A Guide to the William Sherman Jennings Papers
Finding aid created by Dept. Staff
University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
March 2008
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Provenance: |
Jennings, William Sherman, 1863-1920 |
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Title: |
William Sherman Jennings Papers |
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Dates: |
1877-1928 |
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Abstract: |
Papers relating to Florida Governor William S. Jennings, his political and business dealings, and to his role in the drainage
of the Everglades.
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Extent: |
13.5 linear feet. (29 boxes and 16 volumes) |
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Identification: |
Ms 58 |
William Sherman Jennings was born March 24, 1863, in Illinois. His cousin was William Jennings Bryan. He graduated from Southern
Illinois Normal University and Union Law School in Chicago. He moved to Brooksville, Florida, in 1885 in order to open his
open law practice. His second wife, May Mann Jennings, was a leading member of the women's club movement and was an influential
advocate for social reform and civic causes.
Jennings had an extensive career in elected and appointed positions. He served as County Judge of Hernando County in 1888.
He was a member of the Florida legislature from 1893-1895, serving as Speaker of the House in 1895. He served one term as
Governor from 1901-1905. He was the last Florida Governor nominated at a state party convention; after 1900 Florida implemented
primary elections.
By the end of his term as Governor, Jennings was credited with leading the effort to drain and reclaim over 3 million acres
of Florida land, primarily in the Everglades. In 1905 he was appointed by Governor Napoleon B. Broward as General Counsel
for the Internal Improvement Fund, the state agency responsible for administering public lands. In this position, which he
held until 1909, he was able to continue leading drainage activities in the Everglades. Jennings continued to practice law
in Brooksville and Jacksonville until his death on February 28, 1920.
The Jennings Papers (1877-1928) document his years as Governor and his activities after leaving office, particularly his work
with the Internal Improvement Fund, his own legal practice, and his personal business affairs. The collection is comprised
of correspondence, speeches, legal documents, legislative material, news clippings, photographs, pamphlets, programs, and
other publications. The collection also includes numerous letterbooks dating from 1898 to 1909 that contain both personal
and official/business letters. The primary focus of the collection is the drainage and dredging of South Florida, from the
earliest discussions at the turn of the century to the subsequent development and land boom of the 1920s. Of particular interest
are the surveys, reports, memoranda and correspondence generated as part of the early planning for the drainage of the Everglades.
Some of the major subjects covered in the Jennings Papers include drainage laws, public lands, the dredging and opening of
canals, new road construction, the use of convict labor, the development of Dade County, relations with the Seminole Indians,
and the activities of his wife, May Mann Jennings.
Access
Collection is open for research.
For additional materials pertaining to drainage efforts in the Everglades, consult the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Papers, the May Mann Jennings Papers, and the Thomas E. Will Papers.
[Identification of item], William Sherman Jennings Papers, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries,
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Gift of his wife, May Mann Jennings.
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Miscellaneous Papers, 1895-1910
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Box 1 |
Bonds, Florida Grand Trunk Railway Co., 1905.
