Women's History Month - Day 8

 

Frontierswomen of Central Florida

Oliva (Ennis) Pendry (1846-1911)

A Women’s History Month Tribute

By Richard Lee Cronin, CroninBooks.com

8 March 2022

 

Day 8

CitrusLAND is observing Women’s History Month by honoring extraordinary central Florida frontierswomen. And as we celebrate Women’s History Month throughout March, we are also promoting each day a local History Museum, listing days and hours of operation.

See our History Museum of the day in this Post

 

Olivia #Ennis Pendry was once known as the “Mother of Eustis” and for good reason. Married in 1869 at the Erie Canal town of Palmyra, New York, Olivia soon after followed her husband to Florida, settling first at Mellonville (now Sanford), in circa 1871. Husband Augustus worked at a Henry Sanford hotel for a brief time, but the goal of he and Olivia was to venture out on their own – which they did, by building the Ocklawaha Hotel in a remote unsettled wilderness on the east shore of Lake Eustis.

The earliest guests arrived at Pendry’s Ocklawaha Hotel via steamboat to ‘Pendry’s Wharf’, but then in 1882, the train from Astor was extended southward from Fort Mason.

Known first as Pendryville, the Pendry’s wilderness of 1875 eventually evolved into the town of Eustis, Florida, a success story owing as much to Olivia as to her husband Augustus. Olivia has been described as a “woman of unusual executive ability,” a graduate of Elmyra Female College and Lyons Music Academy of New York. Her studies included Latin, Algebra, Physiology, and English Analysis.

In 1877, Olivia opened a private school having nine scholars: Henry Norton, Charles Pendry, Myra Stevens, Edna Norton, Matie Smith, Gracie Pendry, Harry Pendry, Mary Clifford, and Hattie Stevens.

 

The Ocklawaha, Pendryville as sketched in 1882 by a visitor to the hotel

 

Olivia Street in Pendryville started out as a main road to Pendry’s hotel, a lodging facility which indeed became an overnight success story for Orange County’s remote Great Lake Region. One return visitor in 1881 wrote: “I was struck with astonishment at the progress that had been made in the brief space of a year. The Pendry farm has been laid out in town-lots, which are rapidly being bought and built upon, numerous orange-groves are everywhere visible.”

Then, national coverage of Florida’s 1887 Yellow Fever epidemic understandably brought a halt to guests visiting the Ocklawaha Hotel, and in October 1889, the hotel defaulted on its loan. The Pendry’s returned to New York, where the mother of Eustis, Charlotte Olivia (Ennis) Pendry, died in 1911.

[Further reading: Tavares: Darling of Orange County, Birthplace of Lake County, by Richard Lee Cronin]

 

Caroline Matilda #Eppes came to Orlando with her parents in 1871. Fourteen years old at that time, the next three years for Caroline meant living with her parents at the historic Francis W. Eppes residence on the west shore of Lake Pineloch.

Caroline’s first marriage was celebrated at an 1874 New Year’s event at the historic – and at the time - brand spanking new - lakeside home of Will Wallace Harney on Lake Conway. Harney wrote of the event in a published article: “Your reporter regrets that want of space prevents him from describing the dresses of the fair guests who danced under the mistletoe,” said Harney, “but the air about here is full of hints of orange flowers and wedding feasts.” Caroline, the great-granddaughter of President Thomas Jefferson, married William Beverly Randolph on January 1, 1875.

Caroline’s first marriage did not last. She was divorced and again living with her parents at Lake Pineloch in 1880. Then, two years later, Caroline married David Dudley Shine, making hers the third Eppes sister to marry a third Shine brother.

[Further reading: Beyond Gatlin: A History of South Orange County, by Richard Lee Cronin]

 

Adelaide #Favour Snow was one of the first central Florida pioneers discovered by the author of this series. It was 15 years ago, and this writer had just begun researching central Florida’s earliest settlers in hopes of finding the namesake for Lake Adelaide in Altamonte Springs. And not only did this author discover the frontierswoman, he also learned one cannot even begin to write of central Florida history without first learning about the female pioneers who ventured into this remote land.

 Lake Adelaide: One of two springs of Altamonte Springs was in this lake 

A Chicago, Illinois schoolteacher in 1870 at age 22, Adelaide Favour married Edgar J. Snow on 25 April 1871. She gave birth to their first child, Fanny Favour Snow, in 1873 Orange County. Fanny was quite likely the first child born in modern-day Altamonte Springs.

Part of the 1870s homestead of Edgar & Adelaide Snow is currently part of the east parking lot of Altamonte Mall in Seminole County. The Snowville Post Office was established here October 5, 1880, and in 1882, “Edgar Snow of Snowville” sold 20 acres at this very site.

The Snow homestead of 160 acres bordered Lake Adelaide, the location of one of two springs which led to the naming of the town of Altamonte Springs. Before there ever was an Altamonte Springs however, there was a flag stop on the South Florida Railroad called Snow’s Station.

Adelaide & Edgar Snow did not remain in central Florida long, but it is somewhat surprising the couple ever considered coming to central Florida in the 1870s. Edgar, a Union soldier, had been taken prisoner and barely survived a lengthy internment at Georgia’s Andersonville Prison. He later told of being released at War’s end and told to walk nearly 150 miles to Jacksonville. And a brother of Adelaide died in the War.

A free homestead in Orange County likely drew Edgar south, but as railroad track was being laid sown in the direction of Orlando, Edgar departed for Oregon, in search of work. Adelaide stayed behind to sell their remaining acreage, but then joined Edgar on the West Coast soon after.

Adelaide (Favour) Snow died at Multnomah County, Oregon at the age of 66 on 14 August 1914.

[Further reading, CitrusLAND: Altamonte Springs of Florida, by Richard Lee Cronin]

Our History Museum of the Day

Longwood Historical Society & Museum

135 W. Church Street, Longwood, FL 407-332-0225

Originally built in Altamonte Springs in 1885, the Bradlee – McIntyre House & Museum was rescued and relocated to 130 W. Warren Avenue in historic Longwood, where one can tour the house each 2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays and every Sunday. Hours are 1 to 4 PM but call ahead first.