Annie Belle (Driggers) Gilliam (1921 - 2018)

Born 19 May 1921 in Kingstree, Williamsburg, Georgetown, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Owen Gibson Dixon — married 12 Oct 1941 in Orlando, Orange, Florida, United States

Descendants

Died 4 Nov 2018 at age 97 in Newport, Cocke, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: DrO Olmstead [send private message] and Melissa Lee [send private message]

This profile is part of the Driggers Name Study.

Biography

Annie Belle Driggers Gilliam was born 19 May 1921 in Kingstree, Williamsburg, SC, USA. She is the daughter of Dixie Benjamin Driggers and Mattie Ella Todd. She was proud of being "the baby" of eight siblings. When she was two years old, the family moved to Sorrento, Lake County, Florida, USA. Dad and a brother rented two box cars and rode with the mules and equipment by rail. Another brother drove the family car with the family members that moved down. They moved into a farm house in remote Sorrento.

Later the family moved to a 'station' (fuel filling station and grocery) west of Apopka proper on two-lane State Road 441 between N Bradshaw Road and Cabel Avenue.

She worked many jobs and saved money that she invested in houses and properties in the area, even before marrying. A woman investing alone was unusual for the era. She credits her father with modeling savings and investing in land that caused her to start working at The Station at age 12 and saving all of her money to make that initial wartime land purchase. Her first of over 200 recorded land transactions was on 21 October 1943, as a single woman.

Upon his return from the war, she married Garrett Irving Gilliam. They lived in a few homes throughout the Town of Apopka City.

They were in the citrus caretaking business, among various other side businesses, including investing in properties and renting then selling houses. She and Garrett empowered many grove workers into owning their own homes instead of renting. For one piece of property on Clarcona Road near Apopka Boulevard, Annie Belle and Garrett bought WWII military barracks from the Orlando base and paid the Starbirds $500 each to move them to the land. The Gilliams rented these spacious homes and land to their grove workers until the two sold them the house and land. The couple would accept $5 a week if the employee could work a full week, if enough work was not available for a full schedule they did not collect on the mortgage. She felt that helping these people 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps' with no handouts was a proud achievement in her life.

Her daughter Beverly Ann Gilliam D. Byrd and their son Garrett 'Boo', Jr. were well and properly educated and went on to be very successful in life and produced grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Besides her children, her proudest contribution to the community included being on the Board of Directors of the Apopka Historical Society at the Museum of Apopkans for fifty years. She was the curator of the artifacts of the museum up to her death. She preserved so very much of the formative and pioneering years of the greater Apopka area and Northwest Orange County area. She helped copywrite the book by Perrine Slim, "The Pennings of Perrine Slim" and other books written about the area.

Annie Belle, from age 2 to 97, lived in central Florida, mainly Apopka. Then moved for her last few months to reside in Tennessee with her granddaughter Dixie D. Knight, who cared for her well until Annie Belle died peacefully at sunrise on the 4th of November 2018 just days short of 97 and 1/2 years.

She was a diligent member of Magnolia Baptist Church in Apopka, FL, USA.

Her cemetery plot is beside her husband with her parents in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Gotha, Orange County, FL, USA. ^[1]

Apopka Historical Society Golden Age Recognition

Annie Belle Driggers Gilliam Daughter, Wife, Mother, Volunteer, Patriot, Business Woman, Citrus Grower

Annie Belle Driggers, a Southerner with true charm and grace, was the last of eight children born to Dixie Benjamin Driggers and his wife, Mattie Ella Todd Driggers, on May 19, 1921, in Kingstree, South Carolina. In November of 1923, Annie Belle, her mother, and four of her siblings departed Kingstree with her half-brother at the wheel of a Model-T Ford, while two brothers and a cousin journeyed in the coach section of a train with her father riding in one of two chartered boxcars accompanying his mules, Kit and Pet, all bound for a new life in Florida. After four days on the road, the Driggers family arrived in Sorrento on Thanksgiving Day. Dixie Benjamin's philosophy was that God came first, followed by his wife, then his children, and afterward his farm animals that helped provide their living.

At six years of age, Annie Belle was enrolled in the Sorrento School along with her brother, Bennie; but- when Bennie contracted the whooping cough, the Principal also sent Annie Belle home as childhood diseases in those days became epidemics. The next year Annie Belle came down with red measles resulting in her strangely becoming legally blind until this peculiar situation passed, and she regained her sight. However, these illnesses delayed her high school graduation by two years.

