DeLand Archives - Robert Redd Historian & Author

Posted on May 1, 2023May 12, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

Volusia County History: A Bibliography with links

Volusia County History Bibliography

Volusia County is located on the east coast of Florida and is home to more than 550,000 residents and growing daily. The county is currently a prime retirement area for transplants.

County management is handled by an elected County Council consisting of two at-large members and five district elected members. The Chair position is one of the at-large members.

In 2021, nearly ten million visitors came to Volusia County. Many came to enjoy the “World’s Most Famous Beach,” while others arrived for NASCAR and other racing events, while Bike Week and Biketoberfest continue to draw strong crowds. Events such as the November Turkey Run, spring break, and the multi-day Welcome To Rockville concerts bring short-term visitors to the county. The Ocean Center draws sporting events, conventions, and the occasional concert which help put “heads in beds.”

While tourism is a main draw, the county has a wide and varied history consisting of colorful characters and events. This bibliography is my attempt to bring together a listing of material for readers related to Volusia County history. The term “history” is open to interpretation. I will try to be lenient in my use of the term.

I am providing links when I can so that you can purchase, or if possible, download or read online, for yourself. Materials may be available through the Volusia County Library system. Please check there. Even if it is not in your local branch, books can be sent to your preferred branch. Some books may be non-circulating such as those in genealogy collections and you will need to visit a particular location.

A couple of things about this bibliography. It is not meant to be all inclusive. This is an ongoing project and I invite your input with works I have not included. Also, new material is being published consistently. I try to keep up but this is a one person operation. I will be updating the list as required.

I will not be linking items such as newspaper articles. Mainstream magazine articles are fair game if they appear to have value. Peer reviewed academic journal articles will be included though availability of these may be quite limited. There have been, and continue to be, many local, “freebie,” magazine and entertainment guides. Keeping up with them is nearly impossible and finding older issues is the same. Unless something truly strikes me, I am avoiding these.

I am not including links to social media pages. Most of these pages/groups are not very good and the egalitarian nature of social media means anybody with a keyboard can make a statement and way too many take them as fact. Rather than be accused of playing favorites, I am avoiding these pages altogether.

Websites and blogs that show good solid research and writing will be included. Many good historians/writers are sharing their work in these formats. YouTube channels? Maybe.

Works of fiction are not generally included in this bibliography.

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I have chosen to set this listing up by city and a general county history section. My thought is that if you are looking for materials on Oak Hill you can find that heading rather than reviewing the entire list.

At the end of the list, you will find a listings of Volusia County based historical societies and museums. Be sure to reach out to these organizations if you have specific questions. There is also a section titled “people.” This is for those individuals who have made an impact on Volusia County for the better or the worse.

I make no guarantees as to the historical accuracy of the materials listed. I have not read and do not own copies of all of the sources lists. While I can certainly vouch for research standards many of the listed authors use, I recommend you draw your own conclusions. Works with foot/end notes and bibliographies are probably more reliable than those without. Notes and bibliographies allow readers to follow up on sources and verify statements.

I want this listing to be a joint project with you, the reader. If you know of sources I have not listed, please drop me a line or add a comment. Please provide as much information as possible and links if the material is digital. I will update the list with your suggestions.

I invite you to provide your thoughts on the resources listed below. If you feel a book or article is a must read, please let readers know and why you feel this way. If you think something is poor, that is acceptable. Please make sure your remarks are respectful and explain your reasoning. Is the research bad? Why do you think a work is not good? Personal attacks on authors or subject matter will not be approved for posting.

General County Histories

Dreggors, William J. and John Stephen Hess. A Century of West Volusia County 1860-1960. DeLand: West Volusia Historical Society, 1993.

Dreggors, William J., and John Stephen Hess. A Pictorial History of West Volusia County 1870-1940. DeLand: West Volusia Historical Society, 1989.

Fitzgerald, T.E. Volusia County Past and Present. Daytona Beach: The Observer Press, 1937.

Francke, Arthur E. Jr., Alyce Hockaday Gillingham, and Maxine Carey Turner. Volusia The West Side. DeLand: West Volusia Historical Society, 1986.

French, Larry. Grand Hotels of West Volusia County (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2018.

Friend, Lani. “Volusia and Vibilia: Companion Plantations on the St. Johns River in Spanish and Territorial East Florida,” Florida Historical Quarterly. Volume 97, No. 4 (2019): 379-406.

Gaby, Donald C. “Volusia; The Origin of a Name.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 76, No. 1.

Gold, Daniel Pleasant. History of Volusia County Florida. DeLand: E.O. Painter Printing Co., 1927.

Hebel, Ianthe Bond. Centennial History of Volusia County, Florida, 1854-1954. DeLand: Volusia County Historical Commission, 1955.

Langlotz, Patricia Callan. The Odyssey of an American School System: Volusia County Schools 1854-2000. DeLand: Volusia County Schools, 2000.

Minshew, Paul and Jack Towle. “The 1998 Wildfires in Central Florida: Volusia County’s Own Armageddon.” Journal of Environmental Health. Vol. 61, No. 7 (1999): p. 22-26.

Schene, Michael G. Hopes, Dreams & Promises: A History of Volusia County, Florida. Daytona Beach: News-Journal Corporation, 1976.

Williamson, Ronald. Volusia County’s West Side: Steamboats & Sandhills (American Chronicles). Charleston: History Press, 2008.

Barberville

Brotemarkle, Benjamin D. Barberville (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.

Cassadaga

Guthrie, John J. Jr., Phillip Charles Lucas, and Gary Monroe, editors. Cassadaga: The South’s Oldest Spiritualist Community. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2000.

Guthrie, John J. Jr., “Seeking the Sweet Spirit of Harmony: Establishing a Spiritualist Community at Cassadaga, Florida, 1893-1933.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 77, No. 1.

Along the Beach Looking Toward Seabreeze
Courtesy Florida Memory

Daytona Beach

Atwell, Cheryl, and Vincent Clarida. Daytona Beach and the Halifax River Area (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1998.

Cambre, Dale. Daytona Beach, Florida: A Postcard Tour (Postcard History Series). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1998.

Cardwell, Harold D. Daytona Beach 100 Years of Racing (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing 2002.

Cardwell, Harold D. Historic Photos of Daytona Beach. Nashville: Turner Publishing Company, 2007.

