Charlie Clarence Best

Black male, born about 1901 in Alabama. Died in Pleasant Grove, Florida on 14 September 1939 at the age of 38. His death was accidental, caused by a dynamite explosion. His death certificate indicates that his body was demolished. His occupation at the time was common laborer, blasting. He was married to Virginia Best at the time. The informant on the death certificate was Isiah Johnson of 1118 W. Belmont St., Pensacola. Charlie was buried in the Escambia County Poor Farm cemetery.

Charlie Best first appeared in the records in the 1930 federal census for Pollard, Escambia County, Alabama. He was 32 years old, born in Alabama of a father born in North Carolina and a mother born in South Carolina. He was 24 years old at the time of his first marriage. He was literate, he rented his home, and at the time he had no occupation. His wife was Docia (probably Dacia) Best, 24 years old. She was born in Mississippi to parents born in Alabama. She was described as a Black female (though in the 1920 census she and her entire family were described as mulatto). She was 13 years old at her first marriage (to John Roberts). She was also literate. Also in the household were Charlie’s two stepchildren, Dacia’s children by her first husband: John Roberts, 9 years old, born in Alabama; and Cora A. Roberts, 5 and a half, born in Florida. (John Roberts was apparently born in Georgia.) Infant Charlie Best, the son of Charlie and Dacia, was 4 months old.

In the 1935 state census of Florida, Charlie was living in Precinct 25 in Escambia County. (It was identified as rural in 1935, known as “Van Pelt’s” election precinct, but it is the area now known as Brentwood Park.) In his household were Cara Roberts, 11, born in Florida; Charley Best, 6, born in Alabama; and Freeman Best, 3, born in Florida. Charlie’s occupation was farmer; he was born in Alabama, and his education was described as “primary.” Charlie was a widower at this time; his wife having died in 1934 in Chipley, FL.

According to Escambia County, FL marriage records, Charlie married Virginia Carter on 27 December 1937. It is this record which provides his middle name, Clarence.

Research continues to find Charlie before 1930. Isiah Knight appears to have been the brother of Callie Knight, the owner of the house at 1118 W. Belmont. His relationship to Charlie is as yet unknown; chances are he was a friend and/or co-worker.

FAMILY:

Spouses: Dacia Johnson Best, Virginia Carter Best

Children: Charlie Best, Freeman Best

Stepchildren: John Roberts, Cora or Cara Roberts

SOURCES:

Florida Certificate of Death for Charlie Best, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Florida Certificate of Death for Dasher [Dacia] Best, Florida Deaths, 1877-1939. Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.