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Jacob Summerlin Jr.
Jacob Summerlin (February 20, 1820 – November 4, 1893), aka the King of the Crackers and King of the Cracker Cow Hunters,[clarification needed] was documented as the first child born in Florida after the land was ceded by Spain. This was again validated in about 2012-15 during Florida's 500-year celebration, as Florida honored him as one of three people who were most influential in the previous 500 years, along with Ponce de Leon.
Summerlin was known for his contributions to the early settlement of Florida, and especially for founding the county seats of Orange and Polk counties, which are Orlando and Bartow, respectively. In the years prior to the American Civil War, he was given slaves, whom he relinquished in exchange for cattle.
Summerlin was a highly successful cattleman, working up and down Florida, shipping cattle to Cuba for most of his life.
Prior to school integration, Summerlin Academy, the school for White students in Bartow, was named for him. After the schools were integrated in 1968, all students attended there, and the name was changed to Bartow High School. Summerlin Academy was reestablished in 2006 as a military school within Bartow High School.
Summerlin donated Lake Eola and land surrounding the lake in Orlando. This was named Lake Eola by his son, Judge Robert Summerlin. for a woman he loved. Robert graduated with a law degree from Georgia in 1885-87, became mayor of Orlando for about 1885 to 1892, then was elected judge.
Summerlin earned much of his early fortune by hard work, personally driving cattle throughout Florida and raising cattle along the Peace River and Kissimmee River, night and day. Wild cattle brought to North America by the Spanish conquistadors roamed free across these vast stretches of land. Entrepreneurs could capture, breed, drive, and sell these cows for twelve to sixteen dollars each. Summerlin and his business partners developed a lucrative trade with Havana and with the US naval base at Key West.
Summerlin opposed secession, indicating that he did not want to be part of a civil war. However, after the breakout of the American Civil War, he was quoted in official documents as saying that he never killed any person. He fed soldiers in the war, as was ordered, of both Confederate and Union armies. He and his partners provided beef and medicine to troops of both armies. Separately and privately, he still sailed past the Union blockade, mostly at night, to continue cattle sales to Cuba as usual.
As a result of the war, Confederate money was worthless. However, with hard work and Union money that he earned, Summerlin bought the 160-acre (0.65 km²) Blount homestead, much of which would later be given to Polk County. (Ft. Blount was the earlier name of Bartow, the present county seat.) After the war, he continued selling cattle to the Union soldiers at Fort Myers.
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Jacob Summerlin Jr.
Jacob Summerlin (February 20, 1820 – November 4, 1893), aka the King of the Crackers and King of the Cracker Cow Hunters,[clarification needed] was documented as the first child born in Florida after the land was ceded by Spain. This was again validated in about 2012-15 during Florida's 500-year celebration, as Florida honored him as one of three people who were most influential in the previous 500 years, along with Ponce de Leon.
Summerlin was known for his contributions to the early settlement of Florida, and especially for founding the county seats of Orange and Polk counties, which are Orlando and Bartow, respectively. In the years prior to the American Civil War, he was given slaves, whom he relinquished in exchange for cattle.
Summerlin was a highly successful cattleman, working up and down Florida, shipping cattle to Cuba for most of his life.
Prior to school integration, Summerlin Academy, the school for White students in Bartow, was named for him. After the schools were integrated in 1968, all students attended there, and the name was changed to Bartow High School. Summerlin Academy was reestablished in 2006 as a military school within Bartow High School.
Summerlin donated Lake Eola and land surrounding the lake in Orlando. This was named Lake Eola by his son, Judge Robert Summerlin. for a woman he loved. Robert graduated with a law degree from Georgia in 1885-87, became mayor of Orlando for about 1885 to 1892, then was elected judge.
Summerlin earned much of his early fortune by hard work, personally driving cattle throughout Florida and raising cattle along the Peace River and Kissimmee River, night and day. Wild cattle brought to North America by the Spanish conquistadors roamed free across these vast stretches of land. Entrepreneurs could capture, breed, drive, and sell these cows for twelve to sixteen dollars each. Summerlin and his business partners developed a lucrative trade with Havana and with the US naval base at Key West.
Summerlin opposed secession, indicating that he did not want to be part of a civil war. However, after the breakout of the American Civil War, he was quoted in official documents as saying that he never killed any person. He fed soldiers in the war, as was ordered, of both Confederate and Union armies. He and his partners provided beef and medicine to troops of both armies. Separately and privately, he still sailed past the Union blockade, mostly at night, to continue cattle sales to Cuba as usual.
As a result of the war, Confederate money was worthless. However, with hard work and Union money that he earned, Summerlin bought the 160-acre (0.65 km²) Blount homestead, much of which would later be given to Polk County. (Ft. Blount was the earlier name of Bartow, the present county seat.) After the war, he continued selling cattle to the Union soldiers at Fort Myers.