Cardwll, Harold D., Sr., and Patricia D. Cardwell. Historic Daytona Beach (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

Halifax Herald. This journal is published by the Halifax Historical Society and is a trove of information relating to the east side of Volusia County. Individual articles are not generally referenced in this listing. To the best of my knowledge there is no easy to use index for this journal.

Lamb, Chris. Blackout: The Untold Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Spring Training. Lincoln: Bison Books, 2006.

Lane, Mark. Legendary Locals of Daytona Beach. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2015.

Lempel, Leonard R. “The Mayor’s ‘Henchmen and Henchwomen, Both White and Colored,’ Edward H. Armstrong and the Politics of Race in Daytona Beach, 1900-1940.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 79, No. 3.

Light, Patti. Daytona Beach Lifeguards (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2010.

Punnett, Dick. Beach Racers: Daytona Before NASCAR. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2008.

Punnett, Dick, and Yvonne Punnett. Racing on the Rim: A History of the Annual Automobile Racing Tournaments Held on the Sands of the Ormond-Daytona Beach, Florida 1903-1910. Self Published, 1997.

Punnett, Dick, and Yvonne Punnett. Thrills, Chills and Spills: A Photographic History of Early Aviation on the World’s Most Bizarre Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1906-1929. Self Published, 1990.

Smith, Dusty. Haunted Daytona Beach (Haunted America). Charleston: History Press, 2007.

Snyder, Robert E. “Daytona Beach: A Closed Society.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 81, No. 2.

Spencer, Donald. Greetings from Daytona Beach. Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2008.

Strickland, Alice. “Florida’s Golden Age of Racing.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 45 No. 3 (1967): 253-269.

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DeBary

Brooks, Edith G. Saga of Frederick de Bary and de Bary Hall, Florida. Convention Press, 1968.

Allen Hall, Stetson University
Courtesy Florida Memory

DeLand

Blake, Jason. “The Integration of Stetson University.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 82, No. 4.

Caccamise, Louise Ball. Echoes of Yesterday: A History of the DeLand Area Public Library, 1912-1995. New Smyrna Beach: Luther’s Publishing Co.

Caccamise, Louise Ball. Memory Lane: A History of the Street Names of DeLand. DeLand: West Volusia Historical Society, 2013.

DeLand, Helen. Story of DeLand and Lake Helen. Norwich: Louis W. Walden. 1928.

Hall, Maggi Smith, Michael Justin Holder, and West Volusia Historical Society. DeLand (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2003.

Hall, Maggi Smith. Stetson University (Campus History). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.

Johnston, Sidney. “The Historic Stetson University Campus in DeLand, 1884-1934” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 70, No. 3.

Lycan, Gilbert L. Stetson University: The First 100 Years. DeLand: Stetson University Press, 1983.

Roberts, L. Thomas, and West Volusia Historical Society. DeLand (Postcard History Series). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2014.

Smith, Dusty. Haunted DeLand and the Ghosts of West Volusia County (Haunted America). Charleston: History Press, 2008.

Stetson University Department of History

DeLeon Springs

Deltona

Edgewater

Sammons, Sandra Wallus, and Joanne Sikes. Edgewater (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.

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Enterprise

Hartsfield, Stephen T. Under the Sheltering Tree: A Brief History of the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, 1908-2008. N.P., N.D.

Holly Hill

Wiggins, Dean, and Adele Fredenberg. Gnomes of Holly Hill. Self Published, 2020.

Lake Helen

Schneider, Dorothy, and Ed L. Blackman. Lake Helen: The Gem of Florida The First 100 Years. Self Published, 2016.

New Smyrna Beach

Bockelman, Charles. Six Columns and Fort New Smyrna. DeLand: E.O. Painter Printing, Co., 1985.

Coe, Charles. Debunking the So Called Spanish Mission Near New Smyrna Beach. Washington D.C. 1941.

Cook-Wilson, Ethel. Isn’t That God’s Water? The Advent and Demise of Bethune-Volusia Beach Incorporated. Self Published, 2015.

Cumiskey, Kate. Surfing in New Smyrna Beach (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2010.

Detwiler, John Y. “Antiquities at and near New Smyrna, Florida.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 1, No. 3.

Doggett, Carita. Dr. Andrew Turnbull and the New Smyrna Colony of Florida.

Grange, Roger and Dorothy Moore. Smyrnea Settlement: Archaeology & History of an 18th Century British Plantation in East Florida. New Smyrna Beach: Southeast Volusia Historical Society, 2016.

Griffin, John W. and Robert H. Steinbach. Old Fort Park and Turnbull Canal System Archaeological Survey Project New Smyrna Beach, Florida. St. Augustine: Historic Property Associates, 1990.

Hudson, Fannie Minson. History of New Smyrna Black Businesses (with Present Area Businesses). Self Published, 2006.

Knighton, Annie Meeks. Bethune Beach Memoirs: A Pictorial History. Self published, 2014

Luther, Gary. History of New Smyrna: East Florida with Illustrations. New Smyrna Beach: Luther’s Publishing, 2009.

Panagopoulus, Epaminondes P. New Smyrna: An 18th Century Greek Odyssey. 1966.

Poertner, Bo. Old Town By the Sea: A Pictorial History of New Smyrna Beach. Overland Park: Walsworth Publishing. 2002.

Redd, Robert. Historic Sites and Landmarks of New Smyrna Beach. Charleston: History Press, 2015.

Redd, Robert. New Smyrna Beach (Postcard History). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2016.

Sheldon, Jane Murray. “Seminole Attacks Near New Smyrna, 1835-1856.” Florida Historical Quarterly, Vol. 8 No. 4 (1930): 188-196.

Sweett, Lawrence J. New Smyrna Beach (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.

Sweett, Zelia V. New Smyrna Beach (Then and Now.) Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2018.

Sweett, Zelia Wilson. New Smyrna, Florida in the Civil War. DeLand: West Volusia Historical Commission, 1963.

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Oak Hill

Dewees, Mary Redding. History and Memories of Oak Hill, Florida. Self Published, 1984.

Thompson, Dana. Oak Hill (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.

Orange City

Our Story of Orange City, Florida. Orange City: Village Improvement Association: Orange City Woman’s Club. 2020.

Ormond Beach

Griffin, John W. “The Addison Blockhouse.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 30, No. 3.

Howell, Ronald L., and Alice R. Howell. The Grand Hotel Ormond on the Halifax River, Ormond, Florida. Self Published.

