USA > Florida > Orange County > Early settlers of Orange County, Florida; reminiscent-historic-biographic, 1915 > Part 2
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After returning from there he assisted his father and brother in buying and driving beef
cattle to Ft. Myers for the Spanish army dur- ing the ten-year war.
In 1874 he took a homestead near Oakland and began clearing land and setting out an orange grove, which he later sold. In 1877 he married Miss Alice Roper, by whom he had a son, W. E. Speer, of Dania, Fla., who is engaged in buying and packing fruits and vegetables. Ilis wife dying in the third year after their marriage, on the fifteenth day of March, 1882, he married Miss M. C. Kin- caid, of Murphy, N. C., by whom he has two children, Gertrude K. Speer and James P. Speer. The former has been teaching in the Sanford High School (8th grade) for 8 or 9 years. His son, Jas. P. Speer, is a promising young lawyer, located at Comanche, Okla., and is at present a member of the House of Rep- resentatives from Stevens County, Okla.
A. Speer has lived at Oakland almost con- tinuously, 'built and kept the first store at Oakland, later engaging in farming and fruit growing, has been a justice in the Oakland district for twenty-odd years, and is still hold-, ing down the job.
12
EARLY SETTLERS OF OR.INGE COUNTY
JUDGE J. G. SPEER
Judge J. G. Speer was born in South Caro- lina, June 23, 1820. His ancestors were sturdy Scotch-Irish. llis grandfather, William Speer, came from County Antrim about the beginning of the Revolutionary war, espoused the cause of the colonies, fighting through the war in General Picken's command. Judge J. G. Speer was a staunch defender of the right, though it might be the weaker side, and was independ- ent of popular opinion in taking a stand against what he conceived to be wrong and would never buy success by compromising principle. Coming to Florida at an early date (1854) he became widely known and deservedly es- teemed. He took an active part in the or- ganization of the county, which at that time included a large part of Osceola, also a large part of Lake and all of what is now Seminole. He was repeatedly called to places of honor and trust, serving one term in the lower House of the Legislature and two terms in the State Senate. At one time he was a candidate for the U. S. Senate, lacking only one vote of election, causing a deadlock for ten days, at which time he withdrew his name. Two years later he was a candidate before the gubernato- rial convention for governor of the state and hung that body several days when he withdrew in favor of Honorable Francis P. Flemming, who was elected.
When duty called him to antagonize a pow- erful and unscrupulous interest, he did not hesitate. The liquor traffic felt and remem- bers the blows he gave it "in the legislature
and before the people. He was in the conven- tion that gave the state its present constitution, and was the author of Article 19 of the consti- tution, regulating the liquor business. He was living at Ft. Gatlin, near Orlando, when the question of locating the county site came up. This was a three-cornered fight: Ft. Reid, "The Lodge" ( so called because here was lo- cated the only Masonic Lodge in the county), now Apopka City; and Ft. Gatlin, each place being championed by its settlers. A distant cousin, Dr. Sidney Speer, led the Ft. Reid forces; Isaac Newton led the Lodge crowd, and Judge Speer led the Ft. Gatlin settlers, and Ft. Gatlin won. At once the question of a name came up and was named "Orlando" by Judge Speer for one of Shakespeare's char- acters.
He was County Judge for several years, un- til he moved to the section now known as South Apopka. In 1880, he took charge of the Apopka Drainage Company, for the purpose of draining the muck lands on the north of Lake Apopka.
In 1886 he induced the Orange Belt Railroad to come by way of Oakland on its way south, (the road was to have gone some miles south of Oakland), giving the railroad company a half interest in two hundred acres of land on which the town of Oakland is located.
His life and Christian character will leave the most enduring impress on those who knew him best. He died October 31, 1893.
Info from State Library 2/29/10 James Gamble Specs Change Co., 1873-1877. Ionale From 20%
Hours from
DIST. 1879, 1851, 1853
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EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
13
HON. WILLIAM R. O'NEAL
WILLIAM R. O'NEAL
No one man has been so prominently en- gaged in the up-building of Orange County, in so many varied ways, as William R. O'Neal. Everybody "hands it to him" when it comes to that vital touch that has left an imprint in the business, fraternal, religious, educational and political life of not only the city and county, but the state, as well.
An Ohioan, born of Virginia parentage, he became a law student and made a specialty of insurance in his native state.
