VII. The seventh child born to Francis and Martha Sylvest was John Levi on Aug. 13, 1859. This was two years before his father homesteaded 121 acres of land in Western Washington Parish. John Levi was a short and rather stout man who wore a mustache during most of his adult life. He wandered about a great deal and settle in Florida with a family of his own before he let his folks hear from him. He loved to visit his older brother Francis Marion near Columbia, Mississippi.

He held a very close friendship with Uriah Henley and they most often traveled together. They followed the fast disappearing pine timber for John Levi was an expert saw filer by trade. This gave him a break from his log sawing and helped him to earn easier money. The pair settled on Honey Island, a plot of land situated between the two Pearl Rivers just North of Pearl River, Louisiana. They probably spent as much as ten years in this area about the turn of the century.

However, by the year 1897 John had drifted as far South as Dundee, Alabama in Geneva County and found himself a wife. Emma Drucilla Hawthorne who became his wife was born in 1872 at Dundee and died in 1928 at Wauchula, Florida. This is about five hundred miles South of her home which she and John Levi established at Bonifay, Florida soon after their marriage. Their home was actually about fourteen miles North of Bonifay in a thriving Rural community. John lived about six months longer than his beloved Emma and died in 1929. He too is buried at Wauchula.

He operated a small general store for several years as a livelihood. When this failed he purchased a Shingle Mill and set up business. The mill burned within a few years but he was able to replace it and kept on operating. He was a strong family man and did much to keep his family happy. One of the crowning experiences in his life was the purchase of a brand new pump Organ. He had learned to love Hymn singing and bought the Organ to encourage such singing in his home. Almost his entire family became members of the Union Hill Baptist Church about two miles from their home.

On New Years Day 1921, John and Emma left their home site for Wauchula, Florida a distance close to five hundred miles. Their second son, Jeneral Dewey had settled there and became successful in the flourishing vegetable producing business. Several of the other children had moved to the Southern area also. Their youngest son was only nine months old when this move was made. They were faithful to God in moving their church membership to the Wauchula Baptist Church. This move left only the older daughter at the old home site near Bonifay. Ten children were born to John and Emma Sylvest. Emma lived seven years after her move South and John lived about six months longer.

Then ten children born to John Levi and Emma Drucilla Sylvest are listed here:

A. Mollie Adrine Sylvest was born Jan. 21, 1900.
B. Jeneral Dewey Sylvest was born April 7, 1901, and died in 1960, married Lenora Vashtie Burdett.
C. Arlie Sylvest was born June 4, 1904 and died 1955, married Juanita Jones.
D. Ethel Mae Sylvest was born Oct. 12, 1905, married Lee Junnie Hanchey.
E. Corine Sylvest was born Sept. 18, 1906, married Fred William Boehme.
F. Gurtha Marie Sylvest was born May 30, 1908, married Thomas Jerome Fink.
G. Walter Murphy Sylvest was born Jan. 12, 1912.
H. Priscilla Sylvest was born Jan. 7, 1913, married James Carl Neal.
I. Johnnie Lee Sylvest was born March 17, 1916.
J. Ervin Woodrow Sylvest was born March 11, 1920, married Evelyn Louise Spray.

A. Mollie Adrine Sylvest was born Jan. 22, 1900. She was married to Cyrus Mitchell on Aug. 12, 1914, by her Pastor of the Union Hill Baptist Church. The ceremony was performed at her home by Rev. Judy. Cyrus Mitchell was born March 1, 1899. They have lived their lives in the home community situated about fourteen miles North of Bonifay, Florida on Route 1, Zip 32425. Cyrus has been a small time farmer as a livelihood raising pigs and peanuts as cash crops. He has been progressive as a local representative of his fellow farmers in the Agricultural programs of the County Agent. They have changed from the Baptist Church to become members with most of their family of the Carmel Assembly of God Church about three miles from their home. They have ten children and several of them live and own their homes nearby.

1. Harvey Mitchell was born June 21, 1916. He was married to Lena Manuel on April 18, 1939. They own their home where they live. They are active in the work of the Pentecostal Holiness Church of Randelman, North Carolina 27317. Their last known address was Route 1, Greensboro, North Carolina 27400. They have four children.

a. Harvey Gary Mitchell was born.
b. Shirley Mitchell was born
c. Patrecia Mitchell was born
d. Ronnie Mitchell was born

2. J.D. Mitchell was born Oct. 9, 1917 and died Oct. 30, 1919.
3. Theodus (T.J. or Jack) Mitchell was born Sept. 30, 1918. He was married to Bessie Lee. They live on their own farm of 120 acres of land. The address is Route 1, Bonifay, Florida 32425. They have seven children.

a. Ruth Mitchell was born May 25, 1936. She was married to William Bill Vickers, the son of Willie Vickers in 1951. Bill is employed by the Ideal Bakery of Panama City, Florida 32401. They have two children.

