Issue of Thurs. January 14, 1926

A community of 60 families all of which have been assembled since last February is the record set by Harry Nobles, developer of Nobleton, it was announced this week.

Since Mr. Nobles began work last February on his project, which is ten miles northeast of Brooksvillle on the Withlacoochee River, more than ninety houses have been erected, streets have been graded, a water system installed and electricity will be available within the next few days. There are also a grocery store, hardware store and lumber yard at the town all of which are now open for business.

Mr. Nobles stated that his purpose in developing in Nobleton was first to build houses and have residences available for occupancy at all times.

"I am reversing the usual proceedings in the building of a new community," Mr. Nobles said. "Houses are the first and principal issue with me. I want to have places for people to live. There are too many subdivisions in Florida with excellent streets and sidewalks but no residents. They would have people in them if more attention had been devoted to building houses and less to landscape gardening."

"At Nobleton I may not make as big a profit as some of the other developers would, but I shall have a substantial community. I am keeping prices reasonable for I believe we can get more permanent residents for Florida by giving them lower prices and better values."

Mr. Nobles said he conceived the plan for his development after visiting numerous tourist camps throughout the state. He said he found that there he found thousands of substantial people who did not feel they were justified in paying high rentals in the larger cities and at the same time felt that they could not afford to place $8000 or $10,000 in a home.

"The class that comes down to enjoy the outdoors, just the same as northern vacationists do in summer are the ones for whom I am working," Mr. Nobles declared. "They want to play and hunt and fish. They are not interested in society but… (illegible)"

Roque and tennis courts are being built for the use of residents while row boats and a motor boat are available now for the use of anglers at Nobleton.

Mr. Nobles said that before spring there will be 120 families more either living at Nobleton or planning to make their residences there next season. Ground was staked last week for six more houses and plans are under way whereby the building program of last winter calling for 15 houses a month will be continued through the present season.

A force of carpenters, electricians and masons are employed continuously at Nobleton. A plant has been installed for manufacturing brick, while the lumber yards are equipped for turning out complete patterns for houses.

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Editor's note: Nobleton is a small community that lies on the Withlacoochee River in Northeastern Hernando County.

One of the more interesting characters we have run across is Al Zaebst. He was brought to our attention when we found photos of him capturing an alligator in the Weeki Wachee River. His method was to stand up in the canoe and launch himself on to the back of the alligator (all while wearing loafers). I am sure it was quite a surprise for the alligator because once it reaches a decent size there is nothing in the river that would want to tangle with it.

In the late 1940s, Mr. Zaebst was capturing animals to place along the river in fenced habitats for his Aquatic Zoo at the Weeki Wachee park. He would take visitors on boat trips down the river from the springs where they could view the wildlife. He had captured a number of local wildlife including alligators and black bears along with exotic animals he had brought back from Africa. He would take trips to Africa and fund them by capturing animals and selling them to zoos and circuses.

He loved animals and was constantly around them. He had a pet baboon named Fanny that was often his companion. It was said that he was as comfortable around animals as he was around people.

His river safari attraction came to rival the mermaids in popularity. This led to a falling out with the owners of the park and Al Zaebst losing his Aquatic Zoo.

If you go to the Weeki Wachee Springs Park you can take a boat ride down river. Imagine how it looked with animals lining the banks in the days of Al Zaebst.

photography: floridamemory.com

Bimini's Isle is an island on the coast of Hernando County and has the perfect name. Named for one of the owners, Margaret Robins' nickname was Bimini and Bimini's Isle was actually made of two islands connected by a causeway. The word Bimini means "two islands" in Lucayan.

Raymond Robins and Margaret Dreier Robins main residence was a mansion on Chinsegut Hill, but when guests wanted to fish, go to the beach, or view the shore birds they headed to Bimini's Isle. Many leaders of business, science, and politics stayed with the Robins including Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, James Cash (J.C.), and the Russian Ambassador Alexander Troyanovsky. Their house was a popular stopping place for influential people on their visits to Florida.

The Evening Independent reported on Mary Dreier (Margaret's sister) and her companion Frances Kellor staying at Bimini while visiting the Robins. It is said that in ten days time Miss Kellor caught 147 fish, mainly redfish.

The fish was not the main attraction of Bimini's Isle. The Robins had dykes built to create a freshwater reservoir on the island to attract shorebirds. The dykes also became a popular nesting spot for birds.

This wide variety of birds at Bimini's Isle led to it being selected for the first meeting of the Hernando Audubon Society, a chapter of the Florida Audubon Society in June 1940. According to the June 28, 1940 edition of the Evening Independent which recorded the first meeting, "The island has been a bird sanctuary for years giving refuge to herons, seagulls, sandpipers and other shore birds, as well as mockingbirds, bluebirds, king fishers, thrashers, flycatchers, and woodpeckers. At feeding time flocks of 50 or more red-winged blackbirds descend onto the tables provided with grain."

Some of the prominent founding members of the Hernando Audubon Society were Chairman Miss Lisa Von Borowsky (personal secretary of the Robins), Secretary-Treasurer John J. Bell, Mrs. Jimmie Jennings, and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Beville.

The Evening Independent on September 25, 1940 recounts another meeting of the Hernando Audubon Society at Bimini's Isle. The wildlife conservationist reported seeing a bald-eagle, marsh hens, a red winged blackbird, and many other birds.

Bimini's Isle is evidence of Hernando County's long history of conservation. At present around a third of the lands in the county are off the tax rolls with a majority of that being conservation lands.

Frasier Mountain was a great American. Frasier's close friend Steve Cason described him as a "teacher, mentor, historian, father, husband and bomber pilot." Frasier played many roles and he did all of them well.

His family took first billing. Frasier Mountain spoke often about the successful career of his daughter Diane who works in education as well as his granddaughter Ashley who followed in her mother's footsteps. If you ever took a walk with Frasier in Tom Varn Park, he may have pointed out the spot where he would sit with his young granddaughter in the afternoon and talk about how the day had gone.

Family photos line the walls of his office as well as medals that he earned and those of his son Duane who passed away in 2009. He spoke proudly of Duane and his many achievements over a long career in the Air Force where he spent 26 years in Special Operations earning 30,000 hours of flight time. He would talk about his wife Nancy who also recently passed away and how they had been happily married for 67 years. Despite these losses that so clearly tore at his heart, he continued to pursue his passion.

Frasier was a lover of knowledge, so much so that he collected and categorized it on an elaborate computer system. A large flat screen hooked up to his computers took a prominent place in his office. This he used to display the historical information that he had collected over the years, from mining, electricity, ghost towns, old newspapers and cemeteries throughout Hernando County. He accumulated over a terabyte of information. Frasier kept regular meetings with like minded individuals to talk about history and genealogy.

When a genealogy colleague had suffered a stroke and had to move up north to be closer to family, she left behind her genealogy library that consisted of perhaps 200 books. Frasier worried about his dear friend's lifelong collection and saw to its preservation when the movers were about to throw the entire library in the trash. Frasier took the records home and began the tedious task of organizing them. Frasier also helped a friend acquire her father's military service records. His goal was the preservation of history and he was not shy about voicing his opinions when history was in jeopardy of being lost.

I had the fortunate opportunity to get to know Frasier. I was referred to him by Suzanne at the Train Depot Museum in Brooksville in order to get additional information about a piece of property in the vicinity of the Centralia ghost town. She did warn me that Frasier enjoyed talking, but that was okay because I enjoy listening. And so I listened to Frasier on many occasions. He provided information on Centralia, the neighboring communities and so much more.

