In a remote cemetery off Robinson Street in Santa Rosa County, Florida a lone grave lies in a peaceful cemetery next to Blackwater Bay. Two interesting occupants of that cemetery lie within ten feet from each other each with a different story.
One of those graves is occupied by Professor Samuel A. Bullard who was born in Almond, Cleburne County, Arkansas. He was the son of a local farmer, John Chester Bullard (1835-1908) and Winfred "Jennie" Mathewson Smale (1840-1938). His mother would reach a certain degree of notoriety when she enlisted in the Union army during the Civil War. She served in various duty assignments with her medical unit from 1861 to 1865 such as Savannah, Memphis, Chicago, and Farmington, Mississippi. She would later marry a soldier although which of her four husbands it was, is unknown. Her Florida death record lists that she was divorced from John Kennedy and that her father's name was Smale. Background sources include "The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912."
Little is known about her son Samuel especially where he may have earned the title of "professor" per his tombstone. There is nothing in his background to indicate any academic pursuits. Samuel would marry Daisy Mae O'Daniel (1886-1966) on October 23, 1909 in Pulaski County, Arkansas. His wife was married four times in 1902, 1909, 1912, and 1920 of which Samuel was her second husband. The couple may or may not have followed his mother to Pensacola but regardless he wound up in Santa Rosa County. There he earned a living as a fisherman and oysterman to support his family. At one time, they were living in the Indian Springs area and he was a laborer at the local sawmill.
On January 15, 1912, he sailed out into Blackwater Bay from his home off Robinson Point He is believed to have been alone but either way he never returned home that night. A search was sent out on Tuesday, January 16 and they found his 30' boat overturned still with a full set of sails just off "Red Fish Point." There was no sign of Samuel at all however they knew that weather, even far out into the Gulf, had been terrible of late. Therefore, they surmised that he was washed or fell overboard in a squall and was drowned. Another report said another man was with him and that the boat was anchored but regardless of either story his body had not been located as late as January 23. No further information came forth therefore is his remains located in his grave or is the tombstone just a memorial? His wife Daisy would remarry within the year before passing away on October 16, 1966 with her subsequent burial in St. John's Cemetery in Pensacola.
Oyster smack of the day similar to Bullard's
Pensacola News Journal 1-20-1912 page 1
Times Democrat 1-20-1912 page 7
Times Democrat 1-222-1912 page 3
Storms raging across the Gulf
Samuel A. Bullard's gravestone in the Robinson
Point Cemetery, Santa Rosa County, Florida
Father John Chester Bullard (1835-1908)
Mother Winfred "Jennie"
Mathewson Smale Bullard (1840-1938)
Union nurse during Civil War
Buried Barrancas Cemetery, Pensacola
Mother's headstone application 1938 for Barrancas Cemetery
Mother Pensacola News Journal 12-23-1938
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