Pioneer Families
William Astor, the grandson of John Jacob Astor, bought 12,950.93 acres on the ST. Johns River from the Moses Levy Estate. With his partners, William S. Boyd and Richard McLaughlin, a 12,000-acre town site was laid out and named" Manhattan". Lots were 20 acres and square, surrounded by roads on all sides. The downtown section had normal lots. Buildings included a nondenominational church, schoolhouse, and a free cemetery till this very day. William Astor built the Astor Hotel in 1878, it included a Post Office and Clyde Line Steamship agency office. Soon the railway from Eustis to Astor was available. The Town was renamed "ASTOR" in 1884.
William Astor died in April 25, 1892, and John Jacob Astor IV inherited the land. When he died on April 15, 1912, on the Titanic, the land became property of son William Vincent Astor, who was not interested in it. He sold it in 1916 to the Duluth Land Company and it was marketed to the Finnish immigrants from Minnesota.
William Astor died in April 25, 1892, and John Jacob Astor IV inherited the land. When he died on April 15, 1912, on the Titanic, the land became property of son William Vincent Astor, who was not interested in it. He sold it in 1916 to the Duluth Land Company and it was marketed to the Finnish immigrants from Minnesota.
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In 1928, the Astor Hotel, where the Astor's docked their clipper ship
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The sinking of the Titanic, April 15, 1912
(see new found Letter fron a French person who survived the Titanic on index abve "yesterday and Today"
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that traveled from Jacksonville to Astor on the St. Johns River. The Hotel Burned down, most claim Upper Spalding Store was located on that spot. However, Barney Dillard remembers it being on the east side , near the store he bought in 1886.
From the Spanish Wars and the many changes in the name of the St. Johns (River of May, San Matao ) The River is still as mysterious and majestic and has delighted many with it's travels.
Yet hotel by the Astors was located in , Cuba.
From the Spanish Wars and the many changes in the name of the St. Johns (River of May, San Matao ) The River is still as mysterious and majestic and has delighted many with it's travels.
Yet hotel by the Astors was located in , Cuba.
Barney Dillard Legacy
The Barney Dillard Family photo circa 1900's
The Dillard Family
"Barney Dillard and Alice
As History has noted, Barney Dillard and his large family were the only Family to remain in Astor after the Big Freezes in the 1934 and 1935. With the loss of the most important crop of the area at it's time, everyone migrated to the south or to better conditions and work. Barney became a good friend of the noted Author, Marjorie Kennan Rawlings, using some of the yarns that Barney spun and his
famous "Slew Foot" Bear, which is pictured below.
Much has been stored about the Dillard family, and the St. Johns River Historical Society, Inc. is more than happy to share it at your request.
Email: [email protected]
famous "Slew Foot" Bear, which is pictured below.
Much has been stored about the Dillard family, and the St. Johns River Historical Society, Inc. is more than happy to share it at your request.
Email: [email protected]
Barney Dillard Jr Family
Barney Jr wedding announcement in 1979
Robert Neil Dillard Headstone
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Barney and Alice "65th" Wedding Anniversary
JS Dillards Headstone
Alice Dillards Headstone
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Famous "Slew Foot" Bear slain by Barney and written about in Marjorie Rawlings works.
Barney with his left arm missing. Barney's arm was shot off by his own son, as he was cleaning a pipe with a handkerchief and thought it was a turkey flying......true story.
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Marjorie Rawlings gift to Barney Dillard
The Original Book "Yearling" was signed and given to Barney Dillard who was a good freind of Marjorie Rawlings.
Hillma Dillard George's Recount of her past has been
Eliminated at the Request of her Family. |
Celebrating Hilma George's 87th Birhday
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Hilm Georges Mother's Wall Coffee Grinder sets at the Barberville Pioneer Village Museum, where many other of the Dillard and Astor artifcates.
Dillard's Rich Life in the Big Scrub Area Served as Literary Material for Marjoire K. Rawlings
People- LAKE REFLECTIONS - January 15, 1997 By Ormund Powers
Barney Dillard Sr. went to the Big Scrub area of
Lake, Marion and Volusia counties in 1866 when he was 4. He spent his life in
the Astor area as a farmer, citrus grower, student, poet, philosopher and
entrepreneur in several enterprises.
When Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was gathering material for her first book about Florida, South Moon Under, published in 1938, and later for" The Yearling", she relied on Dillard for much of the information she needed about the area. In
memoirs of the time, Dillard said he called the writer, "Merge" and said she they rode in her Model A Ford throught the Big Scrub area, known officially as the Ocala National Forest, serarching for local color and factual material.
