Arrowsmith and the Byrd Mansion

Claude Kennison, of Tallahassee, researched the Old City Cemetery burials.  His entry for William Lamb Arrowsmith includes:  

Religion:  Episcopalian

Profession:  Physician

Floridian:  5/12/85

Of England, Arrived at Morgan last Friday 

Rented Byrd Mansion on East side of Green Square and purchased Hopkins estate near Centerville; a suburb of Tallahassee, one of the best mansions.

Citation:  Floridian 4/02/1886

The Byrd home was located on Calhoun between Gaines and Madison--see map here.  It was built for Matthew Lively, a druggist, in 1865 and sold to Willie P. Byrd in 1882.  Willie's brother Thomas Blake Byrd moved to Tallahassee from Miccosukee in the late 1800s and lived there for many years.

The Byrd Mansion, c 1881
Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/10395

The Byrd Mansion, Early 1900's
Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/35620

Perhaps home was rented to Dr. & Mrs. Arrowsmith between Willie and Thomas Byrds' residency.  There is always more to find out, which certainly makes it interesting.

Photocollage of Lewis Green, Green Square and Calhoun St. North, c. 1894
Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/27596,  
Photographer:  Alvan S. Harper;

Sadly, Green Square no longer exists.  So far as I can tell (and I am directionally challenged, so forgive me if I am turned around), the Bloxham building was built on Green Square.  The Bloxham building was built in 1925 as the Caroline Brevard Grammar School and purchased by the state in 1964.  So far as I can tell, a parking garage occupies the former lot of the Byrd home.

Goodwood Grounds--March 29, 1961--Part One

Tomato Timbales

The dish for today from 365 Tasty Dishes for Every Day of the Year:

TOMATO TIMBALES

Tomato timbales are made by stewing down some strained tomatoes until quite thick, seasoning with salt, pepper and onion juice and putting away until cold.  To 1 cupful of this add 3 well-beaten eggs, mix thoroughly, then fill well-buttered timbale molds.  Stand them in a pan of hot water in the over or put into a steamer and cook slowly until firm in the centre as a baked custart would be.  This is a delightful luncheon dish.

Individual Timbale Molds (www.cheftoys.net)

Miami vs. Tallahassee

From the pages of a scrapbook devoted to poetry come the dueling poems.  "Miami" was written by C. H. B. Floyd in 1915. The following poem, "Tallahassee," was published anonymously in 1918, however a note in Hodges' distinctive script reads, "I wrote this in reply to one on preceding page".

Miami in 1915,
Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/32813

MIAMI

by C. H. B. Floyd

Miami is the conning towner of our world,--

The nations now begin to delegate

Their best to make this land's-end Home!

How near the center of the trade 

Of all  the earth she was before

The war!  Within three decades

After Berlin falls and our flag

In the black night of Germany--

The-damned, shines out

Like seven clustered pleiades

In August dawn in Florida

When all the sparkling east

Emerges from a thunder-storm,--

In forty winters' time will prove

That here, this very town,

That trembles at her half-guessed

Royal future,--here will be

The Carthage of the human race for ages;

Here the major-settlement of man,

Here the earliest town to win

A hundred million souls, the

Vastly greater sister-city

Of Calcutta--Miami, mankind's mother,

Friend of dying coal, Miami and her

Bridgegroom-Sun whose loving warmth

Depopulates the freezing Petrograds.

I like to fancy Destiny

Has made Miami home and advertised

Her choice by this,--that now

She is the home of that one man

Who as the master-intellect 

Of living men; and also now

She is the home of the most beautiful,

The very loveliest woman in the world!

I saw her leave the

Pullman-car last night

And kiss her father and her mother.

"That is the greatest city

Which contains the fairest women."

With purity and joy.  A light,

Like prayer made visible, glowed

On her eyes and cheeks and lips--

She is

The spirit of Miami mirrored in the flesh.

Goodwood grounds, c 1918

TALLAHASSEE

by William Cabot Hodges

Our Poet Laureate has sung a song

Of fair Miami and likened her to Carthage;

By his graceful pen this new and Glorious city,

Is ever warm--the friend of tourists

From far and frozen Petrograds.

Let one unknown, who dabbles not in verse,

Tell of another town--we'll call it Rome,

Not Carthage;

Built high upon the hills,

Its gardens grown with rare old roses,

And heliotropes and brighter annuals;

Where cool winds make one still know

The calendar of four seasons--and not eternal

Summer:

Where on Sunday evenings church bells

Chime from ivy mantled towers their orisons

To quiet village folks,

And lead them to dwell on future things.

Long, long ago, almost too long,

A traveler visited both Rome and Carthage,

Two thousand years beyond their prime, and found,

Rome, rose laden, touched with now and then

A wintry wind, imperial still, --

But Carthage, supine upon her heated sands,

Had never been re-built and prostrate lay:

And when some one two thousand years from now,

Looks at these two replicas of Imperial cities,

Which one will remain?

The one that stretches its great arms beside a

Summer sea upon the sands in eternal summer,

Or the one that nestling among the roses, in

The hills, cooled by the winds from far away

In each breath of fragrance sighs contentedly

This is Home.

Great

From Hodges' scrapbook, c. 1938:

Station WRUF

Red Barber began his career in 

broadcasting at UF's station WRUF, 

1930-34

In 1933, the State of Florida considered the sale of the Gainesville state-owned station WRUF (Radio University Florida) due to increasing costs of operation. The State of Alabama had, in 1932, sold its WAPI station for the same reason.  Senator Hodges, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, asked that a delegation be formed to make a trip to Gainesville to "examine the station, its investment or commercial income possibilities and report back recommendations to the Senate." 