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Drainage information, 1887-1906 June. |
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Drainage information, July 1906-1907. |
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Drainage suits (settlements) 1910. |
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Speeches (also see Box 25), 1895-1905?. |
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Swamp lands; historical sketches Florida Public Land, Internal Improvement Fund, 1903. |
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Taliaferro, James - correspondence re: drainage, survey of Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, 1909. |
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Legal Papers (Briefs, Correspondence, Deeds), 1886-1906
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Box 2 |
Legal papers. 1886-1890
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Legal papers. 1892-1894 |
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Legal papers. 1895-1897 |
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Legal papers. 1897 |
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Legal papers. 1898 |
Box 3 |
Legal papers. 1899 January-July
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Legal papers. 1899 August-September |
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Legal papers. 1899 October-December |
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Legal papers. 1899 |
Box 4 |
Legal papers. 1900
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Legal papers. 1900 |
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Legal papers. 1901-1902 |
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Legal papers. 1903 |
Box 5 |
Legal papers. 1904
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Legal papers. 1905 |
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Legal papers. 1906 |
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Legal papers. 1906 |
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Correspondence (Legislative, Political, Business, etc.), 1895-1913
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Box 6 |
Correspondence. 1895-1898
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Correspondence. 1899 |
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Correspondence. 1900 |
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Correspondence. 1900 January-March |
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Correspondence. 1900 April-May |
Box 7 |
Correspondence. 1900 May
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Correspondence. 1900 June |
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Correspondence. 1900 June |
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Correspondence. 1900 July |
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Correspondence. 1900 August |
Box 8 |
Correspondence. 1900 September
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Correspondence. 1900 October |
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Correspondence. 1900 November |
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Correspondence. 1900 December |
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Correspondence. 1901 |
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Correspondence. 1901 |
Box 9 |
Correspondence. 1901 January
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Correspondence. 1901 January |
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Correspondence. 1901 February |
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Correspondence. 1901 March |
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Correspondence. 1901 April |
Box 10 |
Correspondence. 1901 May
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Correspondence. 1901 May |
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Correspondence. 1901 June |
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Correspondence. 1901 June |
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Correspondence. 1901 July |
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Correspondence. 1901 July |
Box 11 |
Correspondence. 1901 August
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Correspondence. 1901 September |
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Correspondence. 1901 October |
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Correspondence. 1901 November |
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Correspondence. 1901 December |
Box 12 |
Correspondence. 1902
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Correspondence. 1902 January |
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Correspondence. 1902 January |
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Correspondence. 1902 February |
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Correspondence. 1902 March |
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Correspondence. 1902 March |
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Correspondence. 1902 April |
Box 13 |
Correspondence. 1902 May
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Correspondence. 1902 June |
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Correspondence. 1902 July |
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Correspondence. 1902 August |
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Correspondence. 1902 September |
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Correspondence. 1902 October |
Box 14 |
Correspondence. 1902 November
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Correspondence. 1902 December |
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Correspondence. 1903 January |
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Correspondence. 1903 January |
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Correspondence. 1903 February |
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Correspondence. 1903 March |
Box 15 |
Correspondence. 1903 April
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Correspondence. 1903 May |
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Correspondence. 1903 June |
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Correspondence. 1903 June |
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Correspondence. 1903 July |
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Correspondence. 1903 July |
Box 16 |
Correspondence. 1903 August
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Correspondence. 1903 September |
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Correspondence. 1903 October |
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Correspondence. 1903 November |
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Correspondence. 1903 December |
Box 17 |
Correspondence. 1903
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Correspondence. 1904 |
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Correspondence. 1904 January |
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Correspondence. 1904 January |
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Correspondence. 1904 February |
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Correspondence. 1904 March |
Box 18 |
Correspondence. 1904 April
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Correspondence. 1904 May |
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Correspondence. 1904 June |
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Correspondence. 1904 July |
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Correspondence. 1904 August |
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Correspondence. 1904 September |
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Correspondence. 1904 October |
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Correspondence. 1904 November-December |
Box 19 |
Correspondence. 1905
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Correspondence. 1906 January |
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Correspondence. 1906 February |
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Correspondence. 1906 March-April |
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Correspondence. 1906 May-July |
