James Keir Baughman

About The Author

Born in Richmond, of an old Virginia family, the author found the Civil War virtually a “touchable” event during his childhood. Growing years were spent on a 60 acre family farm in Varina, a suburb of Richmond where many Civil War battles and skirmishes were fought. The author’s grandfather, James Wilson Baughman, built the farm’s family home inside a Civil War fort which remained on the acreage.

After World War II, the author lived in Rome, Georgia, where he first learned of the powerful story of Indiana's 73rd Infantry regiment. During high school years in Birmingham he served in the Alabama educational system’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps and the Alabama Air National Guard.

On a two week military sojourn in July 1949, James Keir Baughman found Northwest Florida’s magnificent Emerald Coast. In that same year his family acquired land and built a summer cottage at Miramar Beach in South Walton County, just east of Fort Walton Beach.

On June 1st, 1951 his parents Elba A. and Iris Keir Armour Baughman invested in a small conglomerate of retail businesses in Shalimar, a suburb of Fort Walton Beach, and moved the family there.

The author began writing as an ad copywriter, columnist, news writer, and advertising manager in 1956 at Fort Walton Beach’s weekly Playground News. During an ensuing, extensive career in business management, marketing, and advertising he published thousands of lines of copy as an advertising copy-writer. In retirement he has written for national and regional magazines of the condo management and sailing genre.

He served 10 ½ years as a Fort Walton Beach City Councilman, one year as Mayor Pro Tempore.

Over the years, he served on Boards of Directors for the JayCees, Northwest Florida Regional Planning Council, Playground Area Safety Council, YMCA, Fort Walton Yacht Club, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Fort Walton Beach Downtown Merchants Assn, as management advisor for Junior Achievement, a Lieutenant in the Navarre Squadron - Civil Air Patrol, a Staff Officer in Destin’s United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a member of the Florida League of Cities and local Rotary and Lions Clubs.

His mother Iris Keir Armour Baughman guided the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce for 14 years as Executive Director. He and family members have shared in the Emerald Coast’s growth as proprietors of several Northwest Florida business ventures.

Just prior to retirement, the author was licensed as a Florida Community Association Manager. He served as General manager for two 7 story hi-rises in the elegant, mushrooming, Emerald Coast city of Destin. In earlier years he was a residential and rental condo owner and board member in Fort Walton Beach.

The author’s love of the sea began more than five decades ago when he found Northwest Florida’s emerald hued waters. He and his wife Sandee live along side the Gulf Coast Intra-Coastal Waterway reaching 800 miles through five states to the Mexican border.

Their children, son James and wife Diane, daughter Jill and granddaughter Esenia, daughter Dana with husband Brent and granddaughters Gracie and Emmy, are all Fort Walton Beach and Destin professionals or business owners who pursue his enchantment with the delightful Emerald Coast lifestyle.