In November of 2014, The Hernando Today ceased operations. My husband Rocco and I felt that our community would ultimately become a suburb of Tampa if there was no local newspaper. This would be a tragedy, as Hernando County is such a unique place and deserves a newspaper that captures the county's unique identity. I discussed the idea of starting a newspaper with Frasier one day in his study. His mind immediately lit up.

Frasier lamented the state of the newspaper industry in the county and the country in general. He recalled the days when his friends Jim and Carolyn Talley operated the Brooksville Sun Journal which printed over 17 local newspapers throughout the region.

He wrote to me about beginning a community newspaper,

"It is a great idea to me for a new venture, but the economics I think would be difficult, but the community deserves something besides these little flyers and books which are nothing more than superlative ad chasers. They offer no news or local gossip or happenings. Of course, in today's society we do not communicate or gossip in the same manner we used to, the internet and TV has done away with the family chatter, the neighborhood climate and the community spirit, all of which I deem to be very important for the well being, mannerly, honest, organized community spirit.....and the newspaper has always been at the heart of all that........from the personal delivery boy (where I started) to the editorial leadership where we should be headed with down to earth comments of what is going on from the mouths of those in charge and the wannabees...Everybody needs a voice! At this time we have none of the above....even the big time newspapers with their satellite editions do not fill that void left by the old Brooksville Sun-Journal of years ago."

With Frasier's enthusiasm and support, Rocco and I ventured into the newspaper business, not fully aware of the difficulties to come. Anytime we approached a roadblock, Frasier was there with an encouraging word. And of course he was there with his vast historical resources.

Frasier, born in 1923, did not merely preserve and collect history. He experienced it.

The Mountain family originally came to Hernando County in the 1880's, crossing the Withlacoochee River at Pemberton Ferry. The family had a contact in Oriole and they were going to work there. Oriole was a small town situated beside Oriole Lake a little over a mile from the Withlacoochee River. Frasier's father was born in Oriole in 1891. His siblings were all born in either Georgia or Alabama. Frasier's father had at one point worked at the Spector Store in Oriole.






Frasier's father became Superintendent of the Camp Castle mine in the 1920's. Frasier grew up there. He was passionate about the importance of mining to the county's economy and was a walking encyclopedia about the industry. He explained how his father took on the project of reinforcing the originally wooden "castle" which functioned as the hard rock processing plant with poured cement. The remains of the castle still stand on the property.

Frasier attended Hernando High School, graduating in 1940. In that year, an editorial he wrote was published in The Hilltop, the school newspaper. The editorial aptly captured the climate of a country about to enter WWII. He warned his classmates to be prepared for the struggle ahead.

So Goes The Battle

AN EDITORIAL
Published in the Hernando High School Hill Top, May 1940

We have been told many times that we are going out of school as a charging army to meet a belligerent world. Our battlefield is the world in general. Many of our valiant soldiers will be donned with medal of honor and accomplishment, while others will be among those crushed even when the smoke of battle is cleared. The latter of these were defeated because they were unprepared. In the training camp they attended, they paid little heed to the fact that they were training for preparedness when at last the battle should come.

This scene exemplifies clearly the status of the present Senior Class of Hernando High School and every other high school. Many of the people in this Senior Class will take advantage of the training which we are so fortunate to have in this country. These are the ones which will later gather the medals of honor and accomplishment, while on the other hand those that were pessimists, or the "I don't care" type will be downtrodden groups whose deeds and accomplishments never amount to very much.

So, Seniors, which Corps will you serve in- the officers or the doughboys? Remember it makes little difference who you are- it's what you are.

-By Frasier Mountain

Frasier was prepared for the struggle. Three years later, he graduated from the Army Air Corp and flight training, which put him into the cockpit of B-26 bombers. He trained in various places around the country, including Syracuse, NY where he met his wife Nancy who was studying at Syracuse University.

Frasier's unit was trained by the Flying Tigers, who famously rallied America's spirits with a series of victories over Japan following Pearl Harbor. The Flying Tigers flew the iconic P-40's emblazoned with a shark's toothy grimace.

After the training, Frasier earned 800 hours of combat flight time during campaigns in India, Burma and China. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice among four Air Medals and three Battle Stars.

Following the War, Frasier and Nancy moved back to Brooksville and started a heating and air conditioning company. During that time Frasier served five years active duty in the Air Force and then 35 years of reserve duty.

Frasier, a major in the Air Force at the time, played an integral role in developing the Brooksville Airport, serving as Treasurer of the first Aviation Authority.

He was actively involved in the community in so many ways, from the development of Brooksville's One Room Schoolhouse to Chinsegut Hill projects and the refurbishment of the Hernando Co. Mining Assoc. Enrichment Center, formerly the Brooksville Quarry processing plant.

Many of us knew Frasier and will miss him dearly.

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Frasier Mountain's Memorial will be held at Saxon Manor 103 South Saxon Avenue, Brooksville, Florida 34601 Thursday Oct. 13th from 5 to 7pm.

I will miss Frasier. He was a great friend. In many ways, I regarded Frasier as a surrogate father. He seemed to be always there when I needed to share thoughts and ideas, or if I was in a quandary about handling certain situations.

I mostly will miss our field trips as we called them. Frasier’s idea of sharing local history was to show you where history happened. When we arrived at one of those sites, he would spill his memories. He then vividly described who did what or who influenced whom, and what that event did to spur other events. His stories were rich and first-hand narratives. When you heard him, you felt that you were there when whatever it was happened. I especially remembered sitting in Tom
Varn Park eating a picnic lunch on one of those field trips. We always stopped and bought a sandwich to split, and as we munched, Frasier explained how a quarry mine worked, and then after lunch we visited a local out-of-way cemetery, and he would provide descriptive biographies of the folks he once knew. On another field trip we took a driving tour of Croom Road. There was so much information and history there, we had to do that trip twice. Each time Fraiser focused on different aspects of the rich history found on or near that Road.

His photo collection was a vast source for all in our community. Fraiser loved to share his photos of the people and places in and around Brooksville and Hernando County with everyone who was interested. What made that collection so amazing was he could share the history and significance of each photo. Frasier knew Brooksville and Hernando County. He was a first-hand expert of the people and events of this area. He lived and experienced life right here from the late 1920s, through the Great Depression, during mid-twentieth century to our most recent events. He witnessed when the City of Brooksville flourished. He was a proponent of its restoration as the “Center” of Hernando County as a cultural place to share its past and to promote new ideas. Fraser Mountain was “living history.” He both experienced it, and was extremely generous in sharing those experiences.

I will miss Frasier, and I know many others in Brooksville and Hernando County will also miss him. He was a mentor and friend to many folks here. If there was a problem that he thought he could help solve, he jumped right in and advocated for you or promoted whatever you did that he supported.

Fraiser was known throughout the area as the local history expert. He was a friend to just about all of the historical and genealogy groups in the County. Frasier Mountain loved history. He loved to talk about history, to share his memories with others about our local history, and he loved to take people on his “field trips.”

I will really miss Frasier, as my mentor, as my local historical resource, and especially as my wonderful friend.

- Virginia Benson

Frasier Mountain "Our Papa" was a man of integrity who possessed old fashioned down to earth values. He was a family man and was very proud of his daughter and granddaughter for their accomplishments. History was his passion and especially the history of of Brooksville area. He was especially pleased to receive the 'Father of Brooksville ' award from the city! Frasier was a great teacher as he shared his knowledge of history with so many. He will be sorely missed by all at the one from school but especially by me.

- Gretchen Countryman, Director of the Countryman One Room schoolhouse.

Growing up, I didnt realize the importance of appreciating and knowing my family's history. As I got older, I began to realize the importance of it, and I soon began to research it. I began to try and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Through the many hours at the library, courthouse, and walking downtown and talking to different people, I was soon and often told about a man by the name of Frasier Mountain.

