Ok this week we’re doing another question and will be returning to

our Mt. Dora adventures next week where we left off on 5th Ave.

but this week I got a totally off the wall question that takes me back to the UK:

I was talking abut Richard the Lion Hearted (OK so my conversations are a bit off the main stream but…..)when John came up and I mentioned the fate of the crown jewels in John’s keeping and one of my fellow conversationalist (This was at Aromas in Mt Dora)–-https://cafearoma-coffeeshop.business.site/   

and he wanted to know more about it—so we go treasure hunting today….in a much bigger way than our usual points of reference.

Oh and because I wanted to get this all in and in one entry it has ran a bit long—may take you a couple of seating to compete but I think it is worth the time  I have also included some information on local sites in regard to places you might visit or more information on he subject  Hope you enjoy it.

“He was a total jerk. He was loathed by contemporaries as cruel and cowardly,” Mark Morris, author of King John: Treachery, Tyranny, and the Road to the Magna Carta told the BBC in 2016. “There were rules, especially about how you treated nobles. John broke these taboos. He didn’t just kill, he was sadistic. He starved people to death. And not just enemy knights, but once a rival’s wife and son.”

When ‘Bad King John’ Lost The British Crown Jewels

Daily Beast

05.28.17 12:00 AM ET

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-bad-king-john-lost-the-british-crown-jewels

I have oft read two things abut English Kings—-That Richard III was the evilest—which I do not agree with and which his various deeds of evil supposed have began to be piled up on others doors seems to leave that in debate (and I am one of those debaters`.  )  The Other is that John, the first and only (which may well give us a hint as to the truth of it all) was the worst King to ever set the throne of England.

Now he did have a hard line to follow:  He was descended from William I (who started out as “the Bastard” went on to “the Conqueror” to get to the 1st category) who was the first Norman ruler of what is now England.  His grandmother was Matilda, who fought her cousin for the throne and while she didn’t gain it for herself she did force him into making agreement that her son…Henry would take the throne as the First Plantagenet King (all Plantagenets are Norman, but not all Normans Plantagenet) and the 2nd Henry—he was also the first undisputed claim to the throne since Edward the Confessor, who died in 1066 leaving Harold II and William to determine who would take the prize.

Henry II had much to do even with out contending his throne, for he ruled over western Europe’s largest ’empire’—He had to control seriously uncooperative barons   He made several reforms of the legal system that is said to have “created the foundations of the English ‘common’ law.  But he also was a vassal to the French King for his huge amount of French lands, which is supposed one of the causes of the Hundred Year War.  He also made the mistake of making one of his friends Archbishop of Canterbury–the top Catholic church position in the country, but once he was named Becket began to take his religious duties seriously and once he rejected the crown’s authority of the church led to major issues with Henry ending with the murder of Becket by several of Henry’s knights who violated sanctuary and stabbed him to death in the Cathedral.  A murder for which the king would later pay penance at the holy man’s tomb at the same location.  https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/heritage/

King John

  Sometime during August (1153) Eleanor gave birth to her first son, named William in honor of her father and grandfather….. For thirteen years Eleanor kept busy bearing children, five sons: (William died at the age of three), Henry, Richard, Geoffrey and John plus three daughters: Matilda, Eleanor and Joanna. Her children would one day show the world where they came from as two of her daughters became queens ……..on December 24, 1167 Eleanor gave birth to the future king John; it was her last childbirth

Eleanor of Aquitaine

E-History

Ohio State University

• 

  1973 Allman Brothers Band Brothers and Sisters 33 1/3 Vinyl LP

  $15.00

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• 

• John spent his time while Richard was out of the country (which between his battles and capture and held for ransom  left only about 6 months out of the 10 year reign spent in England–per BBC source) claiming the throne and plotting with the latest king of France who had had a falling out in the Holy Lands with Richard and had deserted the crusade to depart home).   Richard was wounded in battle–he had survived worse but this one became infected and killed the Lion Heart.

• Once he became king he managed to piss off the French his former ally by a divorce and new marriage.  A dispute with Rome over` a new Arch Bishop—yep that same Canterbury—he managed to get excommunicated in 1209 and it took him 4 years to get back in the church’s good grace.   A long running dispute with his nobles lead to his being forced to sign the Magna Carta (1215)  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/runnymede-and-ankerwycke  and while that particular document only served persons of power (while taking from his—he did denounce it a year later resulting in a rebellion) it is felt to be England’s first step in establishing constitutional government.  And what is described by some as the last characteristically bungled incident in which the crown jewels in quicksand “while crossing the Wash.”   He died in Oct. 2016),  Oh and the final fate:   he died of dysentery:  gut pains and frequent passage of stool or diarrhea.