An opportunity opened for him to become manager of the Ford estate, which brought him to Orlando, Orange County, in 1886, later engaging in the business of insurance, rentals, collections, real estate and adjustments of es- tates. The firm was known at that time as Curtis, Fletcher & O'Neal, and later Curtis & O'Neal, and included a profitable book busi- ness.
Mr. O'Neal became connected with the edu- cational interests of the county at an early (late. In 1887 he became a trustee and secre- tary and treasurer of Rollins College, and as such he has become vitally connected with the education of many young men and women of the state and elsewhere, not a few of whom are making their mark in the world at this time.
He was for a long time the chairman of the Orlando school trustees and was a positive factor in the promotion of local educational interests.
Politically, Mr. O'Neal is a republican, one of the kind who loyally stuck to his colors
when he came South, and for years he has been foremost in the councils and conventions of his party. As such he was the nominee of his party for congress, for governor and for superintendent of public instruction and was in 1898 appointed postmaster of Orlando, re- taining the office with great satisfaction to the people until the appointment of his democratic successor in 1915.
For many years he was a city alderman and was president of the city council when, during the hard, constructive period of the city's his- tory, he labored industriously for the best in- terests of the people.
He is at this time president of the Apopka Bank, a director in the State Bank of Orlando, secretary and treasurer of the Seminole Hotel Company of Winter Park, secretary of the Fair Association and a valued officer in vari- ous other business enterprises.
Ile is prominently identified with several fra- ternal organizations, notably, the Knights of Pythias, Masons, Commandery, Odd Fellows and Elks.
He is now serving his third term as Supreme Representative of the Knights of Pythias, and is a member of the Board of Control of the Insurance Department.
Ile is Grand Commander of the Knights Templar of Florida, Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the Southern District of Florida, for Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Deputy Grand High Priest of Grand Lodge R. A. M.
.
I.1
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
HON, SAMUEL AUSTIN ROBINSON
SAMUEL A, ROBINSON
Samuel Austin Robinson, of 104 N. Main street, Orlando, Florida, was born in Emmett, near Battle Creek, Michigan, March 12, 1849, and was descended from Puritan and revolu- tionary sires,
His education was obtained in the public schools of his native county, He engaged in farming on the old homestead, and afterwards taught school one year in Clark County, Ind.
May 25th, 1876. he was married to Miss Mary A, Bird, of Pennfield, Calhoun Co., Mich,
In October, 1876, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson arrived in Orlando, and have since made it their home,
Mr, Robinson engaged in civil engineering and surveying in Florida 30 years, being Coun- ty Surveyor 16 years, He was then County and State Tax Assessor for five years, and Repre- sentative in the . Legislature for two terms, from 1910 to 1915. He was once Tax Collect- or of Orange County, and was Alderman, City Surveyor, Tax Collector, and one of the Trustees of the Orlando Public Schools, He has also been a Notary Public for 35 years, He surveyed the eities of Orlando, Winter Park and Kissimmee, and other towns. Ile surveyed the Lake Jesup, O. & K. R. Railroad
to where the city of Kissimmee now stands, when he saw but four houses south of Bogy Creek on the route.
Those familiar with the early history of Orange County know the agitation of the building of this proposed road had much to do to hasten the building of the S. F. Railroad, which resulted in the building of the eities of Sanford, Orlando, and Kissimmee,
Robinson Avenue, in Orlando, and Robinson Spring, between Orlando and Sanford, were both named for him. He designed and sur- veyed "Greenwood," belonging to Orlando, and the Lakeland cemetery was copied after it,
Mr. Robinson obtained from Indian mounds and otherwise in Florida, the only large col- lection of gold and silver ornaments that have been reported in the United States.
Prof, George F, Kunz, the world's great gem expert, examined and deseribed them, and the American Antiquarian, of July, 1887, published his report. They now belong to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York,
Hle made original research in Florida, and unearthed splendid fossil teeth of the elephant, mastodon, bison, camel, tapír, horse, mylodon, diodon, capybara, and seales of the glyptodon, and many other fossil species,
15
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
MAJ. W.M. BRIGHAM LYNCH
Born in Orange County, N. C .. Jan. 19, 1834, died at his home, Orlando, Orange Co., Fla., July 30, 1911. At the early age of nine he entered the famous Bingham School of North Carolina, thence to the State Univer- sity, graduating with distinguished honor in the class of 1859, delivering the Latin saluta- tory oration and was tendered a professorship in the same universi- MAJ. W. B. LYNCH ty, but preferred to accept the chair of Greek in Davidson College, N. C. This position he filled with ability for three years, leaving to organize a company upon the out-
break of the civil war, enlisted in the Con- federate service and became captain of his company.