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Correspondence. 1906 August-September |
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Correspondence. 1906 October-December |
Box 20 |
Correspondence. 1907 January-February
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Correspondence. 1907 March-April |
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Correspondence. 1907 May-July |
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Correspondence. 1907 August-December |
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Correspondence. 1908 |
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Correspondence. 1909 |
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Correspondence. 1910 |
Box 21 |
Correspondence. 1911
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Correspondence. 1912-1913 |
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Miscellaneous Everglades and Drainage Materials, 1911-1917
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Box 21 |
Drainage: correspondence, office book. 1911
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Survey of Everglades: report and correspondence. 1911 |
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Internal Improvement Fund: history. 1911 |
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Dade Muck Land Co. vs. Dade Co Development Co. (briefs). 1911-1914 |
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Opening of the Everglades canals: correspondence, program, clippings. 1914 |
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Everglades Drainage Law. 1913 |
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U.S. Drainage Fund Law. 1913-1914 |
Box 22 |
Everglades Engineering Commission; correspondence, agreement. 1913-1914
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Sub-drainage District. Ingraham, J.E. 1914 |
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Drainage (Everglades) clippings, articles. 1914 |
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Trustees of Internal Improvement Fund; correspondence. 1914 |
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Little Pine Island Sub-drainage District; correspondence and briefs. 1914 |
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Davie Farm Sub-Drainage District; proceedings and minutes. 1914 |
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The Truth about Florida (Everglades). 1914-1915 |
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Florida Drainage Association. 1914-1915 |
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Organization of Sub-Drainage Districts. 1915 |
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Legislative. 1915 |
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Legislative. 1915 |
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Homestead Sub-Drainage District; correspondence, briefs, minutes. 1915-1917 |
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Clippings (promotional). 1915 |
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Financial Documents, 1890-1910
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Box 23 |
Canceled checks; receipts. 1901-1905
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1906 |
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1907 |
Box 24 |
Canceled checks; receipts. 1908-1909
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1910 |
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1911 |
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1912 |
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Canceled checks; receipts. 1913 |
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Ledger. 1890-1907
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Miscellaneous Papers,
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Box 25 |
Biographical and death memorials; Pamphlets; Speeches; Capitol furniture.
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Wailes, Sydney I. (Internal Improvement Fund, swamp lands). 1877-1903 |
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Indian War Claims (Indian War of 1855-causes; hostilities; Everglades; abstract titles to state land). |
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"Everglades and Other Trips". |
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Taliaferro, James P. (also see Box 1). 1901-1904 |
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Photographs (includes dredging). |
Box 26 |
Legislative. 1917
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Legislative. 1917 |
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Dade Muck Land Co. vs. Trustees of Internal Improvement Fund; briefs and correspondence. |
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Showhalter et al vs. Trustees of Internal Improvement Fund; clippings, briefs and correspondence. |
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Abstract of land in Palm Beach Co. re: roads across the Everglades. |
Box 27 |
1917-1928.
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Legislature and Special session - Bills, clippings, correspondence. 1917-1919 |
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Southern State Land and Timber Co. (Furst-Clark Construction Co.). 1917-1919 |
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Avocado Land Co. vs. Trustees of Internal Improvement Fund; briefs and correspondence. 1917-1918 |
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Jennings, W.S.; Income Tax (His companies: Dade Muck Land Co., Artesian Farm Land Co. and Flamingo Grove Co.). 1917-1918 |
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Jennings, W.S.; Income Tax (His companies: Dade Muck Land Co., Artesian Farm Land Co. and Flamingo Grove Co.). 1919-1922 |
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Dade Muck Land Co. vs. Trustees of Internal Improvement Fund and Everglades Drainage Commission, briefs. 1928 |
Box 28 |
Speeches.
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Scrapbook (newspaper clippings). 1901 |
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Scrapbook (newspaper clippings). 1901-1904 |
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Scrapbook (newspaper clippings). 1902-1905 |
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Scrapbook (newspaper clippings). 1902-1910 |
Box 29 |
Scrapbooks (Everglades clippings). 1909-1915, 1918
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Memoranda book. 1900 |
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Memoranda book. 1901 |
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Biographical. |
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Photographs. |
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Photographs - Oversize.
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Letterbooks, 1899-1909
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Letterbook (Personal). 1898 September-1899 May
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Letterbook (Personal). 1899 May-October |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1899 November-1900 March |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1900 August-1901 November |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1901 September-1903 April |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1901 October-1902 September |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1902 October-1903 March |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1903 April-October |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1903 December-1904 February |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1904 February-1905 |
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Letterbook (Personal). 1905 December-1909 June |
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Letterbook (Official/Business). 1899-1901 |
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Letterbook (Official/Business). 1901 January-July |
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Letterbook (Official/Business). 1902 February-1903 November |
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Letterbook (Official/Business). 1903 November-1904 October |
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