Koko-Nola, Early Newspapers of Pensacola and the McVoy-Roche Families

309 West Chase – 1920s Home of Henry M. Roche and Virginia McVoy

The other day I received this email from a member of the Escambia County list group:

Ann, I know that you were interested in info on one of the addresses on Chase Street. You were looking at the house across from our office on 306 W. Chase Street. When I was going through the death records on FamilySearch, I found that Henry M. Roche and Virginia McVoy lived at 309 W. Chase Street in 1921 & 1924. Janet

Always curious about folks who lived in my neighborhood, I did a bit of googling on this couple. Janet sent some information, and I located other tidbits:

They are listed with two other family members on page 95 of St. Michael’s cemetery register:

Henry M. Roche – 11 Sep 1857 – 13 May 1924
Virginia McVoy wife of H.M. Roche
– 27 June 1949 – 1 Dec 1921
Mrs. Daisy M. (Holst) Roche died 20 Feb 1967
aged 81 years
Miss Leona Josephine Roche died 1 June 1975 aged 69 years
They are quite near the Rhoulac Anderson-Mrs. Warren E. Hargis Anderson
cemetery, where John Whiting Hargis and Edythe Grant Hargis are also buried.

Henry Roche’s occupation: In the March 7, 1905 Pensacola Journal, he was elected recording secretary and a delegate to the Central Trades Council of the Pensacola Typographical Union on page 10.

In the Feb. 9, 1907 issue: Wm. Fisher and Wm. A. Blount to Mrs. Virginia Roche – The west 10 feet of lot 12, block 11. Maxent Tract. $95.

In the June 14, 1907 issue: J.J. McCaskill to Virginia Roche, Lots 13 and 14 in block 31 Belmont Tract - $1 and other consideration. (Note: sold in 1909 below)

In the Nov. 4 1909 issue of the Pensacola Journal: Henry M. Roche to Lee Daniell, $1 and other cons. – Lots 13 and 14, Blk. 31, Belmont Tract. In that same issue, C.U. Thiesen sold A.M. Avery for $1000 and other cons. a lot with 93 feet on DeSoto St. by 141 on Baylen St. in the S.E. corner of Blk. 50, Belmont Tract.

What seems to be a real plum, however, are the Roches' Spanish heritage. Virginia’s family is on this list (along with my children’s ancestral members: Pedro Suarez and Thomas Commyns. Of course, also listed are the ancestors of the people who built my house in the 1890s: Gonzalez and Bonifay.) If you’re not from Pensacola, you may not realize that this year marks the 450th anniversary of our founding by the Spanish. Although a hurricane wiped out that first colony, we still lay claim as America’s “first place” for European settlement, earlier than any of the first English settlements we studied in grammar school.

Colonial Inhabitants of West Florida proven by the Galvez Committee:

Pedro de ALBA
Jose MAURA
Mariana Pingrow BONIFAY
William MCVOY
Josefa CABERA
Fernando MORENO
Thomas COMMYNS
Ysabel NICHOL
Francisco DAUPHIN
Francisco PALMES
Francisco DE LA RUA
Maria Josefa Antonia RODRIQUEZ
Josefa FALCON
Salvador RUBY
Andrea GONZALEZ
Pedro SUAREZ
Salvador GUERRA
John SUNDAY
Ysabel HIDALGO

I found a google guidebook to old Spanish correspondence among Cuban archives, and among them were, for example, letters dating to 1781 that were directed to Martin Navarro by: Galvez, Havana; Enrique Grimarest, Mobile; … Henrique Roche, Pensacola. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think Henrique Roche and Henry Roche might be related. I wonder if anyone has ever gone to Cuba and made copies of these hundreds (thousands) of letters? And if so, has anyone translated them? It looks like years of work, but what a fascinating time period! Do you know if any of this type of material is available locally? I have corresponded with a Vanderbilt professor, who researches the early black families, many of whom lived in my neighborhood, and she tells me:

I’m afraid that Cuba is not integrated into the usual system of archives where
you can make requests and receive information or copies of documents…nor do they
have things on line. Normal citizens do not even have access to internet.