Ormond Beach Historical Trust. Ormond Beach (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1999.

Spencer, Donald. Greetings from Ormond Beach, Florida. Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2007.

Strickland, Alice. Ormond on the Halifax: A Centennial History of Ormond Beach, FL. Ormond Beach, Ormond Beach Historical Society, 1980.

Strickland, Alice. “James Ormond, Merchant and Soldier.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 41, No. 3.

Strickland, Alice. The Valiant Pioneers: A History of Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida. Ormond Beach: Ormond Beach Historical Society, 1974.

Pierson

Ponce Inlet

Henry, Ellen. A Beacon for Mosquito: The Story of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. Ponce Inlet: Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association.

Henry, Ellen. The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse: An Illustrated History. Ponce Inlet: Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, 2018.

Strickland, Alice. “Ponce De Leon Inlet.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 43, No. 3.

Taylor, Thomas W. The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet: A History of the Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Self published, 1993.

Port Orange

Cardwell, Harold D. Sr. and Priscilla D. Cardwell. Port Orange (Images of America). Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2000.

Cardwell, Harold D. Sr. and Priscilla D. Cardwell. Port Orange: A Great Community, Volume 1. Port Orange: City of Port Orange, 2001.

Samsula

Seville

Historical Museums and Societies

DeLand Naval Air Station Museum

Enterprise Preservation Society

Halifax Historical Society

Holly Hill Historic Society

Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum

New Smyrna Museum of History YouTube

Ormond Beach Historical Society

Ormond Beach Historical Society YouTube

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum

Port Orange Historical Trust

Southeast Volusia Historical Society

Veterans Museum and Education Center

West Volusia Historical Society

West Volusia Historical Society YouTube

People

Akin, Edward N. Flagler: Rockefeller Partner and Florida Baron. Kent: Kent State University Press, 1988.

Carpenter, Jack. Beyond an Architect’s Legacy: Paintings of Wm. J. Carpenter. Self Published, 2020.

Cox, Merlin G. “David Sholtz: New Deal Governor of Florida.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Vol. 42, No 2.

Howell, Alice R., and Ronald L. Howell. John Anderson: His Life and Times in Ormond, Florida. Self Published, 2011.

Howell, Alice R., and Ronald L. Howell. Ruth Law, Daytona’s Pioneer Aviator, Her Place in Aviation History. Self Published, 2010.

Johnston, Sidney. “Bert Fish: From Volusia County Courthouse to American Embassy.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Volume 78, No 4 (2000), p. 430-450.

Long, Nancy Ann Zrinyi. Mary McLeod Bethune: Her Life and Legacy. Cocoa: Florida Historical Society Press, 2019.

Lucas, Harold V. and Ashley N. Robertson. A Tree that Grew in Midway: An Autobiography of Mr. Harold V. Lucas, Jr. Self Published, 2016.

McCluskey, Audrey Thomas. “Mary McLeod Bethune’s Impact on Daytona.” Florida Historical Quarterly (October 1994).

Preston, Ashley Robertson. Mary McLeod Bethune the Pan-Africanist. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2023.

Robertson, Ashley N. Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2015.

Schwartz, Gerald, editor. A Woman Doctor’s Civil War: The Diary of Esther Hill Hawks. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1989.

Vogle, Bob. Fighting to Win. Nashville, Turner Publishing, 2001.

Wournos, Aileen. Monster: My True Story. London: John Blake Publishing, 2004.

Websites and Blogs

DeBary Hall Historic Site

Volusia County History

Volusia History

Volusia Remembers

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

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Posted on February 28, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

Great Floridians 2000 William Amory Underhill DeLand, FL

Great Floridians 2000

The Great Floridians 2000 program was designed to recognize
individuals who distinguished themselves through their philanthropy,
public service or personal or professional service, and who have
enhanced the lives of Florida’s citizens.

Anyone could nominate an individual to be designated a Great Floridian
2000 by submitting a Great Floridians 2000 application. These
applications were periodically reviewed by the appointed Great
Floridians 2000 Committee, a group of seven distinguished historians
from throughout Florida.

The program, begun in 1998, was completed in 2000.

The distinctive blue plaques honoring the men and women in the
program are attached to buildings or structures in the cities where the
designee left their mark. No biographical information is included on the
plaques.

William Amory Underhill

William Amory Underhill was born in 1910, received his law degree
from Stetson University and served from 1940 to 1942 as a Volusia
County prosecuting attorney. During World War II, he was a special
attorney for the U.S. Justice Department in Washington. He was an
Assistant U.S. Attorney General during the administration of President
Harry Truman and a special Washington counsel to the Florida
Comptroller. He was a Stetson University Trustee from 1977 to 1986
and a member of the College of Law Board of Overseers from more than
20 years. He was a member of the Bert Fish Foundation and treasurer of
Florida House, the first state house in the nation’s capital. He was the
founding president and a life member of the DeLand Jaycees and a life
member of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce.

William Amory Underhill died in 1999.

Underhill’s Great Floridians plaque is located at the Volusia County Historic
Courthouse, 120 W. Indiana Avenue, DeLand.

A brief biographical summary of Underhill’s career can be found HERE.

An online memorial for William Amory Underhill may be found HERE.

As mentioned, Underhill served as a member of the Bert Fish
Foundation. You may find the Bert Fish Great Floridians 2000 post HERE.

The remains of WIlliam Amory Underhill are interred in the Mausoleum at Oakdale Cemetery. — The remains of William Amory Underhill are interred in the Mausoleum at Oakdale Cemetery.

To read all my Great Floridians 2000 posts click HERE.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

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A haunting image of the Volusia County Historic Courthouse in DeLand, FL — Fog shrouds the Volusia County Historic Courthouse in downtown DeLand, FL

Posted on October 16, 2022 by Robert — Leave a comment

Dr. Paul J. Croce: Stetson University Professor; William James Scholar

Dr. Paul J. Croce Image Courtesy Stetson University

Professor Paul J. Croce has been a mainstay in the History and American Studies departments at Stetson University for over thirty years. To say that he has positively impacted the lives of thousands of students would not be an understatement. I am one of those students.

When I was a student, Dr. Croce taught several of the courses I took. Recently, he and I had the opportunity to reconnect and now may have a chance to do a bit of collaboration in the future. I jokingly reminded him I may have been his poorest student ever. He was quick to say it wasn’t necessarily that. He said he remembers seeing I had the interest and potential but that I wasn’t engaged. There was something else going on at the time.

