Frontierswomen
of Central Florida
Cornelia (Wright) Whipple
A
Women’s History Month Tribute
By
Richard Lee Cronin, CroninBooks.com
31
March 2022
Day 31
Throughout March, CitrusLAND has observed Women’s
History Month by honoring 100 extraordinary Central Florida
frontierswomen. We have featured too a history museum and or society each day, providing
contact information. We hope you have enjoyed this series, and we hope too that
you will visit one or more of our Central Florida museums.
See
our featured History Museum later in this Post
Winifred #Wood Estey
of Tangerine
She was 18 months old when her parents brought her to
Orange County from her birthplace of Massachusetts in 1884, and when Winifred
(Wood) Estey died at the age of 90 in June of 1974, she was the longest known
resident ever of the community of Tangerine, Florida. A historian, Winifred authored
several local histories, including Tangerine Memoirs in 1957, an
invaluable reference tool for those desiring to know more about the historic
town of Tangerine.
A Find-A-Grave memorial of Winifred (Wood) Estey provides a clear and concise biography of this amazing Central Florida frontierswoman: “Winifred was the daughter of George H. and Calista Stebbins Wood. She and her family moved to Tangerine, Florida, in 1885, and she lived there the remaining days of her life. She married Clarence H. Estey.
Winifred Wood (1910)
“She served as treasurer of the Tangerine Water Company, was a trustee of Waterman Memorial Hospital Association, a graduate of Rollins College, a member of the Rollins Alumni, treasurer of the Tangerine Community Church, a treasurer of the church's Ladies Society, President of the Lake County Historical Society, and the Orange County Historical Society. Winifred was a regent of the Ocklawaha Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. She was the author of History of the South Florida Chautauqua and History of the Tangerine Community Church (1886-1973).
“Winifred was an honorary member of the Florida State Historical Society. She was an organizer and member of Descendants of Plymouth Colony and past President of the Lake County Federation of Women's Clubs.
“Mrs. Estey was active in the Tangerine Improvement Society and was a member of the Tangerine Garden Club and Chapter Number 103, Order of the Eastern Star, Mt. Dora. She was past honorary state president of Daughters of 1812, past President of the Francis Dade Chapter of Daughters of 1812, past Regent (1945-1947) of the Ocklawaha chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and past treasurer of the State Regents Club of the Daughters of the American Revolution”.
Winifred (Wood) Estey
Special thanks to Historian Colleen G of
Tangerine, Florida, for reminding us of the amazing Winifred (Wood) Estey of Central Florida.
Henrietta #Worthington Speer
of Orlando & Sanford
The pain and suffering endured by the tiny village of Orlando before, during, and after the Civil War was memorialized in the life of Henrietta (Worthington) Speer, first daughter of Orlando, and eldest child of John R. Worthington.
Her father served as Orlando’s first postmaster beginning September 18, 1857, moving from South Carolina to Orange County after a brief stay in Georgia. Henrietta was born January 28, 1842, at South Carolina, and she was only 17 years old when both her mother and a sister died, presumably at Orlando, in 1859.
Robert B. F. Roper, an eyewitness to 1861 Orlando, described the Worthington House: “There was a frame house north of the courthouse owned by J. R. Worthington and used as a boarding house; here the judge and lawyers boarded when holding court.”
When War was declared, Henrietta’s father and eldest brother, Milton, went off to serve with Florida’s Calvary. Neither returned home to the Worthington House. Her brother Milton died of disease at Florida’s Camp Finegan in 1863. Her father, John r. Worthington, was killed during a ‘skirmish’ at Gainesville, Florida. A younger brother died in 1868.
One of a family of six in 1858, Henrietta was the
only Worthington alive in 1868. Henrietta lived at Mellonville (Sanford) after
marrying, September 28, 1870, Arthur Algernon Speer, first son of Orange
County’s first family, Dr. Algernon & Christiania Ginn Speer. (Christiania
was featured earlier in this Women’s History Month series).
Arthur Algernon, named for his grandfather Arthur Ginn and his father, had made their home at Mellonville while Sanford was in its infancy. Each of their four children were named for family members: Christiania Speer for Arthur’s mother (born in 1871); Arthur Ginn Speer (Born 1872); Milton Alexander for Henrietta;s brother (born 1877); and Ella Louise Speer (born 1881).
Henrietta (Worthington) Speer
Widow Henrietta (Worthington) Speer and her children departed Orange County after burying Arthur in 1889. They settled first at Live Oak, Florida, then Alabama. At age 80, October 11, 1922, Orlando’s first daughter, Henrietta Worthington Speer, an Orange County frontierswoman forgotten by local historians, died at Birmingham, Alabama.
[Further reading: First Road to Orlando,
by Richard Lee Cronin]
Cornelia #Wright Whipple
of Maitland
“Mrs. Whipple was, as the Bishop has always said, his right hand in all good work.” Bishop Henry B. Whipple and wife Cornelia (Wright) became Orange County snowbirds in 1876. Residents of Faribault, Minnesota, the two looked forward each year to spending winters at Maitland, where in addition to building a winter residence on the ‘Maitland Branch’, they also established the Church of the Good Shepherd. Their historic church still stands today.
Accounts of the Whipple’s in central Florida most often center around the Bishop, but one could argue the spotlight should in fact shine on Cornelia. The Bishop himself credited his wife for him joining the Episcopal Church in the first place, as Cornelia had been the driving force behind his every action.
A devout Christian, Cornelia was the first born of one of our State’s earliest influential Christian families. Her sister Sarah was the first wife of St. Augustine Attorney George R. Fairbanks, a Florida historian, and prominent member of the Episcopal Church. As early as 1850, Fairbanks owned 1,000 acres in northern Orange County. And Cornelia’s brother was the Reverend Benjamin Wright of Leon County, Florida.
Cornelia (Wright) Whipple was a staunch supporter of educating women and served for years as house mother of St. Mary’s Hall in her hometown. She also cared for American Indian families who lived near her Minnesota residence.
“After the death of two of her children,” said Cornelia’s obituary, “Mrs. Whipple determined to build a Church and Parsonage to their memory.” The Maitland Church, said that obituary, “is made up of those reared in different communions and is known as the church of the Good Shepherd.”
Cornelia (Wright) Whipple died in 1890 of injuries sustained in a railroad accident. The train derailed while Cornelia was on her way south to Maitland, Florida for the winter.
Cornelia (Wright) Whipple is also our 100th Central Florida frontierswoman, the last – but by no means the least - of our featured pioneers during this year’s Women’s History Month.
Follow
Author & Historian Richard Lee Cronin
https://www.amazon.com/author/richardcronin
Our History Museum of the Day
Tavares
Research Center
Coming
soon to Tavares, Florida. Tavares Historical Society is nearly finished with restoring
their building at Alfred Street and Joanna Avenue as a family history research
facility. Watch for the grand opening celebration at the Research Center later this year.
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