1. Rondy Vickers was born
2. Randy Vickers was born

b. Ray Neal Mitchell was born Jan. 4, 1939. He was married to Ellen Miller, the daughter of Lonzie Miller of Bonifay, Florida 32425.
c. Rebecca Mitchell was born Sept. 7, 1941.
d. Marvin Mitchell was born July 30, 1942.
e. James Jimmy Arthur Mitchell was born Aug. 20, 1944.
f. Leroy Mitchell was born Aug. 16, 1946.
g. Betty Sue Mitchell was born Dec. 8, 1948.

4. Preston Mitchell was born Oct. 30, 1918, died May 30, 1934.
5. Mable Louise Mitchell was born Sept. 11, 1923. She was married to Leroy Davis on April 29, 1939 and he died without issue. She was married again to Clauson Waldrop who also died without issue. She is active in the work of the First Assembly of God Church in the Melville Subdivision of Panama City, Florida. Her last known address was 1115 Fairy Ave. Panama City, Florida 32401.
6. Elouise Mitchell was born Oct. 30, 1925. She was married to Marvin Lee of Panama City. He is employed by the Ideal Bakery. They are active in the work of the First Assembly of God Church in the Melville Subdivision. They have two children.

a. Gregory Lee was born
b. Shelia Louise Lee was born June 1956.

7. Lucille Mitchell was born Sept. 30, 1928. She finished at Bethlehem High School and was married to James Moore, the son of James Pollard Moore. The ceremony was performed by Judge Black in Geneva, Alabama. She plays the piano at Carmel Assembly of God Church in their home community on Route 1, Bonifay, Florida 32425. They own their farm home there and James is a carpenter by trade. They have two children.

a. James Timothy Moore was born Dec. 20, 1950.
b. Brenda Dianne Moore was born Dec. 2, 1956.

8. C.W. Dub Mitchell was born March 6, 1930. He was married to Faye Manuel, a sister to Harvey Mitchells wife, Lena. This family of Mitchells live at Randleman, North Carolina, a suburb of Greensboro. Dub is a building contractor in the Masonry division. They are active in the Pentecostal Holiness Church of Randleman 27317. They have one son.

a. Kennith Mitchell was born.

9. J.C. Mitchell was born July 23, 1933. He was married to Minnie Joyce Turnipseed of Montgomery, Alabama. They live at 3018 Highland Ave., Montgomery, Alabama 36101. They have no children. He is employed by the Alabama State Board of Education.
10. Erline Mitchell was born Dec. 6, 1941. She finished at Bethlehem High School majoring in typing and Commerce. She is a stenographer and lives with her older sister at 1115 Fairy Ave., Panama City, Florida 32401. She sings and plays the piano.

B. Jeneral Dewey Sylvest was born April 7, 1901 near Bonifay, Florida. He passed away in 1960 and lies buried in the Wauchula Cemetery. His grave marker shows John D. Sylvest, 1901-1960, no explanation of the change from Jeneral to John was given. He was married to Lenora Vashtie Burdett who was born Aug. 25, 1900. They farmed as a livelihood on their own five acres which has been their holdings through the years. The address is Route 1, Bowling Green, Florida 33834. They have one daughter.

1. Evie Marie Sylvest was born Aug. 28, 1932. She was married to Harvey Grantham who was born Nov. 24, 1923. He is a Prospect Supervisor and they live at Bowling Green, Florida 33834. They have four children.

a. Audie Novell Grantham was born April 21, 1951.
b. Kathy Anita Grantham was born April 28, 1955.
c. Alton Lee Grantham was born March 9, 1959.
d. April Sue Grantham was born April 5, 1961.

C. Arlie Sylvest was born June 4, 1904. He passed away in 1956. He was married to Juanita Jones. They have one daughter.

1. Juanita Sylvest was born ___. Her last known address was Panama City, Florida.

D. Ethel Mae Sylvest was born Oct. 12, 1905, near Bonifay. She was married to Lee Junnie Hanchey who was born June 15, 1906. They own eighty acres of land on which they produce citrus fruits for the market and also own and manage a motel on Highway U.S. 17, North of Wauchula, Florida. They are active in the work of the First Baptist Church of Wauchula. Lee is County Commissioner or was for a number of years. Their address is Route 1, Wauchula, Florida 33873. Telephone number is PR2-5941. They have no children.

