Tuesday, March 1, 2011

History of Rosewood, Florida

I got the following text in E-mail today. According to this, the movie Rosewood fit the historical record pretty closely.

Founding of Rosewood


Rosewood was established around 1870 in Levy County, Florida on a road leading to Cedar Key and the Gulf of Mexico. It took its name from the abundant red cedar that grew in the area. It prospered as the Florida Railroad established a small depot to handle the transport of cedar wood to the pencil factory in Cedar Key and the transportation of timber, turpentine rosin, citrus, vegetables, and cotton. In 1890 the cedar depleted and many of the white families moved to Sumner, three (3) miles west of Rosewood and worked at the newfound saw mill established by Cummer and Sons. By 1900 Rosewood had a black majority of citizens.

Rosewood Massacre


On the morning of January 1, 1923 Fannie Coleman Taylor of Sumner Florida, claimed she was assaulted by a black man. Although she was not seriously injured and was able to describe what happened she allegedly remained unconscious for several hours due to the shock of the incident. No one disputed her account and no questions were asked. It was assumed she was reporting the incident accurately.
Sarah Carrier a black woman from Rosewood, who did the laundry for Fannie Taylor and was present on the morning of the incident, claimed the man that assaulted Fannie Taylor was her white lover. It was believed the two lovers quarreled and he abused Fannie and left. However, in 1923 no one questioned Fannie Taylor's account and no one asked Sarah Carrier about the incident. The black community claimed Fannie Taylor was only protecting herself from scandal.

A posse was summoned and tracking dogs were ordered by James Taylor, Fannie Taylor’s husband and the foreman at Cummer and Sons saw mill. The local white community became aroused at the alleged abuse of a white woman by a black man, which was an unpardonable sin against black men back then to look at a white woman. James Taylor summoned help from Levy County and neighboring Alachua County, who was ending a staged Klu Klux Klan rally leading up to January 1, 1923, on the court house square in downtown Gainesville, where a large number of KKK members had been rallying and marching in opposition of justice for black people.

A telegraph sent to Gainesville in regards to Fannie Taylor’s allegations provoked four to five hundred Klansmen that headed to Sumner at the appeal of James Taylor. With reaping tension displayed they willingly accepted the invitation and came to Sumner with a vengeance to participate at any cost necessary. They arrived enraged and combed the woods behind the Taylor’s home looking for a suspect. Suspicion soon fell on Jesse Hunter an allegedly black man who had allegedly had recently escaped from a convict road gang. No proof of the escape was ever provided.

The posse confronted Sam Carter at his home and Carter allegedly admitted to helping Hunter escape. Allegedly the posse forced Carter to take them to the place where he last saw Hunter. Carter allegedly took the posse to where he parted ways with Hunter. When no trace of Hunter could be found the posse turned into an out of control lynch mob and tortured Carter, riddled him with bullets and hung him from a tree.
The posse continued their hunt in Rosewood. They found Aaron Carrier, cousin and friend, to Sam Carter, in bed at his Sarah Carrier’s house, yanked him out of bed, tied a rope around his neck and dragged him behind a Model “T” from Rosewood to Sumner. They tortured him, beat him with gun butts and kicked him until he lost consciousness before shooting him.

Levy County Sherriff Bob Walker aborted the shooting when he yelled, “Don’t, I’ll finish the “N” off. The magic “N” word saved Carrier’s life. The posse returned to Rosewood to hunt for Sylvester Carrier. Sheriff Walker threw Aaron Carrier in his Model “T” taking him to Gainesville, Alachua County jail and begged Sheriff James Ramsey to hide Carrier from the public and his family until tempers settled down and suggested he get medical help for him. Sheriff Ramsey brought in two local black doctors, Dr. Parker and Dr. Ayers to treat Carrier for six months unknowingly to the public and his family.
Fuming with anger because they had not found the attacker James Taylor sent Sylvester Carrier a message “We are coming to get you” the night of January 2nd, all hell broke loose in Rosewood when the mob returned with guns for a showdown, “to kill or be killed” because they were dissatisfied with the lack of success they anticipated. The mob formed a "party of citizens" to discuss how to investigate and accomplish their mission to find and silence Sylvester Carrier, who had become a lightning rod for their anger. Unbeknownst to the posse Sylvester Carrier took heed to the threats and made contact with his Levy County friends who bravely traveled to Rosewood to help avert the planned ambush of its citizens.

