C. A. BOONE

(page 9)

City Assessor and Tax Collector C. A. Boone was one of the earliest citizens of Orlando. There are at this writing four of these first citizens still residents of the city.

He came from North Carolina to Orange County, Florida, in 1870. First he taught school. In 1872, the first public school was established in Orlando; the photograph of the original building is found elsewhere in this book.

Mr. Boone was proprietor of the only hotel in those early days—The Lovell House. He was one of the original merchants, having a general store with W. A. Patrick as partner.

In 1873, Mr. Boone went into the County Clerk's office and held his position until 1881, when he again entered the mercantile field, the hardware business, his old partner, W. A. Patrick associating with him under the firm name of C. A. Boone & Co. This hardware company did a flourishing business, as about this time Orlando and the prosperous section thereabout began to take on its first wonderful growth. In 1893 he sold his hardware business. He was elected Mayor of Orlando in 1883. He also served as City Councilman in the earlier days and was one of the original incorporators of the city in 1875.

From 1893 to 1907, he conducted an extensive dairy and nursery business, the latter occupying much of his personal attention. As an orange grower, he was successful. Boone's Early Orange being one of his productions.

From 1907 to 1914 he was successively elected to the office of City Clerk and Assessor, and under the new Commission city government he holds the position of Assessor and Tax Collector. Mr. Boone has thus lived a busy and honored life among his townspeople from the very beginning of the city.

FRANK H. DAVIS

(page 10)

The native place of Mr. Davis was Manchester, N. H. Born on April 5th, 1854. His father, Dr. E. H. Davis, was a physician and surgeon and practiced medicine in Manchester for more than thirty years; was surgeon in Fifth New Hampshire Regiment in the Civil War. He graduated from the Manchester High School in 1874; being anxious to take up the business activities of life at once, he did not continue his studies as he was privileged to do, but went to Boston, where he secured a position in the counting room of a wholesale house on Summer Street; was there about two years. His attention was first directed to Florida in 1876 through letters from a friend who had settled in this State near Apopka. He came South in October, 1876, and joined this friend. For many years he lived the life of the average first settler; early took up a homestead and set about clearing land for an orange grove.

During those years he occupied bachelors' quarters and roughed it with the rest. At that time Apopka had one mail a week and on Saturday, which was mail day, the one little store in town was the Mecca toward which all steps were tending; no boxes in those days, the mail was distributed directly from the bag. Sanford, or Mellonville, was the base of supplies, and the mail and all goods were brought by team from that point. Later freight and passenger service was furnished via the Wekiva River. Apopka proper was early known as "The Lodge," so called from the old established Masonic Lodge. The Apopka district comprised all the country around Lake Apopka and included Oakland, Ocoee, Winter Garden, and Apopka of the present day. Dr. Mason, one of the very first settlers of Apopka, was the oracle of wisdom on all matters pertaining to fruit culture; Judge Mills, who figures so prominently in land titles in this section, did the surveying; the Sims Grove on Lake Apopka was the ne plus ultra of orange groves in the county, and judge Speer, of Oakland, was quite prominent in county affairs.

The life of the early settler was replete with varied and trying experiences. Everything was crude, and there were many deprivations. At times the one store in the settlement was without flour, sugar, butter, and other indispensables of the present day, but there were no fickle appetites, and hog and hominy was not frowned upon if the delectables were lacking. Social gatherings gave zest to life, for the first settler always found time for fun, and then there was the old-fashioned camp meeting, where all repaired once a year to be regaled with explosive exhortations, and incidentally with sweet potato pie and other interesting accessories. The virgin pine forests, untouched by turpentine or mill men, were the special charm of Florida in the old days, through which the roads and trails were well defined and accordingly easily followed. Alas the change! With the passing of the timber came obliteration of old trails, and consequent confusion as to roads and courses and one of the most interesting features of the old Florida has gone from us.

The first railroad was built through Apopka in 1885 and it was during that time that Mr. Davis opened a real estate office and continued in that business, in connection with orange growing, since that time. Latterly he has had trucking interests at Winter Garden, making a specialty of lettuce and cucumbers on sub-irrigated lands from artesian well.

He met with great reverses in 1895 in common with so many others in Florida, and for a time it seemed that he might be compelled to make change of base. He concluded to stick, however, and now is getting a good share of his income from groves that were killed down at the time of the Big Freeze.

