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Don't know if anyone is interested in history but I thought this was kind of interesting. Came across it in some papers from Hazel Anderson Lewis. She was the wife of Lester Lewis developer of Alligator Point and Live Oak Island. Also my Mother-in-Law and Charles Grandmother.

1804-1811: John Forbes and Company, and Panton Lewis and Company bought land from St. Marks River to Ochlocknee River from the Indians. It was confirmed by the Spanish Government. All of the Forbes Purchase belonged to Creek and Seminole Indians prior to 1804. The Indians conveyed title to the trading houses of Panton Leslie and Company, John Forbes and Company and to John Forbes individually. The government of the Province under the King of Spain exercised sovereignty over the tract "situated between Apalachicola and St. Marks Rivers and all the seacoast and islands adjacent thereto." The land then passed on to Colin Mitchell, Robert Mitchell, Richard Carnochan, William Calder, Benjamin Marshall, B.W. Rogers, John P. Williamson, the heirs and legal representatives of John McNish, and James Inerarity on October 18, 1828. Descendants of B.W. Rogers owned property on Live oak Island until the property was recently sold.

More history:

1835: The Apalachicola Land Company was granted Articles of Agreement for the purpose of selling and developing land, and vested the Forbes Purchase in three trustees and six directors. They drew up Articles of Association and issued script on each share holder; Colin Mitchell, Peter Mitchell, Robert Mitchell, John Carnochan, Themus Vermilya, B.W. Rogers, John Graham, Benjamin Marshall, and Richard Carnochan. There were 2400 shares of 500 acres each.

1841: Colin Mitchell brought suit in U.S. Supreme Court and won title.

1889: ---- Raker held a turpentine lease and ran a store at what had been a seine yard.

Interesting stuff to come across, Charles!

Jean

Live Oak Island.

1902: The Councils bought a quit claim deed for $10 for all of the islands east of Piney Island and west of the St. Marks Lighthouse except Gull Island in the Hartsfield Survey in Apalachee Bay. Council sold lot 12 of block B, a subdivision of Live Oak Island Properties to J.E. Graves for $100.

1937: Sold to Robert and Frank Nims 15.17 acres of Goose Creek Bay for $10.

1948: W.J. Redfern leased all of Live Oak Island from R.B. Council. He developed the Live Oak Club which was a hunting and fishing club.

1954: Lester Lewis purchased Live Oak Island from the estate of R.B. Council for $40,000. At that time there was a restaurant, an ice house, and six summer cottages on the Island.

Keep 'em coming!

Amazing how it passed from people to people over the years and how the price escalated rapidly.

As written by Hazel Anderson Lewis (Mrs. Lester Lewis):

The road into the Island was just a path through the swamps and woods. It was muddy or deep sand according to the weather. Lester quickly recognized that a good road to a bridge would be a necessity, and he got a surveyor to put up markers as to where to start. Early surveys were not very adequate and the deed says "lands from the middle of Walker Creek to Goose Bay and from the Government fence to the Gulf." The survey, made by L.D. Flanagan on September 19,1956, was the first of many since each new subdivision had to be surveyed as it was completed. When the tide was high the Island was completely surrounded and you had to wade out or go by boat. When we first came down we could see alligators, snakes, and wild boars frequently and there was a large King Snake which kept the rattlesnakes off until someone mistakenly killed it. All of us tried to protect it. Some of us even put out food for it. The next problem was finding a good dragline operator. Lester had to inquire around and found that Batey Taff of Shell Point was developing and the two men compared ideas as to the best way to take advantage of the land and trees that were already there. They had to build a log road across the marsh to get the dragline equipment into the Island. In some places the mud was so deep that the State Road Department had to dig down 2 or 3 feet to put a good sand foundation before they could put in a road. The mounds of mud that the dragline made had to sit for months before they could be bulldozed down into roads or lots. Where the bridge stands today the Island was completely cut off on high tide

As written by Mrs. Lewis:

Lester brought influential men together for a mullet and oyster dinner to show the possibilities of development. Wakulla County Commissioners, Judge Walker, Bob Sikes and A.R. Pierce were helpful in seeing development progress. As mentioned earlier A.B. "Batey" Taff bought Shell Point Fisheries (1300 acres of land) in February 1925 for $15,000. He and Lester would exchange ideas on how best to go about getting roads and lots plotted.

The words of Mrs. Lester Lewis:

During the early development years our three girls were in school so I stayed in Tallahassee during the week. Lester built a little store on the canal that sold tackle, bait, sunhats, crackers and cheese, and drinks. His sister and her husband moved from Eridu to help him. She ran the restaurant and he did carpenter work. We had 30 boats to rent plus oars and a couple of outboard motors, but most renters brought their own motors. Some summer weekends all six cottages were filled. Then we'd have loads of sheets, towels, and pillowslips to take to the laundry, then cottages to clean and beds to remake. Summer was a busy time. One church in Atlanta sent down a boy's Sunday School class of about 15 boys with their teachers and volunteers to go fishing. It was good for the boys and for the men. We had to scramble to feed that many but they sure had fun.

Love to hear local Florida History. Thanks for sharing.