Native Americans known as the Tocobaga Indians live in small villages at the northern end of Tampa Bay. Fort King Road is cleared. Construction begins on the fort that would become Fort Dade, at the intersection of Fort King Road and the Withlacoochee River, near present day Lacoochee. Jesup and five Seminole chiefs and representatives sign the capitulation in which the Seminoles agreed to emigrate.
Thomas Boylston Adams dies of typhoid fever at Fort Dade, at age He served in the Seminole War. A community developed there called Prospect. The Fort Dade post office is established. About John Townsend builds a log cabin about 14 miles northwest of what is now Dade City. A man named Walter Lowe goes in the schooner Chestnut to Anclote Key and in several days secures a cargo of sponges. They brought such a profit that other men embarked in the business.
This might be considered the birth of the sponge industry of Florida. A post office is established at Cedar Tree. A bridge is constructed across the Withlacoochee River. According to a historical marker, it was constructed by the slaves of James Lanier.
May 14, Seminoles besiege the isolated cabin of Capt. Robert Bradley and his family near Darby. Two of his children were killed. More is here. The Florida map accompanying the annual report of the Surveyor General shows Pittitochoscolee, where Port Richey is now located.
Florida Cracker Days gives the dates and Frederick Meyer and Franklin B. Meyer, brothers, build log cabins about yards west of the present Anclote Cemetery, thus founding the community of Anclote. Benjamin H. Gaines marries Rosannah C. Baillie in Anclote. May 11, Bettman and Capt. Worth have opened a store at Tuckertown, in Hernando County.
Two water mills used to grind meal are constructed by Levi Eiland. One was south of Chipco and the other was near the farm of J. Hudson [ A History of Hernando County ].
A post office is established at Tuckertown. John W. Wells begins serving as pastor of the newly organized Union Church, according to a local church register. This church is believed to be the first Baptist church in western Pasco county. John Geiger, living in the lower part of Hernando county near the county line between that county and Hillsborough was killed on the night of the 18th inst.
The Isaac W. Hudson family moves to what is now the site of Hudson , building a home near a large spring. The Enterprise Church is built. A sign on the church lists the charter members as: Bishop D. Legget, P. Thrasher, J. Parker [illegible]. June 2, The Hopeville post office is established. The state House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution asking for a lighthouse at Anclote Key. The measure was promoted by Samuel Hope. A post office is established at Pleasant Plains.
One at Anclote Keys, the other at Rock Island. A post office is established at Pinan. It may have been in what is now Hernando County. Judge Edmund F. Dunne contracts with Hamilton Disston to handle the selection of the four million acres of the Disston Purchase from the state of Florida. May 16, The first post office in Hudson is established. A post office is established at Hatton.
A post office is established at Sumner. The post office was renamed Lake Jovita on Nov. A post office is established at Lenard. May 28, A post office is established at Diston. It was renamed Drexel on Sept. June Andrew Barthle and Charles Barthle build the first permanent home in what would become St. The Gulf Key post office is established. The post office was closed on Jan. The Nov. A post office is established at Ellerslie.
A post office is established at Keystone Park. July 9, The Port Richey post office is established. Aaron Richey was the first postmaster. A post office is established at Twin Lakes. Dade City is incorporated. Hall as Mayor. A second incorporation occurred in At the mouth of the latter river is the flourishing settlement of Anclote.
Here, too, are located some of the finest fisheries in the county. A post office is established at Saint Thomas. A post office is established at McLeod. The post office was renamed Trilby in A post office is established at Loyce.
Harriet Smith, of Tuckertown, Fla. She is making money by running a large sawmill. A post office is established at Earnestville. A post office is established at Herndon. A post office is established at Bee Tree. A second railroad arrived in , which later became part of the Seaboard Railroad.
Some businesses abandoned the Fort Dade location and moved to the new depot along Meridian Ave; the new location was named Dade City. John B. A post office is established at Cedar. May 19, Senate by the state legislature. May 25, The Palatka Daily News reports that Mr.