My grandparents are no longer here on Earth, so I dont have many living resources to talk to about the knowledge of the old brooksville. As I would soon learn, Mr. Mountain would be the man to talk to if you wanted to know anything about Hernando county. I kept telling myself that one day, I wanted to meet Mr. Mountain. I came across a DVD at the library that they made with the help of Mr. Mountain. As I watched it, I thought that that was going to be as close as I was gonna get to meeting him. But I was wrong.

As a 7th generation "Brooksvilllian", I am extremely proud of where my family and I have come from. So when I heard about the Hernando County Preservation Society, I decided to join them. Unbeknownst to me at a meeting one night, I had no idea who was about to walk through the door as we were waiting for the meeting to begin. I saw someone, and had to take a double look....I couldnt believe my eyes....after almost 10 years of wishing I could meet the man who was the center of so much history and information, that there he was just a few seats away from me...it was Mr. Mountain. I gasped with excitement....I couldnt believe that my wish had came true.

My mom happened to come with me to the meeting that night. And at the end of it, as everyone was saying their goodbyes, and conversating, she snuck away....I had no idea where she was going, and didn't pay any mind to it. A few minutes later, she called me to come over to where she was, and after I meandered my way through the group of people, I couldnt believe my eyes as to who was just a few feet in front of my face....it was the person who I had always looked so foward to meeting. My mother said to me "Nichole, I'd like you to meet Frasier Mountain." I felt like I was the happiest girl in the room. As I shook his hand, and said hello, I felt as though I was meeting a celebrity. We talked about numerous things within our conversation we had that night...about his life growing up, his job as a pilot, his children. I soon discovered that his family once owned property within walking distance of where I live, and that he was friends with my Uncle Henry Jackson. He welcomed me to come and look through his pages and pages of pictures and information about brooksville and such. When he told me that, I felt like I had just won the brooksville heritage and history lottery! For the rest of the evening, nothing could wipe the smile off of my face after I met Mr. Mountain. That will be a memory that I will cherish forever.

Brooksville lost a great man this week. My deepest, and sincerest condolences go to his family and friends. Those who got the blessing to have met him will be forever lucky. I will miss my friend. Rest in Peace Mr. Mountain. Sincerely, Nichole Chapman

FRASIER MOUNTAIN came into my life when he would stop into one of his best friend's office where I worked after he would drop off his granddaughter Ashley at Charlene’s Dance Studio and we would talk about everything under the sun until it was time to pick up Ashley from dance. I really looked forward to his visits. Our grandchildren went to the Methodist Church School Center also and we had a lot in common concerning the love of our town and the history behind it. We also would find ourselves at the same meetings because our interest was the same. He became a great friend and mentor and I discovered his vast collection and knowledge of the people and historical background of all the old time families and how the city became what it is today. He never mind sharing all of this with anyone who asked.

When people moved on or passed, the families would always contact Frasier to be the keeper of their history because they knew he would treasure and keep that information for generations to come.

The love of Genealogy was one of the interests we shared, and when it was time for me to get serious about mine he was the first one I thought of to help me with it. We started with my Father who happened to be 3 years older than Frasier and was also a fighter pilot in WW2, so there lives were parallel. Frasier was generous with his time for people like me who had a need of his knowledge.

Frasier and I spent around 3 to 4 hours a week for about a year sorting out my Father's military records and we went thru my mother’s family history in Hawaii and realized it’s a small world after all. Frasier took the time in entering every page of my Dad’s military records and all of my family’s documents on the computer. What he did for me was priceless and my family and I will be forever grateful for what he did.

We would also talk endlessly of our love for our families, his precious wife Nancy, his daughter Diane, his son Duane and his wonderful granddaughter Ashley. By helping me with my family’s genealogy he felt like he knew all of them, even though he had only met a few.

We have always been friends, even though we didn’t always agree with each other and respected one another always. His warmth, wit, humor, knowledge and love of people and history will live in the lives of people like me for generations to come. I am only one person in thousands that were so blessed to have known him. I love you Frasier and miss you with all my heart.

YOUR BELOVED FRIEND ALWAYS JAN KNOWLES

Frasier was an invaluable source of historical stories, facts and information regarding Old Brooksville In Photos & Stories. His mind was amazingly sharp up to the end and could remember the slightest details pertaining to Brooksville history, as far back as the 1920's. We were soul mates and I will miss him greatly. He would often pop up to my house with old pixs, news clippings or just to chit chat. He was indeed a remarkable man. God bless him.

- Robert Martinez, publisher Old Brooksville In Photos & Stories.

Brooksville Star May 18, 1906

Was Former Resident of Hernando County
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Died at the age of 59
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For Many Years Was Acknowledged Cattle King of this Section of the State
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Dr. Howell T. Lykes, one of the best known and most respected citizens of South Florida at 11am yesterday, died at his home near Ballast Point, death resulting from a general breakdown brought about by a (illegible) stroke of several weeks ago.

Dr. Lykes had not been in the best health for some time. For the past few weeks he has been very ill, and for a week had only been able to recognise immediate members of his family.

He was a native of South Carolina. Florida, however, was his adopted state and it was in South Florida that Dr. Lykes (illegible) the success in life that made him known throughout the length and breadth of the commonwealth.

He moved to Hernando county a number of years ago, living at Spring Hill, near Brooksville. For many years he has been the acknowledged cattle king of this section, bringing in stock to Tampa and shipping them to Cuba from Ballast Point, where he maintained large cattle docks.

Dr. Lykes was a very successful financier and through the cattle business accumulated a great deal of money, which he reinvested in stock. Other moneys he devoted to purchase of real estate. Other moneys he devoted to the pleasure and comfort of his family and education of his children. He owned considerable valuable property… (illegible).

The deceased had been a citizen of this county about 15 years, moving from Hernando County. His life here has always been an exemplary one, both in public and in private.

He survived by a widow; a daughter (illegible), and the following sons: Fred, Lipscomb, Tom, John, Joe, Howell and James Lykes. Fred and Lipscomb Lykes are in Cuba. Tom Lykes is in Raleigh. Joe Lykes is in Atlanta. John Lykes is attending school at Lake (illegible).

Dr. Lykes died at the age of 59.

-Tampa Tribune

Founders Week was recently held to celebrate 160 years of Brooksville. There are three dates that could be used for the start of Brooksville. In 1845, the town of Melendez was first settled. In 1856, the towns of Melendez and Pierceville were combined under the new name of Brooksville. The City of Brooksville was incorporated on October 13, 1880.

The year 1856 was the best choice for the founding of Brooksville. That was the date that the Florida Legislature passed legislation rescinding Bayport as the county seat of Hernando County (at the time this county was comprised of most of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus). Bayport was more than a day's trip from some areas of the county and some of those citizens petitioned the legislature to move the county seat to a more centrally located town. The legislature also set Pierceville as the interim county seat until the voters had a chance to choose the new county seat. The legislature recommended that the county seat be located within 5 miles of the center of the county. The voters must have chosen Brooksville, since on December 27, 1856, the Governor of Florida signed legislation moving the courthouse to the newly constituted Brooksville.

The city of Brooksville had several land owners that owned large tracts around the city and many people with smaller holdings. Some of these prominent families were: the Howell family on the north of town near Howell Avenue, the May family to the East of town (John L May built a four room house that was expanded to become the May Stringer house), the Hale family to the West where Joseph Obida Hale operated a sawmill, and the Parsons family to the south.

Joseph Hale was a millwright which is a person who builds mills. He came to the area under the employ of David Levy Yulee (Levy County is named after him) to build the Yulee Sugar Mill in Homosassa. The ruins of which can still be seen today. After Hale finished the Yulee Mill, he moved to Pierceville and erected a steam powered sawmill in 1852.