I have worked in church records not controlled by the Cuban state but I
have only been digitalizing black and Indian records…those are available at
http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/ecclesiasticalsources/home

But you may have better luck trying the Spanish archives on line. Those are excellent…just Google PARES and it links you to seven archives in Spain and has a simple search function.

Regarding the McVoy surname, it appears that the earliest in Pensacola I can find bearing that name was an agent of James Innerarity, the famous Pensacola trader. Bonnie McVoy Treon, who has posted many tidbits on the McVoy family online, found a John MacVoy listed as a private in the British Army’s West Florida Royal Foresters. In a google book called Mr. Jefferson’s Lost Cause: land, farmers, slavery and the Louisiana Purchase, by Roger G. Kennedy, there is an intriguing reference:

In 1814, the British, finally free of Napoleon, could redirect their forces against the Americans and began to arrive along the coast in force. The officers in charge of their expeditionary forces were badly briefed, however. The Creeks and Seminoles were consistent, but the partners of The Firm (trading company) were switching sides. James Innerarity was entrusted with weapons and supplies for the Indians and to keep up the good work of stirring up the blacks. Innerarity withheld those supplies put into his care, whereupon the Seminoles and Red Sticks showed their economic sophistication by annulling the cessions of land just made to The Firm and scalping those of its employees who strayed into the backcountry.
Still under misapprehensions about the loyalty of the former Tories, the British commander at Pensacola informed its Spanish governor of his plans to attack Fort Bowyer, Mobile and then New Orleans. The governor confided in his confessor, Father James Coleman. Coleman promptly passed the word to another visitor to his confessional – Innerarity. Innerarity dispatched an agent named McVoy posthaste to Fort Bowyer, to acquaint the Americans with what the British had in mind. Forewarned, the garrison made a massacre of the British assault. Finally the British understood. After retreating to The Firm’s plantation next to the fort, they freed nine hundred slaves and put to the torch all its buildings. Some of those slaves subsequently joined the coalition against the Americans, as did many released from The Firm’s plantations in East Florida. An indignant Inneraritiy wrote John Forbes: “Time was when the name of Englishman was honorable, now it is synonymous with nay it is a term to designate a man capable of every thing that is low, vile, base, villainous, atrocious.”
Comfortably within the fortifications of Mobile, (Andrew) Jackson laughed at the British flotilla beyond the barrier islands and commenced moving at his own pace against Pensacola, the possession of Spain, a neutral state.

A few other postings about the McVoy family:

Bonnie McVoy Treon Posted: 29 Feb 2000 12:00PM GMT

MARTIN MCVOY, SR./ Born 5-14-1841, PENSACOLA, ESCAMBIA CO>CO FL. Son of WILLIAM MCVOY of PENSACOLA and JOSEPHINE HERNANDEZ MCVOY. He was raised as ROMAN CATHOLIC and had several siblings. Eldest brother was JOSEPH MCVOY, b.1839 and WILLIAM MURRELL MCVOY, B.1843, CHARLES LEBARON MCVOY (went by LEBARON) and THOMAS E. MCVOY and a sister ANN MCVOY and VIRGINIA MCVOY. MARTIN came to BALT.MD possibly as an apprentice machinist and may have been draughted (drafted) to serve in the UNION ARMY. The entire rest of his family were Confederate.

Bonnie McVoy Treon also posted this McVoy resource:

This copy of my family's MCVOY line excerpted from the
MCVOY FAMILY BIBLE which was in the possession of
BELLE MCVOY MCSWEEN 1966-1967, who was a resident of
PENSACOLA FLORIDA:

This only includes my line which is all that was sent to
me. If anyone out there has the rest of the FAMILY INFO.
PLEASE CONTACT ME AT: BONNIE MCVOY TREON gatreon@ctc.net

MCVOY BIBLE:

1966-1967, Owner, Mrs. Belle M. MCSWEEN, and listed her
address at that time in PENSACOLA.
(UNREADABLE NAME- DUOHY???) BIBLE, pub. by JOHN DOYLE, 294
PEARL ST. (either KY or NY -- COPY is very light.)- 1836
WILLIAM MCVOY, b. 29 AUG 1776, s/o JOHN and ISABELLA MCVOY, m. 12 Feb. 1799, and d. 2 SEPT.1835 ?
MARGARET MCVOY, wf. of WM. MCVOY and d/o GERALD & ANN BYRNE
was b. 3 Nov.1783.
ALEXANDER MCVOY, b. 8 OCT. 1801, d. 24 NOV. 1801
ANN MCVOY, b. 21 Oct.1803
WILLIAM & GERALD MCVOY, twins, born, 12 Feb. 1806,
d. 6 AUG 1806
THOMAS MCVOY, b. 5 Sept 1807
MARY MCVOY, b.22,?,1807
JAMES & DIEGO MCVOY, twins, b. 1 Nov 1814, and d. 15 Nov 1814
JOSEPH MCVOY was born 17 MAY 1818, d. 30 OCT 1822
JAMES ALEXANDER MCVOY, b. 28 APR 1822, d. 26 JUL 1865
MARTIN MCVOY b. 15 NOV 1825, d. 22 APR 1841
WILLIAM MCVOY,b. 25 MAY 1812, d. 27 MAY 1879
THOMAS MCVOY b. 20 MAR 1846
W.M. (WM.MURRELL) MCVOY, b. 17 FEB 1843, d.24 APR 1918
C.(Charles) LEBARON MCVOY, b. 13 AUG, 1851, d. OCT 1916
VIRGINIA MCVOY, b. 27 JUN 1848
JOSEPH MCVOY, b. 17 APRIL 1839, s/o WILLIAM & JOSEPHINE
MCVOY, m. 27 NOV 1867, d. 26 DEC 1910
MARION H. MCVOY, wife of JOSEPH MCVOY, and d/o JAMES &
ELIZABETH P. BRYAN, b. 23 APRIL, 1849. (Born) Boston MA,d?
*****note from Bonnie, it is written elsewhere she was born
in Canada and died young at age 22.
MARTIN MCVOY, s/o WILLIAM MCVOY and JOSEPHINE MCVOY was b. 14 MAY, 1841. (*** Bonnie's great grandfather!)
ANN MCVOY, b. 23 AUG 1844.
JOSEPHINE MCVOY, wife of WILLIAM MCVOY, b. 13 JAN 1813,
d. 4 JAN 1874
MURRELL MCVOY & CECELIA ROCHE were married 27? APRIL 1882?
(note: his name was WILLIAM MURRELL MCVOY)
MURRELL MCVOY d. 14 APR 1918
WILLIAM MCVOY was b. 19 OCT 1883, d. DEC? 19??
ISABELLA MCVOY b. 6 MAY, 1885
MARION (MARIAN?) b. 15 FEB 1888, D. 13 SEPT,1888
FELO ANDREW MCVOY b. 4 FEB 1889, d. 9 JUN 1910
HENRY MITCHELL MCVOY, b. 22 SEPT, 1892 & d. 5 NOV 1934 at a
Government Hospital in AUGUSTA,GEORGIA
CECELIA ROCHE MCVOY, b.20 MAY 1861, wife of WILLIAM MURRELL
MCVOY, 5 JULY 1941

Ms. Treon seems to have discovered the connection between the very Irish-sounding McVoy surname and its Spanish connection:

I found these same names on the 1788? Canary Migration Ships' lists to Louisiana! I know they HAVE to be connected! In my family, ISABEL MELIAN married a JUAN MACABOY or later spelled as MCVOY and MCAVOY.
She is listed in the 1783 Pensacola Census but he is not.
OTHER SURNAMES connected with my MELIAN include MADRID, de MADRID,
MCVOY,MCAVOY,MACABOY,MCABOY,MCBOY,HERNANDEZ,FERNANDEZ,HERNANDES,
BYRNE,BYRN,BYRNS,BYRNES,PALMER,ALLMAN,(ALLEMAN?),GONZALEZ?,ROCHE,
BOUSAGE,STICKNEY,PAGELS,PAYEN, and a couple more I can't think of right
now. The locations include SAVANNAH,GA,USA (PRE-1776),ST.AUGUSTINE,FL,USA.