Latham introduced a bill to divide Hernando County. May 29, Latham introduced a bill to create the county of Pasco from the southern portion of Hernando. At the night session to-night the bill to divide Hernando County by establishing Pasco County from the lower part of Hernando, on a line running about eight miles south of Brooksville, passed the second and third reading. On its hearing in the Senate, amendments will be offered cutting off the northern end of Hernando to make another county.
Florida Governor E. James F. Latham, and the bill sailed through both houses, with only Rep. Stevens of Madison County voting against the bill. Latham later represented Pasco County in the House of Representatives. The bill made Dade City the temporary county seat of Pasco County for a period of two years, and called for an election to choose the permanent county seat.
Spencer of Dade City in a newspaper article, a petition calling for division of Hernando into two counties was signed by a majority of the voters in what is now Pasco County. However, such a division would have put Brooksville near the border between the two counties, so that it could not be a county seat, and thus the change was made to three counties.
July 18, The Pasco Board of County Commissioners meets for the first time. The following officers of Pasco County were named:.
Hudson recalled in a interview that the board members were chosen at a mass meeting of the citizens in San Antonio. Hudson attended this meeting as a delegate from Hudson and served on the committee that drew up the list of officers. He recalled that he was the only member of the committee who did not nominate himself for an office, but he nominated his brother J. Hudson to represent the west coast district on the board. The County Commission divides the county into five districts.
The company promised it would be finished by Sept. Hall for a rent-free location apparently at Fort Dade. Hall unsuccessfully sued the Commission over this decision. At this meeting, the Commission delayed action on the application of Jacob H.
Delcher as a student to the East Florida Seminary. Some dates may be off by one year, as in the past the elected official took office in the January after the election. County Commission minutes show the election precincts were established as follows:. The Pasco County Commission adopts a strict quarantine policy requiring persons who entered the county to have yellow-fever immunity cards. Reports have been received that cases have appeared at different points in Pasco County.
Oberry and her daughter, living near Owensboro. A December advertisement indicated that Frederick L. The freezes of and ended the prosperity of the community and the hotel, which burned Dec. The Abbott post office is established.
In the post office was either renamed Zephyrhills or discontinued and replaced with the Zephyrhills post office. Previously, the nearest railroad point was Wildwood. A post office is established at Jessamine. Pike and William J. Ellsworth came in They started a seed and plant business called Jessamine Gardens.
May 22, A post office is established at Lacoochee. July Because of continuing concerns over yellow fever, the county commission appoints Dr. Roberts quarantine physician and orders that outsiders cannot stop in Dade City without a health certificate from him. An election is held to select the city officials of the newly-incorporated Dade City. An election to name the county seat is held.
Dade City won with votes. Gladstone received votes. May 6, An entirely new board of county commissioners takes over: H. Coleman, chairman; Allen Hill, J. Pedrick, J. Smith, J. July 15, A post office is established at Pasadena. The Bank of Pasco County announces in the Pasco County Democrat that it will open for business as soon as its banking house is completed, but that meanwhile, anyone wishing to borrow money can write to A.
Parker, Tavares, the president of the bank. The U. A post office is established at Saint Leo. Cheyney, manager. It reported that J. A post office is established at Pedrick. June 1, The five newly-appointed county commissioners are installed. They were B. Campbell, James W. Clark, T. An Episcopal church is constructed at Lake Pasadena.
Benjamin and Virginia Baisden sell an acre of their property near Buddy Lake to the trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for five dollars. Information from Jeff Cannon. His name is Jonathan Pratt, and he is claimed to be years old. A post office is established at Elba Heights. Sarah W. Kuester, of Lenard, Pasco county, Fla. Washington, and is wrought with fine beads on canvas fifty-two inches long and thirty-nine inches wide.
The figure of Washington is thirty-eight inches in height,and Mrs. Kuester has made a very careful study of the coloring of each detail of drapery, clouds, etc.
Over five hundred thousand beads have been used, and the effect is that of a fine painting. Who can present a better record of persevering labor than this? The Mayflower post office is established. A post office is established at Amelia an area now known as Darby.
May 8, A post office is established at St. July 3, The new county commission board members assume office: J. Wallace, P. Lyons, E.
