Owen M Grimsley
Owen M. Grimsley was born 22 May 1816, NC, died 15 May 1880, FL, married Tolitha (Delsee) Martin , born 25 Sept 1825, NC, died 30 Nov 1883, FL. Both buried Palmetto Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL.
The family was listed in the 1860 and the 1870 census of Putnam County, with his occupation given as "Shoemaker" and "Farmer." The families moved to Grimsley Cove in the early 1870's and were very early residents of the area to become Flagler County.
In an article from the 1976 Crescent City Newspaper's 100th Anniversary Edition, was an account of Grimsley's Orange Grove being planted in 1867. On a very old map Grimsley Cove is found to first be called Owasco. The brand name given to the citrus fruit shipped from Grimsley Cove was "Owasco." The grove always produced especially delicious fruit and seldom had freeze damage because of its location on the east side of Lake Crescent. They also operated a truck farm. Issue;
1. Lauretta Grimsley, born about 1845, NC
2. Virginia Ann Grimsley, born about 1849, NC, married 02 Dec 1870 by Rev P P Bishop to William M. Newbold. Issue;
(1) Owen Mitchell Newbold, born 05 May 1874, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL, died 13 Jul 1930, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL, married 14 Mar 1910, FL, Ella Blanch Norris, born about 1877, died 1927. Both buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL Issue;
A. Mary Virginia Newbold, born 30 Oct 1916, FL, died 27 Nov 1983, Volusia CO, FL
B. Cora Mitchell Newbold born 07 Apr 1919, FL, died 13 Dec 1985, Putnam CO, FL, married FNU Moore
(2) Mary F. Newbold, born about 1877, FL
(3) Carrie N. Newbold, born about 1879, FL
William M Newbold was married 1st (Unknown). They had two sons, William M Newbold Jr, and John J Newbold, both born FL
Virginia Ann Grimsley married 2nd, 20 Sept 1885 William J. Kemp.
3. Mary M. Grimsley, born about 1851 NC d 20 Jan 1881
4. Eganora (Jenetta) Grimsley, born about 1854, NC, died before Dec 1892, FL, married 12 June 1875, Putnam CO, FL by C A Koger to Edward Judge Harper, born 24 Dec 1850, Knowville, Crawford CO, GA, died 28 Dec 1930, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL. Both buried Palmetto Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL.
He came to Florida when only 16 years of age, taking up his residence in the Fruitland community west of this Crescent City.
For years he was interested in citrus groves, and at the time of the freeze in the citrus belt, 1895, he was a large grove owner. Disposing of much of his holdings since that time, Mr. Harper retained his home place on the shores of Lake Crescent, and one grove across the lake in Flagler County, until his death.
For 12 years, Mr. Harper served the town of Crescent City as town marshal, and was also a deputy sheriff for this district, serving under the late sheriff P M Hagan during his first term of office as sheriff of this county.
Having lived in this vicinity for more than 60 years, he was very conversant with the progress and adversities of the community, and could always give reliable information of happenings here years ago. Issue;
(1) Tolitha Elizabeth (Udy) Harper, born about 1876, Omega, St Johns now Flagler CO, FL, died 1963, Putnam CO, FL, married James Lawton Coward, born 26 Dec 1856, CT, died 25 Jan 1925, Putnam CO, FL. Both buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL. Issue;
A. Alpha Elizabeth Coward, born 10 Feb 1901, FL, died 30 May 1979, Putnam CO, FL, married 22 Dec 1915, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL, Lester E (Leslie) Easterling (Div-1929. Issue;
a. Charles Leslie Easterling, born 02 Jan 1917, DeLand, Volusia CO, FL, died 22 Mar 2005, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Alachua CO, FL, married 18 Jul 1937, Mary Ruth Roberts. He served in the U.S. Army in WW II.
Alpha Elizabeth Coward married 2nd, R M (Mack) Anderson
B. James Lester Coward, born 01 Nov 1903, FL, died 22 Jun 1983, Putnam CO, FL, married Harriet Frances Camradt, born 17 Aug 1904, died 22 Jan 1997. Both buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL. Issue;
a. James Lawton Coward, born 15 Jul 1929, married Barbara Kent Smith, dau of Joseph E Smith and Jenette T LNU, born 28 Aug 1929
b. Harriet Marie Coward, born 15 Jun 1930, married Collie Williams
c. Barbara Jean Coward, born 14 Sep 1931, married Eugene Byrd
d. Franklin Leroy Coward, born 2 Mar 1936
e. Marlene Frances Coward, born 08 Aug 1940
f. Lorraine May Coward, born 15 Dec 1944
g. Laurette Fay Coward, born 15 Dec 1944
C. Andrew Thomas Coward, born 1906, FL, died 1944, Putnam CO, FL, buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL
D. Ruby Mae Coward, born 07 Dec 1907, FL, died 12 Dec 1989, married 19 Oct 1927, Horace F Carlisle, born 24 Nov 1904, FL, died 13 Apr 1976, Volusia CO, FL
E. Albert Donald Coward, born 05 Feb 1910, FL, died 28 Feb 1989, Putnam CO, FL, married 17 Sep 1932, DeLand, Volusia CO, FL by Rev Smith, Elizabeth Ann Clark, dau of Thomas Russell Clark and Annie Mae Youngblood, born 28 Jan 1911, Columbus, Muscogee CO, GA. Issue;
a. Mary Ann Coward, born 26 Aug 1933, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL
b. Frances Donnell Coward, born 10 Aug 1938, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL
(2) James Edward Harper, born 22 Dec 1878, FL, died May 1967, Volusia CO, FL, married Agnes Margareta Eriksson, born 15 Mar 1888, Langsele, Sweden, died 25 Mar 1980. Both buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Volusia CO, FL. Issue;
A. James Vernon Harper, born 23 Jan 1910, died 01 Jul 1976, buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Volusia CO, FL. He served in the U. S. Navy during WW II
B. Margaret Elizabeth (Sis) Harper, born 21 Dec 1914, died 21 Dec 1975, Volusia CO, FL, married Arthur Bradford Knott, born 07 Mar 1916, died 28 Nov 1982, Volusia CO, FL. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during WW II.
C. Mildred Evelyn Harper, born 01 Jan 1917, died 19 Apr 1999, New Smyrna Beach, Volusia CO, FL, married Arthur Allen Riebe, son of Bertram Riebe, born 03 Sep 1915, died 03 Sep 2001, New Smyrna Beach, Volusia CO, FL. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during WW II. Issue;
a. Kingsley Riebe born about 1938
b. Lynn Riebe, born about 1942, married James A Thayer
c. Bruce Dee Riebe, born about 1947, married 24 Dec 1976, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, Jacquelyn Susanne Murray, dau of James Remley (Rem) Murray and Ruth Janice Peede, born 05 Jun 1955, Jacksonville, Duval CO, FL
5. Josephine Grimsley, born about 1857, FL
6. Lourane (Laura) Grimsley, born about 1858, FL
8. Julius Caesar Grimsley, born Oct 1862, FL, died 1926, Putnam CO, FL, married Lillie R Brown, born about 1868, GA, died 1938, Putnam CO, FL. Both buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL. His stone has a Masonic Emblem engraved on it. Issue;
(1) Thomas Flewellen Grimsley, born 13 Aug 1892, FL, died 14 Mar 1946, Putnam CO, FL, buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL, married Mary J LNU
Thomas Flewellen Grimsley married 1935, Connie Neal
(2) Nelle C Grimsley, born 13 Aug 1894, FL, died 04 Mar 1964, Columbia CO, FL, buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL. She served in the U. S. Army Nurse Corps during WW I.
(3) Marguerite Grimsley, born about1901, FL, died 1926, buried Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL
Source: The First Families of Flagler by Mary Ketus Deen Holland who cites as her sources, Published Articles and Margary Neal Nelson.
Additional sources used by the compiler were: 1850 United States Federal Census, Wilmington, New Hanover, North Carolina; 1870 United States Federal Census, Orange Mills, Putnam, Florida; 1880 United States Federal Census, Precinct 1 and 2, Putnam, Florida; Florida State Census, 1885, District 1, Putnam, Florida; 1920 United States Federal Census, Crescent City, Putnam, Florida; 1930 United States Federal Census, Crescent City, Putnam, Florida; 1930 United States Federal Census, Pierson, Volusia, Florida; WWI Civilian Draft Registrations; U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; Florida Marriage Collection, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001; Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001; Social Security Death Index; Florida Death Index, 1877-1998; U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules Index; Unto This Land (Hist of St Johns Park, FL (1987), edited by Mary Ketus Deen Holland, pg. 246; Murray Family Tree, Ashley Dee Riebe Gonzales, 21 Jul 2001; Cemetery Listing, Eden Cemetery, Crescent City, Putnam CO, FL and Public Records Index.
Please send questions, corrections or additions to Sisco Deen, P.O. Box 637, Flagler Beach, FL 32136 or email him at Sisco_Deen@hotmail.com
