The Story So Far...
In the countryside about 30 miles outside of Thomasville stands an empty one-story white wooden building beside the narrow, gravel road. It is falling down now, the ravages of time and weather allowing nature to reclaim what had once been a small country store in front and home for a family in the back. Serving the local farmers in the surrounding community, the store was known as Chapman’s Store, named for the family that stood behind the counter and pumped the gas out front. The family there consisted of a mom, dad and one daughter named Betty Jean Chapman. She died in 2001 and with no living descendants, the home and store were abandoned after being emptied of anything of value. In the end all that was left was some battered furniture and a mix of papers and photos scattered in what was probably one of the bedrooms down the hall.
The building sat empty and unused from that point forward until our visit in 2018. Noticing the papers and photos we asked the present owners if we could recover them and see if perhaps some far-flung family could be found to send them to or if that wasn’t possible, then to allow us to capture the memory of this family and their story.
Finally, in August, 2019, we were given permission to take the dust-covered items home and begin patching together the amazing life these people led stretching from the turn of the 20th century to the early years of the 1960’s as they bestrode the world of Sinatra, the Atom bomb and had the confidence that the future was open-ended and immense. I refer to them as the Gods and Goddesses of the time, and once you see the pictures you will understand why.
Their Friends
Ross Allen
John Hamlet
Ross Allen
Born in 1908 and founder of the Florida Attraction called The Reptile Institute in 1929.
Zale Parry
John Hamlet
Ross Allen
The picture above is of Zale Parry and Bill Phelps at the Birds of Prey attraction.
John Hamlet
John Hamlet
Beatrice Dante
Another person who deserves a book written about them. John Hamlet was an entomologist, established an institute in South Carolina where he worked with the primates used in Jonas Salks research and was a falconer on the side
Beatrice Dante
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
Beatrice Dante
Beatrice is a nearly forgotten circus performer from the mid-century. She traveled with the Ringling Brothers and other circuses with her cast of performing chimpanzees.
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
One of the most manly pictures in the trove we are working on. This gentleman turned out to be John Calvert, actor, magician, stunt double, pilot, sailor just to name a few things he did before breakfast.
Silver Springs Models
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
John Calvert as "The Falcon"
Many of the models from the Silver Springs area visited Ross Allen's Reptile World for a one-of-a-kind photo. Arilla Jones above is one of them.