Hill, E. Spivy, L. Drew, of Pasadena, Fla. Goodall, has engaged A. Sanctuary to go as superintendent for the company. The temperature drops to 19 degrees in Tampa, damaging the citrus industry. During that period a temperature of On Feb. Snow fell thick and fast up to noon, and the weather cleared up in the evening. The mercury kept going down, an at midnight had reached the 20 mark—nearly as low as it was on Dec.
What the damage is can hardly be estimated yet, but it is severe. After the thaw the bark splits and the trees die and have to be dug up, root and branch.
The oldest living settlers do not remember anything like this calamity. Everybody that has money, leaves. W hitfield attended the West F lorida Seminary several years and later took the law course at the Seminary o f Vir ginia. He was cashier or a bank a t Jacksonville. F lorida. In : private secretary o f Governor E A Perry. February 15 until his voluntary retirement. January 4 19 4 3 of Tallahassee. Farmington was noted for some of the bravest men in the Civll War PAGE 4 a cotton gin and press where the farmers had their cotton ginned before taking It to market.
Before these m lll s were estab lished the old-time cracker had a steel mill something on the order of an old-fashioned coffee mill on which he ground his dally bread and hominy.
He had no money but always had something to eat. Commercial fertilizers were unknown to the citizens of that day. They had a few orange trees planted around near their houses and In the yard and used cattle to fertilize their orange trees and potato patches.
They made the finest vegetables and oranges that the heart could wish. Many of the blighting insects of today were practically unknown. M Wilson's store called Fort Dade. Florida August Supplementing our recent conversation with reference to History of the Pioneer Settlers of Pasco county, or to be exact, the present home of Mr. Henry Boyett Is the spot where my grandfather and mother ftrst located.
But alas! Cattle, yes the woods were full of them-there were also ftve wild Indians for every cow In the woods. Their nearest neighbor lived twenty miles north of them, and while there were a number of cattle herders who lived In other sections of the state, none had located near him as at which time that particular section was considered an Indian Rendezvous Therefore my grandfather's place soon became a head quarters for other cattlemen.
Of course, the white men' s activities soon provoked the Indians Into hos tilities, and trouble started in earnest. It was necessary for my grandfather to clear an timber and underbrush away for a tong distance from his house, and to keep a large pack of vicious watch dogs on hand at all times for his family's protection. Strange to say It seemed that the Indian In those days did not make any great effort to kill the adults of a familY, especially the men They preferred to capture and kut his children as the Indian seemed to realize that such persecution was more effective than killing the man.
The Indians had a way of scaring women and children at night when alone by rapping on a pine tree with long switches. My grandmother related to me many Instances when she stayed awake all night with only her young brother and small children and the dogs for her protection. After living In such torment as above related for about two years, my grandparents were forced to retire to near Gainesville for a year. After said time, the Indians had quieted down and the government had promised protection when they returned to Pasco county, and at which time they acquired a neighbor ten miles away.
And another man had located where what Is known as the White House fteld, now a part of Dade City Very unfortunately that man died, leaving a widow with several children to be cared for by what few people knew of them and their condition The oldest chlld was a boy and under the circum stances his mother gave him to my grandfather to raise, which proved to be the saddest thing that ever happened to them.
Since their return to the ranch, the Indians had been very friendlY and peaceable and all seemed well. Their fears had vanished. The cattlemen had again become active. In those days rope for lassoing cattle was extremely scarce and cost a great deal. Therefore It wat. My grandfather had all the rope on his ranch. H is neighbor ten miles away needed the rope on a certain day. He placed this boy PAGE 5 to the neighbor. The start was made in early morning.
When night came the boy had not returned. My grandfather set out to find him and upon arriving at the neighbor's house, he learned that the boy had not been there. Naturally they became suspicious of the Indians again. They immediate ly sent out a messenger and instituted a search. They tracked the horse to the Little Wi thlacooche e river. The place of crossing at that time which was the old sand road is about feet west of the present bridge on the new road between Riverland and Webster.
There is the spot where the Indians had hidden beside a large tree and had taken the boy and horse. The white men tracked the horse considerable distance and returned for more help. In the meantime the horse came in with the boy's suspenders platted in its mane, which was a message from the Indians to my grandfather that they had his boy.