Mr. Davis has been prominently identified with public affairs in Apopka. He has served as councilman many times; was active in the organization of the Apopka Board of Trade, and was its first president, holding this office for two terms. He took the oath of office of Mayor in January, 1915.

MURRAY S. KING

(page 8)

Pennsylvania contributed Murray S. King to Orlando, in 1904.

For several years he followed building and contracting and when the time seemed ripe, took up his profession as architect.

Many of the best buildings in the city and county stand as monuments to his skill and creative genius. Among those that might be mentioned are the Robt. Dhu MacDonald residence in Winter Park, the beautiful Tiedkie mansion on Magnolia avenue, the Astor Hotel, the Grand Theatre, Yowell-Duckworth department building and the Presbyterian church.

Surely a man who adds to the permanent, habitable, business and religious buildings of a city is a citizen worth while, and Florida has long looked forward to the time when men of sufficient foresight would see that her peculiar climate calls for a style and quality of architecture differing in many essentials from that of the frigid and temperate zones, besides the fact that the very environment gives opportunity for many departures into the Spanish Mission, Greek, Roman, Indian and other types, which fit suitably into it with particular suitability.

Mr. King's personal fitness has won for him recently an appointment to the Florida State Board of Architecture, of which he was made president, and he is also a charter member and director in the Florida Association of Architects.

MAJ. WM. BRIGHAM LYNCH

(page 15)

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 University, graduating with distinguished honor in the class of 1859, delivering the Latin salutatory oration and was tendered a professorship in the same university, 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 outbreak of the civil war, enlisted in the Confederate 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-principal 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 Orange County and served three consecutive terms of four years each, being elected without 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 interests of education.

HON. WILLIAM R. O'NEAL

(page 13)

No one man has been so prominently engaged 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 estates. The firm was known at that time as Curtis, Fletcher & O'Neal, and later Curtis & O'Neal, and included a profitable book business.

Mr. O'Neal became connected with the educational interests of the county at an early date. In 1887 he became a trustee and secretary 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 history, he labored industriously for the best interests 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 various other business enterprises.

He is prominently identified with several fraternal 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. He 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.

SAMUEL A. ROBINSON

(page 14)

This image from the book is provided since the online copy doesn't have it available.

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 revolutionary 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 County Surveyor 16 years. He was then County and State Tax Assessor for five years, and Representative in the Legislature for two terms, from 1910 to 1915. He was once Tax Collector 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 cities of Orlando, Winter Park and Kissimee, and other towns. He surveyed the Lake Jesup, 0. & 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 cities of Sanford, Orlando, and Kissimmee.

Robinson Avenue, in Orlando, and Robinson Spring, between Orlando and Sanford, were both named for him. He designed and surveyed "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 collection 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 described them, and the American Antiquarian, of July, 1887, published his report. They now belong to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, New York.

He made original research in Florida, and unearthed splendid fossil teeth of the elephant, mastodon, bison, camel, tapir, horse, mylodon, diodon, capybara, and scales of the glyptodon, and many other fossil species.

CAPTAIN B. M. SIMS

(page 6)

CHARTER PRESIDENT ORANGE COUNTY PIONEERS' ASSOCIATION

Capt. B. M. Sims, of Ocoee, is a Tennessean, educated at Hiwassee College in that State. Served through the Civil war. Came to Florida in 1865 and found Orange County about 120 miles long by 60 miles wide, with 75 voters; no railroad nearer than Jacksonville, and no postoffice in the County.

He taught school the first year, which was the first school ever taught in Orange County. He built the first frame courthouse in the county—the old courthouse being a log house with a dirt floor.

A few years previous a little colony of wealthy men had settled on South Apopka. The little colony owned over one hundred negroes, and cleared up several hundred acres of rich hammock land for raising Sea Island cotton and sugar cane. Some of the names of the little colony were Hudson, Pigue, Roper, Dr. Stark.

When the war came on, most of the settlers left, the negroes being freed. Capt. Sims rented fifty acres of Dr. Stark's plantation and planted cotton and corn. He raised 2,000 pounds Of cotton and one thousand bushels of corn, selling the cotton for $2,000. While he was cultivating the crop he bought a piece of wild hammock land on Lake Apopka with wild orange trees. He cut the wild trees oft and put sweet buds in the stumps, and planted a citrus nursery, which was probably the first mercantile citrus nursery in the United States. He has kept that business up to the present time, furnishing trees for almost all the large old groves in this part of the State, and shipping a great many to California, and has at the present a large, fine nursery.

