The Three Seminole Wars, The Naming of a County And The Whites Begin To Arrive – Part II

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By Seth H. Bramson

Our last column brought us up to the late 1880s or early 1890s, when Elnathan Field and Ezra Osborne “lost their shirts” attempting to cultivate coconuts in the sand of the mangrove sandbar island on the east side of Biscayne Bay and we closed by noting that they had returned to New Jersey to see if they could find a pige—er, buyer—for that property. Before we step back in time for a moment, though, we should note that Field and Osborne—no dummies they—did keep the remainder of the extensive oceanfront properties which they had purchased from the State of Florida Internal Improvement Fund (IIF) running all the way from the tip of Key Biscayne to north of Jupiter. However, the moving backward for just a moment will be timely at this juncture.

In 1880 a Philadelphia industrialist, whose company name—the Disston Saw Company—is still in existence, heard about a wilderness called Florida and his agents noted that a huge tract of land, mostly in central Florida, was available for sale by that same previously reference IIF. Upon investigation Mr. Disston was able to determine that, indeed four MILLION acres of Florida land were ready for purchase. Disston approached the governor—William Bloxham—and “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

“Governor,” Disston said, “I know the state is near bankruptcy (following the less than Civil War, Florida and Mississippi were the last two states to be released from federal control following reconstruction) and, frankly, I believe that I can save you from declaring that indignity.” “How so?” the governor queried. “Very simple,” Disston declared. Showing the governor the map that his people had prepared, Disston laid it our very plainly.

“I am willing to buy all four million acres and will pay you—in cash—one million dollars.” Governor Bloxham, concealing his elation at knowing that he would become the chief executive who saved the state from default asked one question: “how soon can you have a bank check prepared for deposit in the state treasury,” to which Disston, smiling, replied, in less than a week. It was a done deal, and, indeed, Florida did not have to become a ward of the federals once again.

Understandably, I know that there are those of you who are in disbelief. “A million dollars for four million acres?!! For Neil’s sake, that’s twenty five cents an acre.” And it was. And, yes, there were the disbelievers, some of whom approached the governor and stated their distress, for which he had the simplest of replies. “We were,” he noted,” about a week away from default and besides the fact that Mr. Disston saved us, I didn’t see or hear of you or anybody else coming forward with any offer of any kind,” and that, dear readers, was the end of that discussion, asking only that you keep in mind what the present future value of money at that time, in that year, would be worth today. Indeed, it was a fine deal for all concerned!

Now, back to the matter at hand. Field and Osborne did return to New Jersey and cast about for several weeks attempting to locate anybody who would buy what essentially was distressed property and, eventually, they were directed to the South Jersey town of Merchantville, in which place it was suggested that they visit with “an elderly quaker and his son-in-law in their dry goods store who might have an interest in your proposition.” He did and they did, although it must be noted that the son-in-law was highly skeptical of the deal, which not only involved getting Southeast Florida with the railroad’s terminus was in West Palm Beach, but then having to get to the island by boat. In addition, Field and Osborne, while not looking to get rich, were absolutely locked in on a price of $1.25 per acre.

Even with the protestations of the younger man, the two prospective buyers made the trip, and assessing the island, the older fellow made it clear that he liked the idea of “buying this place.” His son-in-law, beginning to think that his father-in-law was daft, was even more convinced when, upon asking him what he planned to do with the island, the senior of the two replied, “why, turn it into a mango, avocado and papaya plantation and also farm potatoes.”

At that point in the story we must return to the mainland, where a good bit of progress had been made by very early settlers farming truck (produce), some winter vegetables and a starch called coontie (pronounced “coon-tea”). The Dade County Revenue (tax) Collector’s book for 1878 (this piece, safely ensconsed in The Bramson Archive is, according to both the Miami-Dade Public Library Florida collection and HistoryMiami, the oldest piece of marked Dade County memorabilia known to exist) contains the names of thirty-two families, among them the Sturtevant’s (Julia Tuttle’s parents, she not coming here until 1888 or thereabout, perhaps a bit earlier) and Mary Bulmer Brickell and her husband, William. The total tax collection for the entire huge county for that year was $3,600.00!

As time went on, Mrs. Tuttle and her children did arrive and she purchased the former army encampment known as Fort Dallas to be her and the family’s residence until her passing of influenza in 1898.

In 1896 both Reverend Solomon Merrick, with his wife and their family, including son George as well as Isidor Cohen, the first permanent Jewish settler “came to town.” In 1898 William Burdine and his family arrived (see “Burdine’s: Sunshine Fashions and the Florida Store,” published by The History Press or Charleston and available at Books and Books and Barnes and Noble as well as on amazon.com)

I know that, at this point, you are clamoring for more, and you shall certainly have it (“ask and ye shall receive!”) but patience, my friends, patience, as time and the tide (space, as it were) dictate that we conclude at this point. We will, of course, in the column after next, attempt to bring you up to one of the two most important years in Miami history, so kindly bear with us and we will see and be back with you shortness. Till then, only good thoughts and good wishes.

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