During this time, men had gathered from far away and a general search was made. Three Indians were captured who confessed that they were present when the boy was killed and his scalp taken, later, to be presented to their chief, which I am told in those days the scalper received an ovation for taking the scalp of a white man.
The three Indians captured were placed in a temporary log jail for keeping until further investigation. During the first night they stripped their buckskin clothes, made rope and hung themselves and were all dead when found the following morning. It was a custom in those days with the Indian never to die by the hands of a white man if he could avoid it. This practically ended the search for the lad and a general drive was made upon the Indians.
This sad event caused grandfather to move farther up the state again, where he remained for a ,l ong time. I n the meantime there were many tragedies committed by the Indians in now Pasco county, one of which was the murdering of the two Bradley children near what is now known as Darby settlement.
I was told that Mr. Bradley, was sick in bed; his wife and some of the children were at the cow pen milking late in the evening, while his.
Bradley had washed their clothes and they were hung out on the fence. The wounded Indian's comrades took the sheets from the f ence, wrapped the wounded Indian and took him away. Darby could tell you more of this if she is living in Pasco county. T his tragedy caused the final removal of most of the Indians to the Ever glades, and the clearing out of Indians brought several new settlers into Pasco county section.
Among them Isaac Lanier, the grandfather of Reubin Jordan. Old Uncle Bob Sumner, the Crumbs, and from that time since the county has settled annually. At the time the Indians were driven out, my grandfather decided to move and located two miles east of Dade City, when he acquired a large body of land, at which time he had six sons and four daughters and they all entered into farming.
They grew cotton. They raised all the grain that the family used, also stock feed, made the sugar and syrup, they used, but had no market for anything except beef cattle which were shipped to Cuba. All their power used was oxen and their wagons were strictly home made. The wheels were cut from large cypress trees. Their houses were built of logs, and as there were no nails, the shingles were pegged on.
The house floors were hewn from split logs. Robert Sumner owned and operated the first blacksmith shop in Pasco county, near Enterprise. John Wells operated the first saw mill in Pasco county just south of Dade City. Shade Hancock and R. Alexander were the first doctors in Pasco county. Hancock lived where Mr. A L Auvil now lives. Alexander lived near Lake Jovita. With reference to the first dedicated school house ever built in Pasco county, especially the eastern part, it was built where Pled Sullivan now lives and I am quite sure is the same little log smoke house that still stands in Mr.
Sull1van's yard. Those boys' ages ranged from 18 to 24 years at the time they erected their school house and attended school three months which was all the schooling any of them received each paying the teacher his portion.
I do not recall the name of their teacher, but will get the name for you. In later years, Mrs. Sullivan who was a widow was donated the little log house to live ln. Later she homesteaded the land the house stood on. Sumner, married Geneva WUson now Mrs. Blackburn of Tampa. She is a sister of the deceased R. Reuben Wilson. Buck Sumner owned a lot of cattle, but did not like the business, therefore, he sold his cattle and he and Reuben Wilson opened a store where the cigar factory just south of the ice plant was erected a few years ago in Dade City.
Sumner did not live but two or three years after he had opened the store. At his death W. Sumner bought the store and engaged R. Wilson to manage It for him. The business was continued for several years, when it was sold to J.
About the present location of Dade City was surveyed out by Mr. Hendley, who was at that time the official civi l engineer. Lastinger was the fi. Wilson grandfather of E.
P Wilson was the first Baptist preacher in Pasco county. The first newspaper in Pasco county was called the Messenger and edited by B. The first printer or type setter was Mr. Now a word about wild life from to Wolves predominated.
It was necessary for cattle herders to work unceasingly destroying them by poisoning in order to protect live animals of value. By the once dreaded wolf was extinct in Florida and there is none now. Pasco county was once considered the greatest game rendezvous in all Florida.
Strange to say that in the early days there were but very few rattlesnakes In Florida. In fact I had lived to be fifteen years old when I saw the first rattlesnake. This is attributed to the fact that all wild animals are enemies of rattlesnakes, especially the wild hogs and deer. And since these are practically extinct, the rattler has taken the field. In conclusion, beg to say that I have given you a brief of my childhood memories as related to me relative to pioneering in Pasco county.