The Resolution for the delegation, introduced by Senators Hodges, Gillis and Parrish, read:

Whereas the report of the Budget Commission recommends the discontinuance of the University Radio Station, known as WRUF, and the lease of the same to private parties, and whereas, this is recommended by the Budget Commission to save appropriation by the State for the continuance of this station, and whereas, it has been represented to the Chairman of the appropriation Committee that this station can not be leased advantageously at this time, if at all, and to fail to appropriate proper moneys for the continuance of this station will cause this station to lose its place on the air:  Therefore be it resolved by the Senate of Florida:  That a Committee of five Senators be appointed by the President of the Senate to visit at their own expenses the said Radio Station and make inquiry of those having charge of the same into the actual amount of money it would take by State appropriation to continue this station as it now exists and as a State activity and ascertain whether the operation by dividing its time with Commercial Advertisers and report to the Committee its findings in writing to the Appropriation Committee of the Senate so the Committee can be advised as to what is proper to be done in this matter and the expenses instant thereto.

An editorial had this to say about the situation:

And speaking of Radio Stations, its was brought out on the Senate Monday that the State-owned WRUF at Gainesville is a big money loser, and that its disposal should be considered... It is singular that the Jacksonville Station, WJAX, was once property of the Times Union.  That was in the early days of Radio development.  The Times Union owned the wave length and such mechanism for broadcast purposes as the day afforded. After a time it was decided to give the station to the City if it desired to take it and develop it... It goes without saying that today the Times Union would like to have WJAX back again, as would many other newspapers over the country which owned the original wave length and disposed of them after a time to private or public auspices.

The delegation, with Hodges as head, comprised of Senators MacWilliams of St. Augustine, Turner of Cedar Key, Parrish of Titusville, and Anderson of Quincy.  By special invitation, Senator J. Maxey Dell of Gainesville, attended inspections and the hearing.    

The committee arrived in Gainesville at 6 p.m. and immediately inspected the station.  At 9 o'clock the committee dined at the White House Hotel and "discussed operation of the station with Major Garland Powell, director of WRUF."  In the morning, they returned to the station for the hearing, which dealt with "the advisability of continuing operation of the station on state subsidy or leasing it full or part time to a commercial broadcasting company".  After the hearing, the committee visited points of interest on the campus. They were back in Tallahassee by noon and made no comment to the press.

On May 11, the committee urged the continuance of WRUF State Radio Station.  "The committee found the station to be a well constructed and well equipped station of 5000 watts, and that the cost of operation of such a station averaging 10 hours a day to be $281,100 annually.  The Gainesville station, however, operates 11 1/2 hours a day at a total of only $39,237, with part of the money going back to the students."  

The committee reported that "the station broadcasts crop reports, weather and police reports and like matters of value to the farmers and truck growers of the State."  It was important to keep the station because "one farmer out of every twenty in North Florida owns a radio set, and in the central and southern sections in the citrus and vegetable areas, one farmer out of every five owns a radio set.  These farmers check in through the station for market reports, storm and frost warnings daily."  In conclusion, the committee felt that "failure to continue that station would be equivilent to junking $109,521.70 of equipment, losing for Florida's strongest station its place in the air, and depriving farmers of valuable information."

Not all were happy with the decision.  A South Florida editorial entitled, "End This Disgrace," had this to say:

Seldom has this state seen such a pitiful white-wash attempt as that by a selected committee of the state senate to make it appear that the state radio station WRUF at Gainesville is a state necessity and entitled to an increase in its wasteful annual appropriation.  The report made itself ridiculous by attempting to have its readers believe that WRUF operated for $39,237 a year the same type of program that would cost a commercial station $281,000 to produce.  The report failed entirely to take into consideration the fact that the only useful function WRUF serves is the broadcast of weather and market reports, and that this is available only for the extreme northern and western part of the state.  

Because of the equipment and geography south Florida gets WRUF only with indifferent success.  As a matter of fact in some seasons, we cannot get it at all.  The best  reception for this station is in the Middle West, and why Florida should spend a lot of money to advise Middle Westerners of the price of beans and the condition of the weather is a profound and unexplained mystery.

The suggestion of the budget board should be followed.  That was to lease the station to commercial companies and reserve only so much time as is needed for the state.  Let the state stand on its own bottom, like other commercial activities.  It is time to put an end to the subsidizing by the state of such private money-making schemes as this station has produced, to the detriment of Gainesville and the disgrace of the rest of the state.

Age old arguments:  private enterprise vs. public investment, and one end of the state vs. the other.  Today the station is run by the University of Florida as "Sports Radio 850".  (The primary sources for this post are a series of clippings in Senator Hodges' scrapbook.)

The White House Hotel (where the delegation dined),
 originally built as a girls' dormitory for the East Florida Seminary
before conversion to a hotel, best known for its fine dining.  Demolished in 1962.
Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/155652

Exterior of Main House, 1958

From a series of photographs taken September 7, 1958:

That Algebraic Symbol "W. C. Hodges"

State Senator William C. Hodges

From a 1933 clipping in Hodges scrapbook.  There is no indication who wrote this or, really, why he or she felt called to do so:

What did that algebraic symbol "W. C. Hodges" equal in your mind?  No doubt those letters so arranged made no especial impression on you--called up no particular image.