Dr. Croce made the point that education and teaching are the long-range game. Results are not always immediate, and just like in my case, the results may show years down the road and that is part of what is so rewarding about being a professor. For students attending Stetson University, I can strongly recommend carving out a time to take one of Dr. Croce’s courses. You will learn a lot and appreciate the time you spent in his classroom. I remember him as being a caring and concerned instructor. He wanted you to succeed but yet made you think and examine issues for your self. He always had time for students as well.

Dr. Croce is one of the leading scholars on William James, the founder of American psychology and pragmatism. James’ twelve-hundred-page masterwork, The Principles of Psychology (1890), is a rich blend of physiology, psychology, philosophy, and personal reflection that has given us such ideas as “the stream of thought” and the baby’s impression of the world “as one great blooming, buzzing confusion” (PP 462).

Dr. Croce received his B.A. degree from Georgetown University and his Ph.D. from Brown University. He began his career at Stetson University in 1988. He was the 1998-1999 and 2010-2011 recipient of the Hand Award for Research, Creative, and Professional Activity at Stetson. He is a past President of the William James Society and currently serves as a Fellow for the organization. You can learn more about Dr. Croce at his website, Pub Classroom. This site is an interactive effort. As Dr. Croce states, he wants to hear from you. He goes by the mantra made famous by the beautiful Pat Benatar, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”

As mentioned, Dr. Croce is a scholar of William James and has published extensively on James. I recommend reviewing Croce’s Google Scholar page to review the impressive list of journal articles he has penned. His full-length works are referenced below.

Science and Religion in the Era of William James. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 1995. ISBN 9780807845066, $49.95.

In this cultural biography, Paul Croce investigates the contexts surrounding the early intellectual development of American philosopher William James (1842-1910). Croce places the young James at the center of key scientific and religious debates in American intellectual life between the 1820s and 1870s. Early in the nineteenth century, most Americans maintained their scientific and religious beliefs with certainty. Well before the end of the century, however, science and religion had parted company, and, despite the endurance of religious convictions and widespread confidence in science, professionals in both fields expressed belief in terms of hypotheses and probabilities rather than absolutes. Croce highlights the essential issues debated during this shift by investigating the education of James and the circle of intellectuals of which he was part. In particular, the implicit probabilism of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, especially as interpreted by Charles Sanders Peirce’s recognition of the fallibility of knowledge, set the stage for James’s reconstruction of belief based on uncertainty.

Young William James Thinking. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2017. ISBN 9781421423654, $57.00.

By going to the sources, Paul J. Croce’s cultural biography challenges the conventional contrast commentators have drawn between James’s youthful troubles and his mature achievements. Inverting James’s reputation for inconsistency, Croce shows how he integrated his interests and his struggles into sophisticated thought. His ambivalence became the motivating core of his philosophizing, the heart of his enduring legacy. Readers can follow James in science classes and in personal “speculations,” studying medicine and exploring both mainstream and sectarian practices, in museums reflecting on the fate of humanity since ancient times, in love and with heart broken, and in periodic crises of confidence that sometimes even spurred thoughts of suicide.

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Posted on September 20, 2022January 15, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

In Memory: Wagoner Lawrence S. Peacock World War I Casualty

Lawrence S. Peacock came from a humble background. Born on July 5, 1891 in Spring Garden to parents Samuel D. and Martha (Daugharty) Peacock. Samuel was a farmer and the family lived in Precinct Four according to the 1900 United States Census. Lawrence was the fourth of five children; John, Thomas, Margaret, and Violet. The 1910 United States Census placed the Peacock family at 46 E. New York Avenue.

Young Lawrence appears to have been an industrious young man, not afraid of hard work. He was the owner of a vulcanizing company located in the downtown DeLand area. He regularly advertised in the local newspaper, “Tires and Tubes, All Work Guaranteed”.

Vulcanization is the process of using heat to help harden rubber, thus increasing its lifespan and strength. For more information on vulcanization check the Wikipedia page.

To learn more about the race to unlock the power and secrets of vulcanized rubber, read Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock, and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the 19th Century.

Noble Obsession follows the life of Charles Goodyear, a single-minded genius who risked his own life and that of his family in a quest to unlock the secrets of rubber. In rich, historical detail, it chronicles the personal price Goodyear paid in pursuit of his dream and his bitter rivalry with Thomas Hancock, the scholarly English inventor who ultimately robbed Goodyear of fame and fortune. From the jungles of Brazil to the laboratories of Europe to the courtrooms of America, Noble Obsession tells one of the strangest and most affecting sagas in the history of human discovery.

A prime bachelor, Lawrence attracted the attentions of young Edith Baguley, “a talented musician and a popular young woman…” The two eligible DeLandites eloped on July 5, 1917. The service was performed by Reverend H. S. Rightmire at the Baptist church in Daytona Beach with only the reverend’s wife and Mrs. M. N. Baguley, Edith’s mother, in attendance.

The newly wed couple briefly honeymooned in St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and Pablo Beach, before returning to DeLand.

World events were closing in on young men around the world and Lawrence S. Peacock was no exception. In mid-1918 Peacock received notice that he had been drafted and would be called to active duty.

In preparation for leaving DeLand for an unknown period, Lawrence sold his business to Mr. A. C. Clark, a young man from Miami.

Lawrence was transported to Camp Greenleaf at Fort Oglethorpe, GA for two months of training. His skills and abilities earned him a promotion from Private to Wagoner in Evacuation Ambulance Company No. 19 during his training.

USS George Washington (ID#3018) underway at sea, 10 May 1918. Photographed from USS Whipple (Destroyer # 15), which was then operating off western France.
US Navy photo # NH 53885 from the collections of the US Navy Historical Center.

On September 22, 1918, he was sent to Camp Upton on Long Island, NY before being transferred to the Transport S.S. George Washington in preparation for transport to France.

It was during this transport that Peacock contracted pneumonia and passed away onboard. His death on October 9, 1918 was one of only thousands caused as a result of the 1918 influenza outbreak. It is believed the pneumonia was the largest cause of death during the pandemic.

The 1918 influenza outbreak is estimated to have contributed to the deaths of nearly 100 million people. Historian John M. Barry has written what may be the definitive look at this pandemic. The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History is accessible and readable for those of us without a scientific background.

