David Nathaniel Carlile (1804-1876)

 David Nathaniel Carlile (1804-1876) was one of the earliest settlers in LaGrange  having come from Jones County, MS with his wife Eliza,  at least by 1860.    The Federal Censuses list him as a planter on his land grant and a farmer.  He planted orange trees and his descendants were mostly either orange growers or cattleman.   One of their children was  Lawrence John Carlile (wife Louisa).  Their second son, James Wesley Carlile married Mary Vermell Osban. (M. Vermell was the daughter of Joseph Wheeler Osban & Margaret Susannah Nettles Osban who were living in Titusville in 1896 when their daughter, Gedidis "Jeddie" died and was buried at LaGrange Cemetery) whose 4th son was David Nathaniel Carlile (1905-1962)  Nat Carlile married Mattie Lou Carter. ( Mattie was the daughter of Orrin Oscar Carter and Annie Eliza Herring, who were living in the N Merritt Island area in 1885)  Their oldest child was Betty Geraldine Carlile, who married Thomas Harold Pulliam, Sr.   Beth  their oldest child, lives in Georgia and shared this story.

There are many descendants of David Nathaniel and Eliza Carlile still living in and around Titusville and we want to hear from you.   Please click comment and share your family stories

Stained glass window at LaGrange Church, dedicated to Louisa Carlile, wife of  Lawrence John Carlile 

African-American Pioneers of Titusville

Beginning around the 1880's  African-American settlers made their way to Titusville, Florida.  They made significant strides in establishing their homes, local community, churches, and businesses.  Andrew J. Gibson is noted as the first African-American resident of Titusville, FL.  Many others would soon follow to raise families, provide services to the community, and to seek a better life for their children through education.  Please take this opportunity to visit the memorials of some of the first African-American pioneers of the Greater Titusville Community

Andrew J. Gibson
William Henry Maxwell
Victoria Gibson Rodgers                                             
Sayde Lee Smith Gibson                                                 
Harry T. Moore
Harriett V. Moore
Joseph Warren
Bernice McDowell Warren
Butler Campbell
Andrew Jackson
Edward Daniel "E.D." Davis, Sr.
Benjamin F. Taylor
Mary C. Rogers
Bertha James Murray
John Leslie Joe
Milton Fayson
Mary Fayson
Collins Williams
Amos Bell
Arthur West

Andrew J Gibson

                                                                                               

William Henry Maxwell

Thank you to Kirk A. Davis for this post and the links to the memorials.

Guy Boyd was born the year before the Titanic sunk

Many of you may remember Guy Boyd, long time resident of Titusville who was with us until 2012 when he passed away at the age of 101.   He and my mom, Mary Pritchard Schuster,  were long time friends, she being born in 1914 and living to the age of 100 1/2.  She told me once that when they were in high school, the tradition was for the Juniors to escort the Seniors during graduation.  When Guy graduated in 1930 there were 19 in his class,  he asked her to escort him.  She was only a sophomore, was thrilled, and something she never forgot.  His graduation was also the day she got to wear her first pair of pumps.   

Guy's son Ron, was kind enough to share his father's biography with me and today's blog features excerpts from the biography 

Guy came Boyd to Titusville from Illinois in 1911 when he was six weeks old.  ( His birth date is 9-6-11)  William Howard Taft was president and life expectancy was 47.   An article in the NY Times reported food prices had increased 25% between 1911and 1912:   A dozen eggs: .30 to .40, 2 lbs of sugar: .12 to .14 bread stayed the same at .08 per loaf.  

He broke his arm badly when he was 13 and there was no hospital in Titusville.  The only Dr. had no x-ray, they took him to the local dentist, stuck his elbow up under the x-ray and started taking many, many 1 inch images.  Then these were put together to see how bad the break was.  If his arm needed an operation, he would have to take the train to a hospital in Jacksonville. 

Guy played football on the first team ever to play at Titusville High.  He said he had never seen a football game.  When a substitute came in, they had to exchange pads. They played Daytona Beach in that first game and lost 50 to 0.

In 1941 he leased and then purchased a Gulf Service Station that was then located just north of where City Hall now stands. He worked at this station for 35 years and retired in 1976. 

In 1947, Guy  was approached by some City leaders, to run for city council. The population at this time was about 1100 as he recalled. Guy said he wasn’t interested but when the leaders said Guy wouldn’t have to do any campaigning or spend any money, he agreed.  He was elected to a two year term and then re-elected to another term. He was elected Mayor during his second term.