But I saw a man with the bayonet irony of Tom Reed, the lean figure of Dante, and the face of Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke, or more like, the face of King Charles 1st from the portrait of Vandyck.  A man with the lean frame of an Indian chief and the brain of a Voltaire.  In some sort of Byron's lines come to me:

"His folding cloak

Around him folding,

Slow swept he through

The columned aisle,

With dread behold,

With gloom beholding

The rites that solemnized the pile."

His nature is rich in the way that the English nature is rich.  Many peoples, Danes, Angles, Saxons, Romans, Normans, Spaniards, Frenchmen, Greeks, Italians, have contributed in blood and in thought to the nature of the Englishman.  So from many different influences that have enriched the nature of W. C. Hodges.  The rain of art has fallen upon his soul and the moonlight of poetry and the sunshine of logic, and over it has risen the river of philosophy leaving an alluvial deposit from which his spirit harvested treasure.  He, too, "has been a diver in deep seas and keeps their fallen day about him."*  He is a connoisseur of roses and poems and beautiful women, but his intellect is masculine and of the best.  Toledo steel nicked with many combats.  "He has fought with gods on the ringing plains of Troy."*

I see his contemplative arresting face, pale, distinguished and haughty, clearly painted against the dark background at the funeral of Judge Raney and I note that out of that gathering met there to pay their last tribute of respect to the Prince of Florida--except one man alone, the powerful face of W. C. Hodges crowned by his fine eyes filled with introspection, suggested to the observer that here was the most interesting and powerful and distinguished intellect present in that gathering of the nobility of the state.

I cannot adequately convey to you a sense of his superb audacity and intellectual insolence, his defiant, triumphant, unconquered, victorious, exultant spirit!  His laughter is like a cave squirming with rattlesnakes and hooded adders into which cave his enemy has fallen.  It might be that on one of his visits to the south of Europe, the spirit of one of the old Roman diplomats has possessed him.

I admire him.  He has charm.  His intense nature burns with a swift white flame, hot enough to vaporize a diamond in a moment.

He is a cosmopolitan individual and he speaks the universal language.  The appetite of his mind for ideas is voracious and he ploughs deep, and when he shoots you the bullet is steel jacketed and drills through flesh and bone like a steel rod goes through American cheese.  It takes a long time and many experiments to make such a shining individual, which such poise, and bravery and authority and wit and power.  His smile is a sunlit pillar of cloud that glistens always over Tallahassee, and occasionally from this could a zigzag arrow of lightning reaches out and stabs a prominent citizen with fatal results.  He is a perfect aeroplane loaded with high explosives, hovering over London. 

The bayonet irony of Tom Reed (Thomas Brackett Reed,
speaker of the House of Representatives, 1889-91 and 1895-99)

The lean figure of Dante

The face of Henry St. John, Viscount Bolingbroke

Or more like, the face of King Charles I by Van Dyck

*"Has been a diver in deep seas and keeps their fallen day about him."
     from Mona Lisa by Walter Pater
*"He has fought with gods on the ringing plains of Troy."
     paraphrased from Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Ponce de Leon Discovers Florida

A clipping from one of the Hodges' scrapbooks:

Addison Burbank's mural for the Florida building at the Chicago Century of Progress exposition.  The painting, which is 10 feet 3 inches by 10 feet 9 inches, represents Juan Ponce de Leon at the moment of first setting foot on Florida soil and naming new land for its flowering beauty.  This first important event in United States history took place on Easter morning 1513.  Ponce de Leon, who came to the new world with Columbus on his second voyage in 1493 and remained as governor of Porto Rico for 20 years, was searching for the fabled "Fountain of Youth" said to be on the island of Bimini, when his ships touched the mainland of America somewhere near St. Augustine.  Mr. Burbank represents the aged adventurer as a visionary tinged with fanaticism.  He catches the spirit of Florida in its translucent light and by the inclusion of such tropical vegetation as the cocolobo, opuntia and papaya.  The Indians in the picture are of the Caloosa tribe, the aboriginies of Florida.  The painting will be hung permanently in the Florida state capitol after the world's fair.

Hodges was very involved in the Century of Progress exposition.  More clippings and photographs will be included in future posts.

Glossary:
Cocolobo:  The seagrape tree, which grows in south Florida.  For more see here.
Opuntia: The prickly pear.  For more see here.
Caloosa Tribe:  Lived on the southwest coast of Florida.  For more see here.

W. C. Hodges Early Career Successes

Clippings tucked into one of Hodges' scrapbooks:

Note:  The salary of $3,000 was quite good in 1899 or 1900.  The Bureau of Labor inflation calculator only goes back to 1913.  $3,000 in 1913 is equal to $69,640.91. 

Main House Interior, 1958

This is part of the a series of photographs taken on September 7, 1958.  

This is the back parlor, with the black bookcases removed. Margaret's portrait hangs above the cabinet (which is now upstairs).  The rosewood furniture has been moved into this room with the black marble table in the center.

Another view of the back parlor.  The look is very clean and uncluttered.

On to the front parlor:  The "Marie Antoinette" table takes its usual place in the center of the room.  There appears to be a fireplace insert.

 Looking toward the back door:  Two empire tables, topped with lamps, face one another.  The Venetian glass chandeliers are in place.  There are at least three sculptures in sight.

Looking toward the front door:  The 17th century table is in its usual place with the ornate carved chairs flanking, however the liquor cart is missing. 

Nettie Hall Austin

In 1915, Nettie Hall Austin gave W. C. Hodges a small volume of Mark Twain quotes.  She signed her name, making note of the fact that she lived in Hannibal, Mo., "Mark Twain's home".