Dillard said that many of the experiences narrated in the "Yearling" were actual eventes lifted from his own unusual life. He said it was he who was bitten four times by rattlesnakes, as mentioned in the book. Dillard said it was he who
followed the great, destructive bear Slewfoot for 50 years and was present at the kill, as reported in the book. The appearance of Rawlings in Florida was a major event not only in the history of Florida literature but also in that of
the nation. Allen Morris of Tallahassee says in his Florida handbook, "She brought into the Florida scrub, thousands of readers who had never known that such a place existed....By the time "The Yearling" came along, the presentation
of Florida pioneer people had been raised by Rawlings to an epic level. "When the Dillard family came to the Scrub following them were about 40 former slaves who had been freed but didn't want to part from the Dillards. The entourage
settled first in Salt Springs, in Marioon County, then moved to Volusia Landing on the St. Johns River in Volusia County. Later, some of the freed people wanted to return to Georgia and Alabama, and the Senior Dillard provided wagons and
mules to trqansport those people back there. As a young man, Dillard planted citrus groves and woked at building the St. Johns and Lake Eustis railroad, the first railroad to come from the North to Lake county. Dillard said he was the
first to mine phosphate in florida, and that he built the first phosphate plant in Polk County for Joe Hull of Savannah. He also said that, many years later, he got the idea of putting center stripes on road afte his car was hit almost
head0on and he was injured so badly that he was in bed for three months.
In 1888, when he was 26, Dillard married. He said he and his bide, Alice, were marreid at his parents' house. After a big
venison dinner for which he provided the meat. Dillard said he was taking the preacher home, he took his bride to their house and found a number of men there preparing to give them a shivaree (a mock serenade) through the night. I saw
she was worred," Dillard said, "so I put her to bed and went outside to the boys. I didn't have nothing but a jug of peach brandy, and I brought it out to them." I played the fiddle awhile, and played the banjo awhile and sang a few
songs." When I went in the bedroom, I saw she was asleep. I had a mind to kiss her,but I was afreaid it would wake her."
As a honeymoon presnet, a laborer who worked for them milked the cows and a fellow named Browlee fed the stock.
Alice Dillard, he said "was the prettiest thing in the world". They were married 66 years, until her death.
They had 15 children - nine boys and six girls.
Barney Dillard Sr. went to the Big Scrub area of
Lake, Marion and Volusia counties in 1866 when he was 4. He spent his life in
the Astor area as a farmer, citrus grower, student, poet, philosopher and
entrepreneur in several enterprises.
When Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was gathering material for her first book about Florida, South Moon Under, published in 1938, and later for" The Yearling", she relied on Dillard for much of the information she needed about the area. In
memoirs of the time, Dillard said he called the writer, "Merge" and said she they rode in her Model A Ford throught the Big Scrub area, known officially as the Ocala National Forest, serarching for local color and factual material.
Dillard said that many of the experiences narrated in the "Yearling" were actual eventes lifted from his own unusual life. He said it was he who was bitten four times by rattlesnakes, as mentioned in the book. Dillard said it was he who
followed the great, destructive bear Slewfoot for 50 years and was present at the kill, as reported in the book. The appearance of Rawlings in Florida was a major event not only in the history of Florida literature but also in that of
the nation. Allen Morris of Tallahassee says in his Florida handbook, "She brought into the Florida scrub, thousands of readers who had never known that such a place existed....By the time "The Yearling" came along, the presentation
of Florida pioneer people had been raised by Rawlings to an epic level. "When the Dillard family came to the Scrub following them were about 40 former slaves who had been freed but didn't want to part from the Dillards. The entourage
settled first in Salt Springs, in Marioon County, then moved to Volusia Landing on the St. Johns River in Volusia County. Later, some of the freed people wanted to return to Georgia and Alabama, and the Senior Dillard provided wagons and
mules to trqansport those people back there. As a young man, Dillard planted citrus groves and woked at building the St. Johns and Lake Eustis railroad, the first railroad to come from the North to Lake county. Dillard said he was the
first to mine phosphate in florida, and that he built the first phosphate plant in Polk County for Joe Hull of Savannah. He also said that, many years later, he got the idea of putting center stripes on road afte his car was hit almost
head0on and he was injured so badly that he was in bed for three months.
In 1888, when he was 26, Dillard married. He said he and his bide, Alice, were marreid at his parents' house. After a big
venison dinner for which he provided the meat. Dillard said he was taking the preacher home, he took his bride to their house and found a number of men there preparing to give them a shivaree (a mock serenade) through the night. I saw
she was worred," Dillard said, "so I put her to bed and went outside to the boys. I didn't have nothing but a jug of peach brandy, and I brought it out to them." I played the fiddle awhile, and played the banjo awhile and sang a few
songs." When I went in the bedroom, I saw she was asleep. I had a mind to kiss her,but I was afreaid it would wake her."
