The History of Dinsmore

Among our first white residents were Rob Plummer, the Picketts, John Price, the Smiths, the Higginbothams, the Knights, the Braddocks, and the Jones family. It is recorded that the Higginbothams came from England long before the Revolutionary War. These people came to this community to establish farms, because of the money from the timber, and also for the plentiful supply of wild food which was provided by nature. This section was called Carey many years ago. Then it became known as New Dinsmore. Past Plummers Road was called Old Dinsmore. Dinsmore was named for a man who came from the North and sold real estate here. In the early part of 1900 A tram road constructed of iron rails was built by a Mr. Hilliard. A steam engine was used to pull two flat cars of timber. The road went as far as Hilliard to take the virgin timber to Trout River near the present Dunn’s Avenue. In 1900 Mr. Hilliard began to operate a saw mill. This mill cut large pieces of lumber. Before this the shingle mills cut lumber into small sizes only. Later Walter Cumber owned and operated a steam engine at his saw mill. The lumber was sent into Jacksonville by boats down the Trout River. The present site of Old King’s Road was used as a wagon train road. Wagons loaded with various merchandise traveled between Georgia and Jacksonville. Mules and horses were used to pull the wagons. In 1910 Old King’s Road was straightened out and laid with brick. The brick road made better travel and communications possible between point north and Jacksonville. V. C. Johnson owned the first truck this community. Several years later the first car in this vicinity was owned by the Drew Family. The first telephone in Dinsmore was in the A. P. Watney General Store in the early 1900’s. People traveled from miles around to use the telephone for emergencies. The Atlantic Coast Line was the first railroad. Later the Florida and Georgia Southern Railroad began operating through Dinsmore.

Schools

The first school in this community was built during slavery times in the early 1800’s. The school was constructed of logs. It was located between tow plantations off the present Plummer Road. Members of the neighborhood cut logs and built the school for the children of their families. The families would “take turns” in boarding the teacher, and would contribute to his salary on the basis of the number of children attending school. The school term was three months. Among the pupils attending this school were the children of Saul Knight and Madison Higginbotham. Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic were the only subjects regularly taught. School books were scarce. Several pupils would share one book. There were no desks. The pupils sat on stiff, wooden benches while reading, or reciting, or listening to the teacher. The only source of heat was a fireplace in one end of the room. Cross Swamp School No. 4 was built in 1892. This was also a log house. The teacher was Miss Mary Geiger. The children walked to school, or the older children sometimes drove a “horse and buggy.” The third school in this community was a one room log house erected in 1896. The house was constructed by Pete Thomas, John Plummer and the Higginbothams. There was an improvement in this building – shutters for windows! Ten or twelve children attended.

Social Life

The social activities of Dinsmore for many years have centered around church organizations. There are churches of different denominations located throughout the community. The Community House was the gathering place of the community for many years. It was a small frame building in the front part of the Dinsmore Cemetery. Many functions of the vicinity were carried on there. The building was used as a church before a Dinsmore church was erected. The Community House burned in 1936. The Dinsmore Baptist Church is the oldest church in the community. In 1910 the name was changed from Macedonia to Dinsmore Baptist. There are many interesting incidents recorded in the history of this church. In 1899 it stated that one member was excluded from membership for dancing. She was charged with disorderly conduct. In 1940, under Rev. S. C. Baker, the church went on a full-time basis of worship instead of the 2nd and 4th Sunday previously observed. The Dinsmore Methodist Church was built in 1922. A. C. Pressley acted as first superintendent of the Sunday School until 1954. He is still living and active. The Sunday School has an average of 175 members. The Bob-O-Link Congregational Holiness Church was organized by Alton B. Wainwright in 1952. There has been a steady increase in membership. King’s Road Baptist Church is located on U. S. Highway No. 1, or New King’s Road. It was organized in about 1944.