Who was Nettie Hall Austin?  In September of 1922, The Missouri Herald of Hayti, Missouri, announced, "Near East Relief Confers Distinguished Honor Medal Upon Mrs. Nettie Hall Austin, Presentation is Made by Admiral Robert E. Coontz On Behalf of National Organization--Impressive Ceremonies Held in Connection with Opening Session of American Legion State Convention in Hannibal."  To sum it up, Southern Russia, due to war and famine, was experiencing a wheat shortage. Mrs. Austin organized an effort to send food to over 110,000 starving orphans.  The photograph of Mrs. Austin is very grainy but does show a very attractive, fashionably dressed young woman.  The article continues:

Mrs. Austin is one of the best known women in Missouri.  She was born and reared in Hannibal, and for the past fifteen years has spent her time in her native town, St. Louis and Jefferson City.  Mrs. Austin was prominently connected with politics of the State, being the associate of the late Hon. John A. Knot, editor and owner of the Hannibal Journal.  She served in several capacities at a number of sessions of the legislature and was secretary in a number of political campaigns.  Among which she was secretary to Joseph Shannon, James A. Houchin and former governor Joseph W. Folk. During the war, Mrs. Austin was in charge of the stenographic force of the food administration.  Resigning that position to go with the publicity department of the United States Navy, which position she resigned three years ago to go overseas with the Near East Relief.  

During her leave of absence, Mrs. Austin is telling the story of the Near East, illustrating her talk with slides made from pictures she took with her Kodak.  

Mrs. Austin expects to return overseas the latter part of October or the first of November.  During her stay in her native state, she will assist the Near East Relief in telling the people of Missouri the story first hand.  Mrs. Austin is pointing out the necessity of food supplies and clothing for the Near East Relief work, prior to the first of December, as it is impossible to get supplies in after December, as the snows close all traffic and it remains closed until the first of March.  The Near East Relief has 110,000 children under its care who are wholly dependant upon America for food, clothing and shelter.  

... Mrs. Austin will visit every county in Eastern Missouri district before she returns overseas.

The Daily Missourian reported, on May 17, 1917, that she was the only woman political reporter in Missouri.  She must have been a force of nature, and a real character.  The last reference I can find of her is as a 37-year-old married woman boarding (apparently without her husband) the Presidente Wilson in Patras, Greece, 1923.   To quote Nettie Hall Austin:

• Old people and children are natural and frank.  The rest of are what the other fellow wants us to be.
• Genius is only a little talent, tacked on to a mighty lot of work.
• A professional never exploits his talent.  Only the amateur wants to perform on any and all occasions. 
• The wife who lives with a husband for whom she has no love or respect, simply for the sake of having spending money, a home, and a good time, is a legalized prostitute.

The Grand Old Estate of Major Arvah Hopkins

From the Goodwood Library:  This annual is a collection of papers read at the Tallahassee Historical Society's meetings during the year.  Goodwood is featured in the paper, "Literary History of Leon County" by W. T. Cash, delivered February, 1935.  Excerpts follow:

Settlers from the states began to pour into the present Leon county soon after the site of Tallahassee had in 1823 been chosen as the location of the future capital of Florida.  These settlers (at least many of them) were not of the ordinary backwoods type, but they were men and women of culture, among them were such families as the Calls, the Duvals, the Willises, the Randolphs, the Crooms, the Butlers and the Browns...

Among other things (George M.) Barbour (in 1879-1880) says of Tallahassee and the surrounding country we find the following:  "One beautiful day I rode out to 'Goodwood', the grand old estate of Major Arvah Hopkins, several miles out of town.  This residence was well worth visiting, because it affords a striking evidence of how elegantly the old-time planters enjoyed life.  Erected in 1844, it comprises numerous buildings ranged around a large square in the rear, used for laundry, cook-house, milk-house, saddle and harness house, etc.; and the spacious surrounding grounds are laid out in park-like style, with paths and lawns and innumerable strange plants, ferns and flowers."

Also mentioned in this article is Susan Hopkins' niece:

Mrs. Nicholas Ware Eppes' book "Through Some Eventful Years", published in 1926, tells much of the story of her life, and in it interweaves a great deal of the history of the period.  This book is not only interesting to the student of biography, but one gets much excellent material pertaining to affairs in Leon county before and after the Civil War.  Mrs. Eppes' other book, the Negro of the Old South, is the only one of its kind ever written in Florida.  As the author was fifteen years of age when the war broke out and a bright and trained observer, and as her father owned a large number of slaves, she has a right to know much of the subject about which she has written...

Our Yesterdays

credit: Library of Congress

In this Hodges' scrapbook are the words of the song, "Our Yesterdays", lyrics by Francis Lake and music composed by Herbert Leslie.

I've spent far too much time in an unsuccessful attempt to embed the audio clip.  Instead of pursuing that any further, I will simply post the link to the Library of Congress where you may hear a 1919 recording of the song, sung by Elsie Baker.  If you would like to hear more of Elsie Baker's recordings, The Internet Archive has several recordings.

OUR YESTERDAYS

The world moves along with its sorrow and song,

We live in a land of dreams;

The troubles we share, disappointments and care

But quicken the joy, it seems.

We list to the rhymes at the thought of old times,

That memory's spell betrays;

And on her swift wings comes the maker of things,

The dream of our yesterdays.

It's often the past that we love most at last,

Althought it comes back through tears;

The pleasures of now, they are sweeter, somehow,

When seen through the glass of years.

A love-light of old, like a rainbow of gold,

A picture of youth portrays;

And like some sweet song we are drifted along

To dream of our yesterdays.