David Levy Yulee met and became friends with John Parsons in the 1830s. In 1855, John Parsons joined the board of directors of Yulee's business: the Florida Railroad Co. running from Fernandina to Cedar Key. This was the first railroad to connect the east and west coasts of Florida.

The land for the courthouse was donated on October 15, 1856, by John L. May and the estate of Joseph Hale. Each transferred fifteen acres a piece for a county seat.

These families and many others helped to found Brooksville, creating cultural and economic opportunities that were not found in the small towns or on the rural homesteads in other parts of the county. This is what we celebrate during Founders Week.

If you look at old maps of Hernando County you will see the town of Augusta. It has been forgotten in modern time. We are not even sure of the town's exact location. According to local historian Virginia Jackson, the town's post office was located near where Old Crystal River Road dead ends a little north of Lake Lindsey Road.

On January 30, 1845 a post office was established in the town of Augusta with the first and only postmaster being Albert Clark. In 1845, there were four post offices in the county (Chocachatti, Homosassa, Augusta, and Fort Dade). The county Benton (Hernando County was briefly renamed Benton County from 1844 to 1850) at the time comprised an area that included most of the current Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties. It was split into three counties in 1887. The post office at Augusta lasted 15 years and closed on Oct. 17, 1860, shortly after the murder of Albert Clark.

On the 26th of May, 1845 there were election returns from a precinct at Augusta in Benton County. The inspectors listed for the precinct were Albert Clark, John B. Allen, and E. J. Knight and the Clerk was C.T. Jenkins. Sixteen men voted at the Augusta precinct including two Clarks and two Boyets.

According to the 1850 census of Benton County there were a number of people living with Albert Clark. The census lists Albert Clark age 35 a farmer with $900 in land from New York and his wife Adeline age 35 from South Carolina. There was Elihu Clark age 33 a farmer with $640 in land from New York. There was Lloyd James age 18 a laborer from Virginia. There were five children: Emeline age 2 from Florida and Elisa Boyet age 21, Elizabeth Boyet age 16, James Boyet age 14 and Amanda Boyet age 13 from South Carolina.

The Florida Peninsular on October 20, 1860 reported in an article entitled "Murder will Out,"

"We learn that the citizens of Hernando County, on Saturday last, hung Hamp, a slave belonging to the estate of Albert Clarke, for being the immediate cause of death of his master. The negro confessed that he was promised two hundred dollars by James Boyd (a stepson of the deceased) and Mrs. Clarke (decedent's wife) - $100 respectively, - as compensation for taking the life of his master and that he committed the murder (as stated last week) accordingly. Boyd and Mrs. Clarke are now in charge of the people, closely guarded; and, it is to hoped, evidence will be found sufficient to convict them by law as accessories; the conviction of their guilt, with the people is already a fixed fact."

It seems that Augusta faded away after the murder of Albert Clark. It stops appearing on maps and stops being mentioned in government documents. Most likely, the stepson accused of organizing the murder, James Boyd, and stepson James Boyet listed in the census are the same person. The name was most likely misspelled by the newspaper. It was reported that James Boyd was convicted in the murder plot.

For the 171st Anniversary of Eden Baptist Church in Lake Lindsey, Hernando Sun is publishing a piece written by Bobby and Betty (Cason) Snow in October 2011 entitled "Eden Baptist Church, The Early Years, 1840s and 1850s". The article was originally published in the "Eden Baptist Church Homecoming Celebration" on October 16, 2011. It is a very comprehensive history and we plan to publish it in segments. The following segment describes the "environment that the seeds of Eden Baptist Church began" as well as the earliest pastors and charter members of the church. Bobby Snow sadly passed away in August of 2015, but his wife Betty continues to record the history of this great landmark.

The Early Years 1840's and 1850's

by Bobby and Betty (Cason) Snow, October 2011

From the mid 1820's until 1843, this area was Alachua County which had stretched all the way north to Georgia. Florida was still a Territory. The U.S. Government had already fought two long, expensive Indian Wars in Florida and had failed to remove all of the tribes, many of whom had united with each other as they had been driven south.

In 1836, Colonel William Lindsey, Commander of the Alabama Volunteers, was wounded by an Indian's arrow near a lake in what is now Hernando County. He was bleeding badly but managed to make it to the cabin of a Mr. Lewis where he died. To this day, this lake is known as Lake Lindsey.

Simply put, the white men wanted these lands in Florida, and a larger population was needed for statehood. The Military actions had failed. With this failure came another Government plan, the Armed Occupation Act. This Act was sponsored in Congress and passed through the Senate by Senator T.H. Benton of Missouri and was intended to do what the Military could not-- let settlers bearing arms finish clearing out the Indians in exchange for free land, most of it south of Newnansville (now Gainesville) and the Withlacoochee River. This became law on August 4, 1842.

The first wagon train in this area of about 30-40 wagons, including the James Baker family, soon arrived, and camped around what is now McKethan Lake until they could stake out and claim their land permits, which would be 160 acres each. Out of the 1250 total permits allowed, all of Hernando County secured about 400 settlers.

They had to travel by wagon, or horseback up to Newnansville to file their papers and stake their claims. Trails had to be made, their farming land had to be cleared, supplies had to be secured, and their homes had to be built. The Government had promised provisions of weapons, seeds and free food for one year, but actually provided some food for only one month to some settlers who were convenient. Hostile Indians were still here and they prevented the making of any crops in many instances. Many settlers were forced to abandon their claims and return to their old homes.

It was in this environment that the seeds of Eden Baptist Church began.

Jeremiah Madison Hayman (born 1822 in Bryan County, Ga.- died 1902 Bartow, Fla.) and his father, James, received two land permits, near Lake Lindsey. It was at a funeral service preached by Rev. John Tucker on July 7, 1844 that Jeremiah was converted, and he and one of his sisters were baptized that afternoon in Lake Lindsey. They were among the Charter members of the church. This is the first recorded baptism in Lake Lindsey. John Tucker (born 1785) was in Florida before 1827 as he had a son, Jesse, born that year in Alligator (now Lake City). He is listed as a Pastor in a report to the Association in 1848. In that year, he was also listed as Pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church in Benton (Hernando) County. Rev. John Tucker was instrumental in the organization of Eden Baptist Church and we believe, has to be considered as the first Pastor at Eden, even though there were no resident pastors in those days. He preached in a Circuit that took him thirty days to make his rounds to twenty different settlements. He was the first known ordained Baptist minister in the area.

On March 3, 1845 Florida was adopted as the 27th state of the United States. Hernando County had been carved out of Alachua and Hillsborough in 1843 and named for Hernando de Soto, but by 1844 was named Benton County in honor of the sponsoring Senator of the Armed Occupation Act. Benton County was changed back to Hernando County in 1850.

In September 1845, a Baptist church was constituted at Lake Lindsey, and Jeremiah Hayman was chosen as its first Clerk, and was ordained as a Deacon. He sold his farm in 1850 and moved to Hillsborough County and was destined to become a leading Baptist minister on the Florida West Coast, as was his brother, James Henry Hayman (1829-1916).

The next segment of this article will be published in the Nov. 11th, 2016 issue and it will cover some of the county's earliest leaders who attended Eden Baptist Church.

This story is written by WWII Veteran and POW Charles 'Chas.' Looper, who grew up in the Lake Lindsey area, near Brooksville. Looper writes about his 27th and last mission which was a part of Battle of the Bulge. His unit was flying P-47's over Luxembourg when he was shot down in enemy territory. This is the first of two segments to be published.