John’s Tomb which I in Worchester Cathedral

http://worcestercathedral.co.uk/King_John.php

is pictured above with an effigy of the king flanked by St. Wulfstan and St. Oswald:  John’s will is displayed in the cathedral’s library….check out the cathedral site it is quite interesting info on John including the tomb being open etc.

Husband of Isabella of Gloucester and Isabella of Angoulême

Partner of Clementia le Boteler, Concubine of John “Lackland”; Agatha de Ferrers; Adela de Warenne, Concubine #1 of John “Lackland” of England; Clementia Pinel Concubine #2 of John “Lackland” of England; Hawise FitzWarin, Mistress of John “Lackland” and 2 others

Father of Henry III of England; Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall; Joan of England, Queen Consort of Scotland; Isabella of England, Holy Roman Empress; Queen consort of Sicily; Eleanor of Leicester, Countess of Pembroke & Leicester and 12 others

https://www.geni.com/people/John-Lackland-King-of-England/4924870419470035934

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So John is in (even if he doesn’t know it) last disaster—trying to outlast a rebellion and word has it the French still were not gonna give him any breaks.  It’s 1216—The Rebels hold London and the Magna Carta which he has renounced and even though the church has allowed him to return to their fold, it’s said that there’s not a lot of love lost between and many of the local Church heads….it is said that John and his troops were between King’s Lynn (, known until 1537 as Bishop’s Lynn https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g315936-Activities-King_s_Lynn_Norfolk_East_Anglia_England.html   ) and Lincoln     https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g186336-Activities-Lincoln_Lincolnshire_England.html   and that he was transporting  the jewels (Richard is known to be a bad king but a good judge of jewels and thought the actual pieces involved in the hoard Is not known at this time it is anticipated to be worth a vast fortune)  along with the arm supplies—from then on it gets crazy.  Some say that John took sick and went around the Wash   (  http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/sevenwonders/yorkshire/the_wash/   )  while his troops continue to bring the entire supply train thru this marshy section of Eastern England….others say that Richard accompanied them.  What ever most agree that the treasure was lost when high tide hit the Wash, drowning the jewels, along with many men, horses and supplies as well.   Richard died a short time later at Newark Castle    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/newark-castle-remains   

No crown or other parts of the jewels that historians anticipate as part of the Crown Jewels were noted in the records as being present when John’s son Henry (III) was crowned, in fact it was noted in some source that a gold ring of some sort was used instead of a crown for the coronation

Today the Wash is still there, but the lands that were marshes then are now dry sand dunes and cover miles—-the hay stack for the preverbal needle—and if that wasn’t enough there’s also the long period that the high tides and winter storms that have battered the area and could have pushed it elsewhere or out into the deeper waters of the sea.    Oh and if all that isn’t enough some say that John could have already sold them off or left them as collateral for money for his wars or whatever else the bad king might have thought up along the way.

One more point of note–you can see the current crown jewels (well worth a visit I would advise) at the Tower of London     https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/explore/the-crown-jewels/#gs.p6BNHm8   

However you might be interested that they are not the next set after John’s vanished treasurers .  Seems that after the execution of Charles (  https://www.traveldarkly.com/oliver-cromwell-charles-i-london-execution-sites/   )   following his loss of power to Parliament after the English Revolution  in 1649, Oliver Cromwell destroyed the crown jewels with every piece either sold or melted down.

• The precise location where the Crown Jewels were lost is a bit of a mystery; it is usually assumed to have been somewhere near Sutton Bridge, on the River Nene. However, there is one inconsistency which casts doubts on that theory; while most modern historians agree John travelled separately from the carts, contemporary sources claimed the King was actually within the immediate vicinity and in fact barely escaped with his own life. If that is accurate, then the location should be moved because it is known King John crossed Wellstream at Wisbech. Many other theories exist, but so far none has helped to recover anything. Of course, modern treasure hunters should be aware that most metal detectors would be quite useless wherever the incident took place: because of the centuries that have passed, the treasure will be buried underneath 20 feet or more of slit.

Day in History: King John Loses Crown Jewels

Another question from the Museum—Why do the Mason’s have the Donnelly Home instead of the city of Mt. Dora?

I am gonna do two subjects this week—first that little museum where you’re welcome to come and ask questions

an then a look at the house which is right along the route we’re taking anyway.

At one time citrus was the major industry in the area, with a great deal shipped from Mount Dora

If you start where you left off on last week’s tour and continue down 5th You’ll come to a one way alley—something that many people who transverse it seem to think is just an option not a strict directional imperative.

