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Archiver > FLCOLUMB > 2003-02 > 1044326152


From: "Carl Mobley" <>
Subject: Re: [FLCOLUMB] Sokum
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 21:36:34 -0500
References: <00d301c2cbe7$f0b876e0$98ab5ecc@gulfnet.com>


Soakum/Sokum/Slokum is more a state of mind and inconvenience than it is a
geographical entity. As one old timer put it, "Hit's way beyond th' fer as
y' c'n go."

It's more or less straddling Baker and Columbia Counties in the upper
reaches of the Osceola Nat'l Forest. The only community of sorts that I
knew of there was Fairview Camp, a misnomer if ever I've heard one.
Fairview Camp was the naval stores Southern Resin and Pine Company's (a
subsidiary of Roemer and Haas of Philadelphia)far out residence for mostly
black labor, a couple of strawbosses, and a woods rider. There were two
rows of white washed simple houses, mostly two rooms, three at the most for
the bigger families. A large fine house stood in the northwest corner of
the fenced in camp. That was the woodsrider's residence. There was a
commissary that sold mostly the bleakest staples and a shed for the trucks
and other equipment. Soakum was sandy, dirty, and totally devoid of any
hint of conveniences. No matter when one went to Soakum, he got stuck
either in mud during the rainy season or in sand when it was dry. Sawmills
came and went. Hunters utilized the few scattered huts in the area. My
family the Barbers used the 16,000 acres for open range pasturage for many
years. Our headquarters was a shack called the Greene Shanty. We had to
take our groceries with us, and that included a 200 pound block of ice we
packed in croaker sacks and kept in a pit lined with sawdust. The makeshift
icebox was covered with croaker sacks, sawdust, and dirt, and the ice
usually lasted a week
even in the heat of summer. Black bears visited our cow camp wreaking havoc
with our supplies. It was at Soakum that I saw for the first time a person
die. Bathing was done, when it was rarely done, in ditches after a heavy
rain. The water from the pitcher pump was sulpher (pronounced "selfer" by
the older Crackers).

I don't miss Soakum.
Gene Barber


----- Original Message -----
From: "shadri" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2003 7:54 PM
Subject: [FLCOLUMB] Sokum


> Dear List,
>
> A friend was asking about a place called SOKUM. Have any of you heard
about
> it? Where is it or where was it? Is it in Columbia County?
>
> Sharon
>
>
> ==============================
> To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records,
go to:
> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237
>
>


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