Lance, Inc. in Pensacola, Florida

If you're familiar with the munchies named Toastchee, Cheese on Nipchee, and Captain's Wafers, Lance has undoubtedly helped you fend off a snack attack. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the company produces single-serve, multi-pack, and family-sized packages of bakery products and sweet and savory snack foods, including cookies, crackers, nuts, and potato chips. Its products are sold primarily under the Lance, Cape Cod, and Tom's brand names in convenience stores, supermarkets, club superstores, drugstores, restaurants, schools, hospitals, cafes, recreational outlets and vending machines. Lance also produces private-label and branded-label snacks for other manufacturers.

Philip Lance entered the snack food industry with the innovative concept of delivering fresh snacks in convenient single-serve packages in 1913. Originally Lance Packing Co. the name was changed to Lance, Inc. in 1939. Today, the descendants of founder Philip Lance own approximately 23% of Lance.

David H. Jones, Jr. worked as a Lance Salesman for 35 years, from 1947-1982, in Pensacola, FL. His logs show that he serviced most area businesses, including ?.

East Hill Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida

D.H. and Jo Jones were very active members of East Hill Baptist, where Jo worked as the Church Hostess for 35 years.

Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola is the county seat of Escambia County, FL. It is a sea port on Pensacola Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico. A large United States Navy airbase, the first in the United States, is located southwest of Pensacola and is home to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Pensacola is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags" due to the five flags that have flown over it during its history: the flags of Spain (Castile), France, Great Britian, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand prevalent along beaches in the Florida panhandle), "Cradle of Naval Aviation" (the National Museum of Naval Aviation is located at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, home of the legendary Blue Angels), "Western Gate to the Sunshine State," "America's First Settlement," "Emerald Coast," "Redneck Riviera," and "Red Snapper Capital of the World."

Pensacola has had a rich and colorful history over 450 years, being the first settlement in the continental United States (1559) and controlled by 5 nations. Although Pensacola is the oldest settlement, its location has caused great turmoil, with many buildings destroyed by wars, and by numerous major hurricanes. The location, south of the original British colonies, and as the dividing line between French Louisiana and Spanish Florida, along the Perdido River, has caused Pensacola to change ownership several times. Pensacola has been under the possession of the Spanish, French, British, United States, Confederate States, and has remained a part of the U.S. since the end of the American Civil War. Along with wars, numerous hurricanes have been a major factor in Pensacola history.

Early exploration of Pensacola Bay (called Polonza or Ochuse) spanned decades, with Ponce de León (1513), Pánfilo de Narváez (1528), and Hernando de Soto (1539) plus others charting the area. Due to prior exploration, the first settlement of Pensacola was large, landing on August 15, 1559, and led by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano with over 1,400 people on 11 ships from Vera Cruz, Mexico. However, weeks later, the colony was decimated by a hurricane on September 19, 1559, which killed hundreds, sank 5 ships, grounded a caravel, and ruined supplies. The 1,000 survivors divided to relocate/resupply the settlement, but due to famine and attacks, the effort was abandoned in 1561. About 240 people sailed to Santa Elena (near South Carolina), but another storm hit there, so they sailed to Cuba and scattered. The remaining 50 at Pensacola were taken back to Mexico, and the Viceroy's advisers concluded northwest Florida was too dangerous to settle, for 135 years.

Pensacola was permanently reestablished by the Spanish in 1696 on the mainland, near Fort Barrancas, and became the largest city in Florida, as the capital of the British colony of West Florida in 1763. Another major hurricane devastated the settlement in 1722, causing the French occupation to evacuate, and the Spanish returned. From 1763, the British went back to the mainland area of fort San Carlos de Barrancas, building the Royal Navy Redoubt, and Pensacola became the capital of the 14th British colony, West Florida. After Spain joined the American Revolution late, in 1779, the Spanish captured East Florida and West Florida, regaining Pensacola from (1781-1819).

In an 1819 Transcontinental Treaty (Adams-Onis), Spain renounced its claims to West Florida and ceded East Florida to the U.S. (US $5 million). In 1821, with Andrew Jackson as provisional governor, Pensacola became part of the United States.

David H. Jones Jr. and Emma Josephine Barnette moved to Pensacola in the late 1940s when D.H. took a job with Lance, Inc.. Their three youngest children were born in Pensacola, and all five settled in or near Pensacola to raise their families.

Dave H. Jones Jr. (1919-2007) and Emma Josephine Barnette (1924-2006)

Dave H. Jones Jr. (“D.H.”) was born in Winder, Georgia, on October 30, 1919, to Dave H. Jones Sr. and Jocie Maybelle Morgan Jones. He grew up in Winder and worked in his father’s grocery store until he joined the United States Navy in 1942, serving as a Coxman 3rd class from 1942-1945 during WWII. Although short, his Navy career led him all over the world, and he kept an amazing scrapbook of all the different countries he saw and the unique experiences he had.

Emma Josephine Barnette (“Jo”) was born in Center, Georgia, on September 18, 1924, to Walter Thomas Barnette and Cornelia Florine Ingram Barnette. She grew up in various Georgia cities before attending Winder Business School and working as a bookkeeper for Peskin & Co.

Jo’s co-worker, Bill Jones, introduced her to his brother, D.H., in January 1943 while he was home on 15-day leave from his station on a tanker ship. They were married six months later, on June 3, 1943, at his mother’s preacher’s house, and Jo continued to live in Winder while D.H. finished his tour of duty. Their first child was born in 1944, followed by the second in 1946.

The Jones’ moved to Pensacola in 1947 when D.H. took a job with Lance, Inc. Their three youngest children were born there, and all five children were raised in a small three bedroom home off Twelfth Avenue in East Hill. The family was very active at East Hill Baptist Church, where Jo worked as the Church Hostess for 35 years. D.H. retired from Lance in 1982 after 35 years. They both loved taking vacations with their family and friends, working in their beautiful yard, and watching the Gaithers perform.

D.H. and Jo made a profound effect on the lives of those who knew them. Their faith in God and love for others was manifested in the pound cakes, lemon squares and congo bars Jo made for every birthday or important event she knew of (a tradition continued by her loving husband when she was no longer able to cook). Their legacy lives on in eleven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren to date.

Jo passed away on Easter morning (April 16th) of 2006 as a result of complications from congestive heart failure. She was 81 years old.

D.H. laid down for a nap before dinner on Labor Day (Spetember 3rd) 2007 and never woke up. He was 87 years old.

They are both greatly missed.