The remains of Wagoner Lawrence S. Peacock were buried temporarily in Brest, France, a port city in Brittany, before being returned to DeLand in 1920.

After conclusion of hostilities, the Army returned the remains of Peacock, through New York City, where they were placed aboard a southbound train, with a single soldier accompanying.

Members of the DeLand American Legion Post met the train and carried the remains to an awaiting hearse that secured the body to Allen’s Undertaking Parlors in preparation for the funeral on July 15, 1920.

The funeral was a somber affair. At 2:00 p.m. the parade left Allen’s on their way to Oakdale Cemetery. A squad of uniformed men, followed by the pall bearers, a group of Legionnaires, the family, and finally friends of the deceased made their way through the streets of DeLand.

Once the procession arrived at the cemetery, the flag draped coffin was carried to the burial site with uniformed men at parade rest. Dr. C. L. Collins talked about the war and its impact and provided a biographical sketch of the young soldier. Reverend C. E. Wyatt offered prayer. The service ended with a three-round volley over the grave and the blowing of taps by bugler Feasel.

In the years following the burial of her husband, Edith was to remarry. On February 11, 1922, she married Pharris M. Stribling, a newspaper printer who worked for the local paper. The 1930 United States Census shows her to already have divorced Stribling and working as a stenographer in North Carolina where she lived with her mother.

A brief search shows that Edith does not appear to have married again. When she passed away on March 4, 1982, Edith was living in San Bernadino, CA.

Edith Irene Baguley Stribling was buried in Henry Cemetery, in Henry, Illinois, the same cemetery as her parents.

Wagoner Lawrence S. Peacock is memorialized today at the DeLand Memorial Hospital and Veterans Museum. This project was trumpeted in the local newspaper by DeLand Mayor S. A. Wood on February 19, 1919 and opened in 1920. DeLand Memorial Hospital would serve as the primary medical facility in DeLand until the opening of Fish Memorial Hospital in 1952. Today the building is home to City of DeLand offices and museum exhibits.

World War I plaque at DeLand Memorial Hospital and Veterans Museum — A dedication plaque to West Volusia County soldiers who perished during World War I.

Original plaque on exterior of Hospital building — An originally placed plaque dedicating the hospital as a Memorial to our boys for service rendered and sacrifice supreme

To view other posts related to Oakdale Cemetery, many of them military related, please click here.

Sources:

Multiple issues of the DeLand News were used to compile this article.

www.floridamemory.com

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Posted on August 16, 2022January 15, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

In Memory: Officer Elmer Michael of the DeLand, FL Police Department

Elmer Lunger Michael

Born in West Virginia in 1889, young Elmer Lunger Michael knew the difficulties life could bring. Growing up in Morgan County, he was the eldest of five children born to Albert (might be Tolbert) and Mary Michael. Elmer was to only complete the eighth grade before quitting school, most likely to help his family. By the age of twenty he had left his parents home, was married, and employed as a farmer. Elmer’s World War I draft registration shows him as being of medium height and build with brown hair and blue eyes.

Elmer, and his wife Ida Maud, moved to Volusia County, Florida sometime around 1925/1926. Elmer left the uncertainty of his last job of being a truck driver for what they hoped would be a brighter future in Florida. Elmer and Ida Maud were the parents of two children, Ralph, and Virginia.

In 1926, Elmer had been hired as a police officer with the DeLand police department. This would no doubt have been a welcome job during lean years for a man with no formal education and limited marketable skills.

For those who would harken back to an earlier time when streets were safe, there was little violence, and people had a respect for the law; the story of Elmer Michael is a harsh reminder of the realities in the world.

The Crime

On October 25, officer Michael was working the overnight shift, a shift that might have been considered safe considering DeLand was a small town of around 5,000 residents.

It was during this shift that John Wallace and John McGuire, known criminals from Indiana, were caught in downtown DeLand in a car reported stolen in Daytona Beach. While attempting to apprehend the criminals near the corner of Woodland and Wisconsin Avenues, Michael was shot and wounded. He was also pushed to the ground and received a serious wound to the head.

The following day Florida East Coast Railway workers M. A. Snyder and Walter Minton were both wounded during an encounter with the fugitives in New Smyrna Beach. Snyder received five bullet wounds; and Walter Minton, a special agent out of Palatka where he worked for the Florida East Coast Railway, was shot twice in the arm. Snyder was hospitalized for his wounds while Minton was released from medical care.

John Wallace was arrested later in the day on October 26 after the confrontation with Snyder and Minton. Local reports stated that McGuire was still wanted but Volusia County Sheriff S. E. Stone was confident he would be apprehended shortly.

On November 4, the DeLand Sun News ran an editorial thanking officer Michael and congratulating him on his release from DeLand Memorial Hospital.

Dear Elmer:

That was great news to hear that you are out again after the attempt made on your life recently by auto bandits. Elmer, it is such men as you that keep up the honor of a police force and in whom we have confidence that the law will be enforced. We congratulate you on your fearlessness and the whole of DeLand is happy that you escaped with your life. The next time Elmer any of that type of criminal sticks a gun at you, shoot him first. The country is well rid of such offscourings. (1)

While Sheriff Stone was confident that John Luke McGuire would quickly be apprehended, these thoughts were premature. During the first week in November Stone was working with Fort Wayne, Indiana authorities in order to put together a wanted campaign including photos. McGuire was described as twenty-three years old, five fee six inches tall, gray eyes, blond hair, with a medium build and complexion. The reward for the capture of McGuire was placed at $50. Five hundred copies of the wanted poster were distributed. In addition to the wounding of officer Michael and the FEC workers, McGuire and Wallace were accused in the robbery of a Daytona Beach pharmacy. (2)

The Trials

With McGuire still wanted, prosecutors began their case against John Wallace in December. Judge Marion O. Rowe was expected to announce a trial date when he convened court on December 2. The following day, Wallace, a young man of only twenty, was to plead guilty to three charges: the theft of two automobiles and participating in the robbery of Bogart’s Pharmacy. He received a six-year prison sentence at state prison in Raiford. Wallace was not arraigned that day on charges of assault with intent to kill in the attack on the three wounded men.

Good news reached DeLand in January 1930 where word was received that McGuire had been arrested in Ft. Wayne, IN on a weapons charge. The good news was short lived as Indiana authorities refused to immediately extradite the fugitive to Florida to face charges. McGuire and his attorneys used multiple legal maneuvers, including “witnesses” stating he was in Memphis, TN at the time of the shootings, to prevent his being returned to Florida.

