THE SETTLING OF SARASOTA (7th in a series)

THE SCOTTISH COLONY ARRIVES
In the previous installments, -it was stated that through chicanery, the Governor of Florida deeded 700,000 acres, some of which included properties' of the Sarasota's pioneer homesteaders, into the hands of land speculators. This led to the formation of the Vigilance Committee and the subsequent shotgun killing of Harrison T. Riley and Charles Abbe who were suspected of cooperating with the speculators.

Although not a party to the trickery, an organization that benefited from the "re-deeding" was the Florida Mortgage and Investment Co. (FMIC) a British concern whose president was Sir John Gillespie (inset). The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Dean of the Guild of Edinburgh were directors of FMIC. The economy of Scotland in the 1880's was very poor and an advertisement by the FMIC in an Edinburgh newspaper in August 1885 seeking colonists for the "wonderful new town of Sarasota in the richest and most. beautiful section of the entire State of Florida" drew great interest. Colonists were promised a 40 acre ,estate and a lot in town in exchange for 100 pounds sterling (equivalent to 500 U.S. dollars) before departure. Twenty three Scottish families (totaling 68 people) headed by John B. Browning sold their businesses and personal possessions, paid 100 pounds sterling and met in Glasgow for the steamship crossing. The group was called the Ormiston Colony, after the estate of Sir John Gilespie.

The colonists sailed from Glasgow on the steamship "Furnesia" on November 25, 1885 and arrived in New York on December 10th after a very stormy trip. They passed through customs, were met by Selven Tate, one of the promoters of the colonization scheme, and taken to a hotel. After three days of marveling at the sights of New York, they sailed on the steamship "State of Texas" for Fernandina, Florida, arriving on December 17.

From there, they traveled west across the state on a narrow gauge railroad known -as 'two streaks of rust"- ending-up at Cedar Key on December 18th.

At Cedar Key, Tate told them that they would have to wait several weeks for lumber needed to build portable houses in Sarasota. This was very disquieting, as they had been told that accommodations were awaiting them in Sarasota. Christmas came and went with no lumber.
The colonists chartered the small (less than 100 feet long) side-wheel steamer, "Gov. Stafford" for the trip to Sarasota. The -women and children spent the night in the overcrowded cabin. The men slept on top of the luggage in the engine room.

The next morning Mrs. Lawrie opened a 100-pound chest of tea that she had brought along, asked the captain for boiling water, and made tea for everyone. It helped to cheer the colonists. On December 28th, The "Gov. Stafford" crept to anchorage, 100 yards from shore. It was the first steamer ever to arrive in Sarasota and there was no dock for it to tie up to. After being ferried to shore in small rowboats, they looked for the model town that was shown on the maps given them in Scotland. There was only the company store and an abandoned fish oil plant at the waterfront.

The colonists gathered at the company store and demanded the truth from A. C. Acton, the local representative of the FMIC, who told them that they had come earlier than expected.

The native Whitakers and others who had heard the steamboat's whistle arrived and rafted the colonists' trunks and boxes to shore. When the luggage was unloaded, the "Gov. Stafford" lifted anchor, blew the whistle, and disappeared behind the keys.

Mrs. Lawrie opened her tea chest again, Mr. Acton brought boiling water from the company store, and there was tea for all.

(To be continued)..

(C) Copyright, 2007 - Leland Desmon.

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