My name is LaRocca, it means the Rock. My husband was very proud of being Sicilian and loved our Minorcan heritage.

I was born in St.Vincents hospital in Jax but only because Mayport had no hospital. My first home was with my Papa (John Reuben Arnau) and my Gram (Lenora Haworth Arnau). I lived in Mayport in a shack on a sandhill until I was six almost seven. I had a idilic life. I never knew I was poor until I left Mayport. I never knew about being Minorcan until I was grown. It seems my mothers generation had been shamed by kids from the beaches for being from Mayport. My mother still does not revel in the fact that her Daddy was a Minorcan. My Mom and Ruth Capo are the only two left from the Florida Arnau children.

I too went to the little Presbyterian church as a child. I went in and out of Dial Johnson's store. I went to school in Mayport and my first grade teacher was a Miss Pie. My favorite playmate was Nancy Floyd. Her daddy had a little store when we were young. My Papa used to take me there on his shoulders. He would buy his (sic) Pell Mell cigarettes and tell Uncle Frank to "give the kid a belly wash."

I ran off and went to the "colored section" once. Only once. I ended up on the porch of the Blue Moon Cafe. I sat in a chair and propped my feet up like the old men sitting there. They warned me my Papa would "lay it on me" and sure enough they were right. Papa came around the corner with a switch off of the wild plum tree, yanked me off of that porch and whooped me all the way home.

My Papa and Gram were two of the best people who ever lived. I always wondered why we were so different from other southerners. It was our Minorcan ways, that and the fact that Gram was from Quaker stock. Olive oil cured everything. No one was a stranger and there was no racism even in the 50's. I was Catholic and Presbyterian at the same time. I spent every summer in Mayport or East Mayport until I was 14. I have very strong feelings about Mayport and my Minorcan family. I kept in contact with Helen May Floyd until her death. She and I shared a love of history and writing.

We (my family) are so lucky. My sons knew their Gr Grandmothers and one of their Gr Grandfathers. My Mom and I live with my #4 son. We have 4 generations in this house.

I am trying to connect with the past generatiions of Haworths of Mayport. I want to get info on my Grams family. Anyone who can help is appreciated. I hope to have a book published about growing up Minorcan in Mayport.

You can reach me at Mary