Harry Leslie Indiana Governor — Indiana Governor Harry Leslie courtesy Indiana Historical Bureau

In a scene that is right out of a movie however, on February 26, 1931, Indiana Governor Harry Leslie signed extradition papers. Volusia County Sheriff Stone was there to immediately take possession of the prisoner and begin transporting him to Florida where he would stand trial.

Samuel D. Jackson, the attorney for McGuire was able to obtain a writ of habeas corpus from Marion Circuit Court Judge Harry O. Chamberlain, which would have kept the prisoner from being extradited. Jackson made his petition claiming that McGuire had not been identified by his accusers and the use of questionable witnesses placing the accused in Tennessee on the date of the crime.

With a several hour head start, Sheriff Stone easily outpaced Jackson who was chasing the Florida lawman attempting to serve the writ and keep McGuire in Indiana. Stone drove unimpeded to Florida where McGuire was greeted with six charges in Volusia County, including three assaults with intent to murder.

The trial of John McGuire began in August 1931 in the courtroom of Judge Bert Fish, a highly respected legal mind who would go on to serve as a foreign ambassador in the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration.

When the jury returned its verdict on August 17, 1931, McGuire was found guilty. When Judge Fish attempted to talk with McGuire before announcing the sentence the young man had no reply. Fish’s sentence was reported in the paper as follows

I cannot recall anytime in Volusia County in recent years when any man displayed the reckless regard for life and property that you have been convicted of showing. You said nothing in your own defense, and your case does not seem to offer anything that would amend the sentence. As a punishment to you and as an example to others it is the judgement of the law and the sentence of the court that you be confined to the state prison for fifteen years at hard labor. (3)

As defense attorneys are paid to do, McGuire’s attorneys requested a new trial, a request denied by Judge Fish. They were however provided ninety days to present a list of exceptions for the court to consider.

When appeals of the verdict reached the Florida Supreme Court in November 1932, they were denied. A request for a rehearing was also denied, sending McGuire back to the prison at Raiford to continue his sentence.

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Death of Elmer Michael

Elmer Michael returned to the DeLand police force after his recuperation though it was reported at the time that Michael never returned to his old self. In February 1942, Michael was admitted to the hospital for what was considered at the time to be a non-life-threatening situation. The local newspaper theorized that over-exertion while making an arrest for public drunkenness may have led to the hospital stay. (4)

On the morning of February 17 Michael unexpectedly passed away having served dutifully for sixteen years on the force. “Mike” as he was known to many local residents and merchants left behind his wife, son, and daughter, along with a community to honor his memory.

Funeral services for the local officer were held on February 19 at First Christian Church with the Reverend Clyde Smith officiating. The local newspaper reported hundreds in attendance at the ceremony and city hall was closed during the service. Fellow police officers served as pallbearers and the local Masonic Lodge handled the burial ceremony at Oakdale Cemetery.

One week after officer Elmer Michael was laid to rest, his son, Ralph Michael was hired by the DeLand Police Department and reported for duty on March 1, 1942.

The March 2, 1942 DeLand Sun News ran a thank you notice from the Michael family for the outpouring of love and support they had received.

Card of Thanks.

We wish to thank our many friends for the beautiful flora offerings and kid expressions of sympathy expressed at the death of our husband and father.

Mrs. E.L. Michael Mrs. Cecil Barnes* (Virginia)
Ralph Michael

Elmer Michael Headstone located in Oakdale Cemetery, DeLand

Elmer Michael Headstone Detail — Detail of Elmer Michael’s headstone including Masonic symbol

The Monument

Some of you may be wondering how I came upon the story of Officer Elmer Michael. Well, as it is for many historians, it was by accident. Often during my lunch break at work, I take a walk, partly for exercise from my desk job, and partly to see what I can find. One day recently was one of those type days.

I was on my way back to my office, walking along Wisconsin Avenue near Bank of America and the Courtyard by Marriott when I noticed something on the other side of the street, kind of an after thought but what looked to be a piece of concrete that was out of place. I kept walking but it gnawed at me. After a hundred feet or so I just had to go back and see what this was that was located near the hotel.

When I got there, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There, on the sidewalk was a memorial to Officer Elmer “Mike” Michael. The memorial itself is pretty plain and the plaque didn’t give much description but it was more than enough to spark my interest and contained enough information to send me on a newspaper chase that allowed me to write the article above.

In Memory of

Elmer “Mike” Michael

Outstanding Service in the

Line of Duty for the City of DeLand

DeLand Patrolman

1926-1942

Detail of the Law Enforcement Memorial at Historic Courthouse showing Elmer Michael's name — Detail of the Law Enforcement Memorial at the Historic Volusia County Courthouse

Officer Michael’s name is also included on the Law Enforcement Memorial Volusia and Flagler Counties that is located at the Indiana Avenue entrance to the Volusia County Historic Courthouse in DeLand.

Ida Maude, the widow of Elmer, lived her remaining years in DeLand. She passed away in February 1986 at the age of 97. Survivors included daughter Virginia, son Ralph, a sister Grace Lintz, and many grand, great grand, and great, great grandchildren. (5)

*As I was researching this article and printing newspaper articles, the name Cecil Barnes struck me but I couldn’t place it immediately. I knew I had seen it before. A quick search of the multiple projects I am working on turned up his name. Not only did the Michael family lose their patriarch, Elmer, in February 1942; daughter Virginia, lost her husband, Staff Sergeant Cecil Barnes, on May 29, 1944 in fighting at Biak Island in present day Indonesia. Staff Sergeant Barnes is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, DeLand. (6)

Cecil Barnes headstone detail — Detail of the headstone for Cecil Barnes

Cecil Barnes headstone — Headstone for Cecil Barnes who was killed in action during World War II

Sources

1)DeLand Sun News. November 4, 1929.

2) DeLand Sun News. November 7, 1929.

3)DeLand Sun News. August 17, 1931.

4)DeLand Sun News. February 17, 1942.

5)DeLand Sun News. February 8, 1986.

6)DeLand Sun News. June 8, 1944.

I have not included citations to every piece of information gathered from local newspaper articles. Almost all information was gathered from the DeLand Sun News. There are multiple other articles on the crime, trial, and death outlined above.