You may use as you see fit. Mrs J. Hendley Dade City, Florida. Dear Madam: Sincerely, D E. You ask me to relate how Pasco county recei ved its name. From to , Hernando county, especially the southern end, filled with a high type of settlers, many of whom I knew and remember pleasantly. We all were weary of traveling the sand trails of Brooksville the county seat, to attend court, or transact other business of varied nature; and when we would mee t, as neigh bors will, at our community post office and stores, comment was loud and complaint vigorous and prolonged against the hardships of the trip.
Such conditions aroused. Enthusiasm was spontaneous and hope ran high. The result was a mass meeting which was attended by nearly all our male citizens, and was very representative, there being present people from every precinct in the southern end of the county. Unanimou s sentiment was. After deliberation, it was resolved that a committee of t w o be named to go to Tallahassee in the interest of the desired end, the Hon J. A Hendl ey and myself being the committee selected. James Grady moved that we be instructed to call our county "Banner" county.
As the legislature was in session, we went on at once, being fearful for the success of our undertaking we concluded that as Mr. Hendley had an extensive acquaintance with the members of the legislature, that he should circulate among them and lobby for the bill, while I should get the measure in shape for presentation and passage.
While working on it we interviewed right and left, trying to work up sentiment in our favor, but we would tell them we wanted our county to be called "Banner County," from the immediate change of coun5 PAGE 7 tenance we could see that we had thrown a damper upon their favorable interest.
As we learned that nearly everY member thought he came from the Banner county, we began t o seek for an unobjectionable name. At that time the body was in joint session, voting for United States Senator, and very enthusiastically elected Judge Samuel Pasco of Monticello to the position. It struck me as an inspiration to call our county "Pasco.
We gave the finished bill to Senator A S. It was expedited to the house imd sponsored by F Saxon, where it passed unanimously. The Governor was favor able and signed it. Having accomplished all we purposed we returned home, able to report the comp lete success of our mission. An interesting volume could be written of the sturdy.
It might be appropriate to say that the bill for passage read "A bill to divide the county of Hernando, and make therefrom the counties of Citrus and Pasco.
At the request of my warm personal friend, Senator A. Mann, I wrote the bill that way. The offset iri the northern boundary line was to bring the town of Trilby into our county. The archives at Tallahassee will bear out this statement and establish any historical point In question, and its true value i n the annals of Pasco county.
Most Respectfully, R. We agreed in convention assembled to make an effort to get away from Brooksville, but before this Reuben Wilson and J. Hendley were sent to Brooksville to see if we cou l d come to some terms, that Is to see if they would let us go, but they refused to let us go.
When the meeting was called to order, R. Wilson was chosen chairman; D. Thrasher, Secretary. A resolution was passed that we form a new county and three names for a new county were suggested as f ollows: Tropic, Banner and Emanuel.
After much wrangling Banner was chosen for the name or the new county. Richard Bankston, who now lives In Tampa, and J. A Hendley, of Dade City, were chosen as a committee to go to Tallahassee and lobby for the bill At that time the United States senators were elected by the legislature aritl Senator Pasco had just been elected and was at the height of his popularity.
In order to get his help and influence to put the bill through, we changed the name of the new county to Pasco Frank Saxon and James Latham were in the House of Representatives and A.
Mann was in the Senate from Hernando county. W Coleman had written to J. Latham who was from our end of the county, in regard to the divi sion of the county and in reply Mr. Latham wrote a very discouraging letter, stating that it was too late In the session to accomplish anything.
Coleman held a consultation with N. Carter, John Raymond, Rube Wilson, James O'Berry and others in regard to the matter and decided that the committee go and make an effort. Frank Saxon, from Brooks v ille, was dead against any division. Mann, our senator, a strong determined man, hardly knew what to do but in the meantime the north end of the county, now Citrus county, sent a delegation to Tallahassee asking to have that end of the county cut off and form a new county, and this decided Senator Mann, who was from that end o f the county, and he agreed to help us.
H Mabry, then president of the Senate, who owned a large body of land two miles north of Dade City, also agreed to hel p us. We told Frank Saxon that unless he came across and helped us out that we would send a man from the north.
