Whew . . . It was tough composing a daily entry on all those Florida pioneer folkways!
On the other hand, it made it easier to get in the rhythm of daily blogging by having a ready-made subject waiting for me.
So, moving forward, I decided it would be best to adopt a very general format.
Obviously, things are going to pop up that will cause me to veer off the path from time to time. But, for the most part, I've decided to follow this weekly cycle of general post topics:
* Census Sundays - oddities and gems uncovered while perusing census enumerations
* Memorial Mondays - musings on cemeteries and the dearly departed
* Title Tuesdays - updates on my reading list(s)
* War Wednesdays - military service records discovered or rediscovered
* Throwback Thursdays - old photos and other images
* Florida History Fridays - remembering the Sunshine State "the way hit wuz"
* End-of-the-Line Saturday - highlighting my earliest-known ancestor for a given surname/line
We'll try this out for a while, anyway. Let's see how it goes before we start tinkering with it . . .
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Folkway #24 - Liberty
So, what did Central Florida's pioneers think about personal liberty?
Thankfully, this area's frontier culture was not dependent on the institution of slavery. Some efforts were made to establish plantations in western Orange County, but they failed. For the most part, the terrain was more amenable to small family farming and ranching.
Many of the earliest American arrivals to this remote frontier enjoyed its remoteness. According to Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney, they knew it was time to move as soon as they could hear their neighbor's dog barking.
Unfortunately, this freedom of movement was not a liberty they thought should be extended to the Seminole Indians who preceded them to this area. This lack of compassion led to decades of bloody warfare.
To learn more about our local history, or to volunteer to help preserve it, please visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Thankfully, this area's frontier culture was not dependent on the institution of slavery. Some efforts were made to establish plantations in western Orange County, but they failed. For the most part, the terrain was more amenable to small family farming and ranching.
Many of the earliest American arrivals to this remote frontier enjoyed its remoteness. According to Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney, they knew it was time to move as soon as they could hear their neighbor's dog barking.
Unfortunately, this freedom of movement was not a liberty they thought should be extended to the Seminole Indians who preceded them to this area. This lack of compassion led to decades of bloody warfare.
To learn more about our local history, or to volunteer to help preserve it, please visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Folkway #23 - Power & Politics
So, what was the political landscape on Central Florida's frontier?
Simply put, Democrats ruled the roost for more than a century.
It is important to keep in mind that the earliest settlers were greatly dependent on government subsidies for their survival.
At the federal level, the pioneers greatly benefited from the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. This legislation made 200,000 acres of government-owned land available for settlement. Each qualifying applicant was granted 160 acres free of charge. As with modern government programs, however, the free land came with significant strings attached:
1. The applicant had to get a permit from the Government Land Office.
2. The applicant (or his heirs) had to LIVE ON THE LAND for FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
3. The applicant had to improve 5 of the acres (by clearing it for cultivation or livestock).
4. The applicant had to build a house on the land during the first year after obtaining his permit.
5. The land had to be at least two miles away from any active military posts.
At the state level, pioneer men benefited from militia service. Whereas modern residents of Central Florida find mandated public service like jury duty to be an annoyance or inconvenience, the area's early residents enjoyed being called up for militia duty. State service ensured a steady source of cash and provisions.
So, initially, the most popular politicians were those who promised to deliver more cheap (or free) land and to continue scouring the countryside for renegade Seminoles.
As the nation careened toward civil war, most of this area's residents were skeptical about secession--not because they held lofty ideals such as abolition of slavery, but because they were worried any war might disrupt the government subsidies they had come to enjoy. It is important to note that both of Orange County's representatives to the state's secession convention voted AGAINST leaving the union.
During the Reconstruction Era, political power was largely in the hands of newcomers (called "carpetbaggers" for their peculiar luggage) and their local collaborators (called "scalawags"). Many were left at the mercy of unscrupulous bureaucrats. Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney detailed how one settler named Asa Tanner was defrauded of his homestead land by carpetbaggers working in the state land office.
Perhaps the most important local official on the frontier was the postmaster. During the pioneer era, this was a plum political appointment. This also meant that the office bounced back and forth, depending on the result of presidential elections. If a Republican was elected, he would name a local member of the GOP to be the postmaster. Likewise, a Democrat would name a member of his party. Civil service reform efforts eventually ended this practice.
Simply put, Democrats ruled the roost for more than a century.
It is important to keep in mind that the earliest settlers were greatly dependent on government subsidies for their survival.
At the federal level, the pioneers greatly benefited from the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. This legislation made 200,000 acres of government-owned land available for settlement. Each qualifying applicant was granted 160 acres free of charge. As with modern government programs, however, the free land came with significant strings attached:
1. The applicant had to get a permit from the Government Land Office.
2. The applicant (or his heirs) had to LIVE ON THE LAND for FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
3. The applicant had to improve 5 of the acres (by clearing it for cultivation or livestock).
4. The applicant had to build a house on the land during the first year after obtaining his permit.
5. The land had to be at least two miles away from any active military posts.
At the state level, pioneer men benefited from militia service. Whereas modern residents of Central Florida find mandated public service like jury duty to be an annoyance or inconvenience, the area's early residents enjoyed being called up for militia duty. State service ensured a steady source of cash and provisions.
So, initially, the most popular politicians were those who promised to deliver more cheap (or free) land and to continue scouring the countryside for renegade Seminoles.
As the nation careened toward civil war, most of this area's residents were skeptical about secession--not because they held lofty ideals such as abolition of slavery, but because they were worried any war might disrupt the government subsidies they had come to enjoy. It is important to note that both of Orange County's representatives to the state's secession convention voted AGAINST leaving the union.
During the Reconstruction Era, political power was largely in the hands of newcomers (called "carpetbaggers" for their peculiar luggage) and their local collaborators (called "scalawags"). Many were left at the mercy of unscrupulous bureaucrats. Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney detailed how one settler named Asa Tanner was defrauded of his homestead land by carpetbaggers working in the state land office.
Perhaps the most important local official on the frontier was the postmaster. During the pioneer era, this was a plum political appointment. This also meant that the office bounced back and forth, depending on the result of presidential elections. If a Republican was elected, he would name a local member of the GOP to be the postmaster. Likewise, a Democrat would name a member of his party. Civil service reform efforts eventually ended this practice.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Folkway #22 - Order
So, how did Central Florida's pioneers establish order on the frontier--and how did they maintain it?
As noted in previous posts, our area's first settlers did not simply appear out of thin air. They brought with them a host of traditions from their prior residences, and they tended to replicate or adapt them to suit the environment here.
Order first must be defined. What is what, and where are the boundaries? So, naming the features of the wilderness landscape was a big first step in taming it.
According to Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney, the Seminoles called the area around Lake Conway "Okehitanatchee," a word he translated as "Land of Fair Waters."
Evidently, it was too difficult for the average settler to remember or pronounce. They simply called the area "Oak Ridge," for the forested highland to the west of the chain of lakes. And, when government surveyor Benjamin Whitner prepared the first official map of the area, he named the waters for his boss: Surveyor General Valentine Conway.
Before Florida achieved statehood, much of the Central Florida frontier was included in the unfortunately-named "Mosquito County." It was not surprising when pioneer settler Aaron Jernigan was elected to the new state legislature that he introduced a bill to give his new residence the more appealing name "Orange County."
With the area properly named and land boundaries defined in terms of Whitner's section, township, and range map, responsibility for maintaining law and order was vested in the new Orange County Government.
The county courthouse, which has moved several times since the pioneer era, was the repository of all the records related to frontier property transactions and the inevitable legal disputes that arose with the influx of more settlers.
The Orange County sheriff was the official who was primarily responsible for enforcing the laws passed by county commissioners and fulfilling orders issued by circuit court judges. Pine Castle has been home to at least three sheriffs over the years: William Patrick, Jim Black, and Dave Starr.
For many years, local law enforcement had no official place to keep suspects and convicted criminals. The nearest jail was up in Ocala, and it was not a top-notch facility. Many were able to escape either en route or by hoodwinking the jailer there--including the aforementioned Aaron Jernigan, who was charged with murder but fled captivity to live as a fugitive in Texas on the eve of the War Between the States.
To learn more about our local history and ongoing efforts to preserve it, please visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
As noted in previous posts, our area's first settlers did not simply appear out of thin air. They brought with them a host of traditions from their prior residences, and they tended to replicate or adapt them to suit the environment here.
Order first must be defined. What is what, and where are the boundaries? So, naming the features of the wilderness landscape was a big first step in taming it.
According to Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney, the Seminoles called the area around Lake Conway "Okehitanatchee," a word he translated as "Land of Fair Waters."
Evidently, it was too difficult for the average settler to remember or pronounce. They simply called the area "Oak Ridge," for the forested highland to the west of the chain of lakes. And, when government surveyor Benjamin Whitner prepared the first official map of the area, he named the waters for his boss: Surveyor General Valentine Conway.
Before Florida achieved statehood, much of the Central Florida frontier was included in the unfortunately-named "Mosquito County." It was not surprising when pioneer settler Aaron Jernigan was elected to the new state legislature that he introduced a bill to give his new residence the more appealing name "Orange County."
With the area properly named and land boundaries defined in terms of Whitner's section, township, and range map, responsibility for maintaining law and order was vested in the new Orange County Government.
The county courthouse, which has moved several times since the pioneer era, was the repository of all the records related to frontier property transactions and the inevitable legal disputes that arose with the influx of more settlers.
The Orange County sheriff was the official who was primarily responsible for enforcing the laws passed by county commissioners and fulfilling orders issued by circuit court judges. Pine Castle has been home to at least three sheriffs over the years: William Patrick, Jim Black, and Dave Starr.
For many years, local law enforcement had no official place to keep suspects and convicted criminals. The nearest jail was up in Ocala, and it was not a top-notch facility. Many were able to escape either en route or by hoodwinking the jailer there--including the aforementioned Aaron Jernigan, who was charged with murder but fled captivity to live as a fugitive in Texas on the eve of the War Between the States.
To learn more about our local history and ongoing efforts to preserve it, please visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Folkway #21: Society
So, what societal patterns did Central Florida's pioneers follow?
The pioneers did not simply appear out of the sky and invent a society of their own. They lived elsewhere before coming to this area, bringing with them the affiliations and customs of their prior neighborhoods.
There were actually several waves of settlement.
The first came in the wake of the First Seminole War, when the U.S. government offered free land as part of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. Many would-be settlers staked claims to land in the Pine Castle area, but only three succeeded in perfecting their claims: county clerk Peter Hyrne and the brothers Aaron and Isaac Jernigan. Hyrne promptly sold his land to the Jernigans, leaving their extended family the only real residents here.
The extended Jernigan family included the Patricks, Hogans, Minshews, and Tylers; and had come down here en masse from the vicinity of St. Marys, Georgia. They were border people, who were used to living in close proximity to warlike Indians. So, they considered themselves perfectly suited for populating this new frontier. And, they like the lack of neighbors, because it gave them the room they needed to graze their cattle.
The second (and largest) wave came following the War Between the States, and primarily consisted of Southerners who had been left in reduced economic circumstances following the Confederate defeat. These included Judge William Randolph of New Orleans and his notable son-in-law Will Wallace Harney of Louisville, Kentucky; but also included former Tallahassee mayor Francis Eppes, who also happened to be a grandson of President Thomas Jefferson.
Among this second wave was the extended family of the legendary Granny Harris. She was said to be so "mad at the Yankees" that she walked all the way to Central Florida from their former home in Washington County, Georgia. Her close kin included the Kings, Hansels, and Tanners. They were not as high on the social scale as Randolph, Harney, and Eppes. But, they knew their economic opportunities were better here than they were in their former homes.
Smaller waves followed these. They included New Englanders who came with the construction of the South Florida Railroad in the 1880s; "remittance men" from Great Britain; and even an "Ohio Society."
The pioneers did not simply appear out of the sky and invent a society of their own. They lived elsewhere before coming to this area, bringing with them the affiliations and customs of their prior neighborhoods.
There were actually several waves of settlement.
The first came in the wake of the First Seminole War, when the U.S. government offered free land as part of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. Many would-be settlers staked claims to land in the Pine Castle area, but only three succeeded in perfecting their claims: county clerk Peter Hyrne and the brothers Aaron and Isaac Jernigan. Hyrne promptly sold his land to the Jernigans, leaving their extended family the only real residents here.
The extended Jernigan family included the Patricks, Hogans, Minshews, and Tylers; and had come down here en masse from the vicinity of St. Marys, Georgia. They were border people, who were used to living in close proximity to warlike Indians. So, they considered themselves perfectly suited for populating this new frontier. And, they like the lack of neighbors, because it gave them the room they needed to graze their cattle.
The second (and largest) wave came following the War Between the States, and primarily consisted of Southerners who had been left in reduced economic circumstances following the Confederate defeat. These included Judge William Randolph of New Orleans and his notable son-in-law Will Wallace Harney of Louisville, Kentucky; but also included former Tallahassee mayor Francis Eppes, who also happened to be a grandson of President Thomas Jefferson.
Among this second wave was the extended family of the legendary Granny Harris. She was said to be so "mad at the Yankees" that she walked all the way to Central Florida from their former home in Washington County, Georgia. Her close kin included the Kings, Hansels, and Tanners. They were not as high on the social scale as Randolph, Harney, and Eppes. But, they knew their economic opportunities were better here than they were in their former homes.
Smaller waves followed these. They included New Englanders who came with the construction of the South Florida Railroad in the 1880s; "remittance men" from Great Britain; and even an "Ohio Society."
Monday, February 23, 2015
Folkway #20: Rank
So, who held "rank" on the Central Florida frontier, and how was status conferred?
As detailed in yesterday's post, society was generally stratified by wealth. As individuals, the wealthy held more social, political, and economic influence than did the poor. But, the bulk of the population lived between the two extremes as small farmers. So, the democratic impulse of the pioneers kept the rich and powerful somewhat in-check, especially during election years.
Just as economic class was very fluid, with common laborers able to aspire to becoming wealthy planters, so too was rank.
