50 STATES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA Part 9: ME, MO & AR

Builders of America’s 19^th century Florida Paradise arrived from nearly every corner of the world. Amazing dreamers and doers, these pioneers selected land locations in a wide swath of a Citrus Belt that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. A courageous bunch of guys and gals, they came to Florida from parts of every modern day State as well.

All 50 States played a role in founding central Florida, and CitrusLAND is paying tribute to the remarkable individuals from around the U. S. each Sunday throughout the summer, doing so in the order States were admitted to our Union of States. This week our spotlight shines on Maine, State #23, admitted March 15, 1820; #24, Missouri admitted August 10, 1821, and Arkansas, admitted as State #25 on June 15, 1836.

MAINE

A dozen years after Province of MAINE ‘seceded’ from MASSACHUSETTS, becoming the 23^rd State in our Union of States, Alonzo W. Rollins was born, March 20, 1832, at York. He eventually settled in the windy city of Chicago, where Rollins built a successful business selling dye to woolen mills. Rollins became a snowbird, living during the colder winter months in a WINTER PARK lakeside cottage. He became one of the major contributors in the founding of ROLLINS COLLEGE.

Rollins College Engraving circa 1889 courtesy Florida Memory Project

John Parker ILSLEY was born at Portland, Maine in 1825, but followed his family west, where he became active in the ever-expanding railroad industry. At age 70, John P. Ilsley, then working in Pennsylvania, accepted the challenge of his life, purchasing at auction, on ORLANDO’S courthouse steps December 7, 1893, the financially troubled ORANGE BELT RAILWAY. Timing however was not the best, for one year later, Florida’s Great Freeze of 1894-95 wiped out the citrus crop along John Ilsley’s train route. Ilsley, as President of the OBRR, is one of the main character’s in CitrusLAND: Ghost Towns & Phantom Trains, now in second edition and available at Amazon.com.

New England investors constructed a luxury hotel, The ALTAMONTE, in 1882, on land now part of ALTAMONTE SPRINGS. The investors hired Frank STAPLES, son of the founder of MAINE”S first-ever Oceanside hotel, Ye OLDE Staples Inn of Old Orchard, Maine, as manager during the winter months of The Altamonte.

MISSOURI

“He was the bravest boy in the Army, as ready to handle a musket as the drum.” The entire regiment described the 16 years old musician who had enlisted in 1861 in the Civil War. A native of MISSOURI, the young man was honored at War’s end by his fellow soldiers, who gave the lad an engraved drum reading: “Presented to HIRAM S. MING, by the members of Company E 2d, Wisconsin Volunteers.” Hiram’s family was living at Appleton, WI when War broke out, but the young man was a Missouri native none the less. After the war, Hiram MING began working on the railroad, and by 1893, was living at OAKLAND, FL in West Orange County. Ming was employed by the OBRR as their Assistant Superintendent.

Hiram S. Ming, Drummer Boy, Left

“South Florida Citizen was established in April, 1879,” reported the 1883 Orange Land publication. “A new press and outfit have recently been purchased and the paper will hereafter be called APOPKA CITIZEN.” Reverend Frank A. TAYLOR, the Editor, was a native of Missouri. Subscriptions to the Apopka Citizen newspaper were “$1.50 per annum in advance.”

The notorious “Boat Burner” of St. Louis, MO had been a mild mannered Attorney prior to the Civil War. After the war, the retired boat-burner became a mild mannered Attorney, Judge and resident of Fort Reid, southeast of present day Sanford. Across the Missouri River from St. Louis another attorney, William M. RANDOLPH, lived at historic St. Charles, MO. Daughter Fanny Randolph was born at St. Charles, MO in 1854. The Randolph family then made their way to Orange County after the War, and each family member became instrumental in central Florida’s development. Fanny Randolph became the first wife of Orlando’s legendary, Benjamin M. Robinson.

ARKANSAS

“Warriors, COACOOCHEE speaks to you,” quoted historian George R. Fairbanks in 1871, while writing of the final address of the son of King PHILIP, before a small gathering of tribe members who had assembled at Tampa Bay in 1841. “I wish now to have my band around me and go to ARKANSAS. I am done!” Chief Coacoochee and 210 tribe members departed the Florida Territory October 11, 1841, relocating to the 25^th State to join our Union. Arkansas was admitted to the United States June 15, 1836.

Orange County Florida plat of ALTOONA

ALTOONA town founder Francis J. HINSON of GA sold his largest lot in 1884, an orange grove consisting of 100 trees. “There is but one bearing grove in sight,” said the Webb’s 1885 publication; “This was planted by Mr. F. J. Hinson, and was sold by him about July 10, 1884 to Mr. Rumph, of ARKANSAS, for $10,000.00 dollars. It covers ten (10) acres, is first-class high pine land, and can boast of one hundred trees under four years old now loaded with fruit.” Part of Orange County when Hinson founded his town, Altoona quickly benefited as a stop on the St. Johns & Lake Eustis Railroad. George B. RUMPH was a merchant and orange grower, an Alabama native who had been raised and then married in Ouachita County, ARKANSAS prior to moving to a central Florida region that is today located in Lake County.

Major Nathaniel WOFFORD (1766-1846), father to one of Central Florida’s earliest pioneers, John T. WOFFORD, father-in-law of William Allen LOVELL, and relative of J. Wofford Tucker featured above, died while serving in the military at ARKANSAS. Nathan was buried in the 25th State.

Our series has now been to 25 States. Next Sunday: Michigan and FLORIDA.

This Summer of 2108 series is compliments of www.CroninBooks.com

THE CENTRAL FLORIDA HISTORY STORE

Richard Lee Cronin, Author