Martin Digital History

Browse Items (35 total)

  • William Harrison King (1889–1968) was interviewed by Rush Hughes on June 6, 1960.

    King first arrived in Hobe Sound in 1925 and shared brief recollections of his early experiences in the area. He spoke about working as a farmer and on the railroad, his interactions with local Native Americans, encounters with the infamous Ashley Gang family, and the region’s early hurricane warning system. He also described how the railroad would turn around in Manatee Pocket.
    Tags

  • William L. Fredricksen (1871-1958) was interviewed on c. 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Fredricksen discusses his arrival in Jensen in 1893 and planting a pineapple field with his father that was then killed by frost, so he worked for the railroad. Also details other pineapple and bean growers experiences and noted that a circus came to Jensen.

    Note on transcription indicates that mentions of his sons Cheney Fredricksen (owner of Jensen Hardware) and Sophis Fredricksen (custodian of the Elliott Museum) have been removed.
    Tags

  • 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.
    Tags

  • Robert Lawson McPherson (1899-1980) was interviewed on 9 May 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    McPherson was born in 1899 near Stuart, Florida.

    He shares memories of early life in the region. He remembers the first automobile (an E-M-F) arriving in the area and recalls the first post office being located in the Stuart Hotel. He details pineapple growing and shipping, settler named "Russian Ed" who had been shipwrecked, the House of Refuge and Mr. and Mrs. Rea, and fishing.
    Tags

  • Percy Fuge (1891-1971) was interviewed on 29 April 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    A short continuation of an interview with Percy Fuge (first part not located), in which the cattle industry is discussed.
    Tags

  • Pennie Fort King (1893–1986) was interviewed by Rush Hughes on June 6, 1960.

    Discussion primarily focused on her experiences with household management, cleaning, and cooking. She also spoke about the limited social life in early Stuart and shared memories of her childhood neighbor, Ma Ashley of the Ashley Gang.
    Tags

  • Mizell George Platt Sr. (1894-1973) and Edna Winifred Roebuck Platt (1900-1984) were interviewed on 25 November 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Mr. Platt recounts his family's move from Pine Level in DeSoto County to Indiantown in 1898 in search of open range for cattle ranching. His father, an early settler and rancher, drove approximately 3,000 cattle across the state and became the first white settler in the area, previously inhabited only by Native Americans. Mr. Platt describes their interactions with local Indigenous communities, the establishment of a post office named "Annie," and the development of infrastructure such as the Stuart-Annie Road, later known as Gaines Highway.

    Mrs. Platt offers insight into life in Tropical Farms near Stuart, where her family operated a general store and steamboat on the Kissimmee River. She reflects on the self-sufficient lifestyle of the time, including homegrown food, bulk goods ordered from Jacksonville, home remedies, and traditional courtship customs. Transportation was primarily by horse, oxen, and boat.
    Tags

  • Mary Neal Taube (1895-1966) and husband Arnold Taube (1886-1976) was interviewed in 18 February 1961 by Rush Hughes.

    Mary reflects on her father's dry goods store in Jensen Beach, highlighting his role as one of the town's early merchants. She also shares memories of local social events and her experiences attending school in Jensen. Arnold recounts the devastating Jensen fire of 1908 and offers insights into his life and work as a commercial fisherman.
    Tags

  • Margaret Backus Sawtell (1907-1999) was interviewed on 5 May 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    She is asked about her mother, Catherine Fallis Backus (1863-1955) and her flower farm. Also details surviving a hurricane, playing with the Terrill children from Mars Hill, having pet alligators, and social activities.
    Tags

  • Lucien S. Gregorie (1874-1963) interviewed on 30 April 1960 by Rush Hughes.

    Gregorie became a resident of Palm City in 1914. He speaks mainly about being a citrus farmer.
    Tags
Output Formats

atom, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2

Proudly powered by Omeka.