The Tale Tellers present “Stories from Florida’s Past”

The Tale Tellers of St Augustine will tell historical stories at the St. Augustine Historical Society Research Courtyard on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 1 pm.  Storytelling is alive and well in St. Augustine and you won’t want to miss these gifted communicators of Florida history.  The Tale Tellers in this program are Kathy Kniery, Drew Sappington, Natalie Beltrami, David Fussell, and Kathy Duffy.

Kathy Kniery, president of Tale Tellers of St. Augustine,  is a multi-talented storyteller who is spending her retirement years focusing on storytelling and storytelling-enhancing technology.  As a folklorist, her catalog of stories includes historical figures, devils, demons, and feel-good characters. Kathy will tell the story of Nancy DuVal, the wife of the first territorial governor of Florida – a remarkable woman who raised a family, lobbied for education, dealt with indigenous residents, and supported her husband, Gov. DuVal.

Drew Sappington’s story is entitled “Governor Quesada’s Affliction”, the tale of Jorge Biassou, a thorn in the side of the Spanish administration.   Drew has had a storied career as a college professor, pest control guy, ward administrator in a mental hospital, researcher, bouncer, and clinical psychologist.  He is the author of Hidden History of St. Augustine.

Natalie Beltrami will tell the story of Louise Fatio, a child of Florida who faced tragedy while young and lived to tell the story.  Ms. Beltrami believes our stories are the threads that create the fabric of our lives.   When we reflect on them, we see the rich pattern of who we are.  The patterns reveal that we are all pieces of the same garment.  She is the recipient of the 2024 Ambassador of Storytelling Award.

Kathy Duffy is a retired librarian who has been telling stories for 30 years on both coasts to children, teens, and adults.  She is the recipient of the 2024 Guild Service Award from the Florida Storytelling Association.  She will present a fan’s sketch of Gamble Rogers’ life and his favorite characters.

David Fussell is a fifth-generation Floridian and fifth-generation Wiregrass Georgian who tells yarns and rhythms of Southern life through his personal experiences and learned lore of Florida’s past.  With homespun wit, wisdom, humor, and laughter his love of Florida comes alive through fifty years of storytelling from the front porch.