From "Spanish Plat Books of Land Records of the District of Pensacola, Province of West Florida, > British and Spanish Land Grants 1763-1821 Translated Manuscript by Fernando J. Moreno 1895" compiled by Billie Ford Snyder & Janice B. Palmer Copyrite 1994 Antique Compiling Co., PO Box 36335, Pensacola, FL 32518 (I'm not sure they are still in business - maybe Janice gets this list if so - please let people know) Possibly you can get this book through interlibrary loan - it has a lot of information regarding the land, etc.

> McBoy, Guillermo 220, 411, 423, 424, 425
> McBoy, William 180, 231, 422
> McVoy, Ana 471
> McVoy, William 137, 474

================
THIS 1907 ARTICLE MENTIONS ELVIRA CHRISTIAN McVOY:

THE PENSACOLA JOURNAL SUNDAY MORNING JANUARY 13 1907Delightful Entertainment in
Honor of “Young Old” People

Friday night Mrs. M. P. Bonifay delightfully entertained her friends at
her handsome home on Romana street.
The house was prettily arranged
for the entertainment and the evening
was spent very merrily.
The guests of honor were Professor
L. E. Allen and Mrs. Elvira Christian
McVoy.
Mrs. McVoy blushingly admitted
that she had passed her eightieth
summer while Professor Alln gallantly
announced that he was seventy-
nine of the third inst.
Mrs. McVoy and Professor Allen
were the musicians of the evening, the
professor with his fiddle and Mrs.
McVoy as an accompanist.
The musical programme consisted
of “General Lee’s March,” “General
Jackson,s March,” “Haste to The Wedding,”
“The Campbells Are Coming,”
and a number of other selections
which were like a fragrant breath
from the days of their youth to the
musical performers, and the guests
agreed that Professor Allen and Mrs.
McVoy were the youngest old people
in the state.
The dining room was handsomely
appointed for a luncheon and at nine
thirty o’clock the guests were invited
in. Fourteen covers were laid and
the menu embraced everything delicious
and appetizing.
With laughter and pleasant conversation
the hours flew by, and beforethe guests
were aware the time arrived for bidding
each other good night, after sepnding
a very pleasant evening.
Those present at the party were
Mrs. Elvira McVoy, Miss Margret
McVoy, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Harrell,
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Rupert, Mrs. Josephine
Rupert, Mr. Fred Muller, Mr. Britton,
Misses Hatton, Mrs Lounesberry, Miss
Emma Gentry, Mrs. M. P. Bonifay,
Professor I E Allen and Mr. Miller.

There was a Hatton family living at 400 West Gregory, next door to my house at this time, and I suspect the above misses were from that family.

MCVOY BOTTLING OF KOKO-NOLA

On May 14 of that same year (1907), John M. McVoy, Ernest Y. Morgan and Gamuel J. Morgan published a notice of incorporation that was the charter of the Pensacola Bottling Works. The “general nature of the business” was to be manufacture, bottling, buying and selling of soda water, kokonola, syrups, extracts, and similar products. Doing a google on the intriguing word “kokonola,” I discovered a history of Coca-Cola, which reads in part:

Coca-Cola began its history in the late 19th Century. The original recipe was developed by a pharmacist named John Slyth Pemberton. He originally made the recipe as an alcoholic beverage mixed with coca, kola nut, and damiana with its purpose being to help people feel better. People were to have one teaspoon of it, and then drink a glass of water.

In 1887, Pemberton sold Coca-Cola to Asa Candler for twenty-three hundred dollars because he was in poor health and was largely in debt. A year later, Pemberton sold the rights to Coca-Cola again to four more businessmen because of an ongoing morphine addiction. At the same time, Pemberton’s son Charley Pemberton began selling his own version of Coca-Cola. To clear the confusion, Pemberton stated that the name of Coca-Cola belonged to his son, but the other two manufacturers could continue to use the formula.

… Because of Coca-Cola’s success, there became many imitators. So in 1919, after the war and production restrictions were ended, lawyers of the Coca-Cola Company prosecuted brands such as Koke Company, Karo-Cola, Curo-Cola, Sola-Cola, Koka-Nola, and Taka-Cola. Source: http://socyberty.com/history/history-of-coca-cola/).

A google book, Pure Products, Volume 6 published in 1910 found that Koco Nola Co. was found to be misbranded because the syrup contained cocaine, without that substance being shown on the label. The company was prosecuted, found guilty and fined $100. It seems pretty obvious the “koca” reflected the cocaine in the bottle even if the label didn’t. Later labels were labeled “dopeless” – and I suppose that’s where the “Dope” nickname for “Coke” originated.