He is probably the only man living who was selling oranges and trees from his own raising in 1870.

He was the only man owning a ten-acre bearing grove at that time. In 1893, when the "big freeze" came, he owned 60 acres of bearing grove, after having sold 30 acres for thirty thousand dollars.

At that time he owned stock in the Citizens' National Bank of Orlando, and was one of the directors. The freeze caused the bank to break, and the stockholders had their stock doubled on them and lost it all. He was one of the first men to ship vegetables to the North.

He has never held office except CountY Commissioner. He is the oldest Freemason in the county, and was once District Deputy Grand Master for the State.

He has four children and is able to start them on ten thousand dollars' worth of property apiece. He says he has done his best, has fought a good fight and got licked.

J. WALTER SIMS

(page 7)

J. Walter Sims, son of Captain B. M. Sims, is an" Orange County boy," for the very good reason that he was born in Ocoee, where his boyhood and youth were spent amid the orange groves, gardens and native Florida woods.

It was not surprising that, as he studied the map of the United States and noted the vast expanse of the great western domain that he fancied he was a bit too cramped in Ocoee, hence he emigrated, 'Westward, Ho!' But he found it wild and woolly and not at all in keeping with good old Orange County, and after giving it a fair trial, he shook the dust of it all off his feet and returned home to live and when done living, to die in Dixie.

Dr. EUGENE O. SIMS

(page 8)

Doctor Sims has a right to be called an old settler in that he first saw the light of day at Ocoee, Orange County, Fla., June 11, 1867.

After attending the public schools of that day until twelve years of age, he was sent to the Tullahoma, Tenn., public schools and from there went to Burritt College, Spencer County, Tenn., where he graduated.

Deciding upon dentistry as his profession, he went to the Baltimore College of Dentistry, from which he graduated in 1890.

And now, having an education and a profession, one of the most important as well as most profitable, he had all the world before him to choose where best to locate for the good of the people, as well as for himself.

Of course they needed him right in his own county and near to his own home and the time would come when he would consent to such an arrangement, but first there was the whole world beckoning to him with enticing hand.

The state of Texas held out inducements and he went there to practice dentistry, remaining two years, moved to Brunswick, Georgia, two years, removed to Atlanta for two years and in 1898 went to Honduras for a year and in Cuba two years, finally returning to Ocoee, remained a year, and in 1912 opened an office in Winter Garden. Thus, he holds dental certificates of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Texas, Cuba.

A. SPEER

(page 11)

A Speer, the subject of this sketch, was born at Augusta, Ga., October, 1852. His father, Judge J. G. Speer, moved to Florida in 1854 when the son was two years old, when Orange County was almost an unbroken forest, and the highways were little more than cow paths. Almost his earliest recollection was the moving of the last of the Indians from this state to Indian Territory. His father was living at Ft. Gatlin, when the present county site was located. His parents moved to the present site of Oakland when Mr. Speer was a very small boy, and when there were just a few settlers with miles of forest between them, when the woods were alive with all kinds of game, such as bear, panther, wildcats, deer and turkeys, not leaving out the wolves, which howled within hearing of his home every night and morning. When a deer or turkey was wanted all one had to do was to take his gun (always the rifle) and go get it. After the civil war he went to South Carolina to school.

After returning from there he assisted his father and brother in buying and driving beef cattle to Ft. Myers for the Spanish army during 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, his wife dying in the third year after their marriage, on the fifteenth day of March, 1882, he married Miss M. C. Kincaid, 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 Representatives from Stevens County, Okla.

A. Speer has lived at Oakland almost continuously, 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 holding down the job.

JUDGE J. G. SPEER

(page 12)

Judge J. G. Speer was born in South Carolina, June 23, 1820. His ancestors were sturdy Scotch-Irish. His 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 independent 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 esteemed. He took an active part in the organization 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 gubernatorial 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 powerful and unscrupulous interest, he did not hesitate. The liquor traffic felt and remembers the blows he gave it in the legislature and before the people. He was in the convention that gave the state its present constitution, and was the author of Article 19 of the constitution, 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 located 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 characters.

He was County Judge for several years, until 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.