A pioneer might be held in very high esteem at one point, only to fall from grace at the next. The best example of this was Capt. Aaron Jernigan, who organized the local militia during the territorial era and was elected to represent his neighbors in Tallahassee soon after statehood was achieve in 1845. But, in the years just before the War Between the States, he and his family were implicated in a murder scandal that forced them to flee to Texas.
Rank was generally conferred by democratic vote, or at least general consensus.
The most respected members of pioneer society were:
1. Oldtimers - whose life experience and wisdom was much respected.
2. Preachers - who, especially during the early days of settlement, risked their lives to spread the "good news."
3. Teachers - whose lifework was to improve the next generation of pioneers
4. Military officers - who organized the defense of the frontier against Indian raids and other threats
As detailed in yesterday's post, society was generally stratified by wealth. As individuals, the wealthy held more social, political, and economic influence than did the poor. But, the bulk of the population lived between the two extremes as small farmers. So, the democratic impulse of the pioneers kept the rich and powerful somewhat in-check, especially during election years.
Just as economic class was very fluid, with common laborers able to aspire to becoming wealthy planters, so too was rank.
A pioneer might be held in very high esteem at one point, only to fall from grace at the next. The best example of this was Capt. Aaron Jernigan, who organized the local militia during the territorial era and was elected to represent his neighbors in Tallahassee soon after statehood was achieve in 1845. But, in the years just before the War Between the States, he and his family were implicated in a murder scandal that forced them to flee to Texas.
Rank was generally conferred by democratic vote, or at least general consensus.
The most respected members of pioneer society were:
1. Oldtimers - whose life experience and wisdom was much respected.
2. Preachers - who, especially during the early days of settlement, risked their lives to spread the "good news."
3. Teachers - whose lifework was to improve the next generation of pioneers
4. Military officers - who organized the defense of the frontier against Indian raids and other threats
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Folkway #19: Wealth
So, how did Central Florida's pioneers measure wealth?
The simple answer is they measured it just as we do today, in dollars and cents. But, nothing is as simple as it first sounds or appears.
There was actually very little currency floating around the frontier. Only the commodity brokers who traveled from farm to farm and ranch to ranch buying livestock and produce actually carried any sizeable amounts of cash. And, even they usually carried Spanish pieces-of-eight rather than U.S. currency.
Most folks just bartered with their neighbors for day-to-day purchases.
Of course, cash was king when it came to acquiring land and cattle, the two real measures of a pioneer's wealth on the Central Florida frontier.
The problem was that many of these pioneers ended up being "land rich" and "cash poor." They might be worth a hundred thousand dollars on paper, and barely have two nickels to rub together because their wealth was tied-up in their farms and ranches.
This became a particular problem when they had to pay property taxes. Many times, when a pioneer didn't have the cash to pay his bill, the tax collector would seize a portion of his herd to cover what was owed. (It was just this situation that sparked the bloody Barber-Mizell Feud here in 1870, but that's a tale for another day.)
Frontier society was based on wealth, ranked as follows:
1. Large-scale planters - again they might have more property than cash, but they still wielded the most economic, political, and social influence.
2. Professionals - doctors, lawyers, engineers, clergy, soldiers/sailors, and (as in the case of Pine Castle's own Will Wallace Harney) journalists.
3. Small farmers - the bulk of the population, who eked out a small profit if they could avoid natural disasters.
4. Tenant farmers - enjoyed a certain degree of stability, but typically produced just enough for subsistence.
5. Laborers - owned no real property, and led a more itinerant lifestyle as they followed the work that fed them.
If you'd like to learn more about pioneer life, the Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival continues today at Cypress Grove Park on Holden Avenue. The event begins with an 8am sunrise service, featuring "circuit riding preacher" Brad Staton. For more information visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692.
The simple answer is they measured it just as we do today, in dollars and cents. But, nothing is as simple as it first sounds or appears.
There was actually very little currency floating around the frontier. Only the commodity brokers who traveled from farm to farm and ranch to ranch buying livestock and produce actually carried any sizeable amounts of cash. And, even they usually carried Spanish pieces-of-eight rather than U.S. currency.
Most folks just bartered with their neighbors for day-to-day purchases.
Of course, cash was king when it came to acquiring land and cattle, the two real measures of a pioneer's wealth on the Central Florida frontier.
The problem was that many of these pioneers ended up being "land rich" and "cash poor." They might be worth a hundred thousand dollars on paper, and barely have two nickels to rub together because their wealth was tied-up in their farms and ranches.
This became a particular problem when they had to pay property taxes. Many times, when a pioneer didn't have the cash to pay his bill, the tax collector would seize a portion of his herd to cover what was owed. (It was just this situation that sparked the bloody Barber-Mizell Feud here in 1870, but that's a tale for another day.)
Frontier society was based on wealth, ranked as follows:
1. Large-scale planters - again they might have more property than cash, but they still wielded the most economic, political, and social influence.
2. Professionals - doctors, lawyers, engineers, clergy, soldiers/sailors, and (as in the case of Pine Castle's own Will Wallace Harney) journalists.
3. Small farmers - the bulk of the population, who eked out a small profit if they could avoid natural disasters.
4. Tenant farmers - enjoyed a certain degree of stability, but typically produced just enough for subsistence.
5. Laborers - owned no real property, and led a more itinerant lifestyle as they followed the work that fed them.
If you'd like to learn more about pioneer life, the Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival continues today at Cypress Grove Park on Holden Avenue. The event begins with an 8am sunrise service, featuring "circuit riding preacher" Brad Staton. For more information visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Folkway #18: Time
So, how did Central Florida's pioneers think about time?
Well, they certainly didn't have an app for that, much less an iPhone. In fact, it was a fortunate family indeed if they owned an actual clock. Simple hour glasses full of sand were more commonly found on the southern frontier, but even they were considered a luxury.
Most pioneers simply relied on their intuition, decided when it felt like the right time to do this or that.
None of them were clock watchers, especially when it came to work. There were no 8-hour days, smoke breaks, or lunch hours.
People generally rose from their sleeping places (not necessarily beds) before sunrise, and not because an alarm clock was sounding. They just did.
Of course, they also went to bed early. There were no live-streaming movies on Netflix, televisions, or late night programing to keep them awake.
Calendars were more frequently consulted than clocks, especially the ones printed in farmers' almanacs. The pioneers also paid attention to the cycles of the moon. Such things were important, as they dictated the best planting and harvesting times.
In reminiscing about times gone-by, the area's first settlers were apt to measure time based on commonly-experienced events. Natural disasters and wars were particularly good mental landmarks. For example one might say, "Sally was born in the year of the three hurricanes." Or, "Johnny came here six years after the War Between the States ended."
Speaking of time and pioneer days, remember the annual Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival kicks off this morning at 9am with a parade down Holden Avenue to Cypress Grove Park. Gates open at 10am, and opening ceremonies kick-off at 10:30. For more information, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692.
Well, they certainly didn't have an app for that, much less an iPhone. In fact, it was a fortunate family indeed if they owned an actual clock. Simple hour glasses full of sand were more commonly found on the southern frontier, but even they were considered a luxury.
Most pioneers simply relied on their intuition, decided when it felt like the right time to do this or that.
None of them were clock watchers, especially when it came to work. There were no 8-hour days, smoke breaks, or lunch hours.
People generally rose from their sleeping places (not necessarily beds) before sunrise, and not because an alarm clock was sounding. They just did.
Of course, they also went to bed early. There were no live-streaming movies on Netflix, televisions, or late night programing to keep them awake.
Calendars were more frequently consulted than clocks, especially the ones printed in farmers' almanacs. The pioneers also paid attention to the cycles of the moon. Such things were important, as they dictated the best planting and harvesting times.
In reminiscing about times gone-by, the area's first settlers were apt to measure time based on commonly-experienced events. Natural disasters and wars were particularly good mental landmarks. For example one might say, "Sally was born in the year of the three hurricanes." Or, "Johnny came here six years after the War Between the States ended."
Speaking of time and pioneer days, remember the annual Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival kicks off this morning at 9am with a parade down Holden Avenue to Cypress Grove Park. Gates open at 10am, and opening ceremonies kick-off at 10:30. For more information, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Folkway #17: Work
So, how did Central Florida's pioneers divide up all the work they had to do to survive?
As previously noted in discussing Gender (Folkway #5), work was NOT strictly divided between "men's work" and "women's work."
Both men and women toiled on area farm land and in the groves. Both genders tended livestock. Male and female pioneers did the butchering and dressing of meat. And, everyone helped cut and gather firewood.
A strong work ethic was instilled at a very young age. Everyone in a pioneer family was expected to rise before dawn to get the day started--not just because there was so much work to do, but also because those early hours were the coolest part of the day. No one wanted to work under the merciless Florida sun any more than was absolutely necessary.
The pioneers' modern-day descendants are gathering today at Cypress Grove Park on Holden Avenue to begin setting-up for this weekend's Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival. If you'd like to follow the tradition of pitching-in, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692 for more details on how to get involved!
As previously noted in discussing Gender (Folkway #5), work was NOT strictly divided between "men's work" and "women's work."
Both men and women toiled on area farm land and in the groves. Both genders tended livestock. Male and female pioneers did the butchering and dressing of meat. And, everyone helped cut and gather firewood.
A strong work ethic was instilled at a very young age. Everyone in a pioneer family was expected to rise before dawn to get the day started--not just because there was so much work to do, but also because those early hours were the coolest part of the day. No one wanted to work under the merciless Florida sun any more than was absolutely necessary.
The pioneers' modern-day descendants are gathering today at Cypress Grove Park on Holden Avenue to begin setting-up for this weekend's Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival. If you'd like to follow the tradition of pitching-in, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org or call 407-427-9692 for more details on how to get involved!
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Folkway #16: Sports and Recreation
So, what did Central Florida's pioneers do for fun?
They certainly did not have as much spare time as their modern-day descendants. Not surprisingly, when they did have free time, it was usually dedicated to honing important life-sustaining skills.
Pioneer men spent as much time as possible hunting and fishing. Not only could it be a nice break from the drudgery of farm work, it also supplemented the family's diet with fresh fish and game meat.
Pioneer women frequently gathered in "quilting circles." Sometimes, they worked communally to patch together a special gift for a wedding or birth of a new baby in the community. Other times, they worked on individual projects while simply enjoying each other's company and swapping neighborhood news.
Pioneer kids enjoyed swimming in the many area lakes, weather permitting. Or, mimicking their elders by joining the hunting/fishing expeditions or quilting circles.
Everyone looked forward to the fiddle playing, dancing, and frivolity associated with larger gatherings. These included a hog-killing, sugar cane boiling, or barn raising.
Organized sporting events did not appear in the Pine Castle area until after 1900. By 1915, though, the frontier town had its own baseball team.
To learn more about Central Florida's pioneer folkways, please join us at the upcoming Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival at Cypress Grove Park! (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org)
They certainly did not have as much spare time as their modern-day descendants. Not surprisingly, when they did have free time, it was usually dedicated to honing important life-sustaining skills.
Pioneer men spent as much time as possible hunting and fishing. Not only could it be a nice break from the drudgery of farm work, it also supplemented the family's diet with fresh fish and game meat.
Pioneer women frequently gathered in "quilting circles." Sometimes, they worked communally to patch together a special gift for a wedding or birth of a new baby in the community. Other times, they worked on individual projects while simply enjoying each other's company and swapping neighborhood news.
Pioneer kids enjoyed swimming in the many area lakes, weather permitting. Or, mimicking their elders by joining the hunting/fishing expeditions or quilting circles.
Everyone looked forward to the fiddle playing, dancing, and frivolity associated with larger gatherings. These included a hog-killing, sugar cane boiling, or barn raising.
Organized sporting events did not appear in the Pine Castle area until after 1900. By 1915, though, the frontier town had its own baseball team.
To learn more about Central Florida's pioneer folkways, please join us at the upcoming Pine Castle Pioneer Days festival at Cypress Grove Park! (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org)
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Folkway #15: Dress/Attire
So, what did Central Florida's pioneers wear?
Generally, loose-fitting clothes were selected to contend with our area's warm climate. Long sleeves were the norm all year long, as they prevented sunburn and shielded against minor scrapes and abrasions. Shirts and blouses mostly had high collars with buttons in the front. The hotter it got, the fewer were fastened at top.
Men and boys wore long trousers, never shorts. Blue jeans were an extreme rarity, because they are tight and do not breathe. Cotton and wool were the preferred material, depending on the season. Ties and vests were sometimes worn on Sundays and for other special occasions. Jackets were rarely worn beyond winter, and then again only for big events.
Women and girls wore skirts, floor length or at least to mid-calf. Aprons shielded these against stains associated with household chores. Day-to-day aprons generally had a bib and were made of calico. But, Sunday aprons had no bibs and were bleached as white as possible.
Everyone wore hats to shield them from the elements, particularly Florida's powerful sunshine. Men's hats varied by the season, straw in warm weather and felt or leather when it was cool. Women wore cotton bonnets with a stiff brim at front and ruffles in back to shield their necks. They were always made of a different material than the woman's dress.
Shoes were both a utility and prized commodity. On a day-to-day basis, they were needed to protect the pioneers' feet from burning sands and brambles. The most fortunate in the community might have a pair of "Sunday shoes" to wear to church and other more refined occasions. But, these would not be worn to walk any great distance. Sometimes, they would be carried and put on the feet only after arriving at an event.
As noted in yesterday's post regarding food, pioneers tried to produce as much of their own clothing as possible. Store-bought attire was expensive, and highly-prized.
To learn more about pioneer folkways, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Generally, loose-fitting clothes were selected to contend with our area's warm climate. Long sleeves were the norm all year long, as they prevented sunburn and shielded against minor scrapes and abrasions. Shirts and blouses mostly had high collars with buttons in the front. The hotter it got, the fewer were fastened at top.
Men and boys wore long trousers, never shorts. Blue jeans were an extreme rarity, because they are tight and do not breathe. Cotton and wool were the preferred material, depending on the season. Ties and vests were sometimes worn on Sundays and for other special occasions. Jackets were rarely worn beyond winter, and then again only for big events.
