Sunland Tribune Volume 22 Article 1 2018 Full Issue Sunland Tribune Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune Recommended Citation Tribune, Sunland (2018) "Full Issue," Sunland Tribune: Vol. 22 , Article 1. Available at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/sunlandtribune/vol22/iss1/1 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sunland Tribune by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Table of Contents THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT By Kyle S. VanLandingham, President, Tampa Historical Society 1 CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. HOOKER: FLORIDA CATTLE KING By Kyle S. VanLandingham 3 "ALL HIS WANTS SHOULD BE PROMPTLY SUPPLIED": PERSIFOR F. SMITH AND THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER CAMPAIGN OF 1837-38 By Joe Knetsch 19 THE ACCIDENTAL PIONEER: CAPT. JIM MeMULLEN AND THE TAMING OF THE PINELLAS PENINSULA THE By Donald J. Ivey 27 SUNLAND SOME OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE HISTORY OF FORT BROOKE AND TAMPA TRIBUNE By James W. Covington 41 Volume XXII November, 1996 "DEFEATED IN WAR AND PEACE": THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY CAREER OF MAJOR EDMUND C. WEEKS Journal of the By R. Thomas Dye 45 TAMPA HISTORICAL SOCIETY TORIES OF THE LOWER PEACE RIVER VALLEY Tampa, Florida By Spessard Stone 55 KYLE S. VanLANDINGHAM THE ESCAPE OF JUDAH P. BENJAMIN Editor in Chief By Rodney H. Kite-Powell, II 63 1996 Officers "DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS": TAMPNS CRISIS OF LAW AND ORDER IN THE ROARING TWENTIES KYLE S. VanLANDINGHAM By Michael H. Mundt 69 President RUTH ELDER: ALL-AMERICAN GIRL OF THE JAZZ AGE RALPH N. BEAVER By Hampton Dunn 75 Vice President THE SUMMER OF'46 MARY J. BROWN By Gary R. Mormino 79 Secretary "VERY HARD TO BEAR": FLORIDNS FUTURE FIRST LADY LOIS LATIMER CATHARINE HART TRAVELS THE SOUTHERN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT Treasurer IN 1852 Introduction, Notes and Afterword by Canter Brown, Jr. 87 Board of Directors Paul E. Camp "TAMPA IS THE PLACE OF PLACES": THE WILLIAM G. FERRIS Claire Cardina FAMILY COLLECTION Jo Ann H. Cimino Introduction and Notes by Kyle S. VanLandingham 93 Lula J. Dovi Richard Jacobson OAKLAWN CEMETERY RAMBLE-1996 105 Frank R. North Scott L. Peeler, Jr. THE LONG, LONG JOURNEY OF THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER Paul R. Pizzo By Judy Dawson 109 Jan Platt Doris Rosenblatt LESLEY DIARY OF 1885 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION Bill Schricker RE-DISCOVERED Charles A. Brown, immediate past president By Donald J. Ivey 113 Headquarters MEET THE AUTHORS 117 245 S. Hyde Park Avenue 1996 D. B. McKAY AWARD Tampa, FL 33606 By Leland Hawes 118 Phone (813) 259-1111 1996 SUNLAND TRIBUNE PATRONS 119 TAMPA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP ROSTER - October 24, 1996 121 ÃÃ6WDWHÃ5RDGÃÃ Ã6DQÃ$QWRQLRÃ)/Ã Composition and printing completed by Ralard Printers, Inc. 33576 Ã Ã-2800 Front Cover: William B. Hooker, from an oil portrait by Homer Collins, photographed by Bob Baggett Back Cover: Hooker Family Monument, Oaklawn Cemetery, Tampa Photograph by Frank North The Sunland Tribune is the official annual publication of The Tampa Historical Society, distributed to members each year. Non-members may receive limited edition issues by contacting the Society at 259-1111. Individuals interested in contributing manuscripts for consideration should send them to the headquarters no later than July I of each calendar year. The Sunland Tribune Editor will review, accept or reject articles and will return all photographs and materials not selected for publication. All manuscripts should be double spaced typed pages and should include endnotes, and, in addition, captions for all photographs submitted. 3-1/2" disks will be the only media allowed. Any popular word processing program will be accepted. The Tampa Historical Society and the Editor of the Sunland Tribune accept no responsibility for statements made or opinions held by authors. The President's Report graves. In addition, with the assistance of the local government access channel, we produced a video tour of Oaklawn Cemetery. Our historical marker program continues to be one of our most important projects. The Society funded two markers, one at the site of the former home of pioneer John T. Lesley and one commemorating Central Avenue, the pioneer African American business district. We also dedicated a marker on Bayshore Boulevard in June. In August, the Tampa Historical Society helped to sponsor the dedication of the Tampa Historic Trail — the Eagle Scout project of Kip Zwolenski. The granite marker placed at the start of the trail at Ybor KYLE S. VanLANDINGHAM Square was funded by our organization. President We also held two historical programs for our membership in the fall of 1996. 