In the army he developed the very highest qualities of the citizen-soldier, true to the highest ideals through all the hardships and toil, and endeared himself, as a commander, to all his men.
At the close of the war, he became co-prin- cipal of the Bingham -School and held it for sixteen years.
For health considerations he disposed of his interests and moved to Sanford, Orange Co., Fla., in 1882, giving attention to orange growing and teaching. In 1897, he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction for Or- ange County and served three consecutive terms of four years each, being elected with- out opposition, the highest testimonial to his efficiency and faithfulness.
In his long service as superintendent of the county schools he brought to bear a scholarly mind and a polished, agreeable disposition, co-operating gladly and faithfully with officials and teachers and students for the highest in- terests of education.
DEXTER C. THOMPSON
The subject of this sketch was born in Brockton, Mass., in 1859. Educated in the public schools of that city he early entered business life, coming to Orange County, Fla., in 1881, and located in Sanford, where the terminus of the St. Johns River navigation and the South Florida Railroad enterprise opened up wonderful opportunities for business activ- ity.
Mr. Thompson was possessed of more than ordinary business talent and foresight, added to great capacity and executive ability. Be- sides, he knew conditions and had a keen in- sight into men and understood the use of "Time and Tide."
He looked over the field and there was the inevitable opportunity in the rapidly increasing demand for building material, as Sanford it- self improved, besides the many towns on the river and the opening up of the new country southward over the line of the South Florida railroad steadily building to Tampa.
All the crude orange box material was at that time sent down from Maine and the in- creasing orange industry held out promising profit.
For these and a few other reasons the lumber business engaged his attention. From a modest beginning his interests increased so that he finally be- came president of The Warnell Lum- ber Company, with mills and factories in several locali- ties, still success- fully running, as evidence of his business ability.
Mr. Thompson was a citizen of very genial parts. He, for some years prior to his death lived on Lucerne Circle in the city of Orlando. His health failing, he sought relief in New Mexico, where, on Sept. 12, 1907, he died.
DEXTER C. THOMPSON
16
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
LOUIS C. MASSEY
LOUIS C. MASSEY
Among the professional and political men of Orange County and the State of Florida, Senator L. C. Massey stands the peer of any. In the up-building of the county, financially and legally and in the councils of the State, history will record much more of him than can be noted in this brief record.
Mr. Massey is a Pennsylvanian, having been born in Philadelphia, receiving his education in the public schools and the University of Pennsylvania.
After studying law he practiced in his na- tive city until he came to Orlando, Orange County, Florida, in 1885. Soon after, he opened a law office in the county town of Orange, first with Massey, Keating & Willcox, then Massey & Willcox, and finally under the present firm name of Massey & Warlow.
His legal attainments have always been rated among the highest. recognized by Gov- ernor Fleming, when he appointed him a com- missioner for the revision of the General
Florida Statutes, shortly after he had been one of the commissioners of the county, later, when he was appointed by Governor Mitchell a state commissioner on uniformity of legis- lation, and still later when appointed counsel to the State Railroad Commission.
He was elected City Solicitor of Orlando and State Senator of the .19th Senatorial Dis- trict, serving with distinction and credit, as a Senator and lawyer always to be depended upon, and bringing distinguished honor upon his district and city.
Since 1911 he has given increased attention to his practice, in addition to the somewhat arduous duties thrust upon him as City So- licitor under the new order of commission government in Orlando.
Fraternally he has been Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge, Grand Commander of Knights Templar. Grand Master of the Royal and Select Master Masons of Florida, and is a member of the Elks.
17
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
JOHN T. CHAPMAN
.1 native of Crawfordville, Ga., educated at Mer- cer University, Ma- con, Ga. Joined the Confederate army in 1861 and was mustered out in 1864, after hon- orable service, hav- ing been shot three times and a leg broken.
In 1877, Mr.
Chapman was a member of the Georgia Legisla-
ture. This, in brief, is his history before coming to Orange County, JOHN I. CHAPMAN Fla., in 1882, when he taught school at Apopka as introductory to his residence here.
He then went into orange growing and soon became a member of the County Board of Commissioners and then a member of the Florida State Legislature for two years.
All this time he was a busy man, having direct charge of eighteen orange groves in the vicinity of his home in Plymouth.