The Ranks and Dignities of British Society

From a charming little volume in the Goodwood Library, A Book Explaining the Ranks and Dignities of British Society, published in 1809 and, though there is no author's name given, the book is attributed to Charles Lamb.  Our copy is inscribed, "Maria Hardy, 1816, Loughborough".

Excerpt from the chapter on Court Dress:

The court-dress for ladies is now distinguished only by the hoop, lappets, and full ruffles; for the mantua is now made exactly like any other open gown, and differently in shape before, according to fashion of the year:  the petticoat also is plain or trimmed, according to the fancy of the wearer.  The most general form is the one followed in the plate; of late, it has been more the fashion to have the petticoat, both the drapery and the under part, of the same colour as the gown; but a coloured drapery over a white petticoat prevailed for many years, and the drapery was even often of a different colour from the gown. Velvet, sattin, silk, crape, and gause, are the only materials allowed for ladies' court dresses; the lappets are sometimes of black lace, but oftener the same as the ruffles of fine lace or blonde. Court dresses are trimmed, and often embroidered with gold and silver; and artificial flowers are much used for ornamenting the petticoat. Feathers are not reckoned a necessary part of a court dress; but young ladies very seldom go without them, and they are are supposed to be under dressed if they do.  In deep mourning, ladies wear a black hood, put on as it is represented in the plate.

Glossary:

• Lappet: A decorative flap or loose fold on a garmet or headdress
• Mantua: A woman's garment of the 17th and 18th centuries consisting of a bodice and full skirt cut from a single length of fabric, with the skirt designed to part in front to reveal a contrasting underskirt

The Hathi Trust has a digital copy of this book.

Whitehair: Potent Lawyer with Powerful Connections

From Hodges' scrapbook:  Henry Balch, Executive Editor of The Orlando Sunday Sentinel Star wrote a long article, "Youthful Barrister And Political Boss Has Plenty on Ball, 38-Year Old DeLand Leader Well Known Thruout State as Potent Lawyer With Powerful Connections," encouraging Francis P. Whitehair to enter the 1939 race for Governor of Florida (Senator Hodges and Spessard Holland were also to be on the Demcratic ticket).  He ends with this list, which fascinates me:

"He is:

1. An A No. 1 lawyer
2. A citrus grower
3. Political boss of Volusia County and friend of the mighty in Tallahassee and Washington
4. A man of substance with a fine personal reputation who can well afford to make the race without soliciting undesirable support and with a burning desire to serve Florida without becoming a multi-millionaire at the expense of the taxpayers.  In other words, he's honest, moderately wealthy and doesn't have to steal.
5. Father of an attractive family
6. A practical politician who has attended the last nine regular sessions of the Florida Legislature as well as all special sessions since 1923 as an observer and lobbyist.  HIS YOUTH HELPS
7. A young man (he'll be 39 Oct. 1)
8. A God-fearing man.  (He's a member of the First Christian Church).  He's also past exalted ruler of the Elks, belongs to the Masons, chamber of commerce, Florida and American Bar Associations, and all other organizations a man who is going somewhere in politics should be identified with.
9. A good business man
10. A good sport.  He took the DeLand ball team over when it was broke and disorganized and spent enough money on it (so much he keeps it a secret from his wife) to give the town a winner.
11. A fine extemporaneous speaker who disdains planned talks and refuses to use notes.
12. A vigorous personality with decided opinions on affairs of State but a great willingness to listen and counsel with friends and more experienced acquaintances.
13. A handsome fellow who would make a hit with the feminine vote with his courtly manner, pleasant smile and robust physique.  (He looks a bit like Clark Gable, except that Gable is taller and won't allow the gray hairs to show at the temple as Whitehair does.)
14. Keenly alive to all the abuse and trouble he will run into if he decides to listen to the pleadings of his friends but courageous enough to take it and fight back, confident enough not to worry and sure enough of his record to laugh off the mud-slinging any gubernatorial candidate has to weather.

W. H. Smith & Son's Subscription Library

As I've been cataloguing the books, I've come across a number marked as purchases from W. H. Smith & Son's Subscription Library of London.  Given the dates, I suspect that these books, the subjects of which range widely, came here with Dr. Arrowsmith.  

Founded as a news vender in 1792, W. H. Smith & Sons was handed down through generations of the Smith family.  In 1860, they began lending library which continued for 101 years.  The company itself is still in business.

While in London, Dr. Arrowsmith's address was 22 Gordon Square.  The lending library's main branch was located at 186 Strand.  According the Google Maps, Arrowsmith would have had only a 2.5 mile walk to exchange or purchase books. Here is the map of London showing a route from Gordon Square to the Lending Library.  The actual address of 186 Strand appears to have fallen to progress, so the route is an approximation.

According the advertisements of the day:

1. This Library is established in connection with Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son's numerous Railway Bookstalls; it embraces all the most important Works of History, Biography, Travel, Fiction, Poetry, Science, and Theology, as well as the leading Magazines and Reviews.  
2. It affords greater advantages to subscribers than any other existing library, from the fact that there are over 500 bookstalls in England and Wales, and to any of these Depots a subscriber may be transferred free of charge.  
3. Subscribers can only change their Books at the Depot where their names are registered, but they may transfer the place of exchange by giving notice to the Clerk in Charge of the Depot at which they obtain their Books.  Of the current Periodicals one only at a time is allowed to a Subscription under Five Guineas, and Subscriptions will not be accepted if the supply is to consist chiefly of Magazines and Reviews.
4. The Books are delivered at the Bookstalls, carriage free.  A Subscriber may exchange once a day; the Clerk in Charge will obtain from London any work in the Library (providing that the same is in Stock when the order reaches the Strand) which a Subscriber may desire to have.  Novels exchanged only in unbroken and complete Sets.
5. London Subscribers transferring their Subscriptions to a Country Depot will be entitled only to the number of volumes which the country terms assign to the amount they subscribe; similarly, Country Subscriptions transferred to the London Termini become subject to the London Regulations.  See terms below, Section No. 1.
6. Subscriptions may commence at any date, and are payable in advance at any of the Railway Bookstalls.
7. Messrs. W. H. Smith & Son beg to impress upon their Library Subscribers the fact that, to insure the supply of the number of volumes desired, it is necessary, in all cases, to give a list comprising the titles of many more works than the number required for exchange....(prices and plans follow)

