Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Monticello author Rebekah Sheats has another book on local history for you to add to your shelf. Her newest publication takes a look at Jefferson County history through a series of tales of real happenings featuring some of the fascinating, real people and places from one of Florida's oldest counties. The collection, entitled Fifteen Cents and a Pint of Ice Cream: Short Sketches of Jefferson County History, invites the reader to sit back, relax and enjoy some brief verbal snapshots that are, as the back cover says, “Touching, tragic, humorous or heart-warming.” Topics range from banks and blacksmiths to Coca-Cola companies and car thieves. There are quirky things, quandaries and even buried alligators.
“This collection of stories captures the interesting lives of farmers and businessmen, the amusing antics of former Jefferson County sheriffs, and the outlandish ideas and modes of travel that were once a daily part of Florida life,” the description continues. “Watermelons, mules and Christmas turkeys all find their way into our county’s colorful past. Each sketch is filled with fascinating and unusual tidbits of local life, bringing to life the intriguing times of long, long ago.”
Sheats says that history is fascinating but people don't often have time to sit down and read a history book.
“I wrote Fifteen Cents and a Pint of Ice Cream to give people short, easy-to-read sketches of Jefferson County history,” explains Sheats. “Each chapter focuses on a different person, business or aspect of the county, and the book is illustrated with historical and contemporary photos so people can see how things have changed over time.”
She estimates that people can polish off a chapter in about five minutes, absorbing the book's fascinating information in manageable chunks as time allows.
“Most chapters are only a few pages long,” Sheats elaborates, “and each one highlights a different aspect of our history. The photos and maps in the book also allow it to be used as a type of self-guided tour of some of the old buildings in the county and downtown Monticello. Several of the chapters appeare
d serially in abridged form in the Monticello News over the past few years.”
Historical research captivates Sheats, and she conveys her love of history with a lively writing style that illuminates the value of documents and artifacts from the past.
“Researching a book is always interesting,” she shares, “but some is more interesting than others. During my research for this book, I came across letters and documents that have been stuffed away in local attics for generations. Some of this never-before-published material now appears for the first time in this book, including a handwritten letter by blacksmith Thomas Raines written during WWII.”
This book is aimed at those who are just becoming acquainted with Jefferson County's past, but it's sure to be enjoyed by longtime Sheats fans and her fellow historians as well.
Paperback copies of Fifteen Cents and a Pint of Ice Cream are available for $14.95 locally at the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce (420 W. Washington St.) and O Happy Day Gifts (315 N. Jefferson St.) as well as online at Amazon (Kindle version also for $7.95).
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