William John Howey
Encyclopedia
William John Howey was a Florida real-estate developer, citrus
grower and Republican
politician. He founded and served as mayor for the town of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida
. He developed and sold citrus groves
, becoming one of Florida's greatest citrus developers. He opened Florida's first citrus juice plant. He ran twice for governor. A former home near Lake Wales, Florida
became the site of Florida's Bok Tower at the Bok Tower Gardens
.
on January 19, 1876. His father was United Brethren minister named William Henry Howey. His mother was Mathilda Harris Howey. He attended the public schools. At age 16, he became a life insurance
sales
man. Sometime around 1900, he developed real estate in Oklahoma
. He briefly tried manufacturing automobiles in Kansas City, but returned to real estate in 1905. He sold pineapple
plantations near Perez, Mexico
until the political situation became unfavorable in 1907.
, where he sold citrus groves near what are now Dundee
, Lake Hamilton
and Star Lake. After a time, he moved his operations to Lake County, Florida
at the behest of Lake County Sheriff Balton A. Cassidy and Harry Duncan. By 1920, he held 60000 acres (242.8 km²). He purchased land for about $10.00 an acre, developed it into citrus groves, and resold it for $800 to $2000 an acre. If the buyer purchased a maintenance contract, Howey guaranteed the investment plus interest within certain time constraints. In 1917, he opened the Bougainvillea Hotel to house potential investors, and in 1924he replaced it with the Hotel Floridian on Little Lake Harris. In 1925, Howey-in-the Hills was incorporated and Howey became its mayor. Howey's businesses continued to do well, both selling citrus from his holdings and selling groves to investors. The following year, he opened the state's first plant to bottle citrus juice. He was one of the first to pasteurize fruit juice and experimented with large scale vacuum storage of fruit. In 1926, the Florida land boom collapsed. Although sales plummeted, his companies continued to make a profit. However, the stock market collapse in 1929, the discovery of the Mediterranean fruit fly
and hurricanes in the later 1920s heralded the decline of his businesses. His land sales and citrus holdings eventually lost money during the Depression
. After his death, the Supreme Court
deemed his real estate sales/maintenance contracts illegal as an "unregistered security
."
more attractive to white voters. The "lily white" Republicans nominated Howey to run for Governor in 1928. His platform included reducing taxes and cutting government expenses. He accused the Democrats
of institutional corruption, mismanagement, and maintaining a one-party political system
in Florida. He also counted on riding Herbert Hoover
's coattails into office and hoped to win support from "Hoovercrats," Florida Democrats who were unhappy with Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith
. Republicans adopted the slogan, "Hoover, Howey, and Happiness." His best efforts, however came to nought, and he lost by a landslide to Doyle Carlton.
After the 1928 elections
, Howey was the most well known Republican politician in Florida. He continued to serve as Howey-in-the-Hills's mayor until 1936. In 1930, he was one of few Republican Floridians to hold elected office, and he attempted unsuccessfully in 1930 to secure control of his fractured party. In 1932, he was drafted to run for governor against David Sholtz
. His platform was largely the same as in 1928 with the addition of a plank that sought an elimination of the poll tax
, a lynch pin in the disenfranchisement of African-American voters. This bid for office was also unsuccessful, as he lacked a cohesive Republican party, was unable to appeal to white voters, and faced a unified Democratic party and a deepening Depression.
Howey was an Elk
and a member of the Knights of Pythias
. He served as a director of the Florida Citrus Exchange and was a member of the State Chamber of Commerce. On April 14, 1914, he married Mary Grace Hastings. They had two children. Howey died on June 7, 1938.
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
grower and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician. He founded and served as mayor for the town of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida
Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida
Howey-in-the-Hills is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 956 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 1,248. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. He developed and sold citrus groves
Groves
-Places:* Groves, Texas, a city in Texas in the United States* The Groves, an area of York, England* See :Category:Sacred groves for various places considered sacred groves* Pleasant Groves, Alabama, a town in Alabama in the United States...
, becoming one of Florida's greatest citrus developers. He opened Florida's first citrus juice plant. He ran twice for governor. A former home near Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
became the site of Florida's Bok Tower at the Bok Tower Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens is a botanical garden and bird sanctuary, located north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States. It consists of a 250-acre garden, the tall Singing Tower with its carillon bells, Pine Ridge Trail, Pinewood Estate, and a visitor center...
.
Early life
Howey was born in Odin, IllinoisOdin, Illinois
Odin is a village in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,122 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Odin is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
on January 19, 1876. His father was United Brethren minister named William Henry Howey. His mother was Mathilda Harris Howey. He attended the public schools. At age 16, he became a life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
sales
Sales
A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
man. Sometime around 1900, he developed real estate in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. He briefly tried manufacturing automobiles in Kansas City, but returned to real estate in 1905. He sold pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
plantations near Perez, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
until the political situation became unfavorable in 1907.
Florida citrus grower and developer
He then moved to Florida near Winter HavenWinter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, where he sold citrus groves near what are now Dundee
Dundee, Florida
Dundee is a town in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,912 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 3,008...