Death Claims Solon's Mother

Eva Hodges (3rd from left), Senator W. C. Hodges (4th from left)

Excerpts of articles from Hodges' scrapbook regarding the death of Eva Parker Hodges.  "Death Claims Solon's Mother":

Tallahassee, April 17 (AP)--Mrs. Eva Parker Hodges, mother of State Senator W. C. Hodges of Tallahassee, died in a hospital here today.  She had been ill a month.  Mrs. Hodges, known throughout the state as "Mother" Hodges, was 87 years old...

Another, untitled:

Two thousand persons attended the Tuesday funeral of lovable "Mother" Hodges, the respected mother of Senator William C. Hodges.  It was held at Goodwood, the beautiful estate on the eastern edge of Tallahassee and there were at least two freight cars full of flowers from friends. 

And this, with original typos, "Mrs. Eva Hodges Is Buried Here, Large Funeral Given Senator's Mother":

Florida's capital gave one of its largest funerals yesterday to Mrs. Eva N. Hodges, 86-year-old mother of Senator William G. Hodges, who died early Monday.  The attendance was swelled at simple services held at Senator Hodges' home Goodwood, by senators and representatives from the Florida legislature, which is in session.  Legislative machinery was stilled at the 4 o'clock funeral hour.  The Rev. Jack Anderson of Trinity Methodist church, assisted by Dr. Luther Rice Christie of the First Baptist church, conducted the funeral.  Burial was in Oakland cemetery.  The pallbearers were Senators Sidney A. Hinely, J. Slater Smith, R. Stanley Adams, J. Turner Butler, H. G. Murphy, D. Stuart Gillis, J. J. Parrish and Pat Whitaker.  Mrs. Hodges--known to many of the state's lawmakers and others as "Mother" Hodges--had lived here with her son for nearly 50 years.  Added to the other tributes paid to the memory of Mrs. Hodges was a memorial adopted at a regular meeting of the Kiwanis club yesterday.

Excerpt from another article, "Tributes Paid By Legislators To Mrs. Hodges, Mother Of Senator W. C. Hodges Dies At Hospital Here" (note:  the hospital was Johnston's Sanitarium on Gadsden St.)

She came here with her husband, the late J. J. Hodges, nearly 50 years ago.  Of Maryland and New England ancestry, she was born November 24, 1852 in Illinois, the daughter of Jacob Parker and Rose Baker Parker.  Mrs. Hodges, a lifelong member of the Methodist church, kept up her interest in religious and civic affairs even into her last illness.  Among survivors are the son, Senator Hodges; his wife, Margaret; and an adopted brother, Frank D. Grant, of Clinton, Ia.  

A Tasty Dish for Every Day of the Year

From the Goodwood Library:  a fabulous little volume, 365 Tasty Dishes, A Tasty Dish for Every Day of the Year, published in 1906 by George W. Jacobs & Co.  Personally, I can't wait to try a few, that is, if I can handle the vast amounts of cream and grease!  The books is arranged in calendar fashion.  I may just have to refer to this often.  Here is today's dish, July 9th:

CORN FRITTERS

Score each ear down the rows with a sharp knife, then with the back of the blade press out all the pulp; in this way the indigestible hulls are rejected.  Measure and to 1 point of this pulp add salt and pepper to give a very high seasoning, 3 well-beaten eggs, and sufficient sifted flour to make a thick drop batter, the amount depending on the milkiness of the corn.  Drop by small spoonfuls in a kettle of smoking hot fat and cook like doughnuts.  Or fry in a little fat in a frying pan, turning when browned on one side.  Serve very hot. 

Gray Ladies Cheer Soldiers

Seated (left to right)  Mrs. John Ward Henderson, Mrs. Laurie
Dozier, and Mrs. Frank Shaw; standing (left to right)
Mrs. W. C. Hodges and Mrs. Earl Proctor

Excerpts from an article by Betty Anderson, "GRAY LADIES CHEER SOLDIERS.  First, You Take a Gray Uniform With White Trim, Etc., But The Main Ingredient Is The Ladies Themselves."

A recipe for the Gray Ladies of the American Red Cross--now known all over the United States--begins with a gray uniform with white trim and a gray veil with white coronet.

But the main ingredient, of course, is the ladies themselves.

And here, none of the selective processes were spared in the selection of 10 Gray Ladies who form the newest of five corps of special service volunteers of the Tallahassee Red Cross chapter.

It was no hit or miss matter when executive officers of the Red Cross chose the Gray Ladies to bring cheer into the lives of soldiers hospitalized at Dale Mabry field.  In the beginning, there were more than 100 satisfactory candidates for the corps.  Selection finally boilded down to lengthy detailed analysis.

High on the list of qualifications were temperament and disposition.  A Gray Lady must not only have an even, cheerful disposition, but must be thick-skinned on occasion and able to take it, for in an army hospital she is dealing with all kinds of personalities.