Mount Dora History Museum

http://mountdorahistorymuseum.com/

(formerly the Royellou Museum)

450 Royellou Lane,

Mount Dora, Florida.

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday through Sunday

1:00 to 4:00 pm

 If you turn around and look directly out from this building’s front door you will see the back of houses on Donnelly street.  In February 1922 there was a major fire on Donnelly on that block (between 4th & 5th street).  Reports say 3 or 4 buildings were burned including the city hall.  I tend to think the fact that an unattended electric iron was blamed more the blame on a new fangled gadget than on the real cause–but again (and probably like the source of the cause) I am just guessing.  This did however highlight the fact that the town had limited fire fighting service.

This building went up in 1923 in answer to the need on land which was deeded by J.P. Donnelly to the City of Mt. Dora:  “on a piece of property on which should be constructed a suitable building to house and care for firefighting apparatus…”   And Mt. Dora’s Volunteer Fire Department manned it.  Their first fire engine was a two wheeled affair using a hose and Volunteer man power to move as well as operate it.  Later more mobile engines were added including a type 75 American La France in 1926, which reportedly also resulted in an enlargement to the building.  This building also held the jail and police department as well as the fire department (1923-1941)  When the Fire and Police department left the jail remained until 1969, when they began to be gradually transferred to the county jail in Tavares.  The original small cells still remain in the building, but the larger two prisoner cells which were built after it ceased to be a jail have all been removed.  It is noted that the history museum does document that one prisoner escaped by digging out thru the back wall of the cell section,  

Eventually the Historical society bought the building and now exhibits items and activities in Mount Dora from the 1880’s to the 1930’s and includes exhibits on the old post office, fire fighting, agriculture,  domestic and kitchen–including a nice collection of pieces of the area.  Also items on Donnelly and his wife, the Lake Side Inn and it’s most famous visitors,  the three jail cells.  A great collection of cap guns, hunting and fishing in the area and of course other hotels, the railroad and my favorite the movie that painted the town pink.  —a lot of stuff in a small space makes the visit well worth the time and usually your hostess at the museum can answer your questions and some even give tours.   All that for only $2 for adults   $1 students and children under 6 free.

• Alexander Street
• Baker Street
• Clayton Street
• Donnelly Street south of 11th Avenue
• First Avenue through 10th Avenue, inclusive, west of Highland Street
• Grandview Street
• Helen Street
• Highland Street lying between 11th Avenue and First Avenue
• McDonald Street
• Tremain Street

Oh by the way it comes as no surprise that the previous name of the street was Jailhouse Lane.  The building next door (to the right in the picture) to the museum (and at the time of this writing is not occupied—though rumors abound.) was originally used as the Rehbaum Hardware Warehouse.  The Rehbaum Hardware (on the corner of 4th St and Donnelly–now the site of Pigletts Pantry) was bought by Ace Hardware in 1994.  Several generations of the Rehbaum family who had  operated it since they bought it from its founder J.P. Donnelly, one of Mount Dora’s founding fathers, whose name graced the street where the hardware store stood.

Tremain opened the first orange-packing house in 1891, although surrounding groves were destroyed by the great freezes of 1894 and ‘95. Also during the 1890s, fertilizer factories were established as well as a cannery.

Mount Dora’s Rich History

So the house that was in question—as you can see from the previous two (actually 3 with the Hardware we also mentioned–(Alfred Rehbaum, Sr, who was 20 years old at the time. was hired by J.P. Donnelly, one of the town’s founding fathers, to manage Donnelly’s hardware store in 1915)  you note a recurring theme:  J.P. Donnelly.

This is I am sure the most famous structure in the town of Mt. Dora:  the J.P. Donnelly House that sits on Donnelly Street, across from Donnelly Park,    Donnelly built the residence for his bride Annie Stone in 1893.  The architect’s name was George Franklin Barber. He specialized in residential designs.  The house has been described as classic Queen Anne House but has also been referred to as “Steamboat Gothic” as well — I personally feel that it is a bit of both but then I’m not an expert on the subject

in 1875 Wm and Annie Stone arrived in Mt. Dora and homesteaded 160 acres of what is now the downtown.  He abandoned her and she was granted the property (since he “abandoned” her in the “wilderness”) when she divorced him.   Her father also homesteaded here and he is remember by McDonald Street which was named for him.    Annie had one daughter Nellie (and 3 grandchildren).  In 1879 Donnelly arrived from Pittsburg and homestead near Stone’s property.  He also resided in her boarding house and they were married in 1881,which gave them over 300 acres, and by 1893 Donnelly, who had achieved success in real estate and citrus)  personally built the house which still stands on Mt. Dora’s main street.  Annie passed on in 1908, the couple had no children.  JP went on to become the town’s first mayor in 1910 and in 1924 sold the land across from his house to be made into a park named after his late wife.  He passed on in 1930.  After his death the property was purchased by D.F. Gorham another prominent resident.  He died during the depression and it  was when a purchased by the Masons (https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/who-knew/house-holds-key-to-mount-doras-past).

