Loading Celery. 2003: Private Collection of Bettye Reagan.]]> Loading Celery. 2003.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Joe Lee on Charles Simeon Lee's Celery Farm." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/5649.]]> Joe Lee on Charles Simeon Lee's Farm." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6354.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
The best-known of the Lawton family was Thomas Willingham Lawton (1882-1963). T. W. Lawton graduated from Rollins College in 1903. He later received his master's degree from Andover Newton College in Boston, Massachusetts. Following college, Lawton returned to Oviedo, where he married Charlotte "Lottie" Lee (1887-1984) and served as the principal of the Oviedo School from 1905 to 1907. In 1916, he became the first elected Superintendent of Schools of Seminole County. He held that post until 1952 and passed away 11 years later in 1963. Lawton Elementary School is named in his honor.]]>
The Lawtons of Summer Oaks. Lawton and Allied Families Association, 1984: Private Collection of Betty Jean Aulin Reagan.]]> The Lawtons of Summer Oaks. Lawton and Allied Families Association, 1984.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Oviedo, Circa 1960. 1982: Private Collection of Betty Reagan.]]> Oviedo Historical Society]]> Oviedo, Circa 1960. 1982.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society.]]> Oviedo Historical Society and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> The Oviedo Outlook published in 1979 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Oviedo, Florida. The newspaper begins with a brief history of Oviedo, followed by articles devoted to important members of the community, including Evelyn Cheek Lundy and John Lundy, Thad Lee Lingo, Jr. and Lacy Aire Lingo, Clare Wheeler Evans, Wayne Jacobs and Karen Jansen Jacobs, Thomas Moon, Marguerite Partin, Frank Wheeler, Katherine Lawton, Tom Estes, Ed Yarborough and Ima Jean Bostick Yarborough, Virginia Balkcom Mikler, Paul Mikler, Sparks Lingo Ridenour and John Ridenour, Ray "Rex" Clonts and Thelma Lee Clonts, Jean Jordan and Harold Jordan, the Malcolm family, Edward Duda, Penny Mitchem Olliff and Leon Olliff, Louise Wheeler Martin and Bill Martin, Miriam "Mimi" Wheeler Bruce and Douglas Allen, Viola Smith, and Cay Westerfield.]]> The Oviedo Outlook: Centennial Edition, 1979: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> The Oviedo Outlook]]> The Oviedo Outlook: Centennial Edition, 1979.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> The Oviedo Outlook.]]> The Oviedo Outlook and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
W. J. Lawton, Sr. served as a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, as well as a secretary and treasurer for the church's Sunday school. He graduated from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, in 1900. Lawton married Lillian Della Lee (ca. 1883-1977) and had four children: Elizabeth Lawton Laney, Kathryn Lawton, John. K. Lawton, and Winborn Joseph Lawton, Jr. Lawton was in the mercantile business, worked as an insurance agent, and grew citrus.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Joe Lee on Charles Simeon Lee's Farm." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6354.]]> Loading Celery by Bettye Reagan." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6932.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts in August of 1997.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
White's Wharf marks the approximate location where John Bartram and William Bartram camped during their excursion along the St. Johns River in 1765-1766. William g. White migrated to the area in the late 1870s and built a store here in 1879. White moved his store to Orlando in the 1880s. The site was also known as Clifton Springs, which is a name in honor of the hometown of Dr. Henry Foster, a wealthy grower from Lake Charm in Oviedo. Many Oviedo residents used the site as the location for their annual May picnics, which began in 1880. The picnics were hosted by a joint committee of the local Baptist and Methodist churches. The wharf is now known as Hiley's Fish Camp.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Wiley Lee married Fannie Vaughan Lee (1873-1944) and later committed suicide in 1905. James, Jr. served in the military during World War I. Lottie married Thomas Willington Lawton (1882-1963), the first elected Superintendent of Schools of Seminole County. Lillian married Winborn Joseph Lawton, Sr. (1881-1971), who served as a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, a secretary and treasurer for the church's Sunday school, an insurance agent, and a citrus grower. She was also a charter member and the former present of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), the former president of the Woman's Missionary Society, and a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Oviedo. Annie married Walter Pascal Carter (1879-1939). George married Benjamin Franklin Wheeler, a prominent citrus grower, celery cultivator, and politician.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

White's Wharf marks the approximate location where John Bartram and William Bartram camped during their excursion along the St. Johns River in 1765-1766. William G. White migrated to the area in the late 1870s and built a store here in 1879. White moved his store to Orlando in the 1880s. The site was also known as Clifton Springs, which is a name in honor of the hometown of Dr. Henry Foster, a wealthy grower from Lake Charm in Oviedo. Many Oviedo residents used the site as the location for their annual May picnics, which began in 1880. The picnics were hosted by a joint committee of the local Baptist and Methodist churches. The wharf is now known as Hiley's Fish Camp.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Sunday School Picnic at Clifton Springs." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6353.]]> Church Picnic by Bettye Reagan." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/6931.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Oviedo's earliest settlers grew citrus and celery on the area's mucky, rich topsoil. While citrus was the dominant crop for sometime, celery took the lead after the Great Freeze of 1894-1895, which destroyed many citrus groves in the Central Florida area. Oviedo's celery industry flourished, especially during World War II, and thus contributed to Central Florida's unprecedented growth and development during that period.]]>
Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Oviedo Historical Society by Thelma Lee Clonts.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
0:00:40 Family background in agriculture
0:11:32 Celery farming
0:12:06 RECORDING CUTS OFF
0:12:07 Celery farming
0:20:23 Bleaching celery
0:25:34 Childhood memories of mules
0:29:13 Working in the fields
0:31:01 How Oviedo has changed over time
0:33:13 Arrival of Walt Disney World and the University of Central Florida
0:38:11 Evolution of the citrus industry
0:42:27 Central Florida weather
0:43:28 Cattle industry
0:45:19 College education
0:45:46 Plane crash near Oviedo High School
0:48:58 Relationship between the Oviedo community and the Sanford Naval Training Center
0:50:40 Fire ants in Florida
0:55:06 Closing remarks]]>
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Linda McKnight Batman Oral History Project Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> QuickTime.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Museum of Seminole County History and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>