Cold Before Morning: A Heart-Warming Novel About a Florida Pioneer Family

by John Paul Jones Jr.

Cold Before Morning is a simple yet powerful novel of a Scottish family's emotional and heart-warming romance and daily conflict with pioneer Florida between 1854 and 1913. The James McCredies arrived in Micanopy, Florida, one of the state's oldest communities, just in time to get involved in the Third Seminole Indian War, then the Civil War, followed by years of Reconstruction and Yellow Fever epidemics. During those same years, North-Central Florida experienced the "Orange Fever" that drove men to acquire large acreage of citrus trees as they sought to build empires with Victorian homes and extensive bank accounts from their trees of "yellow gold." The title, Cold Before Morning, symbolizes the heartaches, the murders, the thievery, the mysteries, the accidents that took men before their time, and the diseases that caused family tragedies that only the strong could endure. The story also portrays the happiness of courtship, the fulfillment of marriage, and the building of strong families in the face of these hardships. The McCredie family was a real family, the principals of which are all dead, buried in cemeteries in Micanopy, Ocala, Rochelle and Gainesville. This is their story, told by James McCredie's grandson.

Genres: Historical Fiction

227 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1992

Reviews

[Jacqui H. Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it says it is in the sub-title... a heartwarming novel about a Florida pioneer family.
Although the story, at times, reads more like a history book of north and north central Florida, this is easy to understand considering the fact that the author was a professor of journalism and a writer of documentary movie scripts, as well as a born-and-bred native of Micanopy and Gainesville, Florida.
The book traces his family's history, from his great-grandparents' move from Scotland to the rural, untamed central Florida settlements which would eventually become Ocala and Micanopy.
The history of the area, one which is seldom touched on in basic histories of Florida, is rich in the development of the citrus industry there, and historical events that had a major influence on it.
Also, a fascinating history of the author's family, the central family throughout the book, which continues on in the sequel book, WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS.

[H-Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel can be of interest to those who live or have relatives in the Micanopy, Gainesville, and Ocala, FL area. I found it awkward to read at times: a hodgepodge of historical facts bumped up to but not fully integrated with creative fiction. I wanted an author statement of his source material and a guide on how to discern facts from fiction.
PS, if I didn’t live in the area I would have rated it only two stars.

[Carolyn Manlove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A person recommended this book when I needed an area book for my book club. I had worked for the author when I was a teenager so this was a nice surprise. The book is a fictionalized account of the family history and the local history mentioned makes it valuable to me.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written by my husband's grandfather. He was, at one time, the Dean of Journalism at the University of Florida. And he was an incredible man. I married his grandson near the end of his journey on this earth, but I enjoyed and cherished each moment with him.
He gave me a signed copy of each of his books for my two boys (Abby wasn't thought of back then) and that is something they can always treasure from him.
I love this book. It makes sure that history will never be forgotten. If you get the chance, you really should read it.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, one of my personal favorites. Being from this particular region of Florida makes me all the more a fan of this volume as it is so fascinating learning more of the history of where I live and who lived there.
Well written, and a very memorable story. It feels more historical fiction drama than an actual biography. Very easy to read. I recommend.