Women and girls wore skirts, floor length or at least to mid-calf. Aprons shielded these against stains associated with household chores. Day-to-day aprons generally had a bib and were made of calico. But, Sunday aprons had no bibs and were bleached as white as possible.
Everyone wore hats to shield them from the elements, particularly Florida's powerful sunshine. Men's hats varied by the season, straw in warm weather and felt or leather when it was cool. Women wore cotton bonnets with a stiff brim at front and ruffles in back to shield their necks. They were always made of a different material than the woman's dress.
Shoes were both a utility and prized commodity. On a day-to-day basis, they were needed to protect the pioneers' feet from burning sands and brambles. The most fortunate in the community might have a pair of "Sunday shoes" to wear to church and other more refined occasions. But, these would not be worn to walk any great distance. Sometimes, they would be carried and put on the feet only after arriving at an event.
As noted in yesterday's post regarding food, pioneers tried to produce as much of their own clothing as possible. Store-bought attire was expensive, and highly-prized.
To learn more about pioneer folkways, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Folkway #14: Food
So, what did Central Florida's pioneers eat?
When they first arrived, the pioneers had to "live off the land." Fortunately, that was fairly easy to do. Area lakes were full of fish and the forests were full of game and wild fruit. Accounts of this era refer to the natural bounty enountered by the earliest American settlers.
One of the first things they did to tame the frontier was to plant food crops to supplement their diet. Sweet potatoes and pumpkins were particular favorites, because they are perennials. Once successfully planted, they would come back year after year.
Corn was also a staple. The pioneers used it to make a flavorful flour that produced a variety of breads and breading. Corn was also used to make grits--not only a popular side item, but occasionally the basis of a main dish.
All manner of tropical fruits could be found here, particularly citrus. Pineapples and bananas were also grown in abundance.
Sugar cane was also widely grown. In fact, cane grinding became a popular community activity. The syrup it produced was used to sweeten the pioneer diet and as a primary ingredient in distilled liquors.
Farm animals were a primary source of protein. Cattle and goats generated both dairy and meat. Chickens provided both eggs and poultry. And, pigs were particularly prized for the pork, bacon, fatback, and ham they produced.
Still, there were some staple items that could not be found in the wild or easily produced on the pioneer farmstead. These had to be purchased from frontier merchants and trading posts. They were expensive, though, and considered a luxury. Flour, for example, cost as much as $50 per barrel in the 1860s. (Though it did drop to just $8 a decade later.) Canned goods experienced similary price fluctuations.
To learn more about our pioneers and how they ate, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
When they first arrived, the pioneers had to "live off the land." Fortunately, that was fairly easy to do. Area lakes were full of fish and the forests were full of game and wild fruit. Accounts of this era refer to the natural bounty enountered by the earliest American settlers.
One of the first things they did to tame the frontier was to plant food crops to supplement their diet. Sweet potatoes and pumpkins were particular favorites, because they are perennials. Once successfully planted, they would come back year after year.
Corn was also a staple. The pioneers used it to make a flavorful flour that produced a variety of breads and breading. Corn was also used to make grits--not only a popular side item, but occasionally the basis of a main dish.
All manner of tropical fruits could be found here, particularly citrus. Pineapples and bananas were also grown in abundance.
Sugar cane was also widely grown. In fact, cane grinding became a popular community activity. The syrup it produced was used to sweeten the pioneer diet and as a primary ingredient in distilled liquors.
Farm animals were a primary source of protein. Cattle and goats generated both dairy and meat. Chickens provided both eggs and poultry. And, pigs were particularly prized for the pork, bacon, fatback, and ham they produced.
Still, there were some staple items that could not be found in the wild or easily produced on the pioneer farmstead. These had to be purchased from frontier merchants and trading posts. They were expensive, though, and considered a luxury. Flour, for example, cost as much as $50 per barrel in the 1860s. (Though it did drop to just $8 a decade later.) Canned goods experienced similary price fluctuations.
To learn more about our pioneers and how they ate, visit www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Monday, February 16, 2015
Folkway #13: Learning
So, how did our pioneers regard formal education?
It has often been said that there were no Ivy Leaguers in Pine Castle during the pioneer era and, if there were, they didn't stay long.
That may be technically true. I haven't found any alumni from Harvard, Yale, or any other Ivy League school among our community's early records.
But, there were certainly college-educated people among the first settlers. Indeed, Will Wallace Harney, the founder of Pine Castle, was a Louisville graduate. (He was also a former high school principal in his native state of Kentucky.) Others included Harney's father-in-law Judge William Randolph, and their neighbor Francis Eppes.
While a college education may have been out of reach for the majority of the pioneer population, it is clear formal schooling was valued by the early settlers.
After the post office, the first civic building at Pine Castle was a public school. It was built on land donated by Harney, a site still used for educational purposes to this day as the campus of Pine Castle Elementary School.
The first school teacher was Mrs. Jennie Preston, wife of the town's doctor. (Incidentally, she was the namesake of Lake Jennie Jewel.)
Over the years, the little school introduced local children to the world beyond Pine Castle. The faculty and staff became icons in the community's collective memory. Among the best remembered were Principal C.L. Durrance (namesake of Durrance Elementary School) who allowed entire classes to accompany him to his home to listen to educational radio programs. There was also Essie Johns, whose students were frequently found after school hours sitting on the front porch of her venerable residence: the "Crawford House." And, there was Maud Hoffner, who taught successive generations of several local families.
It has often been said that there were no Ivy Leaguers in Pine Castle during the pioneer era and, if there were, they didn't stay long.
That may be technically true. I haven't found any alumni from Harvard, Yale, or any other Ivy League school among our community's early records.
But, there were certainly college-educated people among the first settlers. Indeed, Will Wallace Harney, the founder of Pine Castle, was a Louisville graduate. (He was also a former high school principal in his native state of Kentucky.) Others included Harney's father-in-law Judge William Randolph, and their neighbor Francis Eppes.
While a college education may have been out of reach for the majority of the pioneer population, it is clear formal schooling was valued by the early settlers.
After the post office, the first civic building at Pine Castle was a public school. It was built on land donated by Harney, a site still used for educational purposes to this day as the campus of Pine Castle Elementary School.
The first school teacher was Mrs. Jennie Preston, wife of the town's doctor. (Incidentally, she was the namesake of Lake Jennie Jewel.)
Over the years, the little school introduced local children to the world beyond Pine Castle. The faculty and staff became icons in the community's collective memory. Among the best remembered were Principal C.L. Durrance (namesake of Durrance Elementary School) who allowed entire classes to accompany him to his home to listen to educational radio programs. There was also Essie Johns, whose students were frequently found after school hours sitting on the front porch of her venerable residence: the "Crawford House." And, there was Maud Hoffner, who taught successive generations of several local families.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Flokway #12: Magic
So, did Central Florida's pioneers believe in magic?
The first settlers certainly believed in magic long before there was an NBA franchise by that name in Orlando; even before Disney built his fantastical kingdom a few miles southwest of Pine Castle.
Most of the "magic" they employed can be divided into two broad categories: cures for ailments and ways to cause or prevent bad luck.
Here are a few choice examples:
When you can see the heat rising off a field (or later off an asphalt road), it's time to stop work until the weather cools. The shimmering heat was called "lazy larks."
When two people are traveling a long distance on horseback, they were supposed to "ride and tie" to prevent being waylaid. That meant one person walked while his companion took his horse some distance ahead and tied it to a tree. Then the companion would continue on horseback to a certain point where he would tie his own horse. The first person would eventually reach their horse, untie it and continue until he came upon his companion's horse. Then it would be retrieved and brought to the companion. Then, this would continue until they reached their destination.
If you cut your hair during the waning of the moon, it won't regrow as fast (and thus you can save money on going to the barbershop).
If you drop a dishrag on the floor, a hungry visitor will soon arrive.
Collect the first rainwater in May for its curative powers, especially for cleaning wounds.
Slice an onion and put it in the room of a sick person. It will suck-up all the negative spirits and lead to a recovery.
If you see rabbits feeding, that's a good time to go fishing.
An oak tree that won't grow Spanish moss is home to an evil spirit.
Signs of a lucky person:
* The 7th son of a 7th son.
* A baby born with a caul on its head.
* An itchy palm. If your left palm itches, it will soon be full of money. If your right palm itches, it will soon shake the hand of a friend.
* If an orange tree spontaneously sprouts on your property (not intentionally planted).
* Someone who experiences deja vu.
Ways to ensure good luck:
* Roast a toad, put its ashes in a small bag, and wear it around your neck.
* Tie your left shoe first, then your right.
* Pick an orange from a tree growing on your own property, then toss it under your house. No evil will befall anyone who lives there until the orange rots. Then, go pick another orange!
* If you accidentally spill some salt, toss a small pinch of it over your left shoulder.
* If a woman kisses the fold of her dress, she will soon get a new one.
* Knock on wood if you are ever bragging about your good fortune, or it will go away.
Signs of bad luck:
* If your meat sticks to the frying pan, the animal was slaughtered during the wrong phase of the moon and no good will come to anyone who eats it.
* If a black cat crosses your path, turn around and go a different route (or, if you're wearing a hat, turn it around backwards before continuing on your way) or you evil will befall you.
* If you hear a screech owl, bad luck will follow if you don't turn all your pockets inside-out.
* A young girl whistling.
* A hen crowing.
* A whippoorwill calling from the rooftop foretells the death of someone who lives below, unless a corner of their bedsheet is tied in a knot.
* Every person has a certain song that will cause bad luck if they sing it or hear it.
Things that will cause bad luck:
* A pregnant woman who looks at an alligator. (Her baby will be born with scaly skin.)
* Pointing at a watermelon before it ripens on the vine. (The fruit will wither and die.)
* Accepting a pocketknife from someone without giving them a penny or some other small token.
* Giving someone a wallet without putting at least a penny in it.
* If you burn a hole in your clothing and mend it yourself, evil will befall you.
* Taking the trash out after sundown.
* Stirring counter clockwise when making soap.
* Letting a woman be the first person to enter your home on New Year's Day.
* Rocking an empty chair. (Will cause death.)
* Doing laundry between Christmas and New Year's Day.
* Picking up a straight pin that is pointed in your direction.
If YOU know of any pioneer magic or superstitions, post them here or email them to pinecastlepioneerdays@hotmail.com!
The first settlers certainly believed in magic long before there was an NBA franchise by that name in Orlando; even before Disney built his fantastical kingdom a few miles southwest of Pine Castle.
Most of the "magic" they employed can be divided into two broad categories: cures for ailments and ways to cause or prevent bad luck.
Here are a few choice examples:
When you can see the heat rising off a field (or later off an asphalt road), it's time to stop work until the weather cools. The shimmering heat was called "lazy larks."
When two people are traveling a long distance on horseback, they were supposed to "ride and tie" to prevent being waylaid. That meant one person walked while his companion took his horse some distance ahead and tied it to a tree. Then the companion would continue on horseback to a certain point where he would tie his own horse. The first person would eventually reach their horse, untie it and continue until he came upon his companion's horse. Then it would be retrieved and brought to the companion. Then, this would continue until they reached their destination.
If you cut your hair during the waning of the moon, it won't regrow as fast (and thus you can save money on going to the barbershop).
If you drop a dishrag on the floor, a hungry visitor will soon arrive.
Collect the first rainwater in May for its curative powers, especially for cleaning wounds.
Slice an onion and put it in the room of a sick person. It will suck-up all the negative spirits and lead to a recovery.
If you see rabbits feeding, that's a good time to go fishing.
An oak tree that won't grow Spanish moss is home to an evil spirit.
Signs of a lucky person:
* The 7th son of a 7th son.
* A baby born with a caul on its head.
* An itchy palm. If your left palm itches, it will soon be full of money. If your right palm itches, it will soon shake the hand of a friend.
* If an orange tree spontaneously sprouts on your property (not intentionally planted).
* Someone who experiences deja vu.
Ways to ensure good luck:
* Roast a toad, put its ashes in a small bag, and wear it around your neck.
* Tie your left shoe first, then your right.
* Pick an orange from a tree growing on your own property, then toss it under your house. No evil will befall anyone who lives there until the orange rots. Then, go pick another orange!
* If you accidentally spill some salt, toss a small pinch of it over your left shoulder.
* If a woman kisses the fold of her dress, she will soon get a new one.
* Knock on wood if you are ever bragging about your good fortune, or it will go away.
Signs of bad luck:
* If your meat sticks to the frying pan, the animal was slaughtered during the wrong phase of the moon and no good will come to anyone who eats it.
* If a black cat crosses your path, turn around and go a different route (or, if you're wearing a hat, turn it around backwards before continuing on your way) or you evil will befall you.
* If you hear a screech owl, bad luck will follow if you don't turn all your pockets inside-out.
* A young girl whistling.
* A hen crowing.
* A whippoorwill calling from the rooftop foretells the death of someone who lives below, unless a corner of their bedsheet is tied in a knot.
* Every person has a certain song that will cause bad luck if they sing it or hear it.
Things that will cause bad luck:
* A pregnant woman who looks at an alligator. (Her baby will be born with scaly skin.)
* Pointing at a watermelon before it ripens on the vine. (The fruit will wither and die.)
* Accepting a pocketknife from someone without giving them a penny or some other small token.
* Giving someone a wallet without putting at least a penny in it.
* If you burn a hole in your clothing and mend it yourself, evil will befall you.
* Taking the trash out after sundown.
* Stirring counter clockwise when making soap.
* Letting a woman be the first person to enter your home on New Year's Day.
* Rocking an empty chair. (Will cause death.)
* Doing laundry between Christmas and New Year's Day.
* Picking up a straight pin that is pointed in your direction.
If YOU know of any pioneer magic or superstitions, post them here or email them to pinecastlepioneerdays
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Folkway #11: Religion
So, how did religion influence our pioneers?
Centuries before the pioneer era, Spanish priests scoured the Central Florida frontier for native converts. They established at least one mission among the Jororo tribe, who lived south of Pine Castle at "Atoyquime." But, Catholic influences were largely wiped-out by British raiders in the 1700s.
