Martin Digital History

Browse Items (35 total)

  • Harvey B. Baker (1876-1967) was interviewed on 8 June 1960 by Rush Hughes in Hobe Sound.

    Baker came to Jensen in about 1892 and farmed on Hutchinson Island until 1917. Later he was a caretaker for Erich Schroeder.

  • Interview conducted on 18 February 1961 by Rush Hughes with Albenia Delancy (1892-1970).
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  • Walter Orlando Johns (1894-1965) was interviewed on 19 March 1961 by Rush Hughes.

    Walter Orlando Johns (1894-1965) is the son of Morris Raiford Johns (1867-1924) and May Parks Johns (1873-1959). Father Morris came to Stuart in 1891 and grew pineapples. He mentions that Carrol Dunscombe had travelled and found pineapples that would grow well here. While his father grew pineapples, Walter made $4 a day as a packer. Then his father opened a grocery store (1914-1918) and his mother ran a cafe, the Tarpon Cafe, with a Mrs. Bell.

    Walter details his work history, including working as a pineapple packer as a youth and as a bookkeeper for C.C. Chillingworth of the Palm Beach County Land Company development of Palm City Farms. They sold a lot of land to "shop workers" (many Hungarians) in the north. For every ten acres purchased, you got a lot in Palm City. Many could not make the payments. He also ran a wholesale fish business before becoming a boat captain for W.H. Shepherd for twenty-two years and also running the funeral home business with his brother, which was started by his father in 1923. Started acquiring land in 1940.

    He also offers some detail of life in Stuart from the early 1920s. Not much recreation in Stuart other than meeting the trains; there was an annual magic lantern show and occasional poor quality movies. May Day picnic was the only time they went to the ocean. Details the condition of the roads used to deliver groceries. Beef had to be special ordered. There was rum-running during prohibition. First physician he remembered was Dr. McClinton in Jenson. People used "mosquito bars" [nets] over their beds.

    This transcription was made by Les Combs.
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  • Harry Saylor Jennings (1926-1988) was interviewed c. 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Harry Saylor Jennings (1926-1988) was a realtor in Walton and served on the State Democratic Committee for St. Lucie County.

    Topics discussed include family history, local industries, and recreation and life in the early to mid-twentieth century in Walton. Jenning's grandfather, Harry Jennings (1872-1943), arrived in Walton in 1894, one of the original founders of Jensen Bank, which failed. Boat building industry, agriculture, and the origin of flower industry discussed. HJ believed flower growing was started by Stanley Smith and Jerry Knause. In youth, recreation was ball games and viewing the "29" (afternoon train) arrive. Picnics were a highlight. Also, digging up Indian mounds, where he found skulls and teeth. Big difference is the lack of mosquitos and sand flies now. Concludes with a story about Captain John Miller, who was afraid of electricity and would only allow electric poles to be placed in the river and not on his property.

    This transcription was made by Les Combs.
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  • Interview conducted on 18 Feb 1961 by Rush Hughes with Lizzie Ludwig Beyer (1882-1969), who owned the Little Dixie Restaurant in Stuart. Interview details how her husband worked for the Ashley Gang when they first arrived in the area
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  • Edwin Harold Coutant (1890-1966) was interviewed c. 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Coutant's father Elwin S. Coutant was appointed keeper of the Mosquito Lagoon House of Refuge on 23 July 1890 and resigned on 20 October 1912.

    Coutant recounts stories of the Mosquito Lagoon House of Refuge, the Jensen House of Refuge, the Bessey brothers, and opening the first garage in Stuart.
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  • George Albert DeVane (1895-1969) was interviewed on 10 August 1960, by Joan and Jim Hutchinson.

    DeVane spoke of his interest as a historian of the Seminoles, including Charley Cypress, Billy Bowlegs, the murder of Charlie Peacock, the Trail Indians breaking away from the Cypress Indians, and Big Cypress.
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  • Carroll Dunscombe (1889-1976) was interviewed on 6 May 1960, by Rush Hughes.

    Dunscombe speaks about early names of the towns - Stuart was Potsdam and Gosling was often called Wa-Wa, and the pineapple industry around Stuart. Also tells the story of how he was almost on the jury for one of the Ashley Gang trials, and his interaction with them.
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  • Janet Krueger Dunscombe (1894-1976) was interviewed on 12 May 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Dunscombe speaks about her childhood in early Stuart, including eating a lot of canned goods, entertainment, and dances in the packing houses. Also mentions the pineapple industry and her father (Albert Rudolph Krueger).
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  • Judge Harry Frazier Dyer (1910-1984) interviewed on 6 June 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Dyer details his family's history in the area, growing up in Stuart, hunting, St. Lucie canal's effect on fishing and its failure to bring economic prosperity to Stuart.
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