Island in the Sun

When James Danbury threw open the door to his pastor on a stormy night in 1842, he never imagined that the news his pastor carried-and the bundle he cradled in his arms-would forever change the Danbury world. THE AUTHOR Charles Carrin, a naturalist and a historian, has devoted much of his life to exploring the history and outdoors of the state his ancestors helped establish. From a background rich in personal history and tradition, Charles writes about early Florida with passion and insight. Born in Homestead, Florida, on the edge of the Everglades in 1930, he is a fifth generation Floridian, descended from two pioneer-Florida preachers who rode the circuit to minister to their parishioners during the war years. His great-great-grandmother, born in 1798, is buried on the banks of the Suwanee River. With Native American ancestry in each family tree, Charles portrays the Seminole War with sensitivity towards red, black, and white men alike. In 1949, his plans to study botany in Central America were overridden by a clear directive from the Lord, calling Charles into Christian ministry. Now in his sixty-first year of ministry and retired from pastoring a church, his schedule remains busy with speaking engagements, writing, and mentoring of younger pastors. His monthly articles can be viewed at www.CharlesCarrinMinistries.com Charles and his wife Laurie reside in Boynton Beach, Florida. Dorothy Easley has been blessed by the ministry of Charles Carrin since she was a child, and Charles baptized her father. She is descended from pioneers who established a trading post in Florida in the 1800's. Dorothy's fore-parents were the first white settlers to permit Indians to make purchases on credit and always maintained good relations with local tribes. Dorothy teaches math at Broward College. She and her husband Ralph make their home in South Florida.