The town of Mount Dora began in 1874 when the area was settled by David Simpson, his wife, and two children. In 1880, Ross C. Tremain became the town’s first postmaster, and later a major real estate developer for the area.  A post office called Mount Dora has been in operation since 1883

wikipedia

The house became the property and home of F. & A.M. Lodge and Eastern Star (The Masonic Temple Lodge #238) in 1935.  (The Masons were chartered in the city in 1917).  (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-11-19/news/9311190439_1_donnelly-house-masonic-lodge-mount-dora) 

So the Masons bought it in 1935—which definitely would not be a time the town would have purchase it given the economy and plus this was not a period where towns bought historical homes–in fact a lot of these homes even later were not obtained by cities unless they were donated by someone…..so hopefully that explains it.  Read this about how a couple of other homes were restored:  https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/who-knew/category/all

Friends of The Donnelly House,

a non-profit group, was later formed.

Their goal is to raise money for the deferred and continual maintenance of the historic home.  

Donations can be made by contacting Friendsofthedonnellyhouse@gmail.com

That’s a picture of J.P. Donnelly on the left of the fire place.

The railroad came to town in 1887, and it immediately sparked the economy. Many northern tourists discovered Mount Dora, Florida and it became a popular winter retreat for hunting, fishing and boating. 

Florida Backroad Travel

Sorry no blog last week—seriously malfunctioning internet service—GRRR

Today before is a special addition of the blog—–we  will return to our look around Mt. Dora on Friday 9/14 — I work in a museum in Mt. Dora and I have had some questions lately some on the city some not.

The first requesting some info on Lake County Occupants and the first couple to get a marriage license there I thought might be particularly interesting to some of my readers—so this session is dedicated to this question.

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

Walt Disney

So many of you out there are saying so who cares who got the first marriage license in Lake Co.  Well I’m gonna tell you anyway:

It was Flora Call and Elias Disney

Name sound familiar—it should  Elias and Flora were married in or around Paisley, Florida—while some say Kismet depending on your sources but all the sources agree that though their son Walt wasn’t born in Florida, he did make a huge impact on Central Florida

Walt’s great grandfather Arundel Elias Disney sold his family holdings in Ireland around July 1834 (well before the massive Irish migration later in the 19th c) and along with his wife and two children set sail for North America from Liverpool, England aboard the New Jersey along with his older brother Robert and his family.

Eventually they would settle in a small township called Godoich in a bit of wilderness in south west Ontario, Canada.  He reportedly built the areas first grist mill and farmed the land as his family grew from 2 to 16 children (8 of each sex).

All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

Walt Disney

Arundel’s eldest son Kepple, who had made the trip from Ireland with him married another Irish immigrant Mary Richardson and they moved further north and bought a 100 acres and build a log cabin.  Elias central Florida’s first Disney was born here in 1859.  When oil was found in the area Keeple rented out his farm, left his family with his wife’s sister and went to find his fortune drilling for oil.  He returned occasionally only to see his family and finally after about 3 years he admitted he was not going to make his fortune in oil and returned to the farm.

The return was not permanent and in 1877 he was off to California following the gold strike there—this time with his 18 year-old son Elias.  This changed somewhere on his way south and he ended up in Kansas—not being a US citizen he couldn’t qualify for free land through the Homestead Act but here in Kansas the Union Pacific was offering deals to entice settlers to settle along the area where they were laying down their tracks.

According to the New York Times this was an area that still had Indian issue and the county seat of the area where they settled was referred to as the Sodom of the Plain.  Even more serious for the settlers the area proved to be poor farm lands with the men leaving the farms to work for the rail roads and the women force to scavenging for buffalo bones to sell to fertilizer manufacturers.

You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.

Walt Disney

They did meet a family that they became friend with the Calls.  The Calls had arrived in the British Colonies in 1636, settling first outside Boston and later to upstate New York.  Walt’s great grandfather Eber Call decided to leave the hostile Indians and terrible cold of the North New York winters and moved his family to Huron Co., Ohio, where two of his daughters became teachers and his son Charles graduated from college in 1847 with high honors.  But it seems Charles had a bit in common with Kepple, as he headed to California drifting about during the gold rush.  He eventually ended up in Des Moises, Iowa where he met Henrietta Gross, a German immigrant who he married 9/9/1855.   He took his new bride and returned to his father’s house in Ohio, where he settled down and became a teacher.

