Family:Thomas Reddick and Useby Reddick (1)

Thomas Reddick Time line;

1827 Redick, Thomas Warren County Latimers Lee County 1 3 62

1830 Census Bibb Co.Georgia: Thomas Reddik,

1840 Census Bibb Co.Georgia: Thomas Reddick,

1845 Walton Co. Florida Tax Index: Thomas Reddick,

1846 Walton Co. Florida Tax Index: Thomas Reddick,

1850 ???,

1860 Census Walton Co. Florida Thomas Reddick,

1870 Census Walton Co. Florida Thomas Reddick,

1880 Census Walton Co. Florida Thomas Reddick,

book: From Andersonville to Freedom

One morning we met a man on horseback. As he saw us as soon as we saw him we held conversation with him. He mistook us for Confederate soldiers,--stragglers and deserters. Among other things he told us the Yankee gunboats were thirty miles away at East Pass, which is a narrow channel connecting Choctawhatchee bay with the Gulf of Mexico, at the east end of Santa Rosa Island. The nearest land forces of the Union were at Pensacola, at least one hundred miles away. This we had studied out on our map. But we well knew that we had not strength to reach Pensacola. The man was going to his field to dig sweet-potatoes, and his son, a lad of fifteen, followed with cattle and cart.

               The man went to his work and we held a council.  We resolved to tell the man our story and appeal to him for help.  Crandall went to him in the field, and after some conversation with him, said:  "If I tell you our story, will you promise not to do us harm, if you do not choose to help us?"  With some reluctance he said, "yes."  Crandall briefly told the story.  The man considered it the most remarkable experience he had ever heard.  That three men had come so far through such a country, been out so long, and all remained well and come through together, was almost beyond belief.

               He then told the main points of his own experience in the war.  When the war broke out he owned ninety slaves, now not one.  The Yankee blockaders had destroyed his sloop, worth $1500.  Four of his sons had been killed in the Confederate army.  Naturally, he would not be inclined to help the Yankees.  "But," said he, "I have a heart, and seeing your helpless condition will aid you."

               He had a skiff secreted in one place, and oars in another, for the Yankees had destroyed everything they could find that would float.  These were produced; we were rowed across Alaqua bayou and set down by a path which we were told would lead us to the house of a Union man named Wright.  The name of the man who rendered us this valuable aid was Thomas Reddick.  I will only say:  "He was a man."  We followed the path and found Mr. Wright at work in his yard.  We told him our story, informed him who had sent us, and that we understood he was a Union man.

                                                    Euchee Anna, Fla., Aug. 16, 1885.

Mr. A.A. Crandall,

               Dear Sir:  

               Your letter at hand.  I am the man you seen when you were down here  and I live eight miles north of where I lived when you seen me.  George Brown is dead.  He was trying to murder a young man and he knocked him off the boat in the Gulf of Mexico and he drowned.  Mr. Thomas Reddick is in Jackson County if he is still alive.  I will inquire and see if I can find his Post Office.  Please write me where the other two men are and how they are getting along.  I would be glad to see you and them if you can come and see me I would be very glad.  I am getting very old and have nearly lost my eyesight which makes it difficult for me to work.  I will close

                                          Yours Truly,

                                                  Eli Wright.

P.S. Brown has no children.

My wife says write her a long letter for she wants to know how the young man got after he left the house.

                                                   Polly Wright.

               Send your letter in care of Walker Bowers."

                                                   Letter No. 2

                                                                       Freeport, Oct. 7, 1885.

Mr. A. A. Crandall,

    Dear Sir:

    I seen a letter from you making inquiry of Reddick that seen 3 men here in 64.  I can say to you that I set 3 men across alaquaw bayo the last of the war they said they had got out of prison and wanted to get home one of them was a doctor.  I carried 2 of them over and came after the other for my boat was small an I could not take them all at once they gave me six dollars in Greenbacks an one of them said he wanted to give me more but would remember me as long as they lived they told me that they kep their money in a ball of thread my Father was with me we was working in some potatoes on the bayo  Father stayed on the beech with one while I carried 2 over  Father told them how to get to old man Eli Wrights an he would direct them how to get to east pass where the Yankes was they wrot our names down when I carried the last one over I was 15 years old then thats all I recollet about it now.

                                                           Respectfully yours,

                                                                 George W. Reddick.

My post office Freeport Walton County Florida."