Past in a Glance
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When Spain’s Ponce De León and crew sailed up the mighty SaintXJohns Indians hunted under the “Tree Hill” oak canopy and palm fronds Then the French Huguenots settled just to the east at SaintXJohns Bluff Until Spain’s Pedro Menéndez decided they’d been there long enough. |
(ca. 1513) (ca. 1562) (ca. 1565) |
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For another two hundred years both the Indians and Spanish roamed Until the English took over and Samuel Potts made it his home But the Spanish took the territory back and ruled Florida again And Francis Richard came to settle the east shore with all of his kin. |
(ca. 1763) (ca. 1783) (ca. 1795) |
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Richard named his large Spanish Grant “Plantation Strawberry Hill” And dammed several creeks to power both a grist and a saw mill This formed a big lake that made “Tree Hill” accessible mostly by boat A little part of his farm “natures paradise” with its own private moat. |
(ca. 1821) |
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After Richard Jr.s’ death, the plantation went to John Sammis and Mary He kept the place going until the Civil War’s threat made him wary Legend has it due to the war, his wealth was subject to be taken away He rowed to “Tree Hill” to bury his gold in a pot until a safer day. |
(ca. 1840)
(ca. 1862)
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When the war was over Sammis sold his land, then the dam washed out The land set idle until Alderman Realty Co.’s development came about Alderman Realty divided land round “Tree Hill” into eight-acre farm lots The “Johnson’s” rode the ferry from town to see what they had bought. |
(ca. 1873) (ca. 1912) |
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They cleared the land and called their new home “Red Bay Ranch & Dairy” Louise ran the farm while Cleveland ran dredge boats next to the ferry Children; Bruce, Claris and Mary milked cows, plowed, and cut wood From the land that they loved, they made a living the best that they could. |
(ca. 1914) |
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Time passed, Mary took over the farm, Claris opened Lone Star Stables Taxes forced a sign “For Sale,” sell part and keep what they were able. Some neighbors saw the sign and thought apartments would be a shame PATH (Preservation Association of Tree Hill) was their group’s name. |
(ca. 1943) (ca. 1969) |
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So with public meetings, community spirit, and a lot of well laid plans They got everyone’s attention and thank God the state bought the land. Now the land first inhabited by Indians and where early settlers stayed Is saved for families to enjoy nature today as yesterday’s memories fade. |
(ca. 1972/98)
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