As we close this year of 2022, lest old acquaintances be forgotten, we look back at those who were part of the Seminole Wars living history community but who are no longer with us or able to be active. This close-knit community of interest comprises academic historians, for sure. It also hosts large numbers of public historians, the people we call citizen scholars. No paper chase for them to publish or perish. They research for the pure joy of discovery and the ability to share that discovery with like-minded individuals.
With that criteria in mind, we can think of no one better to chat with today than Jeffrey Snively. Jeff is an everyman; that is, he is a spectator who comes out to the Seminole Wars living history events. He could be anyone. In his case, he might be a representative of the audience given that he has been coming to these events for four decades. Let’s just say, he knows where the bodies fell and can even tell you how!
He grew up in Florida, the son of a Marine who fought at the Battle of Okinawa and who earned the Silver Star. A navy veteran himself, Jeff is neither an academic historian nor a living history interpreter. He’s just – as he says, a regular guy, one with a deep passion for interest and desire to dig deeper to find out the whys in history, in our case, the Seminole Wars.
Jeff has been attending commemorative events at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park since 1983, before battle reenactments were introduced even. For forty years, Jeff has met and observed everyone who has been part of raising awareness of these wars. And he’s here to tell us what he recalls. We’re in for a treat and it is not even Halloween.
Citizen Scholar Jeff Snively has attended Dade Battle commemorations at the park before they even introduced the living history spectacle in the mid-1980s.
Jeff Snively recalls Frank Laumer, author and living history reenactor of Pvt Ransom Clark.
On left, Frank Laumer's signature and inscription to Jeff for Massacre! On right, Jeff Snively with the memorial wreath at the reconstructed soldier breastworks at Dade Battlefield Historical State Park. He regularly attends the annual battle commemoration, which is separate from the battle reenactment, and is held on the actual day of the battle, Dec. 28.
The late Seminole Billy L. Cypress is the second recipient of the Frank Laumer Legacy Award. Billy Cypress was a Seminole tribal historian who directed the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and spent a lifetime educating children and adults in the ways of Florida's largest Indian tribe. He appeared opposite Frank Laumer and presented the Seminole side to the Dade Battle of 18354 during living history battle reenactments. Below, his wife Carol accepts the award on his behalf at a Convocation of Seminole Wars Historians in Okeechobee in 2019.
Jeff Snively unearthed a letter from a wounded officer, Richard Bland Lee, a cousin of Robert E. Lee, in the Battle of Welika Pond. An Army adjutant attests to Lee's wounding. This letter provided key information about the battle and its contents had been previously neglected by historians.
At Fort Foster, which Dr. John K. Mahon told Jeff was accurate down to the last nail, Jeff made friends with U.S. Navy reenactor Greg Centanne, who has portrayed a sailor of the Seminole Wars-era who served at Fort Foster.
Jeff Snively examined one of the Navy books Greg presents and found a photo inside of his own father, a Marine in combat at the Battle of Okinawa.
Below are some of the books Seminole Wars Foundation members have published on the Seminole Wars and Seminole. In this episode, Jeff Snively recalls the late Dr. John K. Mahon, the late Dr James Covington, and the very-much-still-with-us Dr Brent Weisman. Seminole Wars Foundation carries these books for sale.
Host Patrick Swan is a board member with the Seminole Wars Foundation. This podcast is recorded at the homestead of the Seminole Wars Foundation in Bushnell, Fla.
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SW0139 Seminole Maroons Hold Reunion to Tell the Full History of Seminole Wars AND Seminole Peace
SW0138 Writer Presents Seminole as Integral Players in Florida’s Past and Present
SW0137 New Blood in Seasoned Packages as Retired Navy Couple Enters the Living History Ranks
SW0136 Nicoll’s Outpost Yields War Site Clues to First Seminole War
SW0135 Longtime Reenactor Shares Trade Knowledge for Accurate SW Presentations
SW0134 Craftsman Explains How to Attire a Seminole Reenactor with One Simple Handbook
SW0133 Soldiers, Seminole Adapted and Innovated Amidst A Climate of Hostility in Florida
SW0132 Three Seminole Wars Told at Florida Pioneer Museum Event Oct. 29
SW0131 How Well Regulated Must a Militia Be to Ensure Security of a Free State...or Florida Territory?
SW0130 Martial Matters 7: Army uses Duplicity, Settlers to Subdue Seminole When Decisive Battle Fails
SW0129 Martial Matters 6: Army Pursuit of Decisive Battle Proves Futile
SW0128 Martial Matters 5: Great Scott! Feuding Commanders’ Stubbornness Risked Catastrophe, Annihilation
SW0127 Martial Matters 4: Manning the Militia for Seminole Wars Service Required Citizens Already Keeping and Bearing Arms
SW0126 Martial Matters 3: Keeping and Bearing Arms with the Militia in Seminole Wars Era Proved Anything But Simple
SW0125 Martial Matters 2: Muskets, Rifles, Bayonets Win Wars -- When in the Right Hands
SW0124 Field a Standing Army or State Militia Volunteers to Remove Seminole?
SW0123 Unsung, Shush-less Librarians Organize Foundation’s Books into Central Access Repository
SW0122 At Foundation’s Archive, Grad Students from UCF Discover Dead Men Do Indeed Tell Tales
SW0121 Master Florida Artist Jackson Walker Depicts Grit and Determination in Seminole Wars
SW0120 Legendary Artist Jackson Walker Speaks About His Big Canvas Legendary Florida Scenes
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