His family consists of. Mrs. Chapman, who was Miss Meadows, of Ilerd County, Ga., and eight children : E. G. Chapman, William A. Chapman, Miss Mattie P. Chapman, Mrs. Rachel E. Overstreet, Dr. John C. Chapman, Mrs. Annie B. Wiggs, Thomas A. Chapman, Mrs. E. Judson Rawls.
Full of years and with the ripe results of a busy and useful lifetime to his credit, Mr. Chapman now enjoys the peace and tranquility of a happy Florida home life in the favored section of Orange County known as Plymouth, respected and loved by all his neighbors and honored by the citizens of the county.
HON. GEORGE W. CRAWFORD
Mr. Crawford is a native of Tennessee, and prior to moving to Florida was a clerk in the store of Harry Loveless, at Como, Tenn. He came to Conway, Orange County, Fla., in 1873, and immediately took up the fav- orite occupation of orange growing and farm- ing, including stock-raising, and has long been known successful in this honorable occupation.
His soldier life was served with honor in the Confederate Army, 5th Tennessee Infan- try, and out of a roll of thirteen hundred he was one of thirty who were left to sur- render under Gen. Joseph E. Johnson at Sauls- bury, N. C.
But it is as a citizen-farmer that he is best known in Orange County.
He was the very first Florida farmer the writer met upon entering the State and his quiet, practical presentation of farming and fruit-growing possibilities is vividly remem- bered as a prophecy of what has come to pass.
llis public life in Florida was serving as Justice of the Peace for two years and was
elected a member of the Florida Legislature in 1901, holding this distinguished position through 4 succes- sive terms to 1907.
Among the im- portant bills passed and in which he was proud to serve his people was that empowering the County Commis- sioners to plant shade trees on the public highways.
Respected and loved for his ster- ling qualities, this old gentleman is a type of the old settler who has made good for himself, and par- ticularly for his
neighbors.
HON. G. W. CRAWFORD
IS
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
DR. WASHINGTON KILMER
W. KILMER, M. D.
Doctor Kilmer has been a resident of Flor- ida since 1872, and his way of coming here is rather unique compared with this day of fine parlor cars and many automobiles.
Born in Schohant, N. Y., in 1838, he is as finely a preserved man as there is in the State, and yet he walked from Ironton, Ohio, in 1872, a trip of 1,453 miles, on account of a physical breakdown.
He undertook this interesting trip as a cor- respondent for the Cincinnati Commercial, Murat Halstead. editor, and traveled over the mountains of West Virginia, coming out at Wakalla, S. C., thence through Georgia and Florida. perfectly restored in physical vigor. After a short time spent North, he returned in March, 1873, and located at Altamonte, to which beautiful spot in Orange County he gave the name it is now known by.
Here he became active in educational mat- ters. serving on the County School Board for eight years, helping to lay the school system of the county and assisted in inaugurating the first teachers' institute. There was a grange in the county in 1875 and being interested in
agriculture and horticulture he was a lecturer for this grange, as well as of the Fruit Grow- ers' Association of that time.
In 1887 yellow fever broke out in Tampa, and there was a hurried call for physicians. Dr. Kilmer was the only one who responded and for five weeks faithfully worked in that stricken city and when he was about to return he was taken down and barely escaped death.
Upon his return to Orlando the people of this city presented him with a gold watch and chain, containing this inscription: "Presented to Dr. Washington Kilmer by the citizens of Orlando in appreciation of his services in the yellow fever epidemic at Tampa, Fla., Nov. 25, 1887."
For fifteen years the doctor was surgeon for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, and has prac- ticed in Orlando for thirty years. He has seen the building of three successive court houses and practically every house in the city for many years past.
The doctor has two daughters, his wife dy- ing December, 1906.
19
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
L. F. TILDEN
L. F. TILDEN AND WIFE
In the early days of 1877. Mr. L. F. Tilden left Grundy County, Ill., and journeyed to Apopka, Orange County, Florida, where he purchased 160 acres of land, built a house and lived for two years. The great possibili- ties of South Lake Apopka impressed him even in those early days and later buying 561 acres on the lake, having a frontage of a mile and a half, he removed to this part of the lake and entered into orange growing, planting and cultivating groves.
As the years passed, the wisdom of his se-
lection became more and more apparent, and now this entire region "blossoms as the rose" and is "flowing with milk and honey." The roses are literal, and the milk and honey con- sist of vast orange groves and truck gardens with as delightful a place to live as the world affords.