After dark the posse traveled to Rosewood prepared to kill or be killed. It had come down to Sylvester Carrier’s recruited men or the mob. The posse, intoxicated with moonshine and ignorance was met head-on with resistance and several were killed or injured, however, not accurately reported in the “all white” 1923 newspapers. When the gun battle ended the posse that was able to return to Sumner, did return, leaving behind their guns. Others lay dead and wounded in Sarah Carrier’s yard.

When the massacre ended that morning before dawn Sylvester Carrier’s friends returned to their homes as they came, quietly “the back way” and went to work at Sumner saw mill and other places of employment the next day as if nothing happened. They never spoke openly about the Rosewood Massacre.
The posse started firing upon arrival. Henry Andrews, an Otter Creek resident and C. Poly Wilkerson, a Sumner merchant were killed by Sylvester Carrier when they kicked in the door of his mother’s home, who they shot and killed through a window as she was walking through the house to quiet the children. Someone stationed in the house screamed, “Oh my God, Aunt Sarah’s been shot and Sylvester yelled, “SHOOT EVERYBODY, SHOOT!”

The posse realized too late they were encircled by resisting black men hiding in the dark pumping hails of lead to protect the Rosewood citizens, women and children, barricaded in the Carrier’s home. Hails of gun fire came from under the house, from behind the house and behind the barn. Hours later, the fight ended in a blood bath that surprised the surviving posse as they mosey back to Sumner in disbelief, pain, and shame.
The broken posse returned to Sumner to regroup and wait for Sheriff Walker, who they refused to listen to earlier, bring them an update. However, gun shots being fired in the air at Rosewood kept the posse at bay until the Sheriff was able to finalize the escape route for the Rosewood citizens. For sure guns belonging to the posse, dead and injured, were left in Rosewood and unaccounted for in Sumner. The sound of shots being fired in Rosewood signified that there was still life in Rosewood and the posse was not in a hurry to return risking more lives in defense of Fannie Taylor's horrific lies.

James Taylor sent the posse to Rosewood to participate in the attack on Rosewood citizens although he never left Sumner surviving all physical harm. The posse now sought Sheriff Bob Walker to inquire about Rosewood’s state of affairs but the Sheriff was too busy negotiating with the Cedar Key train conductors, the Bryce Brothers, on how to move the citizens out of Rosewood safely.

January 3rd, when the shotgun firing ceased some Rosewood citizens escaped into the swamp land under the cover of fear, hiding out and waiting for the train to come and bring them to safety. Other citizens hiding in Sarah Carrier’s house knew they had to leave their Rosewood homes before the posse returned, therefore, they fled to store merchant John Wright’s home unannounced as instructed by Sheriff Bob Walker. John Wright was in total shock to see his store customers arrived at his home seeking refuge. They were instructed to wait there in hiding until they heard back from the Sheriff who was traveling back and forth to Cedar Key, Sumner, and Rosewood in an effort to move them safely out of Rosewood on the 4 AM early morning train conducted by the Bryce Brothers from Bryceville, Fla.

Lexie Gordon sent her children to John Wright’s home for safekeeping although she was left in her home too ill to flee. When the posse returned to Rosewood days later to make an assessment of the damages they revengefully shot and killed her. Gordon’s home and other Rosewood homes were burglarized before burning them down.

James Carrier, an animal trapper, who had suffered a stroke a few years earlier was the husband to Amma Carrier, the father of Aaron Carrier, and brother-in-law to Sarah Carrier, was ordered to dig his own grave and was shot and killed because he knew nothing about what was happening in Rosewood when he returned from his animal traps deep down in the woods.

On Sunday morning the posse returned and one by one angrily burned the last remaking structures belonging to the black community. The homes were burned because they did not want the public to know the real truth, “more than two whites were killed.” Therefore, they burned the evidence, bodies and all. “Until the Lion tells his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”

Rosewood Aftermath


On February 12th, 1923 a special grand jury was empanelled to investigate the massacre. After twenty-five white and allegedly eight black witnesses testified the jurors reported that they could find no evidence on which to base any indictments.

The Black community of Rosewood never returned. Many left for other cities and counties losing touch with each other never sharing the Rosewood story with family members. And a number changed their names including Aaron and Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier, Rosewood’s historians and school teacher. She was born Mahulda Gussie Brown May 5, 1894, in Archer, Alachua County, Florida. She married Aaron Carrier December 19, 1917. After the Rosewood tragedy they moved more than fifteen times escaping accumulated fear. They changed their name to Aaron and Mahulda G. Carroll. They even changed their birth dates.
Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier/Carroll lived in fear until death April 25, 1948, Tampa, Florida at the Clara Frye hospital. Her name is listed “Mahulda G. Carroll” on her headstone.

