St. Johns County Florida Biographies

St. Johns County, Florida
Genealogy and History

Biographies

William Astor
Astor, William, capitalist, was born July 12, 1829, in New York City; and is a son o'f William B. Astor. In 1875 a visit to Florida awoke his interest in the vast undeveloped resources of that state; and it is believed that his enterprise during the next ten years accomplished more for Florida than that of any of his contemporaries. He built a railroad from St. Augustine to Palatka, constructed several modern blocks of buildings in Jacksonville, and led other men of means to join in the work of recreating a new Florida in place of the old one. His services were so valuable that the state government voted him a grant of eighty thousand acres of land. He died April 26, 1892, in Paris, France.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 – Transcribed by Therman Kellar]

Isaac W. Avery
Avery, Isaac Wheeler, lawyer, journalist, author, was born May 2, 1837, in St. Augustine, Fla. In 1869 he became chief editor of the Atlanta Constitution. He is the author of Digest of the Georgia Supreme Court Reports; and History of Georgia. He died Sept. 8, 1897, in Atlanta, Ga.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 – Transcribed by Therman Kellar]

Alice Baggett
BAGGETT, Mrs. Alice, educator, born in Soccapatoy, Coosa county, Ala., 184-. Her maiden name was Alice Phillips. On her mother's side she is descended from the Scotch families of Campbell, McNeill, Wade, and Hampton, of Virginia. On her father's side her ancestors were the Dowds and Phillipses, of North Carolina. Her father, James D. Phillips, was a Whig who clung to the Union and the Constitution, doing all that lay in his power to avert the Civil War. Alice, just out of school, was full of the secessionist spirit, but a strong advocate of peace. Her early desire to enter the profession of teacher was opposed by her parents, but she resolved to follow her inclination, when, at the close of the Civil War, her family shared in the general desolation that lay upon the South. She became a teacher and for several years made successful use of her varied attainments. In 1868 she was married to A. J. Baggett, continuing her school work after marriage. In a few years her husband became an invalid and Mrs. Baggett then showed her mettle. She cared for her family of three children and assisted her brothers and sisters to get their education. Her husband died in 1875. Since that time she has served mainly as principal of high schools in Alabama. She has done much work for the orphans of Freemasons, to which order her husband had belonged. Wherever she has worked, she has organized, systematized and revolutionized educational matters. She now resides in St. Augustine, Fla., where her work is highly successful. Her family consists of one surviving daughter. (American Women Fifteen Hundred Biographies, Volume 1, Publ. 1897. Transcribed by Marla Snow)

Gideon Barstow
Barstow, Gideon, legislator, congressman, was born in 1783 in Essex county, Mass. He served in both branches of the state legislature, of Massachusetts. In 1821-23 he was a representative from Massachusetts to the seventeenth congress. He died March 26, 1852, in St. Augustine, Fla.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 – Transcribed by Therman Kellar]

Stephen V. Benet
Benet, Stephen Vincent, soldier, author, was born Jan. 22, 1827, in Augustine, Fla. In 1859 he became assistant professor of geography, history and ethics at West Point; and in 1861-64 was instructor of ordnance and the science of gunnery; after which he was in command of Frankford arsenal. In 1869 he was made assistant to the chief of ordnance; and in 1874 became chief with the rank of brigadier-general. He translated Jomini's Political and Military History of the Campaign of Waterloo. He is the author of a treatise on Military Law and the Practice of Courts-Martial; and Electro-Ballistic Machines and the Schultze Chronoseope. He died Jan. 23, 1895. in Washington, D.C.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 – Transcribed by Therman Kellar]

John M. Carrere
Carrere, John Merven, designer, architect, was born Nov. 9, 1858, of American parents, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His firm were architects of the Ponce de Leon and Alcazar hotels of St. Augustine, Fla. He is now architect for the New York public library.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 – Transcribed by Therman Kellar]