Almost all of our area pioneers were Protestants, specifically Baptists or Methodists. Almost. The Cohen brothers who owned a chain of mercantile outlets across frontier Florida, including one at Pine Castle, were Jewish. Francis Eppes, a grandson of President Thomas Jefferson, hosted Episcopal worship services in his home near Pineloch. And, the well-known "Aunt Ginny" Prescott was a rare Mormon.
The earliest settlers worshipped in their homes, under the supervision of lay preachers or circuit riding ministers. Larger revivals were held outdoors.
It was not until the 1870s that an actual church was constructed in the Pine Castle area. An intrepid Presbyterian lady by the name of Florence Milton led the fundraising efforts that made its construction possible, so it was only fitting that it was erected near her home at Lake Jessamine. Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney wrote of spending New Year's Eve at a "watch party" thrown by the fledgling congregation.
The Presbyterians quickly outgrew their little church, though, and built a bigger facility a few miles to the north. Regrettably, only a few of the modern members of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando know of their congregation's Pine Castle roots.
Another church was not built here until 1900, when area Baptists and Methodists teamed with the Missionary Alliance to establish Pine Castle's revered "Union Church."
The structure was used by people of all faiths, and was primarily served by itinerant preachers, circuit riders, and other clergymen who visited the area during the mild winters.
As Pine Castle grew into a sizeable town, the Baptists were able to build a separate church but retained their interest in the Union Church. Eventually, though, they deeded this interest over to the Methodists who used it exclusively for many years before building their modern red brick church on Fairlane. Then, the Baptists reacquired the Union Church and had it moved out to Narcoossee to house their first mission at Lake Whippoorwill.
Centuries before the pioneer era, Spanish priests scoured the Central Florida frontier for native converts. They established at least one mission among the Jororo tribe, who lived south of Pine Castle at "Atoyquime." But, Catholic influences were largely wiped-out by British raiders in the 1700s.
Almost all of our area pioneers were Protestants, specifically Baptists or Methodists. Almost. The Cohen brothers who owned a chain of mercantile outlets across frontier Florida, including one at Pine Castle, were Jewish. Francis Eppes, a grandson of President Thomas Jefferson, hosted Episcopal worship services in his home near Pineloch. And, the well-known "Aunt Ginny" Prescott was a rare Mormon.
The earliest settlers worshipped in their homes, under the supervision of lay preachers or circuit riding ministers. Larger revivals were held outdoors.
It was not until the 1870s that an actual church was constructed in the Pine Castle area. An intrepid Presbyterian lady by the name of Florence Milton led the fundraising efforts that made its construction possible, so it was only fitting that it was erected near her home at Lake Jessamine. Pine Castle's founder Will Wallace Harney wrote of spending New Year's Eve at a "watch party" thrown by the fledgling congregation.
The Presbyterians quickly outgrew their little church, though, and built a bigger facility a few miles to the north. Regrettably, only a few of the modern members of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando know of their congregation's Pine Castle roots.
Another church was not built here until 1900, when area Baptists and Methodists teamed with the Missionary Alliance to establish Pine Castle's revered "Union Church."
The structure was used by people of all faiths, and was primarily served by itinerant preachers, circuit riders, and other clergymen who visited the area during the mild winters.
As Pine Castle grew into a sizeable town, the Baptists were able to build a separate church but retained their interest in the Union Church. Eventually, though, they deeded this interest over to the Methodists who used it exclusively for many years before building their modern red brick church on Fairlane. Then, the Baptists reacquired the Union Church and had it moved out to Narcoossee to house their first mission at Lake Whippoorwill.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Folkway #10: Death
So, how did our area pioneers handle death?
Clearly, old timers were confronted with death more frequently and more intimately than we are today.
The earliest settlers often died at home, and were buried on their family's land rather than a formal cemtery. It is not unusual for these long-forgotten private plots to be found during modern construction projects. In Pine Castle, for example, it is accepted as highly likely that some of the Macy family pioneers lay (at rest?) beneath the parking lot of the First Baptist Church.
Early grave markers were simple, usually carved into a simple shingle, wooden cross, or even a nearby tree trunk. Thus, few have survived to the present day. However, there are a few examples from the late 1800s at Greenwood Cemetery near downtown Orlando. They are illegible due to the ravages of time (not to mention a brush fire), but they are still there if you care to hunt for them.
The first real cemetery in this corner of the Central Florida frontier was at "Gatlin Hill," near the modern intersection of Gatlin and Summerlin. It was established during the Second Seminole War, the first burial being an unfortunately named soldier: Private Measles, who died of disease (perhaps measles?) at nearby Fort Gatlin. The Harneys and Randolphs were among the pioneer families who subsequently buried their loved ones there. But, when the surrounding property was acquired by the U.S. Navy for a sonar lab, the identifiable graves were moved to the aforementioned Greenwood Cemetery.
About the time of the War Between the States, the pioneer Powell family established a burial ground near Lake Jennie Jewel at what is now 3858 South Orange Avenue. It later came to be used by non family members. It is tiny and there has not been room for any new burials in many years, but it is still beautifully maintained by Orange County.
Some time later, a larger cemetery was established at the defunct settlement of "Oak Ridge," on Sand Lake Road just west of Orange Blossom Trail. It is still actively managed and utilized by pioneer descendants.
Other area pioneers, are buried at the Conway Cemetery (especially if they were Methodists) and at the old Locke Cemetery on Boggy Creek Road.
Clearly, old timers were confronted with death more frequently and more intimately than we are today.
The earliest settlers often died at home, and were buried on their family's land rather than a formal cemtery. It is not unusual for these long-forgotten private plots to be found during modern construction projects. In Pine Castle, for example, it is accepted as highly likely that some of the Macy family pioneers lay (at rest?) beneath the parking lot of the First Baptist Church.
Early grave markers were simple, usually carved into a simple shingle, wooden cross, or even a nearby tree trunk. Thus, few have survived to the present day. However, there are a few examples from the late 1800s at Greenwood Cemetery near downtown Orlando. They are illegible due to the ravages of time (not to mention a brush fire), but they are still there if you care to hunt for them.
The first real cemetery in this corner of the Central Florida frontier was at "Gatlin Hill," near the modern intersection of Gatlin and Summerlin. It was established during the Second Seminole War, the first burial being an unfortunately named soldier: Private Measles, who died of disease (perhaps measles?) at nearby Fort Gatlin. The Harneys and Randolphs were among the pioneer families who subsequently buried their loved ones there. But, when the surrounding property was acquired by the U.S. Navy for a sonar lab, the identifiable graves were moved to the aforementioned Greenwood Cemetery.
About the time of the War Between the States, the pioneer Powell family established a burial ground near Lake Jennie Jewel at what is now 3858 South Orange Avenue. It later came to be used by non family members. It is tiny and there has not been room for any new burials in many years, but it is still beautifully maintained by Orange County.
Some time later, a larger cemetery was established at the defunct settlement of "Oak Ridge," on Sand Lake Road just west of Orange Blossom Trail. It is still actively managed and utilized by pioneer descendants.
Other area pioneers, are buried at the Conway Cemetery (especially if they were Methodists) and at the old Locke Cemetery on Boggy Creek Road.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Folkway #9 - Age
So, how were elderly pioneers treated on the Florida frontier?
Simply put: with respect.
After all, it was rare back then for someone to even reach their golden years. So, those who did, were seen as (among other things) great sources of wisdom.
Not surprisingly, the 1900 census enumeration for Pine Castle shows all 14 of her senior citizens (age 65 or more) were listed as the heads of their households. Even when old timers lived under the same roof as their adult children, they were uniformly accorded that place of honor.
Take the case of 76-year-old German immigrant Julia Funk, who lived with two of her bachelor sons. There was no doubt who the head of that household was!
There were also a few cases where elderly pioneers married younger spouses, perhaps allowing them to maintain their independence longer than they would have enjoyed otherwise. 82-year-old Cornelius Johns was married to a woman who was young enough to be his daughter. And, 68-year-old Buck Reddick was fourteen years older than his wife Jane. But, it wasn't just the men who enjoyed these May-December marriages. Mrs. Nancy Ward, age 75, was THIRTY years older than her husband Joe. (They married when she was a mere 59, and he but 29! And, no, they did not have any children!)
As the living repositories of the community's wisdom, these old timers were frequently consulted for advice on any manner of subjects.
One of the best-remembered figures from the pioneer era is Granny Harris. She was born Nancy King and married before the War Between the States to a Hansel, and after the war to a Harris. But, everyone in Pine Castle called her "Granny Harris," not just her numerous grandchildren. She was everyone's granny.
When Granny Harris was in her 90s, she was recognized as the oldest living resident of Orange County and invited to speak alongside various elected officials and dignitaries. Old timers did not hide their elderly in retirement homes. They put them in the spotlight as a testimony to the perseverance of the pioneer spirit.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Simply put: with respect.
After all, it was rare back then for someone to even reach their golden years. So, those who did, were seen as (among other things) great sources of wisdom.
Not surprisingly, the 1900 census enumeration for Pine Castle shows all 14 of her senior citizens (age 65 or more) were listed as the heads of their households. Even when old timers lived under the same roof as their adult children, they were uniformly accorded that place of honor.
Take the case of 76-year-old German immigrant Julia Funk, who lived with two of her bachelor sons. There was no doubt who the head of that household was!
There were also a few cases where elderly pioneers married younger spouses, perhaps allowing them to maintain their independence longer than they would have enjoyed otherwise. 82-year-old Cornelius Johns was married to a woman who was young enough to be his daughter. And, 68-year-old Buck Reddick was fourteen years older than his wife Jane. But, it wasn't just the men who enjoyed these May-December marriages. Mrs. Nancy Ward, age 75, was THIRTY years older than her husband Joe. (They married when she was a mere 59, and he but 29! And, no, they did not have any children!)
As the living repositories of the community's wisdom, these old timers were frequently consulted for advice on any manner of subjects.
One of the best-remembered figures from the pioneer era is Granny Harris. She was born Nancy King and married before the War Between the States to a Hansel, and after the war to a Harris. But, everyone in Pine Castle called her "Granny Harris," not just her numerous grandchildren. She was everyone's granny.
When Granny Harris was in her 90s, she was recognized as the oldest living resident of Orange County and invited to speak alongside various elected officials and dignitaries. Old timers did not hide their elderly in retirement homes. They put them in the spotlight as a testimony to the perseverance of the pioneer spirit.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Folkway #8 - Names
So, what were the naming customs of Florida's pioneers?
For the most part, this area's first American settlers were fairly conventional in the names they chose for their children. For instance, the 1900 census of Pine Castle shows the ten most popular names for males were (in order):
William, Charles, John, James, Joseph, Edward, Samuel, Bourbon*, Earl, and Jesse.
For females, the list looks like this:
Mary, Sarah, Mamie, Margaret, Katherine,Nancy, Jane, Emma, Hattie, and Lucinda.
Of all these, only the name "Bourbon" sticks out as peculiar, easily attributable to the prolific family of local pioneer Bourbon "Burb" Johns (1832-1906).
Names were perpetuated from one generation to the next by a fairly common pattern of selection. A firstborn son was usually named for his paternal grandfather, while a second son would be named for his maternal grandfather. Likewise, a firstborn daughter was often named for her maternal grandmother, while a second daughter would be named for her paternal grandmother.
Of course, this rule was not uniformly followed throughout the community.
Our pioneers also had an affinity for naming their children after prominent figures, presumably role models. These included:
Christopher Columbus - The famous explorer who "sailed the ocean blue in 1492," was admired for his adventurous spirit. His namesakes here were usually called by their initials ("C.C.") or the more unique "Lummie."
Lorenzo Dow - This evangelical circuit rider was remembered for his zealous sermons. His namesakes sometimes went by "Larry." In Pine Castle, though, at least one old timer answered to the old preacher's surname: Dow Hansel.
Benjamin Franklin - The patriot and inventor was admired for his wisdom and common sense. His namesakes usually went by "Ben" or "Frank."
Andrew Jackson - The U.S. president was highly esteemed among the pioneers, not only for his democratic values but for having been an Indian fighter. His namesakes here often went by the nickname "Jack."
James Madison - The U.S. president was perhaps better remembered as the father of the Constitution, which enshrined rights the pioneers held so dear. One of his more prominent namesakes here was Madison Johns.
Francis Marion - The "Swamp Fox" was a Revolutionary War hero to many southerners. His namesakes here often went by the nickname "Frank."
John Wesley - The founder of Methodism was a popular namesake among his many local adherants. The most common nickname was "Wes."
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
For the most part, this area's first American settlers were fairly conventional in the names they chose for their children. For instance, the 1900 census of Pine Castle shows the ten most popular names for males were (in order):
William, Charles, John, James, Joseph, Edward, Samuel, Bourbon*, Earl, and Jesse.
For females, the list looks like this:
Mary, Sarah, Mamie, Margaret, Katherine,Nancy, Jane, Emma, Hattie, and Lucinda.
Of all these, only the name "Bourbon" sticks out as peculiar, easily attributable to the prolific family of local pioneer Bourbon "Burb" Johns (1832-1906).
Names were perpetuated from one generation to the next by a fairly common pattern of selection. A firstborn son was usually named for his paternal grandfather, while a second son would be named for his maternal grandfather. Likewise, a firstborn daughter was often named for her maternal grandmother, while a second daughter would be named for her paternal grandmother.
Of course, this rule was not uniformly followed throughout the community.
Our pioneers also had an affinity for naming their children after prominent figures, presumably role models. These included:
Christopher Columbus - The famous explorer who "sailed the ocean blue in 1492," was admired for his adventurous spirit. His namesakes here were usually called by their initials ("C.C.") or the more unique "Lummie."
Lorenzo Dow - This evangelical circuit rider was remembered for his zealous sermons. His namesakes sometimes went by "Larry." In Pine Castle, though, at least one old timer answered to the old preacher's surname: Dow Hansel.
Benjamin Franklin - The patriot and inventor was admired for his wisdom and common sense. His namesakes usually went by "Ben" or "Frank."