The Real Rosewood Website owner, Lizzie Polly Robinson Brown Jenkins’, mother strongly encouraged her to preserve Rosewood history never forgetting her Rosewood sister, Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier/Carroll’s suffrage. At present, Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier-Carroll is remembered and featured in the 2000 Great Floridians Magazine. Her name is included in the script on the Rosewood Historic Marker. Her name and a photo of the historic marker is listed in the third edition of the Florida Black Heritage Trail. Carrier is also featured in a book, Alachua County Florida, marketed online by Florida Magazine. Jenkins’ Rosewood reconstructive research is dedicated to the Rosewood survivors and descendants in memory of Rosewood culture.

January 1, 2000, a plaque bearing Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier’s name hangs on the porch of the Archer Train Depot, the same depot Carrier exited January 4, 1923, driven by the Bryce Brothers.
Rosewood, a small majority black town in Levy County was destroyed by a vigilante posse in 1923. May 4, 1994. The Florida Legislature agreed to compensate the massacre’s survivors and descendants. Compensation disbursed to Aaron Carrier proven in-laws and Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier sister, Theresa Brown Robinson and brother, Richard Brown, sister-in-laws Queenie Jones Brown Monroe and Marie Brown Randle each received $3,333.33. Carrier niece Arbeaulah “Helen” Brown Porter Warmack and nephew Addison P. Brown, Jr., each received $1,616.16. Carrier nieces Elizabeth Crawford Mulligan and Bernice Crawford, niece-in-law Mabel Thomas Crawford and nephew Charlie Crawford each received $833.33, for a collective total of $19,900.96 paid to Aaron and Mahulda Gussie Brown Carrier family from the state of Florida compensation fund.

Ten years from the date of the signing of the Rosewood bill by Governor Lawton Chiles, Governor Jeb Bush dedicated a Historic Marker in Rosewood May 4, 2004, in memory of the Rosewood citizens. This is a historic compilation of Jenkins at work preserving Rosewood history, a promise she has lived up to in honor of her mother’s principles and recorded family history. This summary of Rosewood’s history is not research, it’s resource.

Their land was confiscated under tax sales and not until 1994 did the state or any public entity offer an apology or make any compensation.



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Is there a Connection Between Jesus and Perseus?

I actually like the story of Perseus. He manages to save a damsel in distress, save his Mother, and kill the Medusa. Nice guy. There is an internet meme going around trying to assert that Perseus was the model for what Christians say Jesus is,. Just how much like Jesus is Perseus? Not at all. Here is a list of how much Perseus is not like Jesus. using the standard points that are claimed to be common between Jesus and Perseus. I'm going to add my comments in italics,



According to the critic here, Perseus:

1)  Had a god for a father
Yes, his father was Zeus


2)  Had a human virgin for a mother.
In some versions, this is true, though the details hardly match those of Mary.  According to the legend, his mother was Danae, son of Acrisius.  An oracle told Acrisius that his grandson would kill him, so he shut Danae in a bronze room or tower.  Zeus came through the roof and sent a shower of gold into Danae's lap, which grew into Perseus.


5)  Had his birth announced by a heavenly display.
I'm finding no reference to this for Perseus  

Neither could I.

6)  Had his birth announced by celestial music.
I'm finding no reference to this for Perseus (or for Jesus, for that matter).

Neither could I.

7)  Was born about DEC-25
I can't find any sources giving any birth date for Perseus.  And once again, Jesus wasn't born on Dec 25

8)  Had an attempt on his life by a tyrant when he was still an infant.
Again, true.  Again, not really comparable to Jesus.  When Perseus' grandfather, Acrisius, found out that he existed, he locked Perseus and his mother in a trunk and set it adrift in the sea.

However it does sound like Moses. They must have stolen it, Moses came first.

9)  Met with a violent death.
Depends on which version you read.  In many versions, Perseus battles Dionysus.  In some version, Dionysus slays Perseus.  In others, Perseus slays Dionysus.  In others, they slay each other.  In others, neither is slain.  Even in those in which he dies, the story doesn't match Jesus at all.

 Although I would say Dionysus was demonic like the Devil, the Greeks did not see it that way. None of the Gospels don't match such convolution at all. 

