Sister Cities - Part 6 - Alsobrook's Ferry

Alsobrook’s Ferry, Lake County

Sister City Onslow, North Carolina

Haynes Creek of today looking west toward Alsobrook's Ferry of Yesteryear

Government hired surveyors moved through central Florida from 1842 through the early 1850s and mapped an Orange County wilderness into 61 townships of 36 square miles each before moving into Sumter County. Their job was not to name lakes, although they did name a few. Their task was to sketch the land, lakes, and rivers in such a way that legal descriptions could be written onto homestead deeds for incoming settlers. Paying little to no attention to county borders, the surveyors provided a method to pinpoint property, work product that was so successful it is in use today with but minor alterations. If you own property now, your deed is described using the surveys mapped in the 1840s, identifiers that appear as the first six numbers on your real estate tax bill (example 02-19-25 is land in the one square mile Section 2; 19 South; 25 East).

Occasionally the early land surveyors added dotted lines to show existing trails, but few trails existed then. There were no actual towns then, but occasionally a surveyor would locate an abandoned fort. On rare occasions they would also pinpoint an existing "log cabin". One example of the latter is included on page 155 of my Tavares book, a one-square mile survey showing a cabin at “Hill’s Permit” (Stacey B. Hill  1808-1850), alongside a dotted line for a trail. This example is part of my book because it was here that Evander LEE first located his family – several miles west of present day LEESBURG – a Lake County town now that was named by Evander’s family (Chapter 24).

This lengthy lead-up is necessary to fully appreciate 1850 notations found on another survey of one-square mile Sections 2, 3 and 9 of Township 19 South; 25 East. A “schoolhouse” is shown to exist in this section as of 1850! Of early surveys I have personally reviewed over the years, Township 19S; 25E is the ONLY government survey of central Florida of that time period that I have seen a ‘schoolhouse’. The survey also shows two areas marked “clearing”, a residence belonging to a “Vaught”, yet another marked “Bryant”, and a third residential area marked “E. D. Howse Permit”.

1850 Survey of 19S; 25E: Section 2 showing dirt trail crossing Haynes Creek of today; Schoolhouse in Section 3 along trail; E. D. Howse "Permit" in Section 3; "Bryant in Section 3 and Vaught in Section 9

A History of Marion County Sheriff’s Office tells us Edmund D. Howse was that county’s first Sheriff. A native of Onslow, North Carolina, Howse, in 1850, was noted as a farmer & Sheriff. He was also living at a “Private Embankment” with wife Cynthia and four (4) school age children. The next year, 1851, William & Mahala Alsobrook came to Florida with their six (6) school age children, settling within a mile of the Howse “Permit”, land that today borders “Haynes Creek”. 

The third noted residence – Vaught – is likewise fascinating, for nearly 30 years later, Volney V. Haynes homesteaded on land adjacent to the schoolhouse. Volney’s middle name was Vaught. His mother had been Sarah Vaught (1828-1913).

William J. Alsobrook opened ‘Lake Griffin Post Office’ in Marion County December 22, 1851. Then, when Sumter County was formed in 1853, ‘Lake Griffin Post Office’ became a Sumter County Post Office. 

Clearing debris from the Ocklawaha River south of Silver Springs, delayed first due to the Civil War, resumed in 1867, and the first Hart Steamboat arrived in Lake Griffin via the Ocklawaha that same year. It was to be another 13 years before the first railroad arrived at Fort Mason - to compete with the area's riverboat traffic. (See also Chapter 27 of my Tavares book, 'Ocklawaha, The River Gateway'.) 

Perfect HOLIDAY GIFTS for the history lovers in your family 

Route 44 crosses Lake County’s Haynes Creek where, in 1853, the Ocklawaha River had been the border between a new Sumter County and existing Orange County. Surveyor Trafford’s 1879 Orange County survey (photo below), shows the river as the dividing line, noting also the “Ferry” crossing near where Lisbon was established in 1884. (In an 1887 description of Lisbon it was noted that this place was sometimes called Alsobrook's Ferry).

1879 survey by E. R. Trafford (see also Chapter 14, Trafford Street of my Tavares book)

A timeline will aid in understanding the significance of the above information. Pioneers first settled in this region around the same time as the establishment of Mellonville on Lake Monroe, years before a place called “Orlando” was imagined, and these settlers built a Marion County schoolhouse which in 1853 became a Sumter County schoolhouse. Today, a busy Route 44 intersects with Fernery Road in the vicinity of a once-upon-a-time schoolhouse at Alsobrook’s Ferry crossing.

Want to know more about Mellonville and Orlando, visit my Croninbooks.com website 

In 1887, trains departing Leesburg bound for Fort Mason stopped at Orange Bend prior to proceeding east on a 10 minute journey to Lisbon after crossing the “Ocklawaha River”. After departing Orange Bend, it would be an hour, when on schedule, before travelers reached Fort Mason.

Next Friday we transfer to a Phantom Train at Fort Mason to visit a few Ghost Towns. Our journey will begin with a stop at a present day “DITCH” – where once-upon-a-time – believe it or not - the largest of all 19^th century Lake County towns was planned.

Thank you to all who have made my Tavares: Darling of Orange County, Birthplace of Lake County my most successful book launch to date.  

CLICK ON BOOK COVER TO BUY TODAY AT AMAZON

Holiday shopping made easy! Why not give a lasting gift for the history buff in your family - Tavares: Darling of Orange County, Birthplace of Lake County.

Perfect companions: First Road to Orlando; Beyond Gatlin; Orlando Lakes; The Rutland Mule Matter; CitrusLAND: Ghost Towns & Phantom Trains. Visit my CroninBooks.com website for details on each.