If you are interested in law enforcement in Volusia County, you may wish to read my blog post on a mural created for retired officer Francis McBride that is located in downtown DeLand, not far from the memorial to officer Michael.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Posted on July 13, 2022January 27, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

Law Enforcement Memorial Volusia & Flagler Counties located in DeLand, Florida

Courthouses often serve as the home to monuments and memorials of local importance. The Historic Volusia County Courthouse, with entrances on both New York and Indiana Avenues, is no exception. Near the Indiana Avenue, entrance is the Law Enforcement Memorial Volusia and Flagler Counties.

This 3,500-pound marble monument, crafted by Gene Letter, features the names of law enforcement officers from all stripes who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The monument currently contains thirty names.

Dedicated on June 2, 1995, a day designated by Volusia County Council as Law Enforcement Memorial Day, and attended by then state Attorney General Bob Butterworth, the monument serves as reminded of the dangers that law enforcement of all types face every time them go to work.

As then Ponce Inlet Police Chief Todd Hendrickson stated, “I don’t care if your force has 3,000 members or eight like we do, it’s devastating (to lose a fellow officer).”

Over time, I will be researching the story of these officers service and will post a blog entry for them. I will then link the post through their names below. If you have memories of any of these officers, I invite you to leave a respectful comment to this post or use the “contact” function. I would be glad to include your memories in my post.

Sheriff Jefferson D. Kurtz April 25, 1895 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff William K. Kremer December 10, 1898 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff Charles M. Kurtz September 3, 1907 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Chief Deputy William P. Edwards November 5, 1907 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff Frank A. Smith March 18, 1927 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Perry Hall August 21, 1927 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Deputy Sheriff George Durrance August 25, 1927 Flagler County Sheriff’s Office

Officer Lewis Tanner October 26, 1930 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Officer Benny P. Stricklin January 23, 1931 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Officer L.B. Hall August 28, 1932 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Officer Willie R. Denson April 30, 1937 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Officer Elmer L. Michael February 17, 1942 DeLand Police Department

Detective Harry F. Raines January 13, 1943 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Trooper Edwin Gasque October 26, 1961 Florida Highway Patrol

Deputy Sheriff Alva Hayman May 8, 1974 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Sergeant George Tinsley May 7, 1979 DeLand Police Department

Deputy Sheriff Donald Shackelford June 9, 1979 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Officer Sam Etheridge December 25, 1980 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Deputy Sheriff Frank Genovese June 3, 1982 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Officer Greg J. Sorenson July 20, 1982 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Deputy Sheriff Stephen Saboda November 6, 1982 Volusia County Sheriff’s Office

Officer Timonty T. Pollard September 22, 1987 Ponce Inlet Police Dept.

Officer Kevin J. Fischer September 4, 1998 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

Deputy Sheriff Charles T. Sease July 5, 2003 Flager County Sheriff’s Office

Trooper Darryl L. Haywood, Sr. October 2, 2004 Florida Highway Patrol

Officer Robert F. Grim, Sr. November 13, 2004 Ormond Beach Police Dept.

Officer Roy L. Nelson, Jr. August 13, 2005 New Smyrna Beach Police Dept.

Officer Donna Fitzgerald June 25, 2008 Florida Dept. of Corrections

Captain John L. McDonough February 16, 2011 Volusia County Beach Patrol

Officer Thomas Michael Coulter May 21, 2018 Daytona Beach Police Dept.

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Posted on May 16, 2022September 20, 2022 by Robert — Leave a comment

In Memory: Lieutenant Jerry Doyle Blinded During Korean War

Any person who walks cemeteries for any length of time can tell you about
interesting finds. These finds do not always occur in the old sections or in
cemeteries deemed “historic.” The headstone of Jerry Doyle is certainly one of
those that demanded a look into the man’s life.

Jerry Doyle was born on September 17, 1928 to parents James V. and Nora C.
Doyle in the town of DeLand, Florida. He was the fourth of what would be ten
children. At the time, DeLand was home to around 5,000 residents.

Doyle attended local schools and graduated from DeLand High School in 1946, the
same year he registered for the draft. His 1946 draft card states he stood 5’ 8” and
weighed 135 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion.

Young Doyle was to attend classes at the University of Florida before receiving his
call to active duty with the rank of First Lieutenant, serving in the 40th Infantry
Division.

Major General Joseph P. Cleland led the 40th Infantry Division, often called the

Courtesy: U.S. National Guard. “The Sunshine Division in Korea.”
https://www.nationalguard.mil/Resources/Image-Gallery/HistoricalPaintings/Heritage-Series/Sunshine-Division-in-Korea/.

Sunshine Division, for much of the Korean War. The troops of the 40th were deployed to Japan in the spring of 1951 for training. In January 1952, the 40th relieved the men of the 24th Infantry Division. They were to serve during the hard fighting at Heartbreak Ridge and at the “Punchbowl” as the war came to an armistice in 1953.

Doyle served faithfully during the war. He was wounded severely in January 1953, during action around the “Punchbowl” when the jeep he was riding in was struck by enemy fire. Lt. Doyle lost his right eye, received a penetrating wound of the brain and a compound fracture of the skull because of the attack. A newspaper report of the time stated that in his present condition, Doyle was satisfactory. It was uncertain how long he would need to remain hospitalized and that he would be removed from his Tokyo hospital room to a facility in the United States as soon as practicable.

Doyle received the Purple Hear in recognition of his injuries.

The seriousness of his injuries led to a prolonged period of recovery. In mid February 1953, the army transferred Doyle back to the United States and he received further treatment at the Travis Air Base Hospital in Fairfield, CA. Later that year he was still hospitalized, receiving a short-term release from the VA Hospital in Hines, IL in order to visit his parents over the holidays.

In what must have been a proud moment, On June 1, 1954, James V. Doyle was
able to initiate his son Jerry into the Veterans of Foreign War, in a meeting held at
the Knights of Pythias Hall.

Despite his injuries, Jerry Doyle was to live a long and productive life. His
obituary touted his work with the American Legion, his love of family, and the joy he took in listening to University of Florida football games. In his obituary, Jerry is remembered as expressing no regret over his service or resulting blindness. Military service was what he had to do at the time.

He passed away on December 23, 2016 at the age of 88. Lt. Jerry Eugene Doyle is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, in DeLand, FL.