Under supervision of the Red Cross field director and medical and nursing authorities at the air base hospital, the Gray Ladies take orders from Major Jospeh A. Baird and Lieut. Lena Vanderwood.  The Ladies toe the mark, too, and take their work very seriously because they like it.

To qualify for their work, the Gray Ladies had to take a six-week course on such subjects as hospital ethics, ward administration, psychology of the sick, medical conditions, surgical conditions, tuberculosis, dietetics, communicable diseases, neuro-psychiatry, medical and psychiatric social service and occupational therapy diseases.  The 15 hour lectures were given by Dr. Baird and his staff.

... Mrs. Jack Yaegar is chairman of the Gray Ladies.  She was the first of the 10 chosen, and was the unanimous choice for the job.  Having a 19-year-old son eager for military service, two brothers in the armed forces, past service in the Red Cross chapter as vice-chairman to her credit, and an all-round wonderful personality, as all who know her testify, Isabel Yaeger seems an ideal person to head this volunteer corps.

Other Gray Ladies are Mrs. S P Ginder, vice chairman, who has served the organization in other cities, Mrs. Frank Shaw, secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Kenneth Ballinger whi is in charge of publicity, Mrs. John Ward Henderson, Mrs. L L Dozier, Mrs. W C Hodges, Mrs. O E Proctor, Mrs. Fred Lowry and Mrs. Bruce Davis.

All of the women have a personal interest in the war.  Either their husbands, brothers or other members of their families are in the service--several of these men are seeing foreign service.  Personal ties are grand because they make problems clearer to the Gray Ladies who hope that women in other towns, cities or countries are doing as much for Tallahassee men.

Of course the Gray Ladies learn something new about handling their boys every time they visit the airbase hospital where strict rules and regulations prevail.  There's no law against taking the patients magazines or flowers, but food is strictly forbidden since the hospital provides an adequate diet.

The Gray Ladies get together sometimes and buy extra cigarets for the men since they are always appreciated.  Once they even carried a box of snuff to a lad who particularly craved that treat.  On another occasion a man who was practically well was taken a bright red apple as something he apparently wanted above all else.  But cookies and such sweets from the outside are taboo.

... The Gray Ladies are permitted to visit only three wards in the hospital, convalescent and surgical wards and a third where the patients have colds or only slight ailments.  

Officers and enlisted men all look alike in the hospital, for as soon as they enter their clothes are exchanged for the same kind of gray pajamas and maroon colored bathrobes provided by the government.  Frequently the attending 10 have no iead whether a man is a major or a buck private.

According to the Gray Ladies, there is no way of telling if a man is an officer by his personal tastes or preferences.  Most of them like comic and detective magazines, for they are light in subject matter and also in actual weight, two important considerations to a man in bed.  They usually go for the National Geographic magazine, Life, motion picture magazines, and in fact all periodicals featuring pictures.

Rummy and hearts are apparently the most popular card games at Dale Mabry hospital, although occasionally a patient turns out to be a bridge shark.  Several of the Gray Ladies really know how to take care of bridge players.  Sometimes a patient has some special talent, or at least thinks he has.  If it is a good voice, he expresses his appreciation to the Gray Ladies just as soon as he is strong enough to warble.  And, or course, the singer's hospital mates come in for their share of enjoyment.

The Gray Ladies try to keep in touch with their boys even after they are dismissed from the hospital, transferred to other bases or sent to foreign service.  Many of the men write to the women who are quick to answer.  A few of the men who are seriously ill, perhaps have to undergo major operations, are moved from this hospital to the big army hospital in Atlanta.  And the Gray Ladies take the initiative about writing to them.

The 10 volunteer workers go in for nicknames since the turnover at the hospital is fast.  It is much easier and more fun to call a man Baltimore or Kansas City than merely Jim.  And the system is more distinctive and interesting since there are so many Jims in the world.  Sometimes other factors play a part in determining nicknames.  A boy who was slow in recovering from a foot injury became known as "Hoppy."...

Mrs. John J. Hodges

Also from this Hodges' scrapbook... an article from April of 1939:

http://floridamemory.com/items/show/150688
On the steps of Goodwood, from left to right:
Margaret Hodges, Senator William C. Hodges, Eva Parker Hodges

MRS. JOHN J. HODGES

Mrs. John J. Hodges, an early resident of this community, and for the past forty years a resident of Florida, passed away at three o'clock Monday morning at the age of about 87 years.  She was the mother of Senator William C. Hodges, of Tallahassee, Florida, and made her home with her son.  Her husband died March 2, 1923.

Mrs. Hodges was a native of Illinois, her maiden name being Eva Parker, and she was born at Garden Plain in Whiteside county.  She came to Ashton as a bride when she was united in marriage with John J. Hodges.  The Hodges family were among the pioneer settlers here, he having come to Ashton with his parents when but a boy.

To Mr. & Mrs. Hodges were born two children, William C. and John, the latter having been killed in a railroad crossing accident is 1895.  William C. who survives his parents has been Senator of the 8th district in Florida for many years.  He has been president of the senate and in the last election was defeated by a small margin for the governorship of Florida.

For many years the Hodges family lived on the farm at the northeast part of town owned now by John Ventler.  They were active in the early life of the village and were members of the Methodist church.

Mr. Hodges was chosen postmaster of Ashton during President Grover Cleveland's second administration, and the Gazette's entry as a second class newspaper was signed by Mr. Hodges.  After serving about two years as postmaster Mr. Hodges resigned and he and Mrs. Hodges moved to Jacksonville, Florida.