We took off in late December to try to help the war effort by shooting up things in enemy territory. After take-off, we spread out into what we called battle formation-probably about 50 yds. apart. This gave each of us room to move about freely when the flack came up at us. They used 20mm guns at lower level and 40 mm guns mixed in. Also, they used 90mm that could reach much higher. You could usually tell by the color of the smoke when the shell exploded what you were running into. To the best of my memory, we had just bombed and shot up some trucks and were back up to 8 or 10 thousand feet when someone (I believe it was George Riegler from Lutz) called out "Bogie at three o' clock high." I looked up to my right and saw an Me-109 heading for the deck. I watched him go under my right wing and banked over to my left to catch sight of his plane again.

I was going to tell my Flight to break right and follow me down and try to catch up with him. Well, that was the last I saw of that 109. The next thing I saw was lines of green tracers going past my nose. Since our tracers were reddish white, I knew I was in trouble. Now I don't know if that was the same plane that I was after or not. We later found out that there were many Germans around us that I did not see. Anyhow, I immediately began a very tight turn to the left. Another stream of tracers went past the nose of my plane. I was turning so sharply that I was in a high speed stall. My plane was buffeting (kinda like bouncing). I thought I was out turning him, but a large hole appeared in my left wing and another near my left foot. Then the fire flared up into my cockpit about as high as my knee. It went down slightly then came up a little higher.

I just headed west back toward our side of the lines. I found out later that Lt. Lenton-next to me had looked over and seen me in a Luftbury circle with the 109 in pursuit, and he chased him off my tail. (I was able to write to his family just recently to thank his wife for his help in saving my life. Lt. Lenton has passed away, but I wanted his family to know about his much needed help in saving my life.) I stayed with my plane as long as I thought I should-sitting on top of a tank of high octane gasoline with fire close to where I was sitting was kinda worrisome-I called my flight and told them that I was going to bail out. I pulled off my oxygen mask and other gear and rolled over and hit the slipstream.

I got about halfway out when my parachute hung up on some part of the seat. I just pushed real hard on the seat and broke loose. I cleared the plane (many pilots have hit the rudder or elevators) and began my free fall hoping I was in allied territory. I wanted to fall as far as it was safely possible as you are like a sitting duck when your chute opens. I began to spin; as I didn't want to get tangled up in my parachute, I pulled the ripcord. I felt a sharp jolt and it seemed as if I had almost stopped in mid-air. It's funny what goes through a person's mind when things are happening so fast. Since this was my first parachute jump, I practiced pulling on my canopy lines to see if I could guide the chute in order to help control where I was going to land. As I got closer to the ground, I noticed that I was coming down quite rapidly. I heard what sounded like a rifle shot just before I hit. I landed in a pine tree and climbed down to the snow-covered ground.

I wanted to get away from the chute, as I knew someone would be checking it out as soon as possible. I saw several troopers headed toward where I had come down. As soon as I saw their helmets, I knew I was in German territory. As I was moving away from the tree where I left my chute, I saw the six troopers coming along in Indian fashion, I noticed the helmets and knew they were Germans. They were carrying machineguns and I didn't usually carry my 45 pistol, so I was prepared to holler "comrade"!--but as I was standing still next to some pine trees, they just walked right on past me.

I moved rather swiftly on in the direction from which they came. It was about 11:00 o'clock in the A.M.-I found a nice patch of woods and tried to sleep. There was plenty of snow, so no lack of water; but I was getting kinda hungry. Those spruce twigs weren't too appetizing, but gave me something to chew on. As nighttime came on, I began to travel toward our lines. At that time Gen. Patton and his tanks were moving several miles a day. My plan was to climb a tall tree and watch the show. I was not about to hide on the ground and let the German troops back over me with American troops shooting at them- then the German troops shooting past me at our G.I.'s. I figured being up a tree was a sound idea.

As daybreak arrived, I holed up again and tried to get some sleep. I heard a lot of loud shouting, and saw a squad of men going along with a field piece, (with all that shouting I had made up my mind that the one that could sound off the loudest must be in command). I began to dislike the German language. Soon, they got the gun in place and began firing. Pretty soon, I heard a distant "boom" and heard a shell coming past their gun. I guess you could call it a duel with cannons. Well this was entertaining for a while until an American shell exploded so close to me that I heard a piece of the shell hit into the trees and into the dirt. This duel did help my plans though- at that time I knew a little about how fast some shells traveled. When I would hear the Amer. gun sound off, I would begin to count the seconds that it took to get to our area. I figured that I was just a few miles from the American lines.

I scraped the Air Force insignia from the arm of my leather flight jacket, and buried all the Belgium money I had. We survived the G.I. shelling and it began to get dark- so, I was off again and was beginning to look for a good tree to climb. To prove to you that I was not a hero, I came across what looked like some communication lines and didn't cut them! I did think about it, but I figured that as soon as they noticed their messages weren't getting through, they would trace out the trouble and find my tracks and set the hounds onto me. As I was crossing an open area, I saw what looked like a man in a heavy over-coat. I froze and watched. He barely moved and I dashed toward a patch of trees and hid behind a large one. Shouting broke out and also some shooting. I saw flames from the pistol being used and it looked as if he was firing in the air to get me to come out. If he was shooting straight up, I figured he could shoot all night,---I was wrong!. Part of my leg was sticking out past the tree and I felt a tug at my pants leg and a hurting in my right leg. Then I figured it was time to shout out "COMRADE."

Since I didn't know German I didn't know whether they were saying FREEZE, or COME OUT. I began to raise my hands and slowly move toward them. After searching me, they took me to a kinda shack. One man began asking me where my buddy was. I told him that I was alone as my plane carried only one person. He said "We are going to look for him, If we find him, you are shot." They were gone only a short time-(ever sweat in the winter time?) They didn't find a "Buddy." When they searched me, I found a handful of raisins in an inner pocket underneath my outer flight suit. Spruce boughs are a poor second to good old raisins.-Oh well, you win some and you lose some. They then sent me off with a lone peon walking behind me with a cocked pistol at my back. I finally talked him into putting the hammer down-I didn't want to get shot accidentally. He motioned for me to take off my leather jacket. I pointed out that it was cold and for him to give me his old green pullover sweater.-Again, being no hero, I could have given him a hand chop across the back of his neck as he shucked the sweater over his head. After the uneven trade, we finally came to a farm house. I spent the night with a crew of soldiers on duty. I slept on the floor as they went about their assigned duties. I saw a bazooka they were using. One had an American carbine. I wondered about the fate of the original owner. He seemed to like that handy little rifle. Well, being a survivor, I tried not to cause them a whole lot of trouble and was under the care of their system until April, 28th. 1945.

This story is written by WWII Veteran and POW Charles 'Chas.' Looper, who grew up in the Lake Lindsey area, near Brooksville. Looper writes about his 27th and last mission which was a part of Battle of the Bulge. His unit was flying P-47's over Luxembourg when he was shot down in enemy territory. This is the second of two segments.ond of two segments.

At one time, I was transported by ambulance. In this vehicle were about three wounded German soldiers and myself not including a driver and helper up in the front cab. Well, about every bump we hit, the wounded moaned. We had a heater fueled with wood in the back. I tried to keep the fire going by throwing in a stick of wood every once in awhile. I must have thrown a lighterd knot (A pine knot with lots of resin in it), and I thought we were going to melt down it got so hot!

When we arrived at the hospital, The doctors and nurses took good care of me. One nurse I remember used to come and take my temperature by putting the thermometer under my arm. I thought that was unusual, but that was their method and it worked. They kept telling me what a good place the prison camp would be. Ha-I just couldn't wait! When it came time for me to move on I asked the nurse to tell the authorities that I had a high temperature and could not be moved, but she wouldn't.