Andrew Jackson - The U.S. president was highly esteemed among the pioneers, not only for his democratic values but for having been an Indian fighter. His namesakes here often went by the nickname "Jack."
James Madison - The U.S. president was perhaps better remembered as the father of the Constitution, which enshrined rights the pioneers held so dear. One of his more prominent namesakes here was Madison Johns.
Francis Marion - The "Swamp Fox" was a Revolutionary War hero to many southerners. His namesakes here often went by the nickname "Frank."
John Wesley - The founder of Methodism was a popular namesake among his many local adherants. The most common nickname was "Wes."
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Folkway #7 - Child-rearing
So, how did Central Florida's pioneers raise their children?
The process of raising a child actually began before he or she was born. The entire community, but particularly the old timers, were consulted on the subject. Everyone had an opinion on what herbs might benefit the pregnancy and what signs and omens must be watched-for.
Clothing, toys, and other items pertaining to pioneer childhood were generally simple and homemade. For example, teething rings were made by stringing together kernels of corn.
Socialization began as soon as a child could understand the words of his elders. Folk tales and oral history were incredibly important in imparting knowledge and inspiring the courage necessary for survival on the frontier.
Pine Castle's children were particularly fortunate to have a public school during the pioneer era. Though few pursued learning beyond the sixth grade, almost all were taught to read (at least rudimentarily), write their name, and do basic math.
Church services and Sunday School bolstered the religious training children received at home.
Through school and church attendance, children forged bonds with and were influenced by their neighbors.
By the time they reached their teen years, pioneer children were expected to accept greater responsibility for household chores. This was not only to lighten their elders' load, but also to hone the skills they would need to establish households of their own.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
The process of raising a child actually began before he or she was born. The entire community, but particularly the old timers, were consulted on the subject. Everyone had an opinion on what herbs might benefit the pregnancy and what signs and omens must be watched-for.
Clothing, toys, and other items pertaining to pioneer childhood were generally simple and homemade. For example, teething rings were made by stringing together kernels of corn.
Socialization began as soon as a child could understand the words of his elders. Folk tales and oral history were incredibly important in imparting knowledge and inspiring the courage necessary for survival on the frontier.
Pine Castle's children were particularly fortunate to have a public school during the pioneer era. Though few pursued learning beyond the sixth grade, almost all were taught to read (at least rudimentarily), write their name, and do basic math.
Church services and Sunday School bolstered the religious training children received at home.
Through school and church attendance, children forged bonds with and were influenced by their neighbors.
By the time they reached their teen years, pioneer children were expected to accept greater responsibility for household chores. This was not only to lighten their elders' load, but also to hone the skills they would need to establish households of their own.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Folkway #6 - Sex
So, did the pioneers have sex lives?
Simply put: yes.
In fact, it might surprise many of their descendants to discover just how open they were about the subject. Victorian prudishness did not take hold on the Central Florida frontier to the extent it did elsewhere in the English-speaking world.
Part of this was due to a general lack of privacy. As noted in previous postings, early residences often consisted of no more than one room. Thus, nudity was commonplace, not taboo.
The steady birth rate on the Central Florida frontier underscores the robust sex life of its pioneers.
The infrequent divorce decrees issued during the pioneer era are rife with evidence that not all sex was of the wholesome variety. They are full of allegations of infidelity, prostitution, venereal disease, and impotence.
Indeed, prostitution proved a lucrative enterprise at least in the earliest days of the pioneer era, when the male-to-female ratio was woefully out of balance.
One of the most successful frontier madames was Pine Castle's own Jane Green, who had the ingenuity to "take her show on the road." She would drive wagonloads of willing women out to the prairie beyond polite civilization to entertain cattlemen who could not travel all the way to Orlando to visit the various houses of ill-repute.
The bottom line: our pioneers were quite human. And, thank goodness. Otherwise, many of us wouldn't be here today!
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Simply put: yes.
In fact, it might surprise many of their descendants to discover just how open they were about the subject. Victorian prudishness did not take hold on the Central Florida frontier to the extent it did elsewhere in the English-speaking world.
Part of this was due to a general lack of privacy. As noted in previous postings, early residences often consisted of no more than one room. Thus, nudity was commonplace, not taboo.
The steady birth rate on the Central Florida frontier underscores the robust sex life of its pioneers.
The infrequent divorce decrees issued during the pioneer era are rife with evidence that not all sex was of the wholesome variety. They are full of allegations of infidelity, prostitution, venereal disease, and impotence.
Indeed, prostitution proved a lucrative enterprise at least in the earliest days of the pioneer era, when the male-to-female ratio was woefully out of balance.
One of the most successful frontier madames was Pine Castle's own Jane Green, who had the ingenuity to "take her show on the road." She would drive wagonloads of willing women out to the prairie beyond polite civilization to entertain cattlemen who could not travel all the way to Orlando to visit the various houses of ill-repute.
The bottom line: our pioneers were quite human. And, thank goodness. Otherwise, many of us wouldn't be here today!
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Folkway #5 - Gender
So, what did the pioneers expect of each gender?
In very, very broad terms, men were expected to be warriors, and women were expected to be workers. But, gender roles really were not as sharply divided on the Central Florida frontier as they were in more settled regions of the country.
Both men and women toiled on area farm land and in the groves. Both genders tended livestock. Male and female pioneers did the butchering and dressing of meat. And, everyone helped cut firewood.
Basically, whoever was available and most suited to "get the job done" would do it.
Still, there were very clear-cut ideas of masculinity and femininity when it came to manners, speech, dress, decorum, and status.
Men were expected to be bold, even loud. They were expected to "wear the pants in the family," and to wear a suitable hat in public. Respect was demanded and commanded in dealing with subordinates, and deference was only begrudgingly given to those in positions of authority.
Women aspired to be ladies and to be the heart and soul of their families. When not laboring alongside their menfolk, they were expected to don a freshly-cleaned full-length dress. They took no active role in political or public life beyond their church congregations.
In public, the two genders moved in distinctly separate circles. Male bonding centered on hunting and fishing. Women tended to gather for sewing or quilting circles.
Even when collective action was taken, as in the case of a barn raising, the genders worked in separate teams based on task. The construction of Pine Castle's venerable Union Church in 1900 is a classic example. The all-female Christian Workers Society oversaw all the fundraising. But, when it was time to actually build the church, the millwork and carpentry was left entirely to the menfolk and the women focused on keeping them hydrated and nourished.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
In very, very broad terms, men were expected to be warriors, and women were expected to be workers. But, gender roles really were not as sharply divided on the Central Florida frontier as they were in more settled regions of the country.
Both men and women toiled on area farm land and in the groves. Both genders tended livestock. Male and female pioneers did the butchering and dressing of meat. And, everyone helped cut firewood.
Basically, whoever was available and most suited to "get the job done" would do it.
Still, there were very clear-cut ideas of masculinity and femininity when it came to manners, speech, dress, decorum, and status.
Men were expected to be bold, even loud. They were expected to "wear the pants in the family," and to wear a suitable hat in public. Respect was demanded and commanded in dealing with subordinates, and deference was only begrudgingly given to those in positions of authority.
Women aspired to be ladies and to be the heart and soul of their families. When not laboring alongside their menfolk, they were expected to don a freshly-cleaned full-length dress. They took no active role in political or public life beyond their church congregations.
In public, the two genders moved in distinctly separate circles. Male bonding centered on hunting and fishing. Women tended to gather for sewing or quilting circles.
Even when collective action was taken, as in the case of a barn raising, the genders worked in separate teams based on task. The construction of Pine Castle's venerable Union Church in 1900 is a classic example. The all-female Christian Workers Society oversaw all the fundraising. But, when it was time to actually build the church, the millwork and carpentry was left entirely to the menfolk and the women focused on keeping them hydrated and nourished.
To learn more about Florida's frontier folkways, come to Pioneer Days on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. Complete details may be found at www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Folkway #4 - Marriage
So, what was marriage like for Central Florida's pioneers?
As noted in yesterday's post, the idealized family structure in the pioneer era was led by a married couple. So, the institution of marriage was very important, even the key to survival on the frontier.
Pioneers of both genders were encouraged to marry as soon as soon as it was economically feasible for them to establish their own household. For young men, this was generally when they were in their early 20's. For young women, this was generally in their late teens. But, examination of local 19th century marriage records shows some girls were married when they were only 14 years of age.
Wedding ceremonies varied depending on the couple's economic and geographic circumstances. Church ceremonies were considered the ideal, but often there were not actual church structures within easy travel. So, many ceremonies were conducted by an itinerant preacher in a relative's home or at some scenic outdoor locale.
As with barn raisings and funerals, weddings were a magnet for the sparse population--an opportunity to be taken advantage of, not just for the ceremony itself. Guests might expect to find their own future spouses. Business transactions could be made. News and gossip could be exchanged. Often, these gatherings lasted for days before and after the actual ceremony.
Pioneers expected the bonds of marriage to last the rest of their natural lives. Divorce was extremely rare. Instead, most unhappy couples simply agreed to live apart. One such example was the case of Confederate veteran Burb Johns and Mrs. Marzilla Wood Keen, each being the other's second spouse. After rocky years together, they made the mutual decision to reside separately with children from their prior marriages. Nevertheless, despite her stepdaughters' objections, Marzilla succeeded in winning a state pension based on Burb's military service because their marriage was never legally terminated.
A few unhappy couples did file for divorce. Two of the earliest cases in surviving Orange County court records involved pioneers from the Pine Castle area. The first involved Confederate veteran Solomon Heidt, who returned from military service in the War Between the States to discover his wife had given birth to another man's child. Even then, he did not legally divorce her but chose to leave their home in Georgia to start a new life in Florida. He only filed for divorce when he decided to remarry to a local girl in 1873.
Sidenote: A pie hutch built by Mr. Heidt for his second wife is on permanent loan to Pine Castle Pioneer Days.
A more sensational case was the 1878 divorce of William Beverly Randolph and the former Carrie Eppes. The source of their unhappiness was the rocky relationship between Mrs. Randolph and her mother-in-law, not to mention Mr. Randolph's failure to intervene. The frustrated wife became so enraged on one occasion that she actually bit her husband, after which he returned her to her parents' home at Lake Pineloch and filed for divorce. (Both parties subsequently remarried, happily as far as the historical record shows.)
Still, it was not divorce but death that ended most pioneer marriages. Women generally outlived their husbands if they managed to survive the perils of child bearing. Both genders remarried with much greater frequency than we see today.
To learn more about pioneer folkways, come to the Pioneer Days festival on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809.
As noted in yesterday's post, the idealized family structure in the pioneer era was led by a married couple. So, the institution of marriage was very important, even the key to survival on the frontier.
Pioneers of both genders were encouraged to marry as soon as soon as it was economically feasible for them to establish their own household. For young men, this was generally when they were in their early 20's. For young women, this was generally in their late teens. But, examination of local 19th century marriage records shows some girls were married when they were only 14 years of age.
Wedding ceremonies varied depending on the couple's economic and geographic circumstances. Church ceremonies were considered the ideal, but often there were not actual church structures within easy travel. So, many ceremonies were conducted by an itinerant preacher in a relative's home or at some scenic outdoor locale.
As with barn raisings and funerals, weddings were a magnet for the sparse population--an opportunity to be taken advantage of, not just for the ceremony itself. Guests might expect to find their own future spouses. Business transactions could be made. News and gossip could be exchanged. Often, these gatherings lasted for days before and after the actual ceremony.
Pioneers expected the bonds of marriage to last the rest of their natural lives. Divorce was extremely rare. Instead, most unhappy couples simply agreed to live apart. One such example was the case of Confederate veteran Burb Johns and Mrs. Marzilla Wood Keen, each being the other's second spouse. After rocky years together, they made the mutual decision to reside separately with children from their prior marriages. Nevertheless, despite her stepdaughters' objections, Marzilla succeeded in winning a state pension based on Burb's military service because their marriage was never legally terminated.
A few unhappy couples did file for divorce. Two of the earliest cases in surviving Orange County court records involved pioneers from the Pine Castle area. The first involved Confederate veteran Solomon Heidt, who returned from military service in the War Between the States to discover his wife had given birth to another man's child. Even then, he did not legally divorce her but chose to leave their home in Georgia to start a new life in Florida. He only filed for divorce when he decided to remarry to a local girl in 1873.
Sidenote: A pie hutch built by Mr. Heidt for his second wife is on permanent loan to Pine Castle Pioneer Days.
A more sensational case was the 1878 divorce of William Beverly Randolph and the former Carrie Eppes. The source of their unhappiness was the rocky relationship between Mrs. Randolph and her mother-in-law, not to mention Mr. Randolph's failure to intervene. The frustrated wife became so enraged on one occasion that she actually bit her husband, after which he returned her to her parents' home at Lake Pineloch and filed for divorce. (Both parties subsequently remarried, happily as far as the historical record shows.)
Still, it was not divorce but death that ended most pioneer marriages. Women generally outlived their husbands if they managed to survive the perils of child bearing. Both genders remarried with much greater frequency than we see today.
To learn more about pioneer folkways, come to the Pioneer Days festival on February 21st and 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Folkway #3 - Family
So, what was family structure like among Central Florida's pioneers?
The idealized household consisted of a married man and woman with as many children as their economic circumstances would allow.
But, as with anything, reality did not always match the ideal. An examination of the 1885 state census for Pine Castle proves it in this case. According to the enumeration:
Just 62% of households matched that ideal description: husband and wife with children. The overwhelming majority had 3 or fewer children. None had more than 6, which contradicts the mythical image of hyperfertility many have of this era and locale. While many pioneers did have many children, a sadly large proportion did not survive infancy.
7% consisted of married couples with no children. This number includes empty-nesters and newlyweds in addition to the infertile.
6% were headed by single fathers. Only 3% were headed by single mothers. Neither divorce nor unwed parenthood were the source of this demographic. Rahter, the statistics reflect the difficulties associated with childbirth. Pioneer women were far more likely to die as the result of a pregnancy than their modern counterparts.
19% had non-traditional living arrangements. These included people who lived in boarding houses and hotels--most were temporary laborers at turpentine distilleries and railroad section hands.