, Lake Hamilton
Lake Hamilton, Florida
Lake Hamilton is a town in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,304 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,406...
and Star Lake. After a time, he moved his operations to Lake County, Florida
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
at the behest of Lake County Sheriff Balton A. Cassidy and Harry Duncan. By 1920, he held 60000 acres (242.8 km²). He purchased land for about $10.00 an acre, developed it into citrus groves, and resold it for $800 to $2000 an acre. If the buyer purchased a maintenance contract, Howey guaranteed the investment plus interest within certain time constraints. In 1917, he opened the Bougainvillea Hotel to house potential investors, and in 1924he replaced it with the Hotel Floridian on Little Lake Harris. In 1925, Howey-in-the Hills was incorporated and Howey became its mayor. Howey's businesses continued to do well, both selling citrus from his holdings and selling groves to investors. The following year, he opened the state's first plant to bottle citrus juice. He was one of the first to pasteurize fruit juice and experimented with large scale vacuum storage of fruit. In 1926, the Florida land boom collapsed. Although sales plummeted, his companies continued to make a profit. However, the stock market collapse in 1929, the discovery of the Mediterranean fruit fly
Ceratitis capitata
Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly, or medfly for short, is a species of fruit fly capable of causing extensive damage to a wide range of fruit crops...
and hurricanes in the later 1920s heralded the decline of his businesses. His land sales and citrus holdings eventually lost money during the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. After his death, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
deemed his real estate sales/maintenance contracts illegal as an "unregistered security
Security (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
."
Political career
In 1928, he and his political associates sought to make the Florida Republican PartyRepublican Party of Florida
The Republican Party of Florida is the official organization for Republicans in the state of Florida.-History:Florida politics was largely dominated by the Democrats until Richard Nixon's Southern Strategy, which took advantage of white objections to the advances of the American Civil Rights...
more attractive to white voters. The "lily white" Republicans nominated Howey to run for Governor in 1928. His platform included reducing taxes and cutting government expenses. He accused the Democrats
Florida Democratic Party
The Florida Democratic Party is the official organization for Democrats in the state of Florida.-History:The Florida Democratic Party has historically dominated dodo Florida's state and local politics. Florida's Governor's Mansion was closed to Republicans from 1877 until 1967, when Claude R...
of institutional corruption, mismanagement, and maintaining a one-party political system
Dominant-party system
A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a system where there is "a category of parties/political organizations that have successively won election victories and whose future defeat cannot be envisaged or is unlikely for the foreseeable future." A wide range of parties have been...
in Florida. He also counted on riding Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
's coattails into office and hoped to win support from "Hoovercrats," Florida Democrats who were unhappy with Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
. Republicans adopted the slogan, "Hoover, Howey, and Happiness." His best efforts, however came to nought, and he lost by a landslide to Doyle Carlton.
After the 1928 elections
United States presidential election, 1928
The United States presidential election of 1928 pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith. The Republicans were identified with the booming economy of the 1920s, whereas Smith, a Roman Catholic, suffered politically from Anti-Catholic prejudice, his anti-prohibitionist stance, and...
, Howey was the most well known Republican politician in Florida. He continued to serve as Howey-in-the-Hills's mayor until 1936. In 1930, he was one of few Republican Floridians to hold elected office, and he attempted unsuccessfully in 1930 to secure control of his fractured party. In 1932, he was drafted to run for governor against David Sholtz
David Sholtz
David Sholtz was the 26th Governor of Florida.-Early life and education:Sholtz was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York, and after graduating from Yale, where he was a member of the Acacia Fraternity, in 1914 he went on and earned a law degree from Stetson University Law School...
. His platform was largely the same as in 1928 with the addition of a plank that sought an elimination of the poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
, a lynch pin in the disenfranchisement of African-American voters. This bid for office was also unsuccessful, as he lacked a cohesive Republican party, was unable to appeal to white voters, and faced a unified Democratic party and a deepening Depression.
Howey was an Elk
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
and a member of the Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
. He served as a director of the Florida Citrus Exchange and was a member of the State Chamber of Commerce. On April 14, 1914, he married Mary Grace Hastings. They had two children. Howey died on June 7, 1938.
Sources
- Cash, William Thomas. The Story of Florida. Volume III. pp 564–565. University of Virginia. 1938.
- "Copy of Helen Buck," Howey-in-the-Hills web site. Online. July 16, 2008.
- "Howey grows out of citrus groves." Newcomers/The South Lake Press. June 23, 2006. Online. July 16, 2008.
- Hughes, Jr. Melvin Edward. "William J. Howey and his Florida Dreams." The Florida Historical Quarterly. January 1988. Volume LXVI, Number 3. PP 243 – 264. Florida Historical Society.
- William J. Howey Scrapbook, Special Collections, Robert Manning Strozier Library, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Online. July 16, 2008.
- Who's Who and What to See in Florida, 1935. Online July 16, 2008.