1675-7 Brown's Hotel asps
.. .. . . . ..„.
Florida 1513 - 1913
ter ' Past, Present & Future
U. of Miami Library - Florida Room
ffF 311 .C46 V2 c2 Copywrite 1914
FLORIDA 711 _ _
i cad mastered the details of the busi- 7, 1913, and is now serving, proving capable, conscien-
noney -and gradually accumulating tious and public-spirited in the discharge of his duties. •
ii himself in business. He started On the nth of January, 1911, Mr. Barber married
)ut, being ambitious and energetic, Miss May Belle Patterson of Sarpy county, Nebraska,
tention to the development of his a (laughter of Joseph and Mary D. (Malino) Patterson.
-anded rapidly, its patronage growing The father was a successful civil engineer. The mother
',ortance until he was finally recog- was born in South America, her father having been
foremost men engaged in this line American consul to one of the South American coun-
For a number of years he derived tries. Mr. Barber is a member of the Baptist church
• from buying options on turpentine and fraternally is connected with the Masonic lodge.
lis holdings to the people who flocked He is still a young man but has already reached a
lgage in the turpentine business. A gratifying position in official circles and he possesses
enterprise and resourceful business in his ambition, his energy and enterprise the elements
earnestly,for the accomplishment of of continued progress and advancement.
;ng through many years of honorable
wealth and a distinguished position
In 1903 he severed his connection
wrests, disposed of his business and WILLIAM J. BRO\VN. .
life.
. carried, in 1885, Miss Lela L. Sur- William J. Brown, proprietor of the Hotel Biscayne
; and both are well known in social in Miami and controlling also an extensive plumbing
,munity. Fraternally Mr. Hillman is business in the city, was born in Glasgow, Scotland,
he Masonic order. He has many April 23, 1879. He is a son of Thomas and Margaret
ak, where he has made his home for - (Mean) Brown, the former a lighthouse keeper.
and where his constructive and pro- William J. Brown was reared in Scotland and there
influenced the developlment of one acquired his education. His early boyhood was spent
dustries in the state. in Glasgow and Edinburgh and in those cities he
worked for a short time at the plumber's trade. When
. • he was fifteen years of age he, accompanied by his
brother John, two years his senior, crossed the Atlantic
to America, landing in New York city. There he
LLIAM I. BARBER. • - obtained employment under his cousin, George B.
Johnson, who is still one of the leading plumbers in
,t progressive and enterprising young Brooklyn, and with him remained for a number of
in Kissimmee is numbered William years, becoming very proficient at his trade, which he
1 January 7, 1913, took office as tax mastered in principle and detail.
la county and has already proved his Mr. Brown came to Miami about 1903 and has ever
ity in the excellent results which have since been identified with the plumbing business here.
. s. He is a native son of'this section, For a few months he worked as a journeyman but soon
1887, his parents being Joseph aiid established himself in business and has since controlled
larber. a large and profitable enterprise, his trade constantly
icnt of an education William I. Barber increasing as his ability has become more widely known.
J public schools, but his advantages Mr. Brown. is today one of the substantial men of
re extremely limited for he laid aside Miami and in the course of years has made very
:early age of eleven years since which judicious business investments. In 1912 he purchased
dependent upon his own resources. the Hotel Biscayne, the leading commercial hotel in
. initiative and independence engen- Miami, and he devotes a great deal of time to its
pis time have remained as elements in management, having proven himself well qualified for
are important factors in his success his new duties.
°d at various occupations until he was Mr. Brown married, in Brooklyn, New York, Miss
yen obtained a position as clerk in a Margaret Johnson, a native of Belfast, Ireland, and
t for six years. At the end of that they have two children, Margaret and William. The
-mployment upon a cattle ranch,where parents beloi>g to the First Presbyterian church of
it 1912 when-he. was elected tax as- •Miami. •Mr. Brown is a member of the Tarpon and
i county. He assumed office January- Miami Clubs and fraternally is affiliated with the Be-
• T ..tective Order of Elks and the Masonic
'''n which ice belongs thenTemplar. orange growers in the state and by
is active in the Good Roads AssociationthKnights T well known practical methods, his hi
on.the Board of Trade and is his progressive a,,
amongalways to
great success has development
thendust and hitt r, ,
the leaders inbe found and value to the �`
o
progress. any work of advancement or develo something of ampo
He has not only in Since takinpg Pside a the industry.
things but has also woo the confidenceusucceeded
friendship valuablerS this residence here lfajd> Waw had .
has investedhextensivelygsin real estateaand
of those with whom he has been brought in Contac
and is one of h bhe has and representative men aha holdings in Orange count now ,;.