Mr. Tilden is now eighty years of age and his wife is seventy-four. For fifty-five years they worked together. Four children lived within a half mile and twenty-four grandchil- dren live to call these fine old people blessed.
20
FAIRLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
JUDGE T. PICTON WARLOW
JUDGE T. PICTON WARLOW
The legal and judicial conditions obtaining in Orange County must be typed by the char- acter of the men of that profession.
Only a few of the earlier lawyers of the county remain to give poise to the bar and the courts of today. Among them must be con- sidered Judge T. Picton Warlow, a man with judicial temperament, caution, fair-minded, but withal positive, a man well suited to the hon- orable position of Judge of the criminal court of the county.
T. Picton Warlow is of English parentage, though born in India.
He was educated in France and Switzer- land, and in 1884 arrived in Orlando, Florida. He decided upon the profession of law and was admitted to the bar in 1888, going into the office of Massey & Willcox. In '94 he became a partner in the firm of Massey &
Warlow, which became the prominent law firm in this part of the State.
In 1907 he was appointed county solicitor, and in 1911, upon recommendation of the County Democratic Executive Committee, he was appointed judge of the County Criminal Court, to which he was in 1912 elected.
With Senator Massey, he assisted in the organization of the State Bank of Orlando and is its vice-president. His business rela -. tions and capabilities brought him into promi- nence in the Orlando Board of Trade, upon which he served as president and as a member of the Executive Committee.
His fraternal association has been with the Masons and Elks, of which he is a very promi- nent member, having been deputy grand master for the 13th district of Florida, F. and A. M., grand high priest of the Royal Arch Masons, and exalted ruler of the Orlando B. P. O. E.
21
EARLY SETTLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
JOHN NEILL SEARCY
The paternal an-
cestor of the sub- ject of this article emigrated from
Italy to England
from there to
North Carolina. His maternal an- cestors came from England and Ire- land before the
Revolution. His
maternal great-
grandfather, Col.
Matthew Martin,
moved from South Carolina to Bed- ford County, Mid- lle Tennessee, in the early settlement that county. of JOHN NEILL SEARCY Both of his grand- fathers fought un- der General Jackson in the war of 1812. His grandfather, Robert Searcy, was clerk of the Federal Court in Nashville, Tenn., and the second Grand Master of Masons. His father, Dr. James Searcy, was born in Nashville, Dec. 8th, 1812. He married Miss Sarah Clay Neill, daughter of Col. Jno. L. Neill. They raised seven children to manhood and womanhood. John was born near the village of Fairfield, Bedford County, March 15th, 1842. His father moved with his family to Panola County, Miss., in the fall of 1855. He was living there when the Civil war began. His oldest brother and he, in May, 1861, joined the Pettus Artillery, commanded by Capt. Al- fred B. Hudson, who was killed at the battle of Shiloh. They changed the name of the company to "The Hudson Battery." James L. Hoole then took command of the company,
but owing to ill health commanded it but for a short time. Lieutenant Robert Sweeney then took command until the siege of Vicks- burg, where he was killed. The command then fell to Captain Edwin S. Walton. He was severely wounded, but recovered and re- tained command until they were paroled at Gainesville, Ala., May, 1865. Those who were in the siege at Vicksburg can fully appreciate and sympathize with the hunger and suffering of the Belgians, as they could easily eat their three days' rations at one meal without appeas- ing hunger. They found mule meat very good and quite "filling." After the fall of Vicksburg they were under General Forest until the sur- render and were paroled May 12th, 1865, at Gainsville, Ala. He has his parole framed and hung up over the mantle-a priceless souvenir. After the war his father moved back to Bed- ford County, he remaining in Bedford County until March 17th, 1873, when he started to Florida, came up the St. Johns River on the steamer Starlight, landed at Melonville on the 23rd, went out to Fort Reid after dark. Next morning he looked out at the palmetto flats and thought to himself, have I left good old Tennessee to starve in this desert? He start- ed to Maitland, met a good old Georgia Cracker who persuaded him to stop with him. He homesteaded land near the town of Long- wood. He had good sport with the Cracker, hunting deer where Longwood now stands .. When E. W. Henck built the railroad from Sanford to Orlando, he was with the survey- ing party. On the second day of February, 1885, he married Miss Eva L. Muzzy. Three boys were born to them, one of whom is now living-Charles Blanchard. His wife was born in Gardner, Maine, but was raised in Middle Tennessee. She is the daughter of Eden Muzzy, whose wife was Miss Sarah A. Waller- field, of Gardner, Maine.
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