My toe that got frozen caused lots of pain when I tried to walk. I was escorted by two soldiers on a train. I asked one if he was good with his pistol, and he said what sounded like, "Ich ben Expert!" I took his word for it. I asked the other one if there was good hunting in Germany by making the motion like I was shooting a gun. He said, "No goot, no goot!" I knew that I had given him the wrong idea, so I drew a picture of a stag's head with antlers and he said," Ya, tis goot!"

Upon my arrival at the camp up on the Polish border (Stallag Luft 111 I believe), I was locked up in a small room with a guard for the first night. He was as sleepy as I was. I noticed that he was nodding and finally he moved his chair over in front of the door so that I couldn't escape without running over him.

I was put in with thousands of others and began to feel that I was finally where they were going to "Treat me so well." I remember for a short while I was with some British airmen. One asked me, "Why don't you Yanks stay home and keep out of their wars." I thought that was a silly statement for him to be making, but maybe he had a point.

My big toe was still paining me; but I noticed that they were walking around the compound quite regularly and I asked why? They told me that since the Russians were getting close, we would probably be making a forced march to get out of that area. It happened three days after I arrived. We were forced to pack whatever meager luggage we had and get into long columns and began to walk. We were guarded by the old home guard at this time. We would walk for fifty minutes and rest ten. We were watching an old soldier leaning against a tree resting, and one man said, "You know, that old man is old enough to be my Grandpa." He went over and offered to carry his pack. I was really impressed.

I got so tired walking and my feet started to blister. I was about ready to fall out and let them pick me up in a wagon or shoot me when we arrived at some sort of headquarters. I got to ride in a wagon with a soldier. Let me digress a bit- when I was in grammar school, we had a man principal-teacher who was in World War One. He mentioned that the Germans started their horses by making the sound ddrrddrr (If you can imagine what that sounds like). Well , when we got into that wagon and the soldier said, "ddrrddrr," my memory carried me right back to that classroom and my teacher's story.

When we got to a train station we were placed on what I believe were called 40 and 8 cars.(40 men and 8 horses). We sat on the floor and were so crowded that we had a time trying to stretch our legs. After a long ride we arrived at Moosburg and were placed in Stalag 7A. There were compounds for British, Americans, French and Etc. Thousands! I've heard since that there were over a hundred thousand of us.

We received a boiled potato, a piece of very hard dark bread, and some soup daily. About once a week there was some meat in the soup. When the Germans cooperated, we received Red Cross packages. We usually shared a package with another fellow prisoner. The bread we received from the Germans was so hard that they carried it about like wood in a wagon with no wrapping around it. (I heard later that it did have wood in it).

I don't remember exactly what the parcels contained, but they had some candy and a "D" bar which was a chocolate bar so hard that it was hard to bite. Powdered milk-a few cigarettes and canned meat spread. We built small cooking stoves from the emptied cans we received from the Red Cross parcels. Wood was at a premium! As we walked around the compound, we picked up any wood that we found. Even a used match stick was picked up. Later we found out that there was a sub floor under our regular floor. It was also used as cooking fuel.
There was a space of cleared ground about ten feet wide running along the fence with a single wire on sticks. This was called the warning wire. Signs stated that anyone stepping over the wire would be shot. It was raked and foot prints could be easily spotted.

Quite often we would place look-outs at the doors and have a news briefing. I knew more about our troop movements in camp than I did when on the outside. A map would be placed on the wall and a leader would explain the latest happenings. They would give the Allied news, then the German view of the news. They seldom agreed as to what was happening. I was told that many of the radio men from the bombers could make a radio out of things they found around camp. That's how we got our news.

There was an escape committee in camp. If a man wanted to attempt an escape he would present his plan to the committee and if they agreed, they should furnish that man with documents to aid in his escape.

On April the 28th. 1945, we knew our troops were nearby. Suddenly, we heard shooting. Several of us jumped into a trench near our area. We heard a popping noise and I heard later that bullets make that sound when they pass close by overhead. By this time, the guards had left and our camp was taken over by American troops. A tank rolled into our compound and we really were happy to see those friendly faces!

And thus ends my story about my 27th and last mission

--Chas. Looper.

Thanksgiving was Freddy Ray's birthday. Fred, with his little sister Eunice, had just gone out to try his new sled, when his father called him to do an errand. "Leave Eunice to play with Rob Roy," he said (Rob Roy was the sled's name), "and return as soon as you can."

It is not pleasant to be sent away when about to try a new sled. But Fred did not allow such things to vex him. He ran off laughing, and in about ten minutes he came around the corner again panting in his race. Then he saw something that made his heart thump.

There stood little Eunice, white with snow, and with the tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. By her side, holding the sled, was a boy; and such a ragged boy! He seemed to wear more holes than clothes. His bare toes peeped out of his shoes. He was pale and thin. You would say that he did not know what turkey was.

Fred ran up to him. "How dare you," he shouted, "push my sister into the snow, and take my new sled!" The boy began to cry. Then Fred noticed his pinched face. He drew back; He had learned to govern his temper.
"Oh, you didn't mean it, I think," he said.

"No, I didn't," cried the boy; "but I did want a coast so much. I never had a sled. And the little girl held on so that I pulled her over. Don't strike me please! I didn't mean any harm, and I will drag her on the sled if you will let me."

This was too much for Fred. He pitied the poor, eager boy. "So you may drag her and have a coast too if you like!" he cried. And he ran into the house to report to his father.

Now Mrs. Ray had watched the whole scene. I will not tell what she thought or how she found out about ragged Joe, for that was the poor boy's name.

All is, at dinner Fred broke the wish-bone with his father. "I wish Joe had a sled, too," he cried.

"And I wish," said his father, "that my Freddy may always act like a little man, as he did to-day."

And I must tell you that, after dinner, Fred found ragged Joe in the kitchen. He had a great basket of goodies, and Fred's old sled to draw them home with. It was a happy day for Joe when he first saw the Rob Roy. So it was for Fred too, for he became more of a little man than ever.

In Hernando County, there are several roads named for the Camp mining family including Camp Castle Road and Camp Mine Road. These roads led to two mines that the Camp's owned.

The Camp Family came from Franklin, Virginia. George Camp and Sallie Cutchins Camp had eight sons and two daughters. In 1887 led by 3 of the sons Paul Douglas Camp (President), James Leonidas Camp (Vice-president) and Robert Judson Camp (secretary-treasurer) the family purchased a small sawmill. All of the sons were members of the family timber and sawmill operation. This operation grew into the Camp Manufacturing Company, a paper manufacturer. Two of the brothers died young, the rest of the Camp brothers became prominent in the lumber industry of the Southeast United States.

Several of the Camp brothers led by Robert Judson Camp, Benjamin Franklin Camp and William Nelson Camp, Sr., set out to Florida in search of their fortunes. They moved to an area northwest of Gainesville. There is a ghost town in this area named Campville, it may have formerly been named Albion. This town was anchored by a brick factory that was started by R.J. Camp & Bros., Manufacturers, which was led by R. J. Camp, J. S. Camp, and B. F. Camp. In addition to the factory, the town had a Post Office, General Store, and Train Depot.

The brothers were also involved in many enterprises including citrus, cattle, and building a railroad in Florida and Georgia along with the family business of timber and milling.

In 1890, William Camp with the help of the Camp Manufacturing Company started the Albion Mining and Manufacturing Company which produced phosphate. In 1903, William relocated to Ocala to be closer to the phosphate deposits in Dunnellon. William and his sons sold the phosphate they mined to many German firms making them wealthy.

After several years of living north west of Gainesville, the Florida Camp Family relocated to Ocala, where to this day they are considered prominent residents. Their residences in Ocala are on Ocala's historic homes tour.