1996 has been a very good year for the I would like to take this opportunity to Tampa Historical Society and it has been an thank my fellow officers and directors for honor to serve as president. their dedicated service throughout the year. In March we held our first annual Spring Finally, I am pleased to present the 1996 Festival at the historic Knight House where edition of the Sunland Tribune, our largest members and visitors enjoyed a number of issue since 1981. special exhibits. Respectfully, In April the Oaklawn Cemetery Ramble was one of the best attended ever. We dedicated three special monuments, two of which were funded by the Society. We also Kyle S. VanLandingham placed ten markers at previously unmarked CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. HOOKER: FLORIDA CATTLE KING By Kyle S. VanLandingham — Courtesy Florida State Archives In June of 1860, a group of pioneer residents makes his mark wherever he goes, as on an expedition of Peas Creek, noticed a well upon the earth and rivers and trees cattle crossing: of South Florida, as upon his numerous stock of cattle.1 At 7 o'clock we came to what seemed to be a crossing place for cattle. It had the By the summer of 1860, William Brinton appearance of being a kind of forceford, Hooker was the "cattle king of Florida," having two strings of log fences, made owner of over 10,000 head of open range in funnel shape, widening from the river beef cattle. If he had looked out from the to the pine woods. And such a fence! piazza or porch of his 33-room home on The reader will know but little about it Madison Street in Tampa and felt satisfied without further description. It was built with his accomplishments, Hooker could be of forks, and logs, log chains and trace excused. For over forty years he had played chains! One of our party being an a prominent role in the pioneer life of south observing man, remarked, 'That looks Georgia and Florida.2 like some of Capt. Hooker's work.' Sure enough, on our return, we learned that it William B. Hooker was born May 3,1800, in was one of his cattle fords. Capt. H. Montgomery (now Tattnall) County, Florida Constitution Memorial — Courtesy Florida State Archives — St. Augustine Florida Herald and Southern Georgia, the eldest child of Stephen and Democrat, January 23, 1843 Elizabeth (Brinton) Hooker. Members of the Hooker family had settled in Georgia before the American Revolution. He grew up in a major event in his law-enforcement career Methodist household in Tattnall County, a occurred in 1829 when Hooker was coastal wiregrass community about 60 miles commended by Gov. John Forsyth for west of Savannah. Stephen, the father, was a capturing a band of white rustlers. John farmer who on occasion experienced McDonald and the Stafford brothers and one financial difficulties. In 1816, he was forced Tucker had killed Indian Billy of Ware to acquire a liquor license from the Inferior County and stolen his horses. McDonald and Court to operate a tavern and thus the Staffords were apprehended and the supplement the family's income. How all stolen horses were retaken. A reward was this squared with Mrs. Hooker's strong then offered for Tucker who had fled over 4 Methodist leanings is not known.3 into Florida. In 1819, Bill received his first public office, Bill also had time to father an illegitimate ensign in the militia, and three years later he child, Winaford Henderson, July 10, 1827. served as coroner of Tattnall County. Still But he accepted responsibility for his unmarried in 1824, he joined his parents and daughter by taking her into his home and six brothers and sisters in a move to Appling rearing her. He also had her legitimized by County in south Georgia. In August of that the Georgia legislature with her name 5 year the Inferior Court appointed Hooker changed to Winaford Hooker. sheriff. In December 1824, Ware County was created from Appling, with the county Bill’s younger brother, James Tarpley seat at Waresboro, now a small community a Hooker, moved over into Florida about 1828 few miles west of present-day Waycross. and by 1830 the remainder of the family Bill Hooker became captain of the 451st settled along the Suwannee River in militia district at Waresboro in 1827 and Hamilton County. On August 1, 1830, at the thus first earned the title he was to carry the age of 30, William B. Hooker was married rest of his life. He was also elected Ware to Mary Amanda Hair, the daughter of County's second sheriff in 1828. Perhaps the William Hair. The following year, in — Tampa Florida Peninsular, March 10, 1855 In December of 1835, when war with the Indians was imminent, William B. Hooker joined Capt. John McLemore's company as third lieutenant. The company was composed mostly of Hamilton and Columbia Countymen. McLemore was initially headquartered at Fort Jennings, or Suwannee Old Town. By late December 1835, the captain and about 250 refugees John Irving Hooker, 1822-1862 abandoned the area and moved to — Author's Collection Newnansville.