Brooksville was dear to his heart, and he knew that we had the power to send such men as we wanted to, and that we would surely split old Hernando right in the middle and make two counties instead of three, that It was up to him, and Frank came across and introduced the bill divid ing the county into three.
Lamar, and a negro that belonged to him in slave time, I think, members of :the legislature and he agreed to help us-6 PAGE 8 there were negroes in the legislature at that time. We got the Doctor s negro to fix the balance of the negroes, for many telegrams were coming from Brooks ville to defeat the bill and we had to work fast.
The bill was introduced in the house and senate at the same time, and in four hours after it was introduced it was in the hands of the Governor to sign and Pasco and Citrus county were born, and Dade City was made the county site of Pasco on the 2nd day of June, J. The Mannites were in power at that time and had the ear of the governor. The Mannites held their meeting for the selection of officers for the new county at San Antonio, the other at Dade C i ty.
The Mann faction succeeded in getting the apPOintments fo r all of the. Henley; Sheriff, J. Ravisies; E. Gillet and W. Lilburn were apPOinted county commissioners; and C. Beardon, J. Hay, the first school board Later on J A Hendl ey was elected, by the board of county commissioners as attorney for the county, and he hel d the place continuously for more than a quarter of a century with the exception of one intermission of two years Coleman and Ferguson built a long one-story house where the hardware store of Treiber and Otto is now located, and gave it to the county for two years for a courthouse, and court was held i n that house until an election was called to l ocate the county seat.
The commissioners called the election and Dade City, San Antonio. Ehren, Urbana and Pasadena were all put in the field as aspirants for the capitol of Pasco county. Then business pieked up, perhaps it was the hottest campaign that was ever pulled off in any part of Florida.
It was bitter, the best of friends fell out and abused each other, but after it was over with everything got l ovely J. Hendley was the first senator from Pasco county and J. F Latham was the first representative Reuben Wilson never aspired to any county office, but was always ready to help any -of his friends, a true and loyal old boy, peace his ashes. He never asked his friends to help him except one time he wanted the POst office at Dade City, and he got it.
We drove a thousand miles in wagons, and the further we drove the further we got from railroads and towns. Finally we found the village of Leesburg, a little one-horse place, one sandy street white as snow through which our weary teams drew -the wagons, the wheels sinkirig eight or ten inches in the sand.
Next, the hamlet of Sumterville, the place looked more like an abandoned turpentine farm where a few lingered behind after the others had l eft. Then to Brooksville, where we bought some hot beer in order to get the corks for our fishing tackle. Kirksey, one of our crowd, asked the bar keeper how farit was to an ice plant.
He replied that he might find one in Atlanta, The most of the towns and v1llages followed in the wake of the railroads so we will remark i n that direction.
Ingraham president It was purchased by H. B Plant, merged with other roads and called the Plant System. H B Plant its president. The Atlantic Coast Line railroad was built into this county in the year of Richland, obtained the right of way through the county without money and without price.
The survey for the right of way went through Reuben Wilson's orange grove, big trees bearing ten or twelve boxes to the tree. The engineer informed him that it would take two rows of his orange trees in order to have sufficient room for the right of way, and wanted to know what the damages would be. Jteuben said, "They w cost you nothing, dig 'em up, and I w give them to Rev.
Be1l'e, the Baptist preacher. Grlflln, late of Pasco county brought about a hundred negroes here and built the railroad through this part of the country. He anchored here and made this his home until he died about a year ago.
Many of his hands who fol lowed him to this country also stayed, after the road was finished the remainder of their lives. Griffin was made sheriff o f the county and served eight years. After the death of his son, Clarence, he took over the drug and hardware business which occupied him until his death. F Roberts was the first depot and express agent in this county.
He filled the position for many years until he finally resigned and accepted a position with Garner and Dalger, merchants, who built the store in which the Touchton Drug store Is now doing business.
Later on Mr. Roberts worked for Coleman and Ferguson Co. He Is still active and engaged in the poultry business and farming. The writer will be excused for relating a story illustrating the character of Reuben W! He was a man strong tor his friends, and his enemies could go--hunt water, or some other place. He was one of the most noted characters In the country at that time.