The Camp family bought large tracts of land in Florida. William Camp purchased Merritt Island for cattle ranching, but sold it for a profit after discovering it was infested with mosquitos. By 1907, William was one of the largest landowners in Florida holding 150,000 acres in Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Sumter and Columbia counties.

William was interested in electricity. In the 1880s, William had created a hydroelectric dam that provided electricity to Roanoke, Virginia. In 1909, William developed a second hydroelectric power plant on the Withlacoochee River in the Inglis area. Inglis is about 20 miles north of Hernando County. The electricity from this plant was used to power the Camp mines in Hernando County. When William died in 1911 his children sold the plant for $1.5 million dollars to Florida Power corporation.

William's sons Clarence and Jack founded the Camp Concrete Rock Company which operated the limestone mines. The abandoned Camp Castle mine and the current Cemex mine were both former Camp Mines. Although the Camps never lived in Hernando County, they shaped its development.

David Levy Yulee is a prominent historical figure of Florida. In 2000, he was named “Great Floridian” of the year. He is inextricably linked to several facets of Florida’s past, most notably the Confederacy, land development, the railroad industry, and our State Constitution. Early settlers of Hernando County have connections to Yulee. For instance, the millwright who built Yulee’s sugar mill in Homosassa was Joseph Hale, a founding member of Brooksville. John Parsons, a founder of Bayport, befriended Yulee in the 1830’s and in 1855 joined the Board of Directors of the Florida Railroad Co., owned by David Yulee.

Yulee’s heritage is as fascinating as his historical significance to the state. The Levy family had immigrated to Morocco from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. The Levys were Jewish and during the Inquisition many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity and others were killed.

It was David Levy Yulee’s father, Moses Elias Levy who eventually made his way to Florida. Moses’ father, Eliahu Ha’Levi ibn Yuli, was a jewish advisor to Mohammed ben Abdallah
Sultan/ governor of Marrakech in Morocco. David Levy Yulee took the name of this grandfather after being elected to the Florida Senate and influenced his older brother Elias to do the same (to the disdain of their father Moses Elias).

During grandfather Yuli’s advisorship, the Muslim rulers of Morocco regarded foreign jews more highly than native jews. The Sultans were also aware that the Spanish Jews were considered outsiders by the native Moroccan Jews and took advantage of this.

Towards the end of Yuli’s advisorship, it is said he discovered an assassination plot on Sultan Abdallah by the Sultan’s son (Yazid of Morocco). While he did save the monarch’s life, he did it at great risk to himself and his family. When Abdallah died in 1790, the Levy family once again found themselves in grave danger. They left Morocco retracing their steps across the Straits of Gibraltar, settling not in Spain (as the Inquisition was still underway) but on the British “Rock” of Gibraltar.

While in Gibraltar, Moses Elias Levy was said to be influenced strongly by the Free Mason ideals, the acceptance of a Universal Creator, but the existence of many belief systems and pathways to God. The family left Gibraltar after the death of Grandfather Yuli in 1800. Yuli’s son Moses Elias was 18 years old at the time.

The family made a new home on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas. Moses Elias married into a prominent Jewish St. Thomas family who had originated from nearby St. Eustatius. The Abendonone family supported the Americans during the Revolutionary War, supplying their forces with military and non-military supplies. They were banished when the British gained control of the island. Moses Elias, made many business connections in the Caribbean using both his Jewish and Free Mason ties.

Moses and his wife Hannah had 2 boys and 2 girls, David Levy being the youngest son born in 1810. Sadly, the marriage fell apart and Moses Elias then set his sight on Puerto Rico. Interestingly, the Inquisition was still alive in Puerto Rico, but Moses Elias’ connections helped him to become very successful on the island.

There he befriended Alejandro Ramirez, who was the Economic Director or Intendant of Puerto Rico. Ramirez was given a higher position in Cuba and Moses Elias followed his powerful friend to the island. As a Jew, he had to be given special permission to settle on the island and was even allowed to own land. He started a sugar mill and became a slave owner. Although, he accepted slavery as an economic mainstay, he had moral opposition and later became involved in the abolitionist movement in England and authored a pamphlet (anonymously) illustrating a plan to slowly wean the southern American planter off of slavery. His son David Levy Yulee, on the other hand, became a strong proponent of slavery in the South.

While working with Ramirez in Cuba, Moses Elias realized that his economic future was in land development in Florida. For his performance in Cuba, Ramirez was given hundreds of thousands of acres of land grants in Florida. Moses Elias purchased 53,000 acres in what is now Alachua County from Ramirez’s land grants. Moses Elias eventually came to own about 100,000 acres of land in this area.

He tried to plan his arrival in Florida to coincide with the ratification of the Adams-Odonis Treaty in 1821 in which any person living within Florida when the United States took possession became American citizens. However, the ship he and his sons were aboard stalled within sight of land and they arrived a few days later. It took several years and a court cases to confirm that they were citizens based on their intent to be in Florida at the time.

Moses Elias’ eternal desire for a Jewish homeland influenced his plans for this vast tract of land which unfortunately did not pan out economically. He wished to create a safe haven for displaced Jews, where they would live and work together in a communal fashion. He was unable to convince the city dwelling Jews of Europe to move to the raw untamed Florida wilderness to become planters and farmers. By 1825, the Levy “Pilgrimage Plantation” was 2000 acres, but was far from prospering. Moses Elias decided to go to London to raise funds, where he became very active in the British Jewish Emancipation and anti slavery movements.

Moses Elias sent his son David Levy to a Unitarian school in Virginia, while his other children attended schools in England.

Upon returning to Florida without finding any investors, Pilgrimage Plantation had only 21 Jewish residents. Levy decided to open the colony to settlement by any faith. David Levy came back to farm on Pilgrimage Plantation instead of attending college. The colony lasted seven more years after Moses Elias opened the colony to all settlers. One day in 1835, the Seminoles burned it to the ground. Many of the Settlers sought refuge in Micanopy.

Moses Elias struggled for many years financially, due to lawsuits brought by investors of the colony coupled with the vague title to the land which prevented Moses from selling off parts of it.
He settled in St. Augustine. His son David decided to study and practice law in St. Augustine after the destruction of Pilgrimage Plantation.

After the title was cleared, Moses Elias once again became a wealthy planter as he was able to sell off parts of his holdings. The value of land he still possessed began to increase. When he died, not particularly happy with his sons dropping the family name, he left only $100 to each in his will. The sons litigated over the will for many years and eventually matters were settled outside of court with Moses Elias’ estate being split 5 ways: between the four children and Moses Elias’ sister.

David Levy Yulee was under the tutelage of the future Florida Territorial Governor Robert Reid in St. Augustine. After becoming a lawyer in 1832, he rose quickly in the Democrat party. He pushed staunchly for Florida’s statehood and took part in drafting Florida’s first Constitution. When Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845, David Levy was elected to represent the new state as a US Senator.

Soon after, he changed his name to Yulee and married Nannie Wickliffe, the daughter of former Kentucky Governor Charles A. Wickliffe.

When Senator David Yulee lost his re-election campaign in 1851, he decided to focus on his goal of building a railroad across the state of Florida. He began on the construction of a railroad from Fernandina Beach to Cedar Key, which wasn’t finished until just before the Civil War. David Levy Yulee is referred to as the “Father of Florida’s railroads.” In 1855 he was elected to the Senate again. He was a strong proponent of State’s rights and remained close with many of the Confederate leaders. He focused mostly on preserving his railroad and working his plantations during the conflict. While the North captured both terminal towns of his railroad line: Fernandina and Cedar Key, the South still occupied the land between.

