In this charming retrospective, Lee County native Prudy Taylor Board writes with love, respect, and wry humor as she reveals the true history of Lee County, its communities and some of its most intriguing and prominent pioneers. For example: In 1884, Fort Myers comprised 139 acres at the original site of the town that was platted into a working community. But the burgeoning town that had grown to include about 50 families did not have a newspaper. So when the opportunity to ?kidnap? an editor and his press presented itself, Henry L. Roan, captain of the schooner Lily White, wasted no time. Although a paradise for tourists today, Sanibel was originally noted for its prolific agriculture. By 1896, farmers were shipping a thousand crates of tomatoes a week during their growing season. A few years later, crops included eggplant, beets, squash, green peppers, cucumbers and beans. Unfortunately, the torrential tides of salt water accompanying a disastrous hurricane in 1921 destroyed the groves and arid farms that marked the finish to Sanibel's agricultural prominence. With these delightful historical vignettes, Board presents an interesting and fascinating history of the three cities that presently make up Lee County, Florida. Locals, visitors and newcomers alike are sure to enjoy Board's witty and causal style, and will view the area with a renewed appreciation for its rich past.

Historical vignettes of the cities that presently make up Lee County, Fla., including some about their most intriguing and prominent pioneers.

A Land Remembered has become Florida's favorite novel. Now this Student Edition in two volumes makes this rich, rugged story of the American pioneer spirit more accessible to young readers. Patrick Smith tells of three generations of the MacIveys, a Florida family battling the hardships of the frontier. The story opens in 1858, when Tobias and Emma MacIvey arrive in the Florida wilderness with their son, Zech, to start a new life, and ends in 1968 with Solomon MacIvey, who realizes that his wealth has not been worth the cost to the land. Between is a sweeping story rich in Florida history with a cast of memorable characters who battle wild animals, rustlers, Confederate deserters, mosquitoes, starvation, hurricanes, and freezes to carve a kingdom out of the Florida swamp. In this volume, meet young Zech MacIvey, who learns to ride like the wind through the Florida scrub on Ishmael, his marshtackie horse, his dogs, Nip and Tuck, at this side. His parents, Tobias and Emma, scratch a living from the land, gathering wild cows from the swamp and herding them across the state to market. Zech learns the ways of the land from the Seminoles, with whom his life becomes entwined as he grows into manhood. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

Investigates SEC and PO Dept investigation of fraud in refunding and refinancing of Florida municipal bonds by R. E. Crummer and Co. Hearings were held in Jacksonville, Fla.

The oral history of a family never matches up with the written word. As a result, when a person dies who has the basic information, much of the history dies with that person. Gone are the horse thieves, rascals and real characters who make up the gene pool of the present generation; gone are the do-gooders who never created a fuss or stirred a wave. They are forgotten along with the horse thieves, and yet all of them left an impression and were part of the history of the family. In an effort to pass on what was said, these words are being written. They may not amount to much, but at least, they will contribute to the knowledge of the present and future generations. Maybe it can make something of it. Personages are not consciously romanticized; they are treated as they are recalled or as was related. If in the telling, they are made to seem more important than they were, or if they were given a mantle of gentility that they dont deserve, it wasnt done consciously. All one can do is tell it like it is, hope that it is admired for its honesty, if not for its comfort, and hope that the effort is appreciated. It should also be recognized that what I recall, or what made an imression on me as to any event may have been recalled entirely differently by one of my siblings, or what we were told may have been recalled entirely differently. After all, that is the nature of oral history recorded a half a century plus later. I have read some of the incidents of each of my parents youthes, and have the effort that each made to record some of them. Both are just a few pages long. I have no doubt, however, that to them, they record what each recalled as being important in their lives, and that their writings record the things that they recalled and wanted to pass on to their children, grandchildren and subsequent generations. And yet each is but a single chapter. Mother doesnt mention, for instance, what she said and did when I was recording our conversation about the dirty ballad that she knew. (Actually, it was quite tame, and in contrast to present day rap, didnt begin to hold its own.) And for dad, some of the most interesting stories are best left untold. My father was very closed mouthed about his youth, and it wasnt until he was almost ninety that he opened up about some things. As to others, I had to wait until he was in his grave before I learned them, and learned them, then, from my siblings. He specificially avoided telling me about certain things. I recall specifically, that I was given some of the stories by dads younger brother when I was sixteen years old. When I laughingly told them to dad, his comment was, Roy never should have told you that. Some families dont pass on the rich history and heritage that they have. In my own case, having been preceded in death by my elder son, and not being sure of the interest of my other son, this effort is made for the benefit of my other relatives. They have asked me about it - at least some of them have. I make no apologies for the the lack of Notable Americans. I started to say, great Americans, but that would have been wrong. All of my forebears were Great Americans. Its just that they were never recorded as such, or noted. The history speaks for itself.

Teaching resources for middle school students for A Land Remembered Student Edition. See all of the books in this series

Volume 2 of 8, pages 505-1212. A genealogical compilation of the descendants of John Jacob Rector and his wife, Anna Elizabeth Fischbach. Married in 1711 in Trupbach, Germany, the couple immigrated to the Germanna Colony in Virginia in 1714. Eight volumes document the lives of over 45,000 individuals.