THE SETTLING OF Sarasota (6th in a series)

Murder stains the history of Sarasota

Charles Abbe (inset), his wife, Charlotte, and teenage daughters, Carrie and Nellie landed in the town of Manatee (now Bradenton) in November 1877. The family had lived in a suburb of Chicago where Charles had been a salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine Company.

Charles had visited Florida during 1875 and 1876 and bought 359 acres along the bay in what is now Sarasota for less than $1.00 per acre. In the spring of 1877, he bought additional acreage from the state and more land in January 1878.

Charlotte and Charles built a house at what is now the intersection of Arlington Street and Osprey Avenue, a few miles south of the Whitaker's home. He advertised in northern newspapers inviting tourists to winter at his "hotel". He farmed a portion Of the property, opened a store, and in July 1878 applied for a U.S. Post Office to be located at his house. It was granted in August, named Sarasota, and served forty families.

In 1879 Nellie Abbe married Furman Whitaker, the son of Mary Jane and William Whitaker. Charles became active in local politics and was appointed Commissioner in 1882.

Under the Homestead Act of 1862, practically all of the land in this federal public domain was opened for colonization. The Swamp Land Act of 1650 made it possible for Florida pioneers in clever deals with Federal Agents to have 22 million acres classified as swamp land, more than half the state.

On June 12, 1883, under the influence of 'business interests', Florida Governor William D. Bloxham signed a deed giving title of 246,052 acres of land to the Florida Land & Improvement Co. headed by Hamilton Disston, a saw manufacturer of Philadelphia. One week later (June 19, 1883) he gave title to 271,796 more acres of Manatee County land to the Florida Southern Railroad and 48,971 acres to the Florida Mortgage and Investment Co., Ltd, a British concern. A total of 697, 846 acres were finally given away, much of it previously deeded to the pioneer homesteaders.

In April 1884, a meeting was held at Jason Alford's home; 17 pioneers attended, and formed the Sara Sota Vigilance Committee. It was said that they organized to prevent their community from being unjustly gobbled up by the land grabbers.

On June 1884, Harrison T. Riley was riding his pony on the trail from Bee Ridge to Abbe's Post Office, when he was hit by three shotgun blasts. Three men came out of the palmetto. One shot him again, and one cut his throat.

A coroner's jury was empanelled, visited the scene and returned the verdict: "killed by parties unknown". Nearly all of the jury members were Vigilantes.

One reason given later for Riley's death was that he was living with Widow Mary Suringer, (without benefit of clergy), and that he intended to steal her property. Riley's murder was also a "test" meant to discover whether the authorities (the sheriff lived forty miles away) would do anything about it.

(To Be Continued)..

(C) Copyright, 2007 - Leland Desmon.
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