Ulyss and Pearl Caine Holliman and their Descendants

The Golden Summers of the 1930s, Part XI
by H. Bishop Holliman 2011

From the web, a site entitled Storm Lifecycle - SOURCE: Wikipedia, 1936 Atlantic hurricane 

"A tropical storm was first observed over the southern Bahamas on July 27. It tracked to the west-northwest, and made landfall a short distance south of Everglades City, Florida with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). After crossing the state, it intensified over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and became a hurricane on July 30. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and hit the western Florida Panhandle with peak winds of 90 mph (145 km/h) on July 31. It weakened rapidly over land, and dissipated over western Alabama on August 1." 

The story written by H. Bishop Holliman continues with the Robert Daly, Sr. and Ulyss and Melton Holliman cars carrying a frantic family, now terribly worried by a growing storm of water and wind and a 90 mile an hour hurricane as described in history above. - GNH

"Mama (Pearl Holliman, 1887 - 1955)), Daddy (Ulyss Holliman, 1884 - 1965)), Ralph (Holliman, 1924), Hoyt (Hughes, Ida Hughes Holliman's brother) and Vivian (Hoyt's wife) were in Daddy's car, a 1933 four door Chevrolet with Hoyt driving and leading the way.  Right behind them drove Melton (1908 - 1958) with Ida (1910 - 1991) and Earl, and then came Robert (Daly, 1903 - 1959), Vena (Holliman Daly, 1910 - 1990), Mary (Daly Herrin, 1931), Virginia (Holliman Cornelius, 1922 - 2011) and me (Bishop Holliman, 1919), going we knew not where!

Just a few miles down the beach highway, Daddy's car came to a complete stop!  I guess all the excitement had caused it to flood out, as we say.  Any way, it would not go any father.  What do do on a dark and stormy night, marooned on the side of the gulf, trying to reach higher, safer and dryer ground?

We did the only we could do.  All those in Daddy's car piled into Robert's car with our party.  That meant six adults, two teen-agers and a five year old.  And off we went, leaving Daddy's car by itself, there next to the Gulf, at the mercy of the wind, the rain and ocean waves.

Left, Mary Daly Herrin, five years old in 1936, attempts to shield herself from either the sun or rain in Panama City, Florida.


I don't know how it was decided where we would go and when we would stop, or who decided when.  At last, through, we reached DeFuniak Springs, which was inland and northwest of Panama City. Maybe the wind had died down and we felt we had reached a safe haven.




Both cars parked by an all-night honky-tonk, and they let us use the rest room and park up against the building.  It must have been close to midnight by this time, and there seemed to be no let-up in the wind and rain.  I guess some of us dozed a little, but I am not sure.  It seemed the honky-tonk had a lot of customers and men came and went throughout the night, the weather be-damned.  I was only 16 but I have often wondered just what kind of place that was."
Above, a 2011 Florida road map showing in yellow Panama City and to the north, in yellow, Defuniak, Florida.  The Hollimans drove from Panama City to Defuniak to ride out the storm.  Unfortunately, they were driving north on the same path as the hurricane.  If forecasts had been better in those days, they would have driven east to escape the brunt of the blast.

Next Riding Out the Storm....