Pensacola Bottling Works was a confirmed franchise of Koca Nola. These bottles are now highly collectible You can view the actual Pensacola Bottling Works Koca Nola bottle at www.fohbc.com/PDF_Files/KocaNola_Sp2005.pdf .

On Nov. 12, 1909 the Pensacola Journal noted that Cantonment farmer Joseph McVoy, who advertised his grist mill and cotton gin in the same issue, won several first-place prizes at the Baldwin County Fair, including gallon new syrup, short staple and six handles of oats. On May 24, 1907, Joe McVoy, a Confederate veteran, was heading to Richmond, Va., for a Confederate reunion and to attend the Jamestown Exposition.

In reading back issues of the Pensacola Journal, I found one very informative article on the history of Pensacola newspapers, with a reference to typographer Henry M. McVoy. I will close this section with that article and a few other newspaper tidbits. Ann

Title: The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, December 20, 1908,
Christmas Edition, Section 5, Image 39

A JOURNALISTIC TRIUMPH
By Donald McLellan
Gratifying indeed it is to the loyal Pensacolian to look upon and
comprehend today’s Journal, a representative and leader in Florida
journalism, and one whose opinions count for and stand for something. It is
a source of congratulation that the city is able to boast of a paper of such a
standard of excellence, for, however widely divergent may be our individual
opinions, we must act fairly and confess that your paper today is a type of
successful venture demonstrating that though some of us disagree and “cuss” at
it at times, The Journal clearly stands out as the leader in the West Florida
press, and holding its own with any daily published in the state of Florida.
But the purpose of this article is not that of extolling the paper which
is published in the daily morning field of our city. On the other hand,
it is a cursory review of the journalistic graveyard, for which this city
has an unenviable fame.
As far back as the writer is able to remember, when the contents of a blue-backed speller were being driven into a stubborn brain, the old Pensacolian is recalled. That was when the types were all handled with the nimble finger; and it is with pleasurable recollection that the bulky weekly paper is recalled. Received at Bagdad, then the home of the writer on Sunday mornings, it was a veritable treat.
Pensacola news was dished in terse style, indicating that there was a force of well-trained but unsuccessful men at the helm, for it was not long before the paper ceased to arrive, and the Sunday morning visitor was known to have passed to a last resting place.
Even at the time of the Pensacolian’s demise, there was being published the Commercial, edited by the lamented J. Dennis Wolfe, whose pungent style of writing is remembered and re-read with interest until this day.
That was a daily, and it flourished like the green bay tree, only to
be added to the field of newspaper failures. With it went the hopes and
ambitions of one of the most powerful editors that the state has ever
produced, but he afterwards entered the journalistic field as editor of the
Times when that paper made its appearance in a little office on Baylen
street. Its existence was not too long for its patronage and management
did not succeed.
Previous to that publication, however, it is recalled that the well-known Frank Phillips had a lively paper, the Advance-Gazette, which as its name implied, was the merging of two publications. That paper also went the way of its predecessors. Copies of the issues of the eighties may be seen at several points in the city.

The Daily News

The Daily News, the original of the Evening News, now being published,
made its appearance with Messrs. Witt and O’Connor the helm. Those two giants of journalism were not slow in showing what a newspaper was, and although composition bills were enormous, a number of hand “cases” being operated at all times, the paper lived through many trials and tribulations going through several complete changes of management as well as ownership, and finally living today missing but one issue, and that was upon the occasion of the great storm of several years ago, when the office was flooded and linotypes, presses and motors were lifeless through the inactivity of the electric light plant.
There are many in Pensacola today who are able to tell of the vicissitudes through which the News has passed, yet existing and being published in the local afternoon field. The ill-starred Argus was another venture, launched first in the weekly field and being later merged into a daily, a syndicate having secured the control from J.H. Hamilton, a local newspaper man who yet resides in Pensacola. The Times
was the outcome of this control, but its failure to make good with the Pensacola
public is fresh in the minds of comparatively late comers.
A competitor, the Star, under the editorial management and ownership of Julius Menko, soon secured the control, and under the name of the Times-Star, it was published, but not for long. Something was radically wrong, and it soon found a grave
beside those which had been launched in the past.
The Daily Globe, a production by I. B. Hilson, who afterward became identified with the News, was another grave-finder in the journalistic cemetery. Under very trying odds, this paper’s existence was maintained for some months, publishing both a daily and weekly issue, but at that time the News was in its heyday of success and held to the lion’s share of the patronage both in the local and the foreign advertising field. It was then under the management of W.M. Ball, and was hand-set from start to finish.