Here the Hodges lived a very active life and were prominent in the city, maintaining a beautiful southern home in an orange grove on the banks of the St. John's river.  Mr. Hodges was active in public life, and served as a clerk of the district court, United States Commissioner, and referee in bankruptcy.

Mrs. Hodges was a woman of culture and refinement, sympathy, a kind neighbor, devoted mother, and a true friend, and withall a woman of heroic mould in bravely meeting the stern requirements and often the disappointments of life.  For a number of years Mrs. Hodges had poor health, but in the later years her health was good and two years ago at the age of 85 enjoyed a visit to Europe with her son.  Mrs. Hodges had spent part of the late winter in Orlando, and was taken ill two weeks after her return.  She was very ill for a month, her death resulting from an obstruction in the intestines caused by adhesions from an old operation.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at four o'clock at Goodwood, the estate of Senator and Mrs. William C. Hodges at Tallahassee, Florida, where Mrs. Hodges spend many happy years.  Interment took place in Oakwood at Tallahassee.  

from www.findagrave.com

Audacity Is Key Note to Whitehair

Still working with this Hodges' scrapbook....  Here is an undated newspaper clipping:

AUDACITY IS KEY NOTE TO WHITEHAIR

by Allen Morris

Herald Political Editor

Audacity is the word for Francis Whitehair; audacity that means self-assurance, hardihood, daring disregard of danger and convention. 

It took "daring disregard of danger" for Francis Whitehair to stand at the gate of his home and defy with blazing eyes the menace of a multitude of hooded Knights of the Klu Klux Klan who already mutilated one of Whitehair's political lieutenants.  (this may be the incident referred to, middle of article) 

It took "hardihood" for Francis Whitehair, left to his own resources at 10, to beat his way upward and become in his 30s one of the nation's outstanding young lawyers and partner in a law firm of statewide distinction. 

It took "self-assurance" for Francis Whitehair to take over a long established political machine and run it with technique that is the envy of practical politicians everywhere in Florida; to hold his machine intact when those elsewhere were cracking up. 

It took "daring disregard of convention" for Francis Whitehair to summon an erring county commissioner to his law office, lay a letter of resignation before him with the command to sign, and then whisk the bewildered man to Tallahassee to deliver the resignation in person to the governor. 

Francis Whitehair is a man admired or hated, but never ignored.  He seems to be convinced that whatever stand he takes upon any situation is the right and proper one.

Powerfully built, he appears ready to bulldog his way through any obstacle and to crush ruthlessly anyone who opposes him.  Sometimes when talking of a foe, he unconsciously works his hands as though squeezing the antagonist in a vise. 

It is typical of the outlook of Francis Whitehair--some might call it arrogance--that when he went to Tallahassee to lobby for the passage of certain legislation by an assembly composed mainly of small towners, he rode about the capital in a car a half block long, driven by a liveried chauffeur. 

He just didn't realize that this display of grandeur wouldn't sit well with those whose favor he solicited. 

Whitehair denies he is a politician.  He says--and face-to-face he sounds mighty convincing--that he has intervened in Volusia county government only as a large taxpayer determined to stop waste of tax dollars.  In that, he says, he has been successful. 

The gubernatorial aspirant came to the law firm of Fish and Landis from nearby Stetson as a law clerk.  At least, that is what he was called.  Actually he swept out the office, chauffeured for Judge Fish, and served as general factorum. 

He laughs when he things what a law clerk of the present generation would do if he was asked to dust the desk or empty the wastebasket--so great a change has come in the legal profession within the past two decades. 

Under the tutelage of those two great lawyers, Bert Fish, now American minister to Egypt, and the late Cary D. Landis, attorney general, the young lawyer progressed rapidly and was admitted to a junior partnership after six years. 

Whitehair is intensively devoted to his family.  Mrs. Whitehair and their three girls, and he has lavished upon the children all the good things that money can buy.  Yet, the teenage girls never have attended a party away from their home after dark.

It's Whitehair Everywhere

From a scrapbook of Senator Hodges, political advertisement for Francis P. Whitehair for Governor (the back of which boldly proclaims: "Francis P. Whitehair our next Governor").

In 1940, Whitehair's run Governor of Florida was ended by Spessard Holland, who defeated him in the democratic primary.  Senator Hodges, also a democrat, was originally on the democratic ticket, but was forced to drop out of the race due to his health.  Spessard Holland went on to become the 28th Governor of Florida.

Whitehair, a WWI and WWII veteran, was a successful attorney who went on to become the attorney general of American Samoa in 1943.  Truman, in 1950, appointed Whitehair as Under Secretary of the Navy.  Francis Preston Whitehair died in 1977.

IT'S WHITEHAIR EVERYWHERE

***

There's a man in sunny Florida

Always greets you with a grin

His heart is in the heart of Florida

Ev-ry-body wants to see him win

For it's Whitehair ev-ry-where

He'll bring health and a wealth of good cheer

He'll understand, lend a hand to ev-ry maid and man

And make your troubles disappear

In a united Florida

Where your schemes and your dreams come true

From the North to the Coast

He's the man they want the most

It's Whitehair ev-ry-where,

For you.

STAND WITH WHITEHAIR

***

One man can help our Florida--

If we will only help him win__

He comes from DeLand, but stands for Florida--

Do your best and put him in--

So stand with Whitehair That's right where there'll be--

Happy days for you and me--

His heart and his labor will go to help his neighbor

He's planning for you constantly

So vote for Whitehair and right there you'll see--

He will march to victory--

So Let's all unite there and vote for Francis Whitehair--

Whitehair will do right there for you--