Just 2% lived by themselves. Frontier life could be arduous, even for the heartiest pioneer. It just made more sense to band together and pool your resources.
To learn more about our area's pioneer families and how they tamed the frontier, consider attending Pine Castle Pioneer Days on February 21st & 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. More info at this web site: www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
The idealized household consisted of a married man and woman with as many children as their economic circumstances would allow.
But, as with anything, reality did not always match the ideal. An examination of the 1885 state census for Pine Castle proves it in this case. According to the enumeration:
Just 62% of households matched that ideal description: husband and wife with children. The overwhelming majority had 3 or fewer children. None had more than 6, which contradicts the mythical image of hyperfertility many have of this era and locale. While many pioneers did have many children, a sadly large proportion did not survive infancy.
7% consisted of married couples with no children. This number includes empty-nesters and newlyweds in addition to the infertile.
6% were headed by single fathers. Only 3% were headed by single mothers. Neither divorce nor unwed parenthood were the source of this demographic. Rahter, the statistics reflect the difficulties associated with childbirth. Pioneer women were far more likely to die as the result of a pregnancy than their modern counterparts.
19% had non-traditional living arrangements. These included people who lived in boarding houses and hotels--most were temporary laborers at turpentine distilleries and railroad section hands.
Just 2% lived by themselves. Frontier life could be arduous, even for the heartiest pioneer. It just made more sense to band together and pool your resources.
To learn more about our area's pioneer families and how they tamed the frontier, consider attending Pine Castle Pioneer Days on February 21st & 22nd at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. More info at this web site: www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Folkway #2 - Building
So, how did Central Florida pioneers build their homes?
The not-so-simple answer is that depended on their station in life, particularly how long they had been here.
When it came to building material, newly-arrived settlers typically had to make do with what they brought from their former residences or what they could forage from the wilderness. It was not uncommon for them to fashion a simple hut from palm fronds. Or, they might just sleep in or beneath their wagons. But, these were only short term solutions.
After staking their claims with the land office and recording the pertinent documents with local authorities, settlers would turn to building a simple log cabin. They were notch-in-groove structures, similar to the "Lincoln Logs" so many of us played with as children. Again, they were not intended to stand the test of time, just to provide shelter long enough for the pioneer to "perfect" his claim.
Side note: "Pefecting" a claim meant satisfying all the requirements necessary to gain full title to a piece of property. Often these requirements included a defined number of years of residency. Until they perfected their claim, most settlers were reluctant to construct anything too expensive. Particularly during the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), they were concerned about unscrupulous land agents withholding title at the last moment.
There is only one verifiable pioneer cabin that has survived in this area, used for many years primarily as a retreat for hunters and fishermen. Though modified and updated several times over the years, its original "bones" are quite evident even from the street. It stands just north of Lake Jennie Jewel and is still privately owned/occupied.
Once they had title to their lands, settlers would begin construction of a single-pen house. These were simple one-room square wood frame structures. They were erected on a raised platform with broad board flooring, which allowed for increased ventilation. The ubiquitous farm dogs could sleep under it and attract the fleas to their bodies instead of the human residents above. And, the cracks between the floorboards allowed sand to filter down with a few swishes of a corn husk broom.
These vernacular structures tried to take advantage of Florida's hot and humid climate with a more vertical than horizontal nature. They had steeply-pitched roofs for ventilation, and a broad overhang to shade the front porch.
The simplicity of these early structures made subsequent additions easy. The next generation was a double-pen house, colloquially known as a dog-trot for the broad breezeway left between the original single-pen structure and the second room. Again, the pioneers were seeking as much ventilation as they could find. On particularly hot nights, they would even drag their mattresses out into the breezeway.
As the years passed and a pioneer prospered, more additions were made and outbuildings were erected. Eventually, some of them became quite substantial. Local writer Will Wallace Harney called these little compounds "pine castles," as the primary building material was milled pine boards.
In fact, Mr. Harney liked this term so well that it served as inspiration during the construction of his own home on the shores of Lake Conway. Known as THE "Pine Castle," it featured vertically placed sideboards for the illusion of added height. And, it had a matching set of turrets. But, this was exceptional for the area, not the rule. Its exceptionalism is the reason it became a landmark and, eventually, the namesake of the vast area surrounding the Conway chain of lakes south of Orlando.
To learn more about Central Florida's pioneer folkways, consider attending this month's Pine Castle Pioneer Days (Feb 21st & 22nd) at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. More info at this web site: www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
The not-so-simple answer is that depended on their station in life, particularly how long they had been here.
When it came to building material, newly-arrived settlers typically had to make do with what they brought from their former residences or what they could forage from the wilderness. It was not uncommon for them to fashion a simple hut from palm fronds. Or, they might just sleep in or beneath their wagons. But, these were only short term solutions.
After staking their claims with the land office and recording the pertinent documents with local authorities, settlers would turn to building a simple log cabin. They were notch-in-groove structures, similar to the "Lincoln Logs" so many of us played with as children. Again, they were not intended to stand the test of time, just to provide shelter long enough for the pioneer to "perfect" his claim.
Side note: "Pefecting" a claim meant satisfying all the requirements necessary to gain full title to a piece of property. Often these requirements included a defined number of years of residency. Until they perfected their claim, most settlers were reluctant to construct anything too expensive. Particularly during the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), they were concerned about unscrupulous land agents withholding title at the last moment.
There is only one verifiable pioneer cabin that has survived in this area, used for many years primarily as a retreat for hunters and fishermen. Though modified and updated several times over the years, its original "bones" are quite evident even from the street. It stands just north of Lake Jennie Jewel and is still privately owned/occupied.
Once they had title to their lands, settlers would begin construction of a single-pen house. These were simple one-room square wood frame structures. They were erected on a raised platform with broad board flooring, which allowed for increased ventilation. The ubiquitous farm dogs could sleep under it and attract the fleas to their bodies instead of the human residents above. And, the cracks between the floorboards allowed sand to filter down with a few swishes of a corn husk broom.
These vernacular structures tried to take advantage of Florida's hot and humid climate with a more vertical than horizontal nature. They had steeply-pitched roofs for ventilation, and a broad overhang to shade the front porch.
The simplicity of these early structures made subsequent additions easy. The next generation was a double-pen house, colloquially known as a dog-trot for the broad breezeway left between the original single-pen structure and the second room. Again, the pioneers were seeking as much ventilation as they could find. On particularly hot nights, they would even drag their mattresses out into the breezeway.
As the years passed and a pioneer prospered, more additions were made and outbuildings were erected. Eventually, some of them became quite substantial. Local writer Will Wallace Harney called these little compounds "pine castles," as the primary building material was milled pine boards.
In fact, Mr. Harney liked this term so well that it served as inspiration during the construction of his own home on the shores of Lake Conway. Known as THE "Pine Castle," it featured vertically placed sideboards for the illusion of added height. And, it had a matching set of turrets. But, this was exceptional for the area, not the rule. Its exceptionalism is the reason it became a landmark and, eventually, the namesake of the vast area surrounding the Conway chain of lakes south of Orlando.
To learn more about Central Florida's pioneer folkways, consider attending this month's Pine Castle Pioneer Days (Feb 21st & 22nd) at Cypress Grove Park, 290 Holden Avenue, Orlando, FL 32809. More info at this web site: www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org
Folkway #1 - Speech
So, how did the pioneers of Central Florida choose and use words?
Unfortunately, there are no surviving mp3's or other recordings from that era. But, thanks to prolific writers like Pine Castle's own Will Wallace Harney, we do have an abundance of pioneer writings that give us some idea of how they spoke.
These writings indicate the language employed by our early settlers was a unique blend of English. The most genteel nuances trace to southern England by way of the Old South, but most prevalent was the backwoods vernacular derived from Northumbria. And, astute observers can attribute at least some of its cadence to Africa and some of its vocabulary to Spain.
Following are some illustrations of the folk speech I've uncovered while studying these pioneer writings.
Unfortunately, there are no surviving mp3's or other recordings from that era. But, thanks to prolific writers like Pine Castle's own Will Wallace Harney, we do have an abundance of pioneer writings that give us some idea of how they spoke.
These writings indicate the language employed by our early settlers was a unique blend of English. The most genteel nuances trace to southern England by way of the Old South, but most prevalent was the backwoods vernacular derived from Northumbria. And, astute observers can attribute at least some of its cadence to Africa and some of its vocabulary to Spain.
Following are some illustrations of the folk speech I've uncovered while studying these pioneer writings.
- ALLOWED - admitted or confessed.
- ANGRY - infected or inflamed, often used to describe a toothache.
- BELLYACHE - complain (when used as a verb) or complaint (when used as a noun).
- BOOK-LEARNING - education.
- BUMFUZZLED - confused.
- CHITLINS - entrails, typically fried as an entrée. Derived from the standard English word "chitterlings."
- COOTER - freshwater turtle.
- CORN PONE - hoe cake made with milk instead of water.
- CRACKER - a Florida native, said to derive from the sound of whips used to drive cattle.
- CRACKLINGS - crisp shreds of hog fat, generally the leftovers from making lard; used to add flavor when cooking, most notably in "crackling corn bread."
- CRAW - throat. If someone had something "stuck in their craw," they were upset about something.
- CRITTER - creature, usually an animal but sometimes applied to people.
- CROAKER SACK - burlap bag, name derived from its use for collecting frogs ("croakers"); sometimes used as an inexpensive material for clothing.
- DISREMEMBER - forget
- FAVOR - sometimes used instead of "resemble," when describing a person's appearance. As in, "She favors her mother."
- FETCH - retrieve
- FIXING - preparing or getting ready.
- FLAPJACKS - pancakes.
- GATOR - alligator, from the Spanish "el legarto" ("the lizard").
- GRITS - dry, coarsely-ground corn used as a potato substitute.
- HAINT - ghost, morphed from the standard English word "haunt."
- HEIFER DUST - nonsense.
- HOE CAKE - primitive bread made from corn meal and water, originally cooked on a hoe over an open fire; later in a skillet.
- HOMINY - whole kernels of corn preserved in lye water.
- HOWDY - hello; shortened form of "howdy-do," which was morphed from the standard English phrase "how do you do?"
- LIGHTERED KNOT - kindling wood harvested from a tree that has been struck by lightning, and thus full of flammable turpentine gum.
- LOW BUSH LIGHTNING - a form of moonshine distilled in remote locations (presumably under palmetto bushes).
- MARSH TACKIE - breed of horse favored by Cracker cowboys, said to be descended from Spanish stock and well-adapted to the Florida wilderness due to its small size and durability.
- MESS - plentiful but indeterminate amount, particularly used for food as in a "mess of greens."
- MOONSHINE - illicit liquor, typically distilled in the middle of the night to avoid detection by authorities.
- NEKKID - nude, morphed from the standard English word "naked."
- NIGH - near.
- NO-ACCOUNT - worthless or shiftless.
- PASSLE - package, morphed from the standard English word "parcel."
- PEKID - unwell, morphed from the standard English word "piqued."
- PERLEW - meal consisting primarily of rice and meat, usually chicken.
- POORLY - unwell, sick.
- PORKER - pig or hog, sometimes applied pejoratively for an obese person.
- RASSLE - wrestle.
- REVENUERS - tax assessors and tax collectors.
- RIGHT - sometimes uses instead of "very."
- ROOTER - wild hog.
- SCOOT - slide or move.
- SKILLET - frying pan.
- SPARK - woo or court.
- SWAMP CABBAGE - heart of the sabal palm, cut and boiled like cabbage.
- TATER - potato.
- TRAIPSE - wander.
- VARMIT - pest, usually an animal but occasionally a person. Morphed from the standard English word "vermin."
- WHOPPER - unusually large item.
- WIDDER - widow
- YONDER - there.
- YOUNGENS - children, morphed from standard English "young ones."
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
24 Folkways and "Power of Place"
Much has been said and written about the influence geography has on local history. (See for example Bruce Dearstyne's post "Local History and the Power of Place" in the New York History Blog.)
But, what about culture?
Respected scholars have demonstrated the persistent influence of folk traditions on localities, even centuries after the founding generations have passed away--and, even after their descendants have moved away, died-out, or become outnumbered by other groups.
In his wonderful book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, author David Hackett Fischer lists twenty-four metrics that define a folk tradition.
Over the next few days, I plan to apply these metrics to define the folk traditions of historic Pine Castle, a broad region south of Orlando, Florida.
The 24 folkways are:
But, what about culture?
Respected scholars have demonstrated the persistent influence of folk traditions on localities, even centuries after the founding generations have passed away--and, even after their descendants have moved away, died-out, or become outnumbered by other groups.
In his wonderful book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, author David Hackett Fischer lists twenty-four metrics that define a folk tradition.
Over the next few days, I plan to apply these metrics to define the folk traditions of historic Pine Castle, a broad region south of Orlando, Florida.
The 24 folkways are:
- Speech - pronunciation, vocabulary, syntax, grammar, etc.
- Building - architectural forms (high and low)
- Family - household structures (ideal and actual)
- Marriage - including courtship and divorce
- Gender - how men and women interact in social situations
- Sex - attitudes toward sexuality and treatment of deviants
- Child-rearing - ideas on nature vs. nurture
- Naming - popularity and patterns
- Age - treatment of the elderly and interactions among generations
- Death - rituals/customs associated with dying and mortuary/mourning practices
- Religion - patterns of worship and theology
- Magic - supernatural and superstitious beliefs
- Learning - literacy and education
- Food - diet, nutrition, cooking, eating, and fasting
- Dress - clothing, hair, and adornments
- Sport - recreational/leisure activities and games
- Work - ethics and type
- Time - use, measure, and rhythm
- Wealth - distribution and interaction between the rich/poor
- Rank - how status was conferred and interaction between high/low
- Society - patterns of migration, settlement, association/affiliation
- Order - establishment of institutions and how disorder was treated
- Power - political authority/participation
- Freedom - balance between liberty and restraint
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on Local History
Prehistory - The Windover people lived in this area.
1600s - Spanish missionaries seek to convert the Jororo tribe.
