Letter from Randall Chase to A. Q. Lancaster (August 9, 1919)
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Randall Chase to A. Q. Lancaster (August 9, 1919)
Alternative Title
Chase Correspondence (August 9, 1919)
Subject
Windermere (Fla.)
Orlando (Fla.)
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Citrus--Florida
Labor--Florida
Description
An original letter of correspondence between Randall Chase and A. Q. Lancaster. Topics discussed in the letter include Mr. Watkins' request for his son's employment at Isleworth Grove, Chase's request for Lancaster to allow Watkins' son to board with him, and the employment of an Army veteran with experience as a packing house foreman and picking foreman.
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, Randall
Source
Original letter from Randall Chase to A. Q. Lancaster, August 9, 1919: box 49, folder 20.83, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Date Created
1919-08-09
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of o from Randall Chase to A. Q. Lancaster, August 9, 1919.
Is Part Of
Chase Collection (MS 14), box 49, folder 20.83, 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
163 KB
Medium
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Gotha, Florida
Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida
Orlando, Florida
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
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.
Transcript
CHASE & CO.
SANFORD, FLA.
OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE
United States Food Administration
License Number 04516
Aug. 19, 1919
Mr. A. Q. Lancaster,
Gotha, Fla.
Dear Sir;
Mr. Watkins, father of the boy who had a fight at the grove ten days ago, was in the office this morning. He said he was in trouble and did not know just what to do. He stated that the boy was ready to be removed form the hospital, but had no place to go, and wanted to know if we had work we could give him at some other point. This we have not got.
I suggested to him that he see Mr. Bogue, who is now in Orlando, and see if he could give him anything to do. In the event that he can not if you were willing, to see if the boy could not be brought to Windermere and boarded there, so that his father could work in the grove during the day. We are not sure whether this would be entirely satisfactory to you. If it is not, of course all you have to do is say so. This arrangement was only temporary, and I doubt if the boy would be able to move around much for three or four weeks, and I do not think if he was living in Windermere he would give you any trouble at first.
When my father returns he can probably make some better arrangement.
Have you any suggestions to make?
I understood from Mr. Watkins that Mr. Morrison said that Chase & Company would be responsible for the hospital bill. Is this so?
This morning I was in Orlando for a few minutes and tried to talk with you on the phone, but you were out on the grove somewhere. I left a message with Mrs. Lancaster. The man who wanted work seemed to unusually bright, and had a good face. He is just out of the army and wanted work of some kind, preferably in the fruit business. I told him we had nothing now except grove work for which we only paid about $1.50 per day. He said he would be willing to take that until the shipping season opened. I do not know whether you can use him at the grove or not, but told him I would find out, and to come back in a couple days and I would let him know. He said before he went into the army he had worked as a packing house foreman and a picking foreman. If he can do all that he says he can he is the kind of a fellow we are looking for.
Yours truly,
CHASE & COMPANY.
RC c
SANFORD, FLA.
OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE
United States Food Administration
License Number 04516
Aug. 19, 1919
Mr. A. Q. Lancaster,
Gotha, Fla.
Dear Sir;
Mr. Watkins, father of the boy who had a fight at the grove ten days ago, was in the office this morning. He said he was in trouble and did not know just what to do. He stated that the boy was ready to be removed form the hospital, but had no place to go, and wanted to know if we had work we could give him at some other point. This we have not got.
I suggested to him that he see Mr. Bogue, who is now in Orlando, and see if he could give him anything to do. In the event that he can not if you were willing, to see if the boy could not be brought to Windermere and boarded there, so that his father could work in the grove during the day. We are not sure whether this would be entirely satisfactory to you. If it is not, of course all you have to do is say so. This arrangement was only temporary, and I doubt if the boy would be able to move around much for three or four weeks, and I do not think if he was living in Windermere he would give you any trouble at first.
When my father returns he can probably make some better arrangement.
Have you any suggestions to make?
I understood from Mr. Watkins that Mr. Morrison said that Chase & Company would be responsible for the hospital bill. Is this so?
This morning I was in Orlando for a few minutes and tried to talk with you on the phone, but you were out on the grove somewhere. I left a message with Mrs. Lancaster. The man who wanted work seemed to unusually bright, and had a good face. He is just out of the army and wanted work of some kind, preferably in the fruit business. I told him we had nothing now except grove work for which we only paid about $1.50 per day. He said he would be willing to take that until the shipping season opened. I do not know whether you can use him at the grove or not, but told him I would find out, and to come back in a couple days and I would let him know. He said before he went into the army he had worked as a packing house foreman and a picking foreman. If he can do all that he says he can he is the kind of a fellow we are looking for.
Yours truly,
CHASE & COMPANY.
RC c
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Collection
Citation
Chase, Randall, “Letter from Randall Chase to A. Q. Lancaster (August 9, 1919),” RICHES, accessed December 26, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/2764.