t purchased the Charleston block from
of the city. y and Orlando.. He�.;,:.�
the State Bank of Orlando, frontingJ. L. Giks.and
fifty feet on Orange oneehundred and
�� forty-nine feet g avenue and one hundred
on PineI and
and making it a modern,street, improving the building
MAJOR THOMAS another of his lots he builttheoGrand� slrheatrer
J. WATKINS, andlJx e
Grand Hotel at a total cost of sixty thousand dollars
Major Thomas the
J. Watkins, one of the largest orange t is f and
mciany
growers in the state of Florida as he as one of the interestsft
other frays has dune much in ter
ost prominent business menoof as wellel o, was bornfin e Hotel, the bestY• He is now a,i n the Gram!he
most prominent
situated above the hotels
Theater,thate will have
Calhoun county, Alabama, in 1859. is compl ed. inthe hasa after the
is a son of James P. and Mary (Walker) I-Ie work of repairs is completed. The
former a prosperous fanner in Calhoun Watkins, the five r
bama, and a of Civil war, rooms, most of them withhotel twenty.
Y, Ala- tastefully decorated throughout. private o baths, and is
Major Thomas veteranJ. Watkins t the acquired his education in set finest theg He owns one of the
homes in Orlando, Dixie, a beautiful residence
the public schools of Jacksonville and at Calhoun Col- tent, on midst of a tropical garden t
lege and after laying Jack his Jacksonville
books engaged Lake Lucerne. it is hands
gaged in farm- the best taste, the interior finishing,. go acres in ex•
ing for some time, afterward organizing the Bank of curly pine. onto]}' furnished in
Attalla, Alabama, in which he remained a director for
�' being all of Florida
a number of)'ears. In that city he also established the man, nee
a num], rof y becameay , onehof the leading1lanee as marriedughin t� e
Iia] ald, which that section of testate, d ii �` 3 Mrs. Lizzie of
and influen_ Ellis, daughter of I�cv, Cole
-
a
klater turning gentle in the Methodist Episcopal lchu cltlilliltuir clef-.
his attention from Wat- well known in social circles of ter h du, where their
or them
real-estate speculation, a buyingjournalism to qualities of mind and character have wow
able iron and coal lands the Birmingham min amounts
district. Major (Inc
Y b large amounts of vale- mans' friends.
Hel is stillnanred coal
in inrthe parts of Alabama hassesart active nth-religious ear. ...
a promoter and oro Watkins has served for
organizer, having as has ein the Methodist st es of his church. South.the ,r.:
building in his.home town and having otherwise (level- twenty-live year. .,.
k erected the bank has held all the high
oiled ng in est business interests. e he r for ears ,lt offices of his ian inlt in the .r.,r.
confidential pot a• confeseece.ki lie has not a politician rote the puri,.r
gent and purchasing agent for the Wood- affairs
seeking, he has always been interested co in ,
stock Iron& Company of
did able work Steel that capacity,Anniston,: athairs and while a )ul
11ab;un;t•and chairman of the democratic comity c•�rcettitc c��t
resident of Alachua hint} a :.
in Flow
1.
Major Watkins came to Florida in t< and aided in enforcing
Rochelle, Alachua coins eco and ]orated He was . the firs p, niary Wena,.
inbecamc ellcoAia with the U, where he immediately not the man who hitt elmad the iimit+ll t �.
buying firstrrtoatt ofp the that system
committee
exult his errintk
eight)• acres of orange �e growing industry,
dealer and a broker on extensive ovesale and alsocaedy b g adopt ic of h;elk,t in.
g He became a belongs
destructiveellend brofreeke he aneexteg to the Itof P thder and he is also t,•e,,,.i
DeSoto toner.,continuing his former line of work td with the Knights
Rochelle to Wesleyan h of Pythias. lie is a trustee .•r r
1.
a Sot andolucrativeconenroll Celle
shippingbut the Southern College located at
extending business. College of .Macon. Georgia, ;,,,,; . .
his interests. After theeducational
circlres
of :
He invested heavily in orange south Florida, and is well known instrongtioroh bitiles„f
h"`''�•,`� }::ere. =ening one of his
drei:• thousand dollars properties for Major Watkins t
seven }- one bun- a forceful an. ;•,• „ , is a i,r„hihiti,.f,i.
dr,:d and ],,,;stetears after
i at \c .; acquiring the <:�,ral tt•<,�,.,
hitt affairs x rtes. i Ic Contin 1'crance. ar.:? in <
^�r th• err.'.. ,.�
in I)c Soto county continued to conduct r:.:::;•:•:: t`
at the cru) of that time to unty for�tearc ae and uplifting ut l:� ;un er 4 .
resided. n cars, coining ions of humanity...;}:,.< i, .
Ile isand active in carrying tc.tho • Bei "
today known has since always doingout all his
as one of the largest well e•hat he sets out un,,! t,oe.
of varied and forceful interesl., nfto br,l,�'I an,l'uuk. .,
k •:Y'.i
..i,.`+,y.. :'}is