Author: Mike Simmons
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The First Sheriff of Escambia County, Florida
Henri Pierre 1821 In the late 1770s, the country of Haiti was on the verge of a revolution, which officially began in 1791 and ended with the country’s independence in 1804. In the midst of the uprisings prior to the war, Henri Pierre was born there, in Domingue, Artibonite in 1778. As soon as he…
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Justice is Served
The death of Escambia County, Florida Deputy Joseph Gassman Deputy Sheriff Joseph Gassman was born in 1910 in Pensacola and he grew up in the same town. In his heart and soul he was a Pensacola native! In 1957, he decided he wanted to be a lawman. He tried his hand and immediately loved it!…
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The Legendary Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves – even the name sounds ominous. In the Old West during the 18930s, it was ominous. Bad guys didn’t want to cross him and those with warrants feared him. He could shoot, fight and track. That was the legend. The facts? Well, unlike many legends, the real Bass Reeves measured up to his…
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End of Watch: The Death of Okaloosa County Sheriff John Summerlin
Two important events occurred when John was 28 years old. First, in 1915, a new county was formed from Santa Rosa and Walton counties. Okaloosa County was created. Further, Governor Trammell appointed the first sheriff of the county – B. H. Sutton. John thought that the top lawman in the new county wasn’t such a…
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End of Watch: The Death of Deputy Charles Wilkerson, Escambia County, Florida Sheriff’s Department
By Mike Simmons From the book, “Some Gave All,” coming soon on Amazon. Deputy Charles Wilkerson was shot and killed when he stopped two suspects who had just committed an armed robbery. At the time, Deputy Wilkerson did not know the robbery had occurred. The robbery was broadcast during the stop at which time one…
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End of Watch: The Death of Pensacola Police Officer Tommie Hatcher
from the book “Pensacola’s Finest,” available on Amazon One of the darkest days – perhaps the darkest day – in the story of the historic Pensacola Police Officer occurred on Sunday, January 15, 1939. It’s never a good thing when an officer is forced to shoot and kill a person, but it’s even worse when…
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End of Watch: Officer Jason Goen
Okaloosa County, Department of Corrections, Florida End of Watch Friday, January 1, 2021 “Officer Jason Goen was effortlessly kind, receptive, supportive and naturally gifted as an officer,” said a co-worker. But he wasn’t known as “Jason.” Everyone called him “PeeWee.” His untimely death in the line of duty on Friday, January 1, 2021, resulted from complications…
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Podcast: Murder at Magnolia Bluffs
A true story. Why was Henry Moore killed? Did Gretchen Gregory have anything to do with it? Was Henry’s wife – Eulalie – behind it? After all, she had just taken out a life insurance policy on him, listing her as the beneficiary. Interesting…
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End of Watch: The Death of Pensacola Police Captain William Etheridge
December 26, 1908 William Thomas Etheridge was born in July 30, 1851 in Conecuh County, Alabama. On November 12, 1871, he married Nannie Bradley in his home county. To this union were born three daughters: Clara, Ella and Willie. The first mention of him as a Pensacola police officer came on January 10, 1902, when…