1701 - Joachin de Florencia leads an expedition from St. Augustine to quell a Jororo uprising. He dubbed this area "La Rinconada."
1728 - The Jororo tribe was reportedly decimated by slave raids and disease, opening the Central Florida frontier for settlement by a new tribe: the Seminoles.
1763 - Florida becomes a British colony.
1783 - Spain regains control over Florida.
1821 - Florida becomes a U.S. territory.
1824 - Mosquito County was created.
1838 - Fort Gatlin established during Second Seminole War.
1842 - Congress passes the Armed Occupation Act.
1843 - Benjamin Whitner surveys this area, naming Lake Conway.
1845 - Florida becomes a state, and Mosquito County changes its name to Orange County.
1850 - Wright Patrick named the first postmaster in this area.
1852 - Aaron Jernigan raises a company of volunteers to quell a Seminole uprising.
1856 - Third Seminole War erupted, Orange County residents voted to move courthouse to vicinity of Fort Gatlin.
1859 - William Wright is murdered at the post office in Orlando, causing many members of the pioneer Jernigan family to flee justice by moving to Texas.
1861 - Florida secedes from the Union despite dissenting votes from local delegates William Woodruff and Isaac Rutland.
1865 - Local pioneers Burb and Cornelius Johns witness Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox, Virginia, marking the end of the War Between the States.
1870 - A bloody feud erupts between the pioneer Barber and Mizell families.
1873 - Nationally known writer Will Wallace Harney built a fanciful "Pine Castle" on the shores of Lake Conway.
1876 - Presbyterians built the first actual church in this area, near the shores of Lake Jessamine. They later moved to bigger facilities downtown, what is now First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
1877 - The Reconstruction Era ended.
1879 - The Pinecastle Post Office was established with Clement Tyner the first postmaster.
1881 - The South Florida Railroad tracks reached Pine Castle.
1882 - Will Harney donated the land for a public school in Pine Castle, still occupied by Pine Castle Elementary School.
1887 - Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bell organized the First Baptist Church of Pine Castle.
1891 - Will Harney's old Pine Castle estate was subdivided for development.
1894 - Clement Tyner recorded a plat of the Town of Pine Castle.
1895 - The Great Freeze destroyed area citrus crops, causing many pioneers to abandon their groves.
1898 - War with Spain spurred economic recovery.
1900 - Pine Castle's venerable Union Church was built as an interdenominational place of worship.
1909 - Pioneer settler Paul Macy built what became known as "The Crawford House."
1911 - The Pioneer Association of Orange County was established.
1912 - Will Wallace Harney, builder of the original Pine Castle, died in Jacksonville.
1915 - The Town of Pine Castle was incorporated, with Charles Jefferson Sweet elected its first mayor.
1917 - Pine Castle mobilized for the First World War.
1923 - Pine Castle hosted a state convention of florists at Pleasure Beach.
1924 - The cities of Belle Isle and Edgewood were formed by Pine Castle residents who objected to the town council's plans to issue bonds for capital improvement projects.
1925 - Pine Castle received a new state charter reflecting its reduced boundaries.
1928 - The Great Depression started a year early in Pine Castle with the collapse of the real estate market and a Mediterranean fruit fly infestation.
1930 - The venerable Union Church was sold by its trustees to local Methodists for their sole use.
1932 - The Town of Pine Castle went bust as a result of the Great Depression, surrendering its tax rolls and other records to Orange County officials.
1934 - The inimitable Granny Harris, matriarch of a large extended pioneer family, died at the advanced age of 97.
1938 - Local resident Bob Etty was the prime suspect in the sensational murder of Dolores Myerly at Orlando's landmark San Juan Hotel.
1940 - Orlando Air Base #1 opened near Pine Castle, forerunner of the modern Orlando International Airport.
1941 - Pine Castle mobilized for the Second World War.
1942 - Area residents marked the centennnial of the Armed Occupation Act with "Founders Week." Festivities included a parade in downtown Orlando, with the largest contingent coming from Pine Castle.
1945 - The Pine Castle Boat & Construction Company completed their "miracle order," doing their part to win the war.
1950 - The local post office change its name to "Pine Castle," two words instead of the original "Pinecastle."
1952 - Durrance Elementary School in Pine Castle was the first campus in Orange County to integrate.
1957 - St. Mary of the Angels Episcopal Church was established on Matchett Road.
1958 - Pine Castle Air Force Base was renamed McCoy Air Force Base to honor the late Colonel Michael McCoy.
1959 - Pine Castle's venerable Union Church was moved to the Narcoossee area to serve as the new home of Lake Whippoorwill Baptist Church.
1963 - The Walt Disney Company announced plans to build a huge new entertainment complex in Orange County.
1964 - American Legion Post #286 was established in Pine Castle.
1965 - The Southern Garden Arts Center was organized in Pine Castle.
1967 - Pine Castle United Methodist Church dedicated its new brick sanctuary.
1971 - Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom opened.
1973 - Pine Castle Pioneer Day was held at the old Center for the Arts. It was only a one-day event, but grew to become a weekend festival.
1977 - Pine Castle's modern post office building opened on South Orange Avenue.
1980 - The venerable Crawford House was moved from its original location on Fairlane Avenue to a new site on Randolph Avenue.
1983 - Pine Castle Christian Academy was organized.
1989 - Edgewood successfully blocked construction of a "Central Connector," that would have bissected the community.
1990 - An historic log cabin from Kentucky was reconstructed on the campus of Pine Castle Christian Academy.
2001 - The Pine Castle Urban Preservation District was created by Orange County voters.
2004 - Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jean struck this area, damaging many buildings and trees.
2010 - Pine Castle Pioneer Days, Inc., was established as an independent public charity to ensure longevity of the community's hallmark festival.
2014 - Pine Castle Pioneer Days switched venues to Cypress Grove Park with the assistance of Commissioner Pete Clarke and Orange County government.
1600s - Spanish missionaries seek to convert the Jororo tribe.
1701 - Joachin de Florencia leads an expedition from St. Augustine to quell a Jororo uprising. He dubbed this area "La Rinconada."
1728 - The Jororo tribe was reportedly decimated by slave raids and disease, opening the Central Florida frontier for settlement by a new tribe: the Seminoles.
1763 - Florida becomes a British colony.
1783 - Spain regains control over Florida.
1821 - Florida becomes a U.S. territory.
1824 - Mosquito County was created.
1838 - Fort Gatlin established during Second Seminole War.
1842 - Congress passes the Armed Occupation Act.
1843 - Benjamin Whitner surveys this area, naming Lake Conway.
1845 - Florida becomes a state, and Mosquito County changes its name to Orange County.
1850 - Wright Patrick named the first postmaster in this area.
1852 - Aaron Jernigan raises a company of volunteers to quell a Seminole uprising.
1856 - Third Seminole War erupted, Orange County residents voted to move courthouse to vicinity of Fort Gatlin.
1859 - William Wright is murdered at the post office in Orlando, causing many members of the pioneer Jernigan family to flee justice by moving to Texas.
1861 - Florida secedes from the Union despite dissenting votes from local delegates William Woodruff and Isaac Rutland.
1865 - Local pioneers Burb and Cornelius Johns witness Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox, Virginia, marking the end of the War Between the States.
1870 - A bloody feud erupts between the pioneer Barber and Mizell families.
1873 - Nationally known writer Will Wallace Harney built a fanciful "Pine Castle" on the shores of Lake Conway.
1876 - Presbyterians built the first actual church in this area, near the shores of Lake Jessamine. They later moved to bigger facilities downtown, what is now First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
1877 - The Reconstruction Era ended.
1879 - The Pinecastle Post Office was established with Clement Tyner the first postmaster.
1881 - The South Florida Railroad tracks reached Pine Castle.
1882 - Will Harney donated the land for a public school in Pine Castle, still occupied by Pine Castle Elementary School.
1887 - Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bell organized the First Baptist Church of Pine Castle.
1891 - Will Harney's old Pine Castle estate was subdivided for development.
1894 - Clement Tyner recorded a plat of the Town of Pine Castle.
1895 - The Great Freeze destroyed area citrus crops, causing many pioneers to abandon their groves.
1898 - War with Spain spurred economic recovery.
1900 - Pine Castle's venerable Union Church was built as an interdenominational place of worship.
1909 - Pioneer settler Paul Macy built what became known as "The Crawford House."
1911 - The Pioneer Association of Orange County was established.
1912 - Will Wallace Harney, builder of the original Pine Castle, died in Jacksonville.
1915 - The Town of Pine Castle was incorporated, with Charles Jefferson Sweet elected its first mayor.
1917 - Pine Castle mobilized for the First World War.
1923 - Pine Castle hosted a state convention of florists at Pleasure Beach.
1924 - The cities of Belle Isle and Edgewood were formed by Pine Castle residents who objected to the town council's plans to issue bonds for capital improvement projects.
1925 - Pine Castle received a new state charter reflecting its reduced boundaries.
1928 - The Great Depression started a year early in Pine Castle with the collapse of the real estate market and a Mediterranean fruit fly infestation.
1930 - The venerable Union Church was sold by its trustees to local Methodists for their sole use.
1932 - The Town of Pine Castle went bust as a result of the Great Depression, surrendering its tax rolls and other records to Orange County officials.
1934 - The inimitable Granny Harris, matriarch of a large extended pioneer family, died at the advanced age of 97.
1938 - Local resident Bob Etty was the prime suspect in the sensational murder of Dolores Myerly at Orlando's landmark San Juan Hotel.
1940 - Orlando Air Base #1 opened near Pine Castle, forerunner of the modern Orlando International Airport.
1941 - Pine Castle mobilized for the Second World War.
1942 - Area residents marked the centennnial of the Armed Occupation Act with "Founders Week." Festivities included a parade in downtown Orlando, with the largest contingent coming from Pine Castle.
1945 - The Pine Castle Boat & Construction Company completed their "miracle order," doing their part to win the war.
1950 - The local post office change its name to "Pine Castle," two words instead of the original "Pinecastle."
1952 - Durrance Elementary School in Pine Castle was the first campus in Orange County to integrate.
1957 - St. Mary of the Angels Episcopal Church was established on Matchett Road.
1958 - Pine Castle Air Force Base was renamed McCoy Air Force Base to honor the late Colonel Michael McCoy.
1959 - Pine Castle's venerable Union Church was moved to the Narcoossee area to serve as the new home of Lake Whippoorwill Baptist Church.
1963 - The Walt Disney Company announced plans to build a huge new entertainment complex in Orange County.
1964 - American Legion Post #286 was established in Pine Castle.
1965 - The Southern Garden Arts Center was organized in Pine Castle.
1967 - Pine Castle United Methodist Church dedicated its new brick sanctuary.
1971 - Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom opened.
1973 - Pine Castle Pioneer Day was held at the old Center for the Arts. It was only a one-day event, but grew to become a weekend festival.
1977 - Pine Castle's modern post office building opened on South Orange Avenue.
1980 - The venerable Crawford House was moved from its original location on Fairlane Avenue to a new site on Randolph Avenue.
1983 - Pine Castle Christian Academy was organized.
1989 - Edgewood successfully blocked construction of a "Central Connector," that would have bissected the community.
1990 - An historic log cabin from Kentucky was reconstructed on the campus of Pine Castle Christian Academy.
2001 - The Pine Castle Urban Preservation District was created by Orange County voters.
2004 - Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jean struck this area, damaging many buildings and trees.
2010 - Pine Castle Pioneer Days, Inc., was established as an independent public charity to ensure longevity of the community's hallmark festival.
2014 - Pine Castle Pioneer Days switched venues to Cypress Grove Park with the assistance of Commissioner Pete Clarke and Orange County government.
Monday, February 2, 2015
10 Quick Tips for Enjoying Pioneer Days
1. Arrive early. Even though gates technically open at 10am, there are pre-opening festivities both mornings. On Saturday, there is a parade that starts at 9am and ends at the festival entrance. And, on Sunday, there is a nondenominational "sunrise" service at 8am honoring the area's pioneer era circuit riding preachers. Both are free of charge and open to the public.
2. Be prepared for the weather. This is an outdoor event. In Central Florida. So, weather conditions are changeable. Layer your clothing so you can adjust for a rise or drop in temperature. Consider a hat for gusts of wind, sunglasses for sun, and an umbrella in case of rain.
3. Bring the kids/pets. Admission is $3 per adult, but only $5 for an entire family. Festival organizers define family as "up to two adults and all accompanied minors." And, they don't check birth certificates at the front gates. Four-legged friends are welcome as long as they are on a leash.
4. Get a copy of the free souvenir magazine. Not only does it contain some great pictures and articles about local history, it also includes a schedule of events so you can plan what musical acts to watch and which shows/reenactments to see.
5. Attend the opening ceremonies. These are held at 10:30am Saturday at the sound stage and will help to orient you to the overall event and its theme. They include proclamations by dignitaries and introduction of VIPs.
6. Patronize the vendors. Many will be featuring items specifically created for this event and offering special deals to festival goers that they don't offer at other events.
7. Appreciate the music. It's not just there for background noise. There's a lot of talent in the line-up. So, take some time to sit and listen to the performers. And give them some applause.
8. Talk to the re-enactors and traditional crafters. The "living history" performers at Pioneer Days aren't just there for the scheduled show times. They enjoy visiting with festival goers during the entire event. So, don't be shy. Visit them in their encampments and ask them questions. They love sharing their knowledge.
9. Visit the old timers tent. Volunteers will be on hand to share bits of local history. These include old documents and photographs. And, there is always an "official old timer" on hand to share their memories firsthand.
10. Don't be afraid to ask a question. If you need information that can't be found at the festival web site (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org), you can call 407-427-9692 during non-event hours or email pinecastlepioneerdays@hotmail.com. During the event, visit the Information Tent. It is staffed with experienced volunteers who can answer any questions.
2. Be prepared for the weather. This is an outdoor event. In Central Florida. So, weather conditions are changeable. Layer your clothing so you can adjust for a rise or drop in temperature. Consider a hat for gusts of wind, sunglasses for sun, and an umbrella in case of rain.
