to date and “older heads” will have a great time identifying the characters who are weaved, colorfully and believably, throughout the story.
... and The Dr. Shuey House.
The Dr. Shuey House was built before the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1888 and the survivors sold out to T.W. and Ina Sessions Williams. After Mr. Williams’ death, his widow sold the house to Mr. Tom Carroll.
Originally from South Carolina, “Uncle Tom” effectively and honestly executed his duties of public office and church for many years. There were two families of northern-born Shueys at Macclenny. Only Shuey Avenue stands as a reminder of them. The house is now the home of Mrs. Cecil (Alma) Geiger.
This column was originally published in The Press in 1975 as part of the late Gene Barber's series "The Way It Was."