I found no explanation why Charles at age 56 (January 1879) decided to move himself, his wife and their 10 kids (8 of which were girls) to Ellis, Kansas and become a farmer.  Within a shot time the family began to scatter and Flora in her early teens was sent to normal school in Elsworth, to be trained as a tacher, rumor has it that he roomed with Albertha Disney.

Eventually give the circumstances of the land added to by the horrible cold winters on the flat plains  became too much and the Calls made arrangements to relocate to an area in Florida that their relatives had already settled.    The Calls had five children Charles Jr and his sisters: Flora (Walt’s future mom) , Jessie, Grace Leslie and Julia.  Around autumn 1886 the Call family and their friends and neighbors Kepple and Elias Disney left for Florida by train.

I have no use for people who throw their weight around as celebrities, or for those who fawn over you just because you are famous.

Walt Disney

They settled in the area of Kismet* and or Paisley* depending on the sources you read- in what was then Orange County–Elias settled (around 80 acres) his own land and cleared acreage and raised citrus.   Kepple returned to Kanas in 1887.  He was eventually injured in some type of accident and never completely recovered, dying in the early 1890’s–I did not learn where he died in Kansas or Florida.

Meanwhile Elias’ future spouse had finished school and taught her 2nd year in Paisley.  Elias in the mean time had added a mail delivery job to his resume.

The couple were married (again the fact differ from the Call’s family home in Kismet to a local church) on either 12/27/1887 or New Years Day 1888 in the newly formed (just a few month old) Lake county.  There is a rumor that the couple spent their honeymoon at the Kismet’s 50-room hotel (it was later moved to Eustis and became the Grand View after Kismet demise)—but given their economics I put this on the highly questionable column.  Elias was 29 at the time of their marriage and Flora almost 20.

I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.

Walt Disney

For some reason they decided to move–Some accounts state that they moved to Daytona Beach but give no reason why or what they did while they stayed there so this is another fact that remains in limbo.  It is however of note that their first son Herbert was born in Florida in 1888.  So Elias. Flora and his  eldest son moved to Chicago.

Perhaps the reason for Elias moving to Chicago was his younger brother Robert, described as a real dandy as well as a schemer.  Robert was married to a wealthy Boston girl, Margaret Rogers and had made a career in oil, gold mines and real estate.

 Elias and family arrived in Chicago in the spring of 1890 (before the Freeze).   It is noted that their 2nd son Raymond was born in 1890 after the relocation to Chicago.   Elias apparently worked as a carpenter at the Columbia Exposition (1893) site development where he reportedly made about $7 per week.   Roy was born in 1893 and Walter Ellias in 1901–the only daughter Ruth in 1902.

 Elias was reportedly a deeply religious man (as was his son Walt) whose life revolved around the nearby Congregational Church where he became a main stay of the church, even occasionally preaching when the minister was absent.

Mickey Mouse is, to me, a symbol of independence. He was a means to an end. Walt Disney

But alas Chicago did not hold them and in 1906 they moved again, this time to a 48 acr farm new Marceline, Mo.  Along the main lien of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe R/R.  Some say Maceline is the inspiration for the main street area of the Disney Park. Then they moved again a few years later to Kansas City.

Back in Florida Albert Perkins (who had married Walt’s aunt Jessie Call in 1887) became the post master of Paisley in 1902 and served until 1935.  While Aunt Jessie taught in several different Lake County Schools and eventually became principal of the Eustis High School.  When husband Jessie died she became the post master until 1946.

According to local info Walt and his brother Roy spent several summer vacations with Aunt Jessie and Uncle Albert.  Reportedly a welcome break from his father’s ridged ways.

Oh and by the way the cemetery in Paisley where his grand parent are buried as well as the old homesteads are all near Paisley, which is about 50 miles north of Walt’s homestead Disney World.

Walter Elias Disney was an American entrepreneur, animator, voice actor and film producer. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film producer, Disney holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual, having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations

                              Sources:

Florida Backroads Travel/Paisley Fl.  Walt Disney’s Roots

New York Times

First Chapter/Walt Disney 12/03/06 by Neal Gabler

Orlando Sentinel

Walt Disney’s World as Child Not so Magical 12/02/01

Florida Flashback  10/28/11 by Jan Wallace Dickinson