E. Corrinne Sylvest was born Nov. 18, 1906 at Bonifay. She was married to Fred William Boehme who was born July 28, 1897. He is a salesman by profession. They are baptists and live at 1616 Magnolia Ave., South Daytona, Florida 32021. They have three children.

1. William Frank Boehme was born Nov. 15, 1926. He is an engineer with a degree from the University of Florida at Gainesville.
2. Fritz Albert Boehme was born Aug. 14, 1928. He is a T.V. Service Manager by profession. He was married to Reba Trew who was born May 21, 1927. They have two children. They live on Bay Street, Holly Hill, Florida 32017.

a. Christopher Frank Boehme was born July 19, 1951.
b. Douglas Albert Boehme was born Feb. 16, 1954.

3. Jeanette Dorothy Boehme was born Oct. 3, 1940. She was married to Buddy A. McElroy, who was born Sept. 5, 1938. He is employed by the Blue Shield and Blue Cross Insurance Companies. They have one child.

a. Pamela Louise McElroy was born June 19, 1958.

F. Gurtha Marie Sylvest was born May 30, 1908 near Bonifay. She is a florist by profession. She was married to Thomas Jerome Fink, who was born Oct. 5, 1905. He is bookeeper for the County Sheriff. They are Methodists and own their home at 920 Menlo Road, Fort Meyers, Florida 33901. They have one son.

1. Carl Thomas Fink was born Feb. 20, 1926. He is in the floral business like his mother.

G. Walter Murphy Sylvest was born Jan. 12, 1912. He is a building inspector for the city of Jacksonville, Florida. He was married to Mattie Lou Peeples who was born July 7, 1917. They are Baptists and own their home at 641 Fern Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32211. They have four children.

1. Marvin Murray Sylvest was born March 19, 1940.
2. Jerald Dennis Sylvest was born Oct. 7, 1942.
3. Sandra Lou Sylvest was born Oct. 8, 1944.
4. Donnivan Larue Sylvest was born Dec. 20, 1949.

H. Priscilla Sylvest was born Jan. 7, 1913, the eighth child to John Levi Sylvest at Bonifay, Florida. She was married to James Carl Neal who was born April 18, 1909. He is a service station attendant. Priscilla is a receptionist in a dentists office. They are Baptists and own their home at 526 South 6th Ave., Wauchula, Florida 33873. They have two children.

1. James Carl Neal Jr. was born Nov. 15, 1932. He is a musician and plays the piano at Wakulla Springs Hotel at Wakulla Springs, Florida 32305.
2. Sylvia Ann Neal was born Oct. 19, 1939. She was married to William Smith Coker, who was born Dec. 6, 1937. He is manager of an Auto Parts Store. Sylvia works as a private secretary. They live at 526 South 6th Avenue, Wauchula, Florida 33873.

I. Johnnie Lee Sylvest was born March 17, 1916 at Bonifay. He was married to Elsie Mae Chance who was born Sept. 2, 1921. He is a carpenter by trade and Elsie Mae does restaurant work as a special waitress. They are Baptists. They have five children.

a. Ervin Lee Sylvest was born April 13, 1941.
b. Dolly Mae Sylvest was born March 13, 1942. She was married to Jack L. Dawley who was born Feb. 22, 1937. He is a truck driver by trade and she is a housewife. They live at 51453 West 113th Ave. Miami, Florida 33100. They have two children.

1. Douglas Lee Dawley was born Aug. 8, 1958.
2. Lisa Mae Dawley was born Jan. 8, 1961.

c. James William Sylvest was born Oct. 26, 1943.
d. Shirley Jean Sylvest was born June 16, 1945.
e. Jack Donald Sylvest was born Jan. 18, 1951.

J. Ervin Woodrow Sylvest was born March 11, 1920 at Bonifay. He was married to Evelyn Louise Spray who was born Sept. 23, 1926. She is a housewife and he is a welder by trade. They are Baptists. They own their home on Route 1, Box 19, Bowling Green, Florida 33834. They have four children.

1. Martha Jean Sylvest was born Dec. 23, 1944.
2. Joyce Ann Sylvest was born Nov. 3, 1946.
3. Barbara Jo Sylvest was born Sept. 25, 1952.
4. Earline Louise Sylvest was born Nov. 4, 1956.