Edwin Smith Papers
Scope and Content
The collection contains extensive business records for the Federal Point store, including sales receipts, shipping records, and letters discussing sales requests and the citrus industry in various parts of the country. Personal letters in the collection include correspondence from Smith's brother, S.S. Smith in San Francisco, his niece Fannie Hubbard, and his cousin Louise Sexton and her son W.C. Sexton. There also is personal correspondence from businessmen, W.B. Cox and Bernard Abel. In the 1888 correspondence folder, there are multiple references to an epidemic of yellow fever in the Jacksonville area. Family members express concern for Smith's health, and business owners discuss the effects that the fever and subsequent quarantines had on their operations and sales.
Also included is a letterbook containing handwritten copies of the business correspondence sent by Smith between 1886 and 1896. A ledger documents Smith's business transactions, dated 1886-1891, including purchases, records of orange shipments, and other sales.
Dates
- Creation: 1884-1896
Creator
- Smith, Edwin. (Person)
Access
The collection is open for research.
Usage Restrictions
The ledger and letterbook housed in Box 2 may not be photocopied or reproduced without the permission of the curator of the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History.
Biographical/Historical Note
Edwin Smith operated a stored in the 1880s and 1890s at Federal Point, Florida, near Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Smith was involved in the orange trade and had dealings with several produce sellers including Bernard Abel and Co. and John A. Lyon, both of New York, and T. Nooney and Sons in Jacksonville, Florida. He also purchased fertilizer and other supplies for local grove owners from suppliers such as Wilkinson and Co. He also helped found the local Episcopal Church, although no references to the church (other than passing inquiries made by family members in letters) are found in this collection.
Extent
0.5 Linear feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Records and correspondence of Edwin Smith, who operated a store in Federal Point, Florida.
Physical Location
University of Florida Smathers Library Building
Acquisition Information
The ledger and letterbook were received from Edith Hubbard.
Alternate Form of Material
Items in this collection have been digitized and are available via the University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC) as part of the Pioneer Days in Florida project, which is generously supported by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Please read the Permissions for Use statement for information on copyright, fair use, and use of UFDC digital objects.
Processing Notes
The ledger and letterbook had been separated from the business records and correspondence and stored in the General Ledgers collection, but in 2006 the two parts of the collection were united.
Subject
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Federal Point, Fla.). (Organization)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- A Guide to the Edwin Smith Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Dept. Staff
- Date
- July 2006
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is written in English.
- Sponsor
- Digitization funded with the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida Repository
George A. Smathers Libraries
PO Box 117005
Gainesville Florida 32611-7005 United States of America
352-273-2755
special@uflib.ufl.edu