The Pensacola Press

A third daily soon made its appearance and had a sorrowful existence, although the proprietor was said to have expended wads to make it a go. That was the Press, published by John Denham, now deceased. It made a brave fight for a living, but the odds were against it. Unreliability was possibly the mill-stone which finally led to a final swamping of the Press. Mistakes, known in newspaper parlance as “bulls”, were too frequently appearing in its columns, and during the life of the present Journal, it was merged into the afternoon field, later suspending publication. This paper started out with brilliant prospect, but could mot overcome the tide of a decided unpopularity, which met it soon after its appearance.
Mr. W. M. Loftin, for many years connected with the News, launched the seed of what turned out to be the most successful of the many attempts at local newspaper-making. He started the Weekly Pensacola Journal, which shortly before his sad death, was
merged into a daily. How the present energetic editor and manager of The Journal
secured control just prior to the well-known originator’s death is not news to the Pensacola public today, and soon after F. L. Mayes and an associate secured absolute control and management, the paper soon forged to the front, today representing a lot of hard work, a great improvement over any paper ever successfully published in the morning field and a triumph of journalism over which the present editor may exult with pardonable pride. And, although in its 10th year of publication, it has never missed an issue, even going through the memorable September storm with success, although considerably damaged mechanically.
Those of the Old School And of the old school of editors and printers, there are not a few who occupy silent sleeping places in the cities of the dead within the city limits. The aged J. Dennis Wolfe, whose writings today are yet read with avidity, occupies a certain mound in beautiful St. John’s cemetery. The lamented John O’Connor and his former business Partner, the well-recollected John C. Witt, sleep in the same enclosure in that burial ground. And another mound holds the mortal remains of the lamented William M. Loftin. In another cemetery, the silent and revered St. Michael’s, recline the remains of several old printers of the
old school.
Arthur Quina, Frank Jeudevine and William Bauer, all at one time on the News, have been gathered unto their fathers and are in St. Michael’s. In the same place the remains of Emmet Touart may be located. He was for many years a pressman on the same paper, working with the three printers already named.
Ed. H. Ackerman, another printer, occupies a place in St. John’s, I believe,
although I do not state it as a fact. My recollection is that he was buried
there. Col Ike Vincent, who was associated with Mr. Hamilton on the Argus is buried in Alabama, his death having Occurred since he left here and it followed a long illness. Three other printers of what we are pleased in reminiscent moments to refer to as the old school, are yet in Pensacola.
Henry M. Roche is a partner in the White printing house, Peter McLellan is with the Journal, and Henry Jeudevine is with the Mayes Printing Co. These old “comps” are full of tales of the early printing trade in Pensacola. A younger member is J. L. Bierne, who holds a reportial position on the Journal. “Jack”, as his friends are pleased to reter to him, can also in reminiscent moments relate interesting life experiences covering the local field.
Many traveling printers who held cases on the local papers are heard from at frequent intervals. Our friend Cleveland of the DeFuniak Herald, is one of them.
There are several others who have been lost sight of completely, but who probably have responded to their last “thirty,” and have gone to their reward.
All of the above, when taken into consideration, will naturally serve to make the loyal Pensacolian feel a kindly pleasure in having the Journal yet with them, And for one the writer hopes that the days of a newspaper’s vicissitudes are a thing of the past, so far as The Journal is converned. May it be the pleasure and ability and task of the present editor and manager to issue many, many more Christmas editions, and to look back with a degree of superiority up the newspaper-wreck-bestrewn past.

For those of you who didn't grow up in the newspaper business, reporters used to add the notation -30- to show the completion of a story - hence the above reference to a last "thirty" above.