         

He said the only memorable action he can remember during the council years was they changed the type of city government from Mayor to City Council.  There were five council members and he said he cannot recall anyone attended the meetings except the council members.  The salary for being a councilman was $5.00 per month.   At the time, the Mayor was also the City Judge.   During his tenure as City Judge, he can’t remember anyone coming before him except an occasional drunk. Some of the fines for law-breakers back then were:

1.    $5.00 for spitting on the sidewalk

2.    $5.00 for cursing in public

3.    $15.00 for lighting a gas lantern in the city limits.  Downtown Titusville burned to the ground in the late 1800’s because of this.

He started teaching Sunday School in 1942 at the original First Baptist Church in Titusville which was located on Palm Street behind the present First Baptist Church in downtown Titusville.  The property is now a parking lot.  And in 2012 was in his  69^th year of teaching Sunday School! 

Guy died Oct. 12, 2012 at the age of 101. and was buried at La Grange Cemetery where his wife is buried.   

In 1932, Guy Boyd married Lois Taylor, granddaugher of James A Taylor who settled in Shiloh in 1893.
Pictured L-R Ron Boyd, David Taylor(Lois' father) Lois Taylor Boyd.

Thank you Ron for sharing your dad's story & these photos.  Polly Schuster

House for rent $6 a month. Unbelievable?

House for rent $6 a month.  Yacht for sale $300.  Newspaper $1.50 a year,   

Unbelievable you say? 

Take a look at some 1880s advertisements from The Florida Star and compare goods and prices to today.

Our Past through Glass

Historic St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church has been serving this community since it's first service in May 1888.   At that time, it was bare bones.  There were no windows and no pews.   Tarpaulins covered the windows and at that first services when the "building was filled to overflowing" (Florida Star, June 7, 1888) and orange crates served as seats.   Over the next decade stained glass windows were installed and the church now has what is considered to be one of the finest collections of stained glass on the East Coast.   The windows tell not only the history of St. Gabriel's but also Titusville.   Names such as Titus, Hopkins, Parkinson, Pritchard and Burnham can be found in the memorials on them.   

 St Gabriel in memory of John Pritchard Capt James Pritchard's father
        On either side are in memory of Capt Pritchard's brother and son

                                 

In Memoriam
Henry T Titus
Founder of Titusville
Born Trenton NJ  Feb 13 1822
Died Aug 7 1881

                       

Mary Hopkins Titus' father

In Memory of
Mary Burnham
Born August 1st 1821
Died June 25th 1888
For 51 Year the wife of
Mills O Burnham
Lighthouse window is in Memory of Mills

Titusville's Secret Societies

Meeting times and locations of

Secret Societies published

in 1920 Star Advocate.

Does anyone else find humor in that?






















My great-grandmother, Mrs. James Pritchard was a charter member of the Pythian Sisters.  My grandmother, Mrs D.B. Pritchard(Miss Lovie) held every office possible up to the national level, and was playing piano and practicing drills with them up until about 2 weeks before her death at age 94

 Groups were always doing plays and productions.  This one by the Pythian Sisters was themed around different countries.   The Statue of Liberty at the top is none other then my grandmother. Love the costumes.
                                                                               

Both my great-grandfather and grandfather were in the Knights of Pythias

         Granddad's pin from Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias

                                                             Capt. Pritchard's Fez
                                                  Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan
                                                                       Pre 1926                                                                            

Budge & Bicycles

Frank T Budge married Frances Amelia Pritchard "Lee", daughter of Capt & Mrs James Pritchard on Feb 14, 1889 at St. Gabriel's here in Titusville.   In 1896, opened a new store in Miami, which was the first hardware store in Miami  after that Capt Pritchard bought the Titusville store  and it became James Pritchard & Son.

                                                                                 

My grandfather, Boud Pritchard & Frank's brother , Harry Budge in front of the hardware store 

Looks like they had their own bike path right on Washington Ave.  

 Thinking of how long it took for a picture back then, guessing it was a slow traffic day.  

 Can you imagine standing in the middle of US1 today to snap a photo of you and your friend with your bicycles?  

Prior to settling in Titusville, Frank T Budge lived in Orlando for a time.  This photo of Frank and friend was taken in Orlando.   I've always wondered- why the roller skates and the costume.