As a honeymoon presnet, a laborer who worked for them milked the cows and a fellow named Browlee fed the stock.
Alice Dillard, he said "was the prettiest thing in the world". They were married 66 years, until her death.
They had 15 children - nine boys and six girls.
The Lucas Family
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Tales from the River is the History of
the Lucas Family here in Astor. The Book is available on http://www.amazon.com Read about the Bluffton House on Places (above Index) |
The Saul Family
Hubert and Margaret - Sauls Fish Market
The Otis Lee Family
Pat's Island and the Yearling Trail, Ocala Forest
The Long Family
Old Bess, Mel Long's Favorite Hunting Dog, Pat's Island
Mel Long Hunted with the Juniper Club for many years.
Old Bess, who had her side torn some where on Juniper Creek
and a patch of skin the size of one's hand was hanging loose when
Mel Carried her to camp. One of our Doctors sewed her up the
wound with Melvin merely holding his hand on top of her head.
Hugh L. Nevin
Mel Long Hunted with the Juniper Club for many years.
Old Bess, who had her side torn some where on Juniper Creek
and a patch of skin the size of one's hand was hanging loose when
Mel Carried her to camp. One of our Doctors sewed her up the
wound with Melvin merely holding his hand on top of her head.
Hugh L. Nevin
The Original Picture of "FLAG" at Pat's Island
Powell Family
Buddy Powell and James
Jim Manniscalco
Bob Harper and Leilani Harper
An Original Home built by William Astor, for his accountant in the 1880's.
Home now the Floridian Inn Bed and Breakfast
Leilani and her husband had been in Astor for over 50 Years.
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Born in Honolulu, HI, where Leilani's Father, Chief Jack Walton was stationed and moved to Jacksonville, FL.
After being stationed in Jacksonville, they needed a man that could handle the bombing range in Astor, and Chief moved his family here in 1962. Chief, as he was referred to most of the time , passed away in 1992.
At that time the family resided in a small house on 445A, Astor Park area. Their friends at that time were Buddy and ____
Powell Family and Otis and Evelyn Lee.
Leilani attended Umatilla High School and attended the University of Florida. Leilani returned to Astor in 1975 after college and rented one of the apartments. Bob was a fourth generation Floridian pioneering in Fern Business in Pierson. In 1977 the house that was on Claire Street was in disrepair and came up for sale.
After being married in 1977 Bob and Leilani had just realized what they had purchased. With No electricity, bugs abound, they set out to make a beautiful home on the scenic St. Johns River, formerly owned by James Betterman. The information that was available came from long term resident, Evelynn Lee.
The Apartments were built in 95 during the time the fisherman invaded Astor. From Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama.
The house was never lifted, nor was it ever flooded. There was a time or two when you would have to wade through the yard, due to hurricanes, to get to the housel
Bob Harper died with a long struggle of cancer in 2009. Tired of renting the apartments to fisherman, the home and apartments were converted into a Florida Style Bed and Breakfast./with different styles to each room, from 1940 to 1960"s, the Floridian Inn is successful and busy all the time.
After being stationed in Jacksonville, they needed a man that could handle the bombing range in Astor, and Chief moved his family here in 1962. Chief, as he was referred to most of the time , passed away in 1992.
At that time the family resided in a small house on 445A, Astor Park area. Their friends at that time were Buddy and ____
Powell Family and Otis and Evelyn Lee.
Leilani attended Umatilla High School and attended the University of Florida. Leilani returned to Astor in 1975 after college and rented one of the apartments. Bob was a fourth generation Floridian pioneering in Fern Business in Pierson. In 1977 the house that was on Claire Street was in disrepair and came up for sale.
After being married in 1977 Bob and Leilani had just realized what they had purchased. With No electricity, bugs abound, they set out to make a beautiful home on the scenic St. Johns River, formerly owned by James Betterman. The information that was available came from long term resident, Evelynn Lee.
The Apartments were built in 95 during the time the fisherman invaded Astor. From Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia and Alabama.
The house was never lifted, nor was it ever flooded. There was a time or two when you would have to wade through the yard, due to hurricanes, to get to the housel
Bob Harper died with a long struggle of cancer in 2009. Tired of renting the apartments to fisherman, the home and apartments were converted into a Florida Style Bed and Breakfast./with different styles to each room, from 1940 to 1960"s, the Floridian Inn is successful and busy all the time.
View of the River from Back dock