He had been so liberal with the railroads he thought that they would be very liberal with him for past favors. He didn't know that a corporation had no soul. Soon after the road was built Gov. B loxham came through here, campaigning for governor or something, and he requested some of us go with him to Lakeland where he was to speak at night. Several of us went with him, Reuben was one of the number Invited. We started to the depot abou t train time but Reuben lagged behind.
He was told to hurry up, that the train was then due, but he said, You go ahead, they will wait for me. The train pulled out, Reuben wasn't there. As we passed through his orange grove there stood Reuben on the track waiving his handkerchief, a signal to stop. The engineer gave one little toot, and Reuben had to Jump off the track to save himself. What Reuben said about that railroad afterwards wouldn't do to print. It was first called the Ulee Road.
Ulee obtained a large grant of land in the state of Florida which was given by the government to aid the building of this railroad In it was built to the Withlacoochee river. It got Into financial trouble and H. Duvall was appointed receiver of the road.
He had no money to continue the work, but an old negrowish I knew his name-and his family were stationed at the W ithlacooc hee river If I had the old darkey s name it would go Into the history of Pasc o county. This lone darkey worked on the railroad grade tor months with shovel and wheel barrow.
The writer asked him how long it would take him to grade the road to Dade City. The government made a large grant of land, called swamp and overftowed lands, to aid In building this road. This grant contained every odd n umbered section fifteen mile s wide along the right of way as surve yed at that time, which was called the fifteen mile limit; but this land was not all swamp and overflow and contained many thousands acres of the most elevated land in the country; and it also embraced the Withlacoochee river together with the swamp lands.
Many squatters settled on the high lands, of course they had no title, but had built houses, cleared fields and planted orange trees which were then bearing. These squatters had what they called a shotgun title to these lands on which they had settled, and we all respected their rights. Wouldn't you under the circumstances? The railroad company had a public sale of these lands! A t this sale those who had squatted on the lands had the prefer ence to purchase the lands on which they had located.
All they were required to do was to make an amdaVit describing the land on which they were situated and their Improvements. The writer remembers that he made quite a sum of money that day fixing papers for these squatters.
The engineers made one survey through Dade City, and one a mile and a half west ot town. The people of Dade City then held a meeting to adopt ways and means in order to bring the road through here. The engineers claimed that it would be very hard to get through the hills out of Dade City should this route be adopted; that the better route would be a mile west around H ay Pond.
Roberts and Dr. McElroy donated the lots. We also gave them all of the land from the Edwinola Hotel east down to Coleman and Ferguson s store for depot purposes. The engineer then told McElroy to drive a stob where he wanted the depot built, which was done, and the depot stands there to this day.
Kendrick told the writer that he assisted Goodbread to break out of jail, where they had him incarcerated, at Ocala, then a hamlet, which was the closest place they had that they called a Jail, and a poor excuse for a jail it was.
When Goodbread got out of jail he gave Kendrick this property. About Kendrick built a house on this property and painted it white. It was the onl y white house so far as known at that time in south Florida, and it was a stopping place for the traveling public.
It was the first settled place in this county long before the Indians were driven out. Kendrick's wife w a s burted In the old White House field near where Mrs. Hill now lives. Joseph Starkey Ranch Trilacoochee Vitis. The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.
Draper, Utah: Everton Pub. This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Hidden category: Adopted pages. Navigation menu Personal tools English. Namespaces Page Talk. Views Read View source View history. Submit Wiki Content Report a Problem. County Facts. County seat:. New Port Richey. June 2, Parent County s :. Hernando [1]. Neighboring Counties. Location Map. Out of the voters that turned out, Dade City retained its title with votes. Until it was hit with a hard freeze in the winter of , Pasco County boasted a rich agricultural history in both the citrus and farming industry.
With its economic future uncertain, hard rock phosphate was discovered and the phosphate boom had begun. The abundance of giant cypress and southern pine forests led to the building of Cypress Mills and Turpentine Stills which began to spring up throughout the county. This brought in miners and loggers from as far away as Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin causing a spike in population in the area.
With Pasco County being one of the many coastal counties in the State, a few of the smaller cities that were located right on the coast thrived due to the wealth of fish in the area.
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