Sources:

DeLand Sun News. January 20, 1953; February 15, 1953; September 13, 1953;
November 23, 1953; May 31, 1954.

Historical Marker Database. 40th Infantry Division Korean War Memorial.

Orlando Sentinel/Legacy obituary.

U.S. Census 1930 and 1940.

U.S. Korean War Casualties Listing 1950-1957.

U.S. National Guard. “The Sunshine Division in Korea.”

U.S. World War II Draft Cards 1940-1947.

To learn more about the Korean War I recommend The Korean War written by Max Hastings or The Coldest Winter written by Douglas Brinkley. Both are a solid starting point for learning about the Korean conflict.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Robert — Leave a comment

Anne Hyde House on the Site of the John Rich Cabin in DeLand, FL

The city of DeLand, Florida is most commonly associated with Henry A. DeLand and John B.
Stetson. They were certainly the movers and shakers that helped bring the town to life. Captain
John Rich is often overlooked in the telling of the history of DeLand. In 1875, Rich built a cabin
in the area that is now New York Avenue, near St. Peter Catholic Church.

It was at the Rich cabin where Henry and Helen DeLand spent their first night in the area in
1876. Of that night, Helen DeLand is quoted as saying that she, “slept on the floor where I could
look out at the stars and put my hand between the logs.” (1)

An image of the Rich cabin is shown in a book published by West Volusia Historical Society. (2)

Looking at the property today, a visitor will see a large two and one half story building built around 1905 that is home to Westside Settlement Associates. The building is well kept and the grounds manicured. The modern address is 339 W. New York Avenue.

The Florida Master Site File for the property does not provide much information. The building is in the Colonial Revival style, a style that predominated in the early twentieth century. An early resident of the home was Annie Hyde.

The building is not individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places but is listed as a contributing structure to the West DeLand Residential District that is on the NR. (3)

Anne Elizabeth Copcutt was born January 15, 1840 in New York City to parents John and Rebecca Copcutt. The family moved to Yonkers in 1854 where John owned more than twenty-five acres. The family must have had some prominence as an obituary states that she met Washington Irving at her grandfather’s home. (4)

Anne was to marry Peter L. Hyde; a marriage that was to end in separation/divorce. The outcome is not 100% certain and records appear to be missing. What is certain is that they did not live together for many years and she is not mentioned in Peter’s obituary when he died in 1925. Peter is buried in Sanford, FL.

According to newspaper death notices, Anne had moved to DeLand in 1899 where she built a
home on Woodland Boulevard in 1907. This date would correspond to her living prior at the
New York Avenue property as referenced in the Florida Master Site File. Ms. Hyde passed away
at her Woodland Boulevard home March 22, 1927. Reverend Harry L. Taylor, the rector at St.
Barnabas Episcopal Church, led a local funeral service before her remains were returned for
burial at St. Johns Cemetery in Yonkers. Ms. Hyde was survived by three children; Mrs.
Gouvernor F. (Rebecca) Peek, Arthur E. Hyde, and Franklyn P. Hyde, and five grandchildren.
(5)

Please click here to find online memorials for Anne and members of her family.

As mentioned earlier, there is nothing left of the Rich cabin; an important location in DeLand
history. On site, however is a small marker designating the location of the Rich cabin and
providing a bit of background information. From the road, this small marker is probably
impossible to see. I happened to spot this on a walk during my lunch break.

John Rich Cabin marker at 339 W. New York Avenue

A mural, painted by artists Courtney Canova and Bob Brooks contains a depiction of the John Rich cabin. The mural is located on the northeast corner of Wisconsin and Woodland.

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receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views
and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors
providing products.

1) Quoted in Michael G.Schene. Hopes, Dreams, and Promises: A History of Volusia
County, Florida. Daytona Beach: News Journal Corporation, 1976. 89.
2) Evans C. Johnson, editor. William J. Dreggors and John Stephen Hess. A Pictorial
History of West Volusia County 1870-1940. DeLand, West Volusia Historical Society,
1989. 158.
3) Florida Master Site File VO-3600.
4) Yonkers Statesman, March 23, 1927. (Courtesy Findagrave)
5) DeLand Sun News, March 23, 1927.

Posted on October 22, 2021January 27, 2023 by Robert — Leave a comment

Francis “Mac” McBride Mural in Downtown DeLand

If you are standing at the corner of Woodland Boulevard and Rich Avenue next to the old Dick & Janes Coffee Shop be sure to take a look on the side of the building. Here, near the creepy looking stairs leading down to an empty basement storefront, you will see a mural in honor of Commander Francis “Mac” McBride.

The then 77-year-old McBride retired in 2020 after 45 years on the police force. During this time he made many friends and won the respect and admiration of downtown business owners for his community policing style. He is often remembered for his “Night Eyes” program. As a part of this program he would leave notes for business owners assuring them he had checked on their business during his shift.

McBride was honored during his last shift with a retirement party held at the Sanborn Activity Center. After his retirement the beloved officer moved to Alabama to be closer to family.

You may view a brief video of the mural on my YouTube channel.

Detail of Mac McBride mural — Oath of Honor as seen in the Francis “Mac” McBride mural.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

If you are interested in memorials to law enforcement officers, please take a look at my post about the memorial to officer Elmer Michael of the DeLand police force. This monument is located just a short distance from this mural.

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Volusia County History Bibliography

General County Histories

Barberville

Cassadaga

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach Shores

DeBary

DeLand

DeLeon Springs

Deltona

Edgewater

Enterprise

Holly Hill

Lake Helen

New Smyrna Beach

Oak Hill

Orange City

Ormond Beach

Pierson

Ponce Inlet

Port Orange

Samsula

Seville

Historical Museums and Societies

People

Websites and Blogs

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Great Floridians 2000

William Amory Underhill

To read all my Great Floridians 2000 posts click HERE.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Get this incredibly haunting image of the Volusia County Historic Courthouse, shrouded with fog, in puzzle form. Order your 252 or 520 piece jigsaw puzzle HERE.

To learn more about the race to unlock the power and secrets of vulcanized rubber, read Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock, and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the 19th Century.

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Elmer Lunger Michael

The Crime

The Trials

Death of Elmer Michael

The Monument

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

If you are interested in memorials to law enforcement officers, please take a look at my post about the memorial to officer Elmer Michael of the DeLand police force. This monument is located just a short distance from this mural.

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