Live Oak Plantation, Florida
Encyclopedia
Live Oak Plantation was originally a small cotton plantation of 1560 acre (631.3 ha) located in central Leon County
, Florida
, USA established by John Branch
who arrived in Florida in 1832 and served as Florida Territorial Governor while living at Live Oak for 15 years.
to the western edge of Lafayette Township.
. This was historically noted as the last large purchase of Leon County plantation property to a northerner.
In 1887 the Case family sold the plantation to Edmund H. Ronalds of Edinburgh, Scotland. Ronalds wintered at Live Oak and married Lisa Williams, daughter of Joseph John Williams of La Grange Plantation
on November 21, 1891. In 1892 Lisa Williams Ronalds contracted and died from tuberculosis
while in Scotland. Edmund died on March 17, 1895.
Live Oak Plantation was now larger and its borders extended eastward to Lake Hall
, Lake Overstreet
, and Lake Elizabeth.
Edmund Ronalds' brother, Dr. Tennent Ronalds, gained ownership of Live Oak upon his brothers death. Though he did not practice medicine, Tennent attended the University of Edinburgh
and University of Bonn
. He spent his years as a sportsman enjoying hunting, fishing, and golf
.
By 1903 Live Oak boasted a private golf course
with a flock of sheep for maintenance of greens and fairways. Live Oak was also extended to 3226 acre (1,305.5 ha) and had the first tung tree
orchard
in Florida. In 1903 an additional 2246 acre (908.9 ha) were leased from Ellen Call Long's Orchard Pond Plantation
for use in hunting. In 1915 and 1916 Tennent Ronalds purchased Orchard Pond from the Long and Call families. Ronalds also purchased the James Kirksey Plantation
.
Tennent Ronalds committed suicide on February 24, 1924.
In 1925, Live Oak was only 2915 acre (1,179.7 ha). That year, it was purchased by Herman C. Fleitman of Stamford, Connecticut. In 1934, it was sold again to Leon T. Cheek of Jacksonville, Florida. Cheeks was a member of a well-to-do family from Nashville, Tennessee
owning Cheek and Neal Coffee which became Maxwell House
.
In 1948, Live Oak was sold to A. M. Middlebrooks. The plantation is no longer, having become the neighborhoods in and around Live Oak Plantation Road and including Middlebrooks Circle.
Leon County, Florida
Leon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA established by John Branch
John Branch
John Branch, Jr. served as U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, the 19th Governor of the state of North Carolina, and was the sixth and last territorial governor of Florida....
who arrived in Florida in 1832 and served as Florida Territorial Governor while living at Live Oak for 15 years.
Location
Live Oak was located in north central Leon County extending from the east shore of Lake JacksonLake Jackson (Tallahassee, Florida)
Lake Jackson is a shallow, prairie lake on the north side of Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida with two major depressions or sinkholes known as Porter Sink and Lime Sink....
to the western edge of Lafayette Township.
1860 Plantation specifics
The Leon County Florida 1860 Agricultural Census shows that Live Oak Plantation had the following:- Improved Land: 820 acre (331.8 ha)
- Unimproved Land: 260 acre (105.2 ha)
- Cash value of plantation: $4000
- Cash value of farm implements/machinery: $300
- Cash value of farm animals: $2390
- Number of slaves: 68
- Bushels of corn: 2000
- Bales of cotton: 73
1870s-1900s
On June 9, 1870 John Branch's heirs sold Live Oak, now at only 1250 acres (5.1 km²), to Howard S. Case of Columbia, PennsylvaniaColumbia, Pennsylvania
Columbia, once colonial Wright's Ferry, is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southeast of Harrisburg on the left bank Susquehanna River across from Wrightsville and York County. Originally, the area may have been called Conejohela Flats, for the many islands and islets in the...
. This was historically noted as the last large purchase of Leon County plantation property to a northerner.
In 1887 the Case family sold the plantation to Edmund H. Ronalds of Edinburgh, Scotland. Ronalds wintered at Live Oak and married Lisa Williams, daughter of Joseph John Williams of La Grange Plantation
La Grange Plantation
La Grange Plantation was a large cotton plantation of located in central Leon County, Florida, USA established by Joseph John Williams.-Location:La Grange Plantation was located just east of Tallahassee in 2 tracts of land...
on November 21, 1891. In 1892 Lisa Williams Ronalds contracted and died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
while in Scotland. Edmund died on March 17, 1895.
Live Oak Plantation was now larger and its borders extended eastward to Lake Hall
Lake Hall
Lake Hall is a small lake located in central Leon County, Florida, USA. It is located just north of Interstate 10 and slightly west of U.S. Highway 319 and within Tallahassee city limits....
, Lake Overstreet
Lake Overstreet
Lake Overstreet is a small lake located in central Leon County, Florida, USA.Lake Overstreet is in size and falls within the property of Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park and is just northwest of Lake Hall by . Access to the lake is only by hiking trails....
, and Lake Elizabeth.
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
. He spent his years as a sportsman enjoying hunting, fishing, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
By 1903 Live Oak boasted a private golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
with a flock of sheep for maintenance of greens and fairways. Live Oak was also extended to 3226 acre (1,305.5 ha) and had the first tung tree
Tung tree
Vernicia fordii is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to southern China, Burma, and northern Vietnam. Other vernacular names include Tung Oil Tree, Tung-oil Tree, Tungoil Tree, China Wood-Oil Tree, Kalo Nut Tree, 油桐 Vernicia fordii (Tung Tree; syn. Aleurites fordii Hemsl.) is a...
orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
in Florida. In 1903 an additional 2246 acre (908.9 ha) were leased from Ellen Call Long's Orchard Pond Plantation
Orchard Pond Plantation
Orchard Pond Plantation was a large cotton plantation originally of 8754 acres located in northwestern Leon County, Florida, USA established by Richard Keith Call.-Location:...
for use in hunting. In 1915 and 1916 Tennent Ronalds purchased Orchard Pond from the Long and Call families. Ronalds also purchased the James Kirksey Plantation
James Kirksey Plantation
The James A. Kirksey Plantation was a moderate plantation of located in northwestern Leon County, Florida, United States, established by James A. Kirksey....
.
Tennent Ronalds committed suicide on February 24, 1924.
In 1925, Live Oak was only 2915 acre (1,179.7 ha). That year, it was purchased by Herman C. Fleitman of Stamford, Connecticut. In 1934, it was sold again to Leon T. Cheek of Jacksonville, Florida. Cheeks was a member of a well-to-do family from Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
owning Cheek and Neal Coffee which became Maxwell House
Maxwell House
Maxwell House is a brand of coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Foods. Introduced in 1892, it is named in honor of the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. For many years until the late 1980s it was the largest-selling coffee in the U.S. and is currently second behind...
.
In 1948, Live Oak was sold to A. M. Middlebrooks. The plantation is no longer, having become the neighborhoods in and around Live Oak Plantation Road and including Middlebrooks Circle.