After she completed four grades at the Sorrento School, the family moved to Apopka where Annie Belle attended school in the green building that housed the Apopka Elementary School. During high school, she enrolled in bookkeeping and typewriting courses in addition to her other academic subjects that put her in good stead for her lifelong involvement in the citrus industry and other business ventures that she continues today. In 1941, Annie Belle graduated from Apopka High School, the structure which is the current City Hall. Then, Mr. David Bishop of the Economy Store hired "Miss Annie," as he called her, for his assistant manager and chauffer, where she earned 25₡ per hour and later $25 per week. Toward the end of her tenure, "Miss Annie" was receiving $35 per week. Mr. Bishop, a wonderful boss, taught "Miss Annie" thrift and recycling that resulted in the Economy Store being the only one living up to its name, as it had a surplus. During this time, she also worked for her parents at their store, the Dixie Service Station, and one of her duties included pumping gasoline for automobiles.

Her mother cooked and served food for the workers of the Pinaflora Packing House where Belle packed and bagged fruit for per box and 5₡ per bag. She also worked for Plymouth Citrus where her largest weekly check was $28.28. Her financial philosophy is "It's not what you earn; it's what you save." She would purchase a snack from her paycheck, and the remainder was deposited in the bank.

Belle remembers the Great Depression from her childhood years. While times were very difficult, she and her siblings never went to bed hungry. When there was no sugar, the family made syrup cookies; and her mother, an excellent seamstress, sewed for the entire family. Despite the hardships, she would not want to change any phase of her life.

On May 16, 1946, she married Mr. Garrett Gilliam. Their daughter, Beverly, and son, Garrett I. (Boo) Gilliam, Jr., completed the family. The children were like playmates for Belle and Garrett, laughter and fun were spontaneous for the family.

Belle and Garrett bought his parents' grove service, changing its name from A. F. Gilliam & Son to Gilliam Grove Service and, at the same time worked their own groves with Belle involved in maneuvering such grove equipment as dusters and fertilizer spreaders, in addition to being bookkeeper. In 1956, the business was sold to Kurt Haygood. She credits her father-in-law for the good advice he rendered, and Belle and Garrett were grateful to others for the encouragement and support they received throughout their business careers. However, they returned the favor by lending a helping hand.

After Garrett's death in 1975, Belle, with the help of Calvin Williams, worked her groves until she terminated her engagement in the citrus business after the freezes of 1983 and 1985.

Volunteering and supporting the community in any way she can is quite important to Belle. She is a charter member of the Apopka Historical Society and replaced Mrs. Josephine Land as director upon Mrs. Land's death in 1980. Belle reports that the first memorial donation to the Museum of the Apopkans was made in honor of the memory of Mrs. Land, mother of Mayor John Land. Other offices she has held at the Apopka Historical Society have been as president, vice-president, and librarian. Presently, she is a director and the curator; researching, maintaining scrapbooks, and participating as a docent.

She is past-president of the Veterans of Foreign War Ladies Auxiliary #5335, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Florence Collier Chapter #1758, serving as historian, treasurer, first vice-president, second vice-president, and veterans chair.

Belle received the UDC's Certificate of Recognition on May 31, 2003, and the Judah P. Benjamin Award for her outstanding civic and patriotic endeavors. She is also a member of the AARP Chapter #4664.

Belle is a participant in The American Conservative Union, receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from Senator Bob Dole. Its aim is to preserve the traditional values upon which our nation has been built. Belle is also a charter subscriber to the World War Il Wall Memorial that will honor the memory of three of her relatives—all members of the "Greatest Generation."

In 1976, during the tenure of Florida's Senator Lawton Chiles, Belle contributed an equal share to fund Washington, D.C.'s Florida House constructed as a resting place for Floridians visiting the Capitol.

Belle was very active in supporting Apopka's booth at the Central Florida Fair and entered her canned goods that won first and second place, providing her with quite a few ribbons. As the mother of two children, Belle, of course, was supportive of their schools as a member of the PTA and homeroom mother from 1951 through 1965.

She is an active member of Ocoee's Oak Level Baptist Church, where she attends Bible Studies. She was secretary, treasurer, and teacher of the Hattie's Bible Class, so named after a charter member of the class, Hattie Fields. During her tenure as Bible Study teacher, Belle even journeyed to a nursing home to teach one of its members and continued as its most faithful until she was the last member left.

