L. B. Register

L. B. (Lonnie B.) Register lived in the Graceville, Florida area but in the country. He worked various jobs, while writing music and teaching singing schools and leading music at revivals and convention sings. A series of tragedies hit them right off the bat. Their infant daughter was born in 1916 but died very soon after birth. His main job ended and he became a rider in the turpentine woods, which was a big industry. He was a foreman, riding a horse from camp to camp checking progress and assigning work crews. Things were going fairly well. Then, tragedy. He was throwing his leg over the saddle, not knowing his scythe blade had flipped up on the other side. It went through his leg, piercing an artery and tendons. He lost use of the leg and nearly died from blood loss. While L. B. was recovering, the family lived with L.B.s father-in-law who owned a country store and also had the usual farm. They lived just south of Graceville, still basically in the town. It took an entire year to recover, strengthen and learn to walk again. During the year with his in-laws, he said he would drag himself out on the porch in the morning to see people going by and see the store. He would work on songs. It was there he put music to "I'm Going That Way". He wrote the music and his friend (they collaborated on many songs) wrote the words. It was published in the Fall if 1918. He always said that if you had to live a year with your father-in-law, you would be ready to start "Going That Way" too.

From an account of his grandson, sent by his great grandson Noah Hicks