10)  rose again from the dead.
Not in any version.

This is one of the main points.  Jesus died but he didn't stay dead. Perseus did.  I picked the images on this post because it was on the cross that Jesus won his greatest victory and juxtapose it with Perseus' greatest moment. Ask yourself what good is it to you if Perseus' story is true. What does it matter to you if Medusa was killed. But what about Jesus? Because of his victory, those who put their faith in Jesus we can have victory over sin and death. Jesus wins this one just like He always does.

UPDATE
Ryan Anderson wrote a comment prompting an update to this post. He claims that there is a reference to Perseus being resurrected and that it is likely that the Gospel writers were inspired by the Perseus myth.

Only one writer of the Gospels was a Gentile. There is no reason at all to think that Perseus inspired the Gospels in any way. Sure would like to see you prove otherwise, Ryan. In what ways are the Gospel accounts of Jesus similar to Perseus?

I looked up the reference you mentioned in "Proitos and Danae". I did find a reference in a book on page 300 entitled "Python: a study of Delphic myth and its origins" By Joseph Eddy Fontenrose. It's actually in Google Books at this link Fontenrose wrote that Persus came back from the darkness with the help of Hermes and Athena. He equates this resurrection. How is this Resurrection? Perseus did not die and return to life. Instead, he was on his quest so long that people thought he died. The writers of the Gospels said Jesus actually physically died and then rose again. This isn't the same thing.

I found another reference to Resurrection and Perseus. It is found at this link. The author makes a reference to Perseus' name meaning "breaker". The author ties this to Perseus freeing Andromeda from the chains she was bound to and calling them the chains of death - thus deriving resurrection as being freed from death. Of course to get this some serious gymnastics were used through Hebrew and Greek that can't be substantiated. For example Romans 16:3 is given as a reference where the Greek form Perses, or Perseus can be found and its alleged that it's related to the Hebrew word "peretz". When one looks at what Romans 16:3 says:

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. - Romans 16:3

I see nothing in the verse that says what the author says it does. I think that more and destroys the author's argument that Perseus' experience has anything to do with resurrection.

There is another link I have seen at the link at Hero's Journey. However, it does not help make the case of proving that Perseus was resurrected.

If Ryan Anderson,or anyone, is willing to make an argument proving that the Gospel account comes from Perseus life, I'd like to see it. Any takers?


Links:
Pre-Christian Sources:
Apollodorus on Perseus (2nd century B.C.)
Ovid, "Perseus And Atlas" (Late 1st century B.C. or early 1st century A.D.)


Sources
http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_heroes05.htm
http://www.kingdavid8.com/Copycat/JesusPerseus.html
http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/perseus.html
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The Dunamis Word: Calling The Community From Death To Life

Back in the day we called the part of the service where people declare personally what God has done for them "Testimonies". In my church today we call them "Praise Report" because people have forgotten what a Testimony to God's grace and goodness looks like. On his blog, Elder Burnett has posted videos of two women who know what a testimony is supposed to b - not just told but lived out. Who says that God no longer intervenes in people's lives. Not them. Or me.









The Dunamis Word: Calling The Community From Death To Life
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Ten Presuppositions of Science - Apologetics 315

Here is a post from Brian Auten listing 10 basic presuppositions of science. These are assumptions that many people take for grant it. I don't think that all of them are necessarily true but I think many people believe it.

Here is a list of some of the presuppositions of science:

(1) the existence of a theory-independent, external world;
(2) the orderly nature of the external world;
(3) the knowability of the external world;
(4) the existence of truth;
(5) the laws of logic;
(6) the reliability of our cognitive and sensory faculties to serve as truth gatherers and as a source of justified true beliefs in our intellectual environment;
(7) the adequacy of language to describe the world;
(8) the existence of values used in science (e.g., "test theories fairly and report test results honestly");
(9) the uniformity of nature and induction;
(10) the existence of numbers.1

The one presupposition that I can't fully agree with is number 6 because sin greatly diminishes our cognitive abilities to understand truth. And given that our sensory faculties are woefully inadequate because all of our senses can be fooled or give false information  - relying on them 100% to determine truth is extremely problematic.

Ten Presuppositions of Science - Apologetics 315
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Reasons To Believe - Were Hominids Human?

Dr Fazale Rana answers the question are hominids human?

Were hominids human? (3:03)


Video Question and Answers | Reasons To Believe
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