3. Bring the kids/pets. Admission is $3 per adult, but only $5 for an entire family. Festival organizers define family as "up to two adults and all accompanied minors." And, they don't check birth certificates at the front gates. Four-legged friends are welcome as long as they are on a leash.
4. Get a copy of the free souvenir magazine. Not only does it contain some great pictures and articles about local history, it also includes a schedule of events so you can plan what musical acts to watch and which shows/reenactments to see.
5. Attend the opening ceremonies. These are held at 10:30am Saturday at the sound stage and will help to orient you to the overall event and its theme. They include proclamations by dignitaries and introduction of VIPs.
6. Patronize the vendors. Many will be featuring items specifically created for this event and offering special deals to festival goers that they don't offer at other events.
7. Appreciate the music. It's not just there for background noise. There's a lot of talent in the line-up. So, take some time to sit and listen to the performers. And give them some applause.
8. Talk to the re-enactors and traditional crafters. The "living history" performers at Pioneer Days aren't just there for the scheduled show times. They enjoy visiting with festival goers during the entire event. So, don't be shy. Visit them in their encampments and ask them questions. They love sharing their knowledge.
9. Visit the old timers tent. Volunteers will be on hand to share bits of local history. These include old documents and photographs. And, there is always an "official old timer" on hand to share their memories firsthand.
10. Don't be afraid to ask a question. If you need information that can't be found at the festival web site (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org), you can call 407-427-9692 during non-event hours or email pinecastlepioneerdays@hotmail.com. During the event, visit the Information Tent. It is staffed with experienced volunteers who can answer any questions.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
14 Common Misconceptions About Our History
1. People who signed a document with an "X" were illiterate.
Although this may be true in some cases, the assumption is not 100% accurate. Sometimes, the signer had grown too feeble or blind to properly sign. This frequently is the case with old wills and deeds issued from an elder to a younger family member. In other cases, pioneer children were taught to READ from the family Bible. But, WRITING was not considered a skill many would ever need in their day-to-day lives.
2. People were shorter back in the "olden days."
Many folks make this assumption based on the low doorways seen in old houses, or because old beds and other furniture seem shorter than today's versions. Read Peter Matthiessen's wonderful book Shadow Country for accounts of South Florida's "Ox Woman" and her two equally tall sisters. Check out pension files from the Revolution and the War Between the States, which often include soldier's heights--many exceeding 6 feet. As to the beds, historians have conducted a thorough study and concluded old beds are no smaller than their modern counterparts. The eye just perceives them to be smaller because of features like headboards, posters, and canopies.
3. Florida did not suffer many casualties during the War Between the States.
It is true, Florida was the "smallest tadpole in the dirty pool of secession," as one northern observer recorded. The Sunshine State did indeed have the smallest population in the South, and historians have correctly argued her primary contribution to the Confederate cause was a steady supply of food (primarily cattle) and salt. However, the people of Florida bore a disproportionately large human cost, losing fully one-third of her fighting age men to military casualties. The number may have been small compared to more populous states, but the percentage was tragically higher than ANY state (North or South).
4. Aaron Jernigan was the first American settler in this area.
Several pioneers staked claims to land here according to the terms of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, and three actually succeeded in perfecting their claims to receive title. Aaron Jernigan was only one. The others were his brother Isaac Jernigan and Orange County's early circuit court clerk Peter Hyrne.
5. Orlando was named for a soldier who was killed in action during the Second Seminole War.
Exhaustive research over many years has failed to identify any casualty by that name. There was a sugar planter named Orlando Rees who lived at Spring Garden up in Volusia County, who may have carved his name into a tree as a way of marking a trail through the wilderness in the early 1800s. When the first settlers arrived a generation later, they misinterpreted the tree carving as a grave marker. "There lies Orlando," they would say. And, so the name stuck. (And, a generation or so later, others attempted to give the name a Shakespearean origin. But, the less said about that, the better!)
6. The cities of Belle Isle and Edgewood were incorporated a year before Pine Castle.
Both Belle Isle (to the south) and Edgewood (to the north) incorporated in 1924, while Pine Castle received its state charter in 1925. But, there is ample documentation that Pine Castle actually incorporated a decade earlier in 1915. When town officials proposed floating bonds to finance improvements (including municipal utilities), residents in outlying areas objected and effectively seceded by establishing their own separate "cities." The State of Florida then issued Pine Castle a charter with smaller boundaries, and her neighboring municipalities went into dormancy. This dormancy allowed them to survive the Great Depression, which forced the Town of Pine Castle to dissolve in the 1930s.
7. The 1900 Union Church was the first real church structure in this area.
Florence Milton is actually credited with raising funds to build a Presbyterian church on the shores of Lake Jessamine in 1876. It accommodated 100 worshipers, but was quickly outgrown. The congregation decided to build their second structure downtown. It is known today as the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
8. Pioneer homes and buildings had lattice "skirts" to prevent wild hogs from seeking refuge under them.
There are tall tales of pioneer sermons being interrupted by squealing pigs beneath the Union Church in Pine Castle. But, they are just tall tales. Hogs were a valuable commodity and would not have been allowed to run wild. The lattice "skirts" were merely decorative.
9. The Seminole tribe were the area's first residents.
The Seminoles did not arrive in this area until the mid 1700s. The original residents were a tribe called the "Jororo," who were missionized by the Spanish in the 1600s. They were probably descended from the ancient Windover People who inhabited this part of Florida long before the pyramids were built in Egypt. Unfortunately, they were forced to abandon their native lands due to slave raids and pestilence, leaving a vacuum for the Seminoles as they fled American settlements in Alabama and Georgia.
10. This area was first named "Pine Castle" after Will Wallace Harney built a home by that name in the 1870s.
Harney himself noted the Seminoles called this area "Okehitanatchee," which he translated as "Land of Fair Waters." The first American settlers referred to the area as "Oak Ridge," a name that survives on road signs and elsewhere to this day.
11. There were no black pioneers in this area.
Former slave William Glover came to this area after the War Between the States to establish a farm that was recognized as one of the most successful in the pioneer era. Mr. Glover grew corn and cotton as cash crops, and planted a 300-tree orange grove. Many other freemen came here to work in the turpentine industry.
12. Hispanics had no significant presence here until recent times.
Many forget that Spain controlled Florida for over two hundred years, though it is true their influence was strongest in and around St. Augustine. But, several Spanish explorers and military expeditions visited the Central Florida frontier. A handful of Spanish priests even lived here as part of the effort to convert the native Jororo people to Christianity. And, both the Barber and Johns pioneer families had Hispanic roots.
13. Almost everyone in Pine Castle was a Baptist or a Methodist in the pioneer era.
It is true, these were (and continue to be) the two largest denominations. But, the first actual church was built by Presbyterians in 1876. The next structure was the "Union Church" of 1900, which was used by people of all faiths until 1912. The Cohen brothers were Jewish merchants who were shown as owners of a store lot when Will Harney subdivided his Pine Castle estate. The Bernards and Kaufmans were the most prominent Catholic families. And, the well-known "Aunt Ginny" Prescott was a Mormon.
14. "Pioneer Days" started in 1973.
Residents began celebrating area pioneers, recognizing them during the annual Orange County fair in the late 1800s. In 1942, a major celebration was held to mark the centennial of the Armed Occupation Act that brought so many of the first American settlers to this area. It included a parade through downtown Orlando, the largest contingent coming from Pine Castle. In 1973, the old Southern Garden Arts Center held a "Pioneer Day" celebration, a ONE-DAY event. It was so well-received, they expanded it to span one weekend per year. The tradition was maintained fairly regularly from that time by the old Pine Castle Center for the Arts and the Pine Castle United Methodist Church. In 2011, the festival was formally incorporated as an independent public charity with membership drawn from a broad spectrum of community entities.
To learn more about Central Florida's history and heritage, please join us February 21st and 22nd during Pine Castle Pioneer Days 2015 at Cypress Grove Park. (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org)
Although this may be true in some cases, the assumption is not 100% accurate. Sometimes, the signer had grown too feeble or blind to properly sign. This frequently is the case with old wills and deeds issued from an elder to a younger family member. In other cases, pioneer children were taught to READ from the family Bible. But, WRITING was not considered a skill many would ever need in their day-to-day lives.
2. People were shorter back in the "olden days."
Many folks make this assumption based on the low doorways seen in old houses, or because old beds and other furniture seem shorter than today's versions. Read Peter Matthiessen's wonderful book Shadow Country for accounts of South Florida's "Ox Woman" and her two equally tall sisters. Check out pension files from the Revolution and the War Between the States, which often include soldier's heights--many exceeding 6 feet. As to the beds, historians have conducted a thorough study and concluded old beds are no smaller than their modern counterparts. The eye just perceives them to be smaller because of features like headboards, posters, and canopies.
3. Florida did not suffer many casualties during the War Between the States.
It is true, Florida was the "smallest tadpole in the dirty pool of secession," as one northern observer recorded. The Sunshine State did indeed have the smallest population in the South, and historians have correctly argued her primary contribution to the Confederate cause was a steady supply of food (primarily cattle) and salt. However, the people of Florida bore a disproportionately large human cost, losing fully one-third of her fighting age men to military casualties. The number may have been small compared to more populous states, but the percentage was tragically higher than ANY state (North or South).
4. Aaron Jernigan was the first American settler in this area.
Several pioneers staked claims to land here according to the terms of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, and three actually succeeded in perfecting their claims to receive title. Aaron Jernigan was only one. The others were his brother Isaac Jernigan and Orange County's early circuit court clerk Peter Hyrne.
5. Orlando was named for a soldier who was killed in action during the Second Seminole War.
Exhaustive research over many years has failed to identify any casualty by that name. There was a sugar planter named Orlando Rees who lived at Spring Garden up in Volusia County, who may have carved his name into a tree as a way of marking a trail through the wilderness in the early 1800s. When the first settlers arrived a generation later, they misinterpreted the tree carving as a grave marker. "There lies Orlando," they would say. And, so the name stuck. (And, a generation or so later, others attempted to give the name a Shakespearean origin. But, the less said about that, the better!)
6. The cities of Belle Isle and Edgewood were incorporated a year before Pine Castle.
Both Belle Isle (to the south) and Edgewood (to the north) incorporated in 1924, while Pine Castle received its state charter in 1925. But, there is ample documentation that Pine Castle actually incorporated a decade earlier in 1915. When town officials proposed floating bonds to finance improvements (including municipal utilities), residents in outlying areas objected and effectively seceded by establishing their own separate "cities." The State of Florida then issued Pine Castle a charter with smaller boundaries, and her neighboring municipalities went into dormancy. This dormancy allowed them to survive the Great Depression, which forced the Town of Pine Castle to dissolve in the 1930s.
7. The 1900 Union Church was the first real church structure in this area.
Florence Milton is actually credited with raising funds to build a Presbyterian church on the shores of Lake Jessamine in 1876. It accommodated 100 worshipers, but was quickly outgrown. The congregation decided to build their second structure downtown. It is known today as the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando.
8. Pioneer homes and buildings had lattice "skirts" to prevent wild hogs from seeking refuge under them.
There are tall tales of pioneer sermons being interrupted by squealing pigs beneath the Union Church in Pine Castle. But, they are just tall tales. Hogs were a valuable commodity and would not have been allowed to run wild. The lattice "skirts" were merely decorative.
9. The Seminole tribe were the area's first residents.
The Seminoles did not arrive in this area until the mid 1700s. The original residents were a tribe called the "Jororo," who were missionized by the Spanish in the 1600s. They were probably descended from the ancient Windover People who inhabited this part of Florida long before the pyramids were built in Egypt. Unfortunately, they were forced to abandon their native lands due to slave raids and pestilence, leaving a vacuum for the Seminoles as they fled American settlements in Alabama and Georgia.
10. This area was first named "Pine Castle" after Will Wallace Harney built a home by that name in the 1870s.
Harney himself noted the Seminoles called this area "Okehitanatchee," which he translated as "Land of Fair Waters." The first American settlers referred to the area as "Oak Ridge," a name that survives on road signs and elsewhere to this day.
11. There were no black pioneers in this area.
Former slave William Glover came to this area after the War Between the States to establish a farm that was recognized as one of the most successful in the pioneer era. Mr. Glover grew corn and cotton as cash crops, and planted a 300-tree orange grove. Many other freemen came here to work in the turpentine industry.
12. Hispanics had no significant presence here until recent times.
Many forget that Spain controlled Florida for over two hundred years, though it is true their influence was strongest in and around St. Augustine. But, several Spanish explorers and military expeditions visited the Central Florida frontier. A handful of Spanish priests even lived here as part of the effort to convert the native Jororo people to Christianity. And, both the Barber and Johns pioneer families had Hispanic roots.
13. Almost everyone in Pine Castle was a Baptist or a Methodist in the pioneer era.
It is true, these were (and continue to be) the two largest denominations. But, the first actual church was built by Presbyterians in 1876. The next structure was the "Union Church" of 1900, which was used by people of all faiths until 1912. The Cohen brothers were Jewish merchants who were shown as owners of a store lot when Will Harney subdivided his Pine Castle estate. The Bernards and Kaufmans were the most prominent Catholic families. And, the well-known "Aunt Ginny" Prescott was a Mormon.
14. "Pioneer Days" started in 1973.
Residents began celebrating area pioneers, recognizing them during the annual Orange County fair in the late 1800s. In 1942, a major celebration was held to mark the centennial of the Armed Occupation Act that brought so many of the first American settlers to this area. It included a parade through downtown Orlando, the largest contingent coming from Pine Castle. In 1973, the old Southern Garden Arts Center held a "Pioneer Day" celebration, a ONE-DAY event. It was so well-received, they expanded it to span one weekend per year. The tradition was maintained fairly regularly from that time by the old Pine Castle Center for the Arts and the Pine Castle United Methodist Church. In 2011, the festival was formally incorporated as an independent public charity with membership drawn from a broad spectrum of community entities.
To learn more about Central Florida's history and heritage, please join us February 21st and 22nd during Pine Castle Pioneer Days 2015 at Cypress Grove Park. (www.pinecastlepioneerdays.org)
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