Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (February 18, 1911)
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (February 18, 1911)
Alternative Title
Chase Correspondence (February 18, 1911)
Subject
Windermere (Fla.)
Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941
Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Citrus--Florida
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Description
An original letter of correspondence between brothers and business partners Joshua Coffin Chase and Sydney Octavius Chase. Topics discussed in the letter include matters with the Lancaster-Rankley family and Joshua's recommendation to hire Carl Haas to manage property at Isleworth Grove should A. Q. Lancaster resign.
Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Creator
Chase, Joshua Coffin
Source
Original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase, February 18, 1911: box 49, folder 20.84, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Date Created
1911-02-18
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase, February 18, 1911.
Is Part Of
Chase Collection (MS 14), box 49, folder 20.84, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Isleworth Collection, Citrus Collection, Chase Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Is Referenced By
Folder referenced in Chase Collection finding guide, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
202 KB
Medium
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Chase & Company Office, Jacksonville, Florida
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida
Spatial Coverage
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Provenance
Entire Chase Collection is comprised of four separate accessions from various donors, including Cecilia Johnson, the granddaughter of Joshua Coffin Chase, and the children of Randall Chase.
Rights Holder
The displayed collection item is housed at Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida to display this item for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Contributing Project Special and Area Studies Collections, University of Florida
Digital Collections (UFDC), University of Florida
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
University of Florida, Special and Area Studies Collections
External Reference
Warner, S.C. "Development of Marketing Citrus Fruits in Florida." Florida State Horticultural Society vol. 36 (1923): 198-200.
Hopkins, James T. Fifty Years of Citrus, the Florida Citrus Exchange: 1909-1959. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press: 1960.
"Sydney Chase Sr. (1860-1941)." Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Copyright 2012. http://floridacitrushalloffame.com/index.php/inductees/inductee-name/?ref_cID=89&bID=0&dd_asId=600.
"Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948)." Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Copyright 2012. http://floridacitrushalloffame.com/index.php/inductees/inductee-name/?ref_cID=89&bID=0&dd_asId=960.
Transcript
CHASE & COMPANY
SEABOARD BUILDING
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
Feb. 18, 1911.
Mr S O Chase,
Sanford.
Dear Syd:
ISLEWORTH. This will acknowledge yours of Feb 17th. Let me hope you will be able to adjust matters with the Lancaster-Rankley family and hold them in line on a satisfactory basis. Very likely Lancaster did not care to file his reasons in writing but you may be able to secure a statement, which you are entitled to, as the arrangement within him was for a year dating from May 1st. After hearing all Lancaster has to say and talking matters over with Eubank if you do not feel safe to leave the property in his charge there is only one things to do and, that is, to get rid of Eubank and place some one else on the property in whom you have confidence.
In my yesterday's letter I suggested Carl Haas. He is intelligent, honest, reliable and economical, and has proven faithful to our interests. He must know something about grove work and the proper kind of fertilizers to use or he would never have advised Barnett to throw his sulphate of ammonia and use potash. It might be possible to arrange with Haas to have his wife operate the house as Mrs hoard did. We can hardly spare Haas from the business now as we need him badly in the Homestead territory but could release him on or about July 1st, - perhaps sooner, if necessary.
It strikes me that the grove has gotten along to a point where a good careful man as Superintendent, who will carry out any of your instructions, will be better than an uncertain quantity, (no matterhow energetic) or with any other man with a dissatisfied and discontented wife.
If Lancaster decides to remain he will regard it in the nature of a favor to you and will feel justified in taking offense and quitting if anything happens he doesnot like.
Yours affectionately,
Joshua
jccb
11:35
SEABOARD BUILDING
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
Feb. 18, 1911.
Mr S O Chase,
Sanford.
Dear Syd:
ISLEWORTH. This will acknowledge yours of Feb 17th. Let me hope you will be able to adjust matters with the Lancaster-Rankley family and hold them in line on a satisfactory basis. Very likely Lancaster did not care to file his reasons in writing but you may be able to secure a statement, which you are entitled to, as the arrangement within him was for a year dating from May 1st. After hearing all Lancaster has to say and talking matters over with Eubank if you do not feel safe to leave the property in his charge there is only one things to do and, that is, to get rid of Eubank and place some one else on the property in whom you have confidence.
In my yesterday's letter I suggested Carl Haas. He is intelligent, honest, reliable and economical, and has proven faithful to our interests. He must know something about grove work and the proper kind of fertilizers to use or he would never have advised Barnett to throw his sulphate of ammonia and use potash. It might be possible to arrange with Haas to have his wife operate the house as Mrs hoard did. We can hardly spare Haas from the business now as we need him badly in the Homestead territory but could release him on or about July 1st, - perhaps sooner, if necessary.
It strikes me that the grove has gotten along to a point where a good careful man as Superintendent, who will carry out any of your instructions, will be better than an uncertain quantity, (no matterhow energetic) or with any other man with a dissatisfied and discontented wife.
If Lancaster decides to remain he will regard it in the nature of a favor to you and will feel justified in taking offense and quitting if anything happens he doesnot like.
Yours affectionately,
Joshua
jccb
11:35
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Collection
Citation
Chase, Joshua Coffin, “Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (February 18, 1911),” RICHES, accessed April 26, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/2713.