Vaughan Family, Euchee Valley

[Diane Merkel]

A lady is researching the Vaughan family that settled in the Euchee Valley around 1830, along with the Andersons and the Broxtons. She is a descendant of James Vaughan.

A couple of people contacted me who are related to the Vaughans, and another man wrote, "The old Vaughan home was in Beach Grove."

Any other information will be appreciated.

Diane




HD#3

[Diane Merkel]

Information from a History Detective:

Eucheeanna Lodge No. 17 was chartered January 10, 1849. The Masonic Lodge had a David Vaughan serving as the Senior Warden during the year 1858. (Could that have been a son of the John Vaughan the woman was seeking information about?) Thomas G. Broxson--the spelling of the Lodge Rolls-- was listed as a member during 1858. No Andersons were listed for that year. However, the Grand Lodge of Florida might have records of additional years which might fill in earlier dates. Often families fail to consider that their relatives might have been Masons and they can add information about their relatives through a state Grand Lodge.

[contraryscotsman]

This quote about Vaughanville residents used on be on a Ron Jones webpage but the page is no longer active:

"According to My Recollection" - Composition dated May 10, 1938,
Dictated by Mary Isabell Baker Barker and written by her son-in-law C. B. Murdock:
"During the Indian wars that followed (ca 1837), the settlers suffered many hardships, always living in danger of being attacked by the Indians. Some time after the Indians were all driven out a party of the Vaughnville settlers who all owned cattle went on a roundup trip through a section of west Florida to get up cattle for market, but were warned before leaving by Grandfather Vaughn not to come back through Big Swamp, telling them that if there were any Indians left in the country they were in this swamp as it was a very dense forest and a good hiding place for hostile Indians. So on their way back to Vaughnville this party whose names were John McQuagge, John Anderson a brother-in-law of Mrs. Baker, Mike Vaughn her brother, a Mr. McCaskell and a Mr. McLeair decided they would attempt to come back through this big swamp since it was nearer and they did not find any Indian tracks but, to their surprise, they had not gone far before they heard the war whoop of Indians just as they had built a camp fire and began to prepare to lie down to sleep for the night. So in the bloody fight with the Indians that took place the whole party was killed except one, this being Mr. McQuagge. He somehow escaped and made his way back to Vaughnville and told what had happened. Mr. McQuagge was a cripple man, his toes all having been burned off in childhood, but in spite of this handicap he was able to escape."

And this from McKinnon's book "The History of Walton County":
"The whites killed near Gum Creek reportedly were scalped. Accounts differ as to how many whites were involved in the incident. According to available information, 'Big' John Anderson, Michael Elliot, Joseph Nelson, William Nelson, John Porter, and Michael Vaughan were killed, and Bill Caswell and Thomas Broxton survived. The White retaliatory expedition attacked the Indians on a small creek which emptied into Shoal River. The creek later was named "Battle Creek" because of this engagement.
Ibid., April 29, May 13, 1837; McKinnon, History of Walton County, 109-17."

[birddog]

Michael Vaughan Sr. settled in Alaqua in the 1820's . He was the first sheriff of Walton County . He lived in what today would be Blounts Creek area. He served during the same time Judge Henry Brackenridge was presiding over the courts in Walton County . The jail and courthouse was on Brackenridges property and house in Alaqua .The first court in the county was held there in 1830 (I've got copy of court document). Henry Ramsay was the Clerk of Courts. The Vaughans and Hardy Woods are the first settlers noted on any documents I've found.They are both noted on survey plats from James Exum during the 1820's. The Vaughans later moved to Holmes County. You can locate most of the land deeds there

[Diane Merkel]

Thank you for this information. I also replied to your personal message.

Diane

[davidm]

Oct 28, 2007 15:22:41 GMT -6 Diane Merkel said:

A lady is researching the Vaughan family that settled in the Euchee Valley around 1830, along with the Andersons and the Broxtons. She is a descendant of James Vaughan.

A couple of people contacted me who are related to the Vaughans, and another man wrote, "The old Vaughan home was in Beach Grove."

Any other information will be appreciated.

Diane




HD#3

[davidm]

Researching wife's family and found a lot of them were from Walton County.
The oldest one is Elizabeth Evans born 1832 and then married to a Vaughn, not sure which Vaughn. She had a daughter, Nancy Ann Vaughn born 1857.
Nancy was married to Robert T Fannin, not sure of the date. Robert was born in 1851. I haven't found any additional information on Robert Fannin's parents or Elizabeth Evans family and her husband.
I believe they were all from Walton County. I saw this and hoped someone might be able to help with my search.

Thanks,

David

[Diane Merkel]

David,

I may be able to help a bit.

According to notes I've made, Elizabeth B. Evans was the daughter of James and Anna Evans, and she was married to David Vaughan.

Nancy Ann Vaughn married Robert T. Fannin in 1878, and they had two children. Robert was the son of James W. and Elizabeth (Lowery) Fannin.

All of the above can be found on Findagrave.com.

I suggest you write to Wayne Sconiers, the President of the Walton County Genealogy Society. He keeps a database of over 60,000 former residents of Walton County and can usually provide a lot of information.

Best wishes,
Diane