The South wanted to dismantle the rail and use it to service more important parts of the Confederacy, but Levy was adamantly against this and acquired an injunction against the state to prevent this from happening. This move put his loyalties into question, but didn’t prevent the North from burning his Homosassa Plantation where Joseph Hale was hired by Yulee to build the sugar mill. The mill produced molasses and rum as well as sugar. The 5,100 acre Homosassa Sugar Plantation and associated mill which employed 100 slaves in full operation, supplied the Confederacy with sugar. The mill was not destroyed in the attack, but was abandoned and fell into disrepair.

The Yulee family went to their plantation in Archer Florida after their Homosassa home was destroyed. It is here that the Yulees played a part in hiding the contents of Jefferson Davis’ baggage train at the end of the Civil War. After Davis had been captured, his baggage train proceeded to Yulee’s Cottonwood Plantation in Archer, where it is said that official documents on the baggage train were divided up and hidden. To this day there are rumors that perhaps part of the baggage is buried somewhere in Archer. However at least one trunk was found by the Union. Upon questioning Mrs. Yulee on the whereabouts of the baggage, she revealed that they had sent a trunk onto Waldo, Florida where a railroad agent had left it in an unlocked storehouse next to his home. The trunk contained Davis’ guns, personal items, Confederate documents, including the key to a Confederate cipher and instructions on how to use the key.

Yulee was arrested and spent a year in prison at Fort Pulaski in Georgia being pardoned in 1866. While in prison it was rumored that the Federal government was preparing to try him for attempting to convince the State of Florida to seize Federal armaments at the forts in Pensacola. Yulee’s political connections, namely his father-in-law, helped to ascertain his pardon. Only Clement C. Clay and Jefferson Davis were imprisoned longer than Yulee.

Returning to Florida, Yulee then focused once again on his rail line, acquiring and developing property all along it. However, by 1877 the railroad was suffering financially and Yulee sold his majority share, but stayed on as Vice President until his retirement in 1881. He and his wife then moved to Washington D.C. His wife passed away in 1886 and he followed a year later.

Yulee assisted Florida in becoming a state. He helped to open up the new state with his railroad and Homosassa sugar mill. He also worked as a public servant representing Florida in the US Senate. He was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy. His contributions were recognized in 2000 with him being named “Great Floridian” of the year.

The members of Richard R. Crum’s family were prominent early Hernando County residents. He settled near present day Brooksville on land provided under the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. His wife Charlotte Pyles Wynn Crum was killed by Seminole Indians in that same year. His son John Washington Crum was murdered returning home from a meeting. Two random murders hitting the same family is certainly unfortunate.

Charlotte, the wife of Richard was born in 1792 near Savannah, Georgia. She married Col. Samuel Robert Pyles in 1809. They moved to what is now Alachua County in 1824. Col Pyles died in 1837 and Charlotte married Richard R. Crum. In 1842, Richard and Charlotte moved to a homestead near present day Brooksville.

Charlotte was murdered near the Chocachatti settlement. Her party consisted of Charlotte, her daughter Rebecca Harn, granddaughter Mary Catherine Harn and their escort John Francis McDonnell. They were attacked by a group of Seminole Indians as they rode in a buckboard between present day Brooksville and Dade City on September 12, 1842. The Seminole indians had apparently not been informed about the ending of the Second Seminole war on August 14, 1842.

Charlotte’s daughter Rebecca was on a horse and grabbed her child, Mary Catherine and managed to escape. John Francis appears to have been wounded, but also managed to escape. Charlotte was killed. Charlotte was laid to rest on Richard Crum’s land, which later became the Brooksville Cemetery. She is the first known burial at the cemetery.

Following Charlotte’s murder Richard married Christian Matilda and they had two children. One of these children was John Washington Crum. John Washington married Ann Pyles Hope and they had eight children.

John Washington was a significant local leader and was chosen to be a delegate to the Democratic convention of 1896 held from July 7th to the 11th in Chicago. He was murdered on June 10, 1896, so he was unable to attend.

The June 12, 1896 Daily Charlotte Observer reported on his murder “At Brooksville, Fla., . Wednesday night, John W. Crum was shot and instantly killed by some unknown assassin. He was a delegate to the Democratic convention which met yesterday and came to town to meet his delegation, and was on his return home when he was killed.”

It is thought that John Washington’s murder may have been related to the Whitehurst-Whidden-Stevenson Feud which claimed a number of lives in present day Pasco and Pinellas county.

The Tampa Morning Tribune reported that , “Mr. J. W. Crum, a well-to-do citizen of Brooksville, was shot and instantly killed Wednesday night by an unknown assassin near that place. It is thought that Tillet Whidden is implicated in the tragedy as bitter animosity existed between the two. No arrests have as yet been made. The deceased was a son-in-law of Mr. David Hope, of Brooksville, and leaves a wife and eight children.”

An interesting item that came before the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Committee on December 12th, was the rezoning of a .16 acre portion of a 1 acre lot from Agriculture to PDP/NC (Neighborhood Commercial). The property is in the eastern portion of Hernando County in an area called Richloam. It's a few thousand feet south of Cortez Blvd on Richloam Clay Sink Rd.

The property owner, Eric Burkes explained to the Planning and Zoning Committee that his great Uncle Sidney Brinson originally constructed a building in 1920 to serve as both a Post Office and General Store for the Richloam Community.

Fivay.org records a statement written by Jean Brinson Ward that gives some historical background on the area,
“Richloam is in Hernando County and Clay Sink is in Pasco County. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (“The Goat”) ran through Richloam at that time. Richloam even had a depot, grocery store and post office during the 1920’s and 1930’s. The residents of Clay Sink bought their groceries at the store and used the post office. The post office closed the day I was born. The store which housed the post office was owned by my uncle, Sidney Brinson, and the building still stands in Richloam, not in the best condition. My brother, John, bought it from our uncle years ago.”

The building burned in 1928 and was rebuilt that same year. The general store and post office served the Richloam area until 1936. Burkes explained that it is the oldest historical structure still standing in the Richloam area. In 2016 he renovated the building and completely rebuilt it back as it had originally stood. Burke’s goal is to operate it as a general store and post office once again. He would also like it to serve as a community museum, but one that is functional because he explained, “I don’t want you to feel like you are stepping into a museum.”

Burkes reached out to the US Postal Service under a village postal program. He explained they are in agreement with the plan. Burkes stated that he still has the original post office sign and post office window. He explained that it would most likely be a sub-post office off of the City of Webster’s Post Office. He spoke to the Postmaster of the Webster Office and he’s agreed to provide them with a Richloam cancellation stamp. He also has letters from the Richloam Post Office with the cancellation stamps on them.

“The goal is to step into a 1920’s working general store but at the same time try to preserve the history,” said Brinson.

Planning and Zoning Chairman John Scharch is enthusiastic about the idea. “That’s cool, I like that,” said Scharch. “A lot of our history has been burnt down over the years. I know Monroe Station on the Tamiami Trail recently burnt down… It’s really ashame to see stuff like that go away."

Burkes explained that the original 1928 metal structure of the Richloam general store remains, but the wood had been badly damaged by termites so he had to replace the majority of it.

Before the renovation he said, “You could just about push the whole building down with your hands. It underwent a long drawn out process, but we’ve got it restored back to its original state.”

Board Member Thomas Communale brought up the concern of making sure there was adequate parking and lighting. Scharch felt that parking issues are secondary to the historical aspect of what Burkes is trying to do.

In reference to usage, Burkes’ goal is to have sightseers rather than customers. He would like to offer time period products to give the right atmosphere.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval with some modifications of Burkes’ request to rezone the .16 acres of the 1 acre site from AG/Agriculture to PDP/NC, Planned Development Project Neighborhood Commercial.

The Board of County Commissioners will make the final decision on rezoning at their meeting on January 10th, 2017.