Belle finds it easy to help other people and is drawn like a magnet to those in need. Having the courage of her convictions, it is her pleasure and never a burden to assist those in want. Getting outside of herself makes Belle thrive and facilitate her adjustments and adaptations in making her life successful. Leading a productive, busy life through her volunteerism, serving others, keeping her hand in business by handling records and the books for businesses she formerly owned, gardening and tending to her plant renders purpose to her life.

In 1992, painfully suffering from osteoporosis, she experienced one of the greatest threats to her active and independent life. Belle's recovery was miraculous and was done through natural means under the direction of her doctors. Today, she enjoys good health and requires no prescription drugs. Reflecting on how times have changed during her lifetime, Belle regrets that too many young people do not stand up for their country and are not in awe of those who have given their lives for our freedom. Belle remarks that the United States is still "one nation under God" that would not have survived and flourished without our veterans who sacrificed for our country. Today with American troops in Iraq, Belle hopes that the Iraqi people will realize that Americans are there to help them—not to take over their country—and that the United States wants them to have a restored economy and peace. The United States desires to help others; yet, despite our graciousness, and generosity, we are among the most resented country in the world. She feels we have a good President who is trying to bring tranquility regardless of the challenges involvement with the Middle East brings.

Belle's message to the young people of today is to listen to their teachers and welcome the advice given to them. Some day during their lives this sage counsel will be very useful and significant to them. Replacing wrongdoing and devilment with kindness and honesty will bring about a better world.^[2]

Tribute to Apopka "Southern Belle" by Francian Boykin

Apopka’s “Southern Belle” A Tribute by Francina Boykin—6 November 2017

Annie Belle Driggers-Gilliam is still going strong at the young age of 96 years. Ask any question about the early history of Apopka and its settlers and she is relentless in responding with factual and concrete answers. Ms. Belle is a walking encyclopedia on Apopka, the late writer Perrine Slim said, "She knows where every clothes line in Apopka and northwest Orange County is located." He also introduced Apopka to calling her "Southern Belle" during her many visits to his home on 15th Street and South Clarcona Road. The two of them would go at it for hours, reminiscing on their past and the changes coming to the area. Neither were born in Apopka, as both of their families moved to the area from South Carolina in the early 1900s. Belle's family lived in the Sorrento area where her father was a truck farmer and the Driggers' family owned and operated Dixie Service Station near Highways 441 and north Bradshaw Road. She remembers when the cemented portion of Highway 441 between Plymouth and Zellwood was poured and the ridges in the roadway causing tires on cars to clickity-clack making a person fall asleep. Mrs. Gilliam is a founding member of Apopka Historical Society, organized after the late historian and member Erin Miner's exhibit of early Apopka artifacts at the Folk Festival in 1968 with a quest to preserve Apopka's rich history and heritage and her being an avid volunteer with countless hours of service at the museum, still today promoting the importance of preserving our town's rich history. Mrs. Gilliam will say, "I love history and the museum." Young children and visitors gravitate to her when she gives tours and tell stories of our past. For example, the tale of the donated baby's high chairs/crib from the late Mayor John Land's family that is perhaps 100 years old, leading visitors to imagine the mayor once upon a time being a baby. Mrs. Gilliam was married to the love of her life, and Clark Gable look-a-like, Garrett Gilliam, owner and operator of citrus and grove service business, where she was the bookkeeper and hired many locals to work cultivating and harvesting citrus. Mrs. Gilliam is currently curator of Museum of Apopkans, has worn many hats in the Apopka community growing up during the Great Depression, and former Apopka Historical Society Board's President, Apopka Golden Treasure in 1990s, published co-author in a series of books on Apopka's history, WUCF's PBS My Hometown film documentary, history lecturer, philanthropist, United Daughters of Confederacy, Veteran of Foreign War Ladies Auxiliary, UDC and featured speaker on "Tater Tales of Apopka" audio, a small number of her charitable contributions to her community. We salute and praise Apopka's "Southern Belle" and embrace her warm caring spirit and love for Apopka Apopka’s “Southern Belle."

^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Autobiography dictated to DrO 16 Jul 2017
2. ↑ Apopka Historical Society Golden Years Program Contributed by Beverly Ann Gilliam Dumph Byrd
3. ↑ A Tribute by Francina Boykin—6 November 2017 Similarly published in The Apopka Chief and the Planter newspapers November 2017