Richard R. Frisbie

 By Kayla Simons, FCHoF Student Fellow 

    Richard R. Frisbie made a lasting impact on the Citrus Industry magazine during his 30 years as a publisher. Frisbie was born in Tampa on February 18, 1924. His grandfather, Sayer L. Frisbie founded Citrus Industry magazine in 1920. Initially, the magazine was printed in Tampa and shipped to Bartow. In 1931, Sayer relocated the magazine operation to Bartow. Frisbie’s family also moved to Bartow at this time. His father, S. Lloyd Frisbie, started the Polk County Democrat weekly newspaper after the move. Frisbie received a homeschooled education until sixth grade, after which he transferred to education at public schools. He graduated high school from the Summerlin Institute in 1942, where he was class president and an all-conference athlete in baseball, basketball, and tennis.

Upon graduation, Frisbie attended Emory College for a year in Oxford, Georgia. After only a year at Emory, he decided to join the Army Air Corps as a pilot. Frisbie was stationed in British Guyana on a rescue mission to any troubled Allied air or watercraft. Shortly after the war ended in 1945, Frisbie was discharged and returned to Bartow. That same year, he married Mamie Nelle Odum; they had five children together. Following his return, Frisbie played semi-pro baseball in the Orange Belt League. During this time, a New York Giants scout offered him a tryout opportunity, which he turned down. Frisbie joined the National Guard in 1950 and became commander of the 149th Field Artillery Battalion, which consisted of the five National Guard Units in Polk County. He retired from this job in 1968. After his father passed away in 1964, Frisbie left his position at the Polk County Democrat and took over Associated Publications Corporation.

Throughout his time as the Citrus Industry publisher, Frisbie kept up with technological advances and modernized the articles to include things applicable and understandable to citrus growers. He even tried his luck at growing citrus in the late 1970s to better relate to the farmers. Frisbie also started the production of the annual industry directory called the Citrus Guide. In 1992, Frisbie assisted his daughter, Mariann Holland, in beginning the Citrus Expo. This event is Florida’s largest educational event for citrus farmers. Frisbie retired in 1993, and his daughter succeeded him as magazine editor. In 1995, he received Florida Southern College’s Citrus Club Man of the Year award. In 2001, his wife of 56 years, Mamie Nelle, passed away. In 2003, Frisbie married Ann Lipscomb Weld. They remained married until his death at the age of 92 on July 25, 2016.

Sources:

Neff, Ernie. “Profile: Richard Frisbie.” Citrus Industry, Vol. 81, No. 3, March 2000.

“Richard R. Frisbie Obituary.” Legacy. 2016. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theledger/name/richard-frisbie-obituary?id=14947572 

Richard Ronald Frisbie and Ann Lipscomb Weld, marriage license, December 5, 2003, file no. 2003244755, Polk County Clerk of Court and Comptroller.

Nancy Gurnett Hardy

By Mary Kissane, FCHoF Student Fellow

    Nancy Gurnett Hardy was born on December 18th, 1932 to Jack Gurnett, a famed Sarasota Citrus Reporter. She attended Winter Haven High School, and graduated in 1950. She attended some classes at both University of Florida and Florida State University, before ultimately attending and completing secretarial school.

Hardy went on to get her first job at Cypress Gardens, a botanical garden in Florida founded by Dick Pope. She then moved on to working for several magazines. Before assisting her father at the Florida Citrus Reporter. After Hardy’s father’s death, she continued at the Reporter. She continued to write for newspapers across the state, and started to write for Citrus Industry Magazine as a senior writer. She worked with them for over 20 years, and won numerous awards for her journalistic endeavors.

Nancy G. Hardy passed away on January 26th, 2003 after a long battle with cancer. Hardy was a well known individual in the Citrus Industry and was inducted into the Citrus Hall of Fame in 2002.

References: Nancy Gurnett Hardy. Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. (n.d.). https://floridacitrushalloffame.com/inductees/nancy-gurnett-hardy/ 

Lue Gim Gong – “The Citrus Wizard”

     By Blake Hale, FCHoF Student Fellow

     Lue Gim Gong was born in the year 1860 in the village of Lung On in the Taishan district of China and, at the age of twelve, immigrated to the United States. After two dreadful months traversing the Pacific Ocean, he landed in San Francisco where he worked in a shoe factory. Shortly after, Lue Gim Gong, along with seventy-four other Chinese workers, was hired by Calvin T. Sampson to break a strike at his North Adams shoe factory in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, he learned English, became a Christian, and met one of his greatest influences, Fanny Burlingame, who was a volunteer teacher at his school. Miss Burlingame practically adopted the young Lue. She invited him to live in her house and help with her large exotic garden and conservatory, as he was familiar with plants, as he worked in the orange groves in Lung On where his mother taught him how to cross-pollinate blossoms and graft stock.

     In the mid-1880s, Lue was diagnosed with tuberculosis and given one year to live if he did not leave the hard New England climate. To combat his disease, Lue decided to return to China with his family in subtropical Guangdong. Once back, however, he quickly learned that his Christian ideals were not compatible with Chinese customs. One such case was with an arranged marriage set up for him by his family, which he refused to accept. This brought shame upon his family, and due to his insubordination, Lue’s name was stricken from the clan genealogy. After four months back in China, Lue yearned to return to the states, a feat that seemed impossible due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 being in effect. To get back, Fannie Burlingame had to forge documents for Lue, claiming that he was a merchant who wanted to open up a store in Massachusetts. Once back in the states, Lue did not return to Massachusetts, as he went directly to Florida where he stayed with the Burlingame family in their orange grove in DeLand. The following year, Lue Gim Gong officially became an American citizen. Severe freezes in the early 1890s motivated him to develop a strain of orange that would resist frost. By crossing the Florida Harts Late orange with a Mediterranean variety, Lue Gim Gong created the Lue Gim Gong orange, a sweet, juicy fruit that could endure severe weather. It was reported by the New York Times in 1925 that Lue Gim Gong had saved the industry millions of dollars. For his achievement, Lue was awarded the Silver Wilder Medal in 1911 by the American Pomological Society, the first time that the award was given out to an advancement in citrus. Lue would follow this up by developing an aromatic grapefruit, along with propagated roses, other flowers, and fruits. His contributions in the citrus industry earned him the nicknames “the Citrus Wizard” and “the Chinese Burbank of Florida.”

     Although Lue was a talented botanist, he was not known as a savvy businessman. His advancement in citrus brought him fame, but not fortune, as he was often cheated by distributors who refused to pay for the material he purchased. He was also known to give away free samples of his fruits and plants to the thousands of visitors to his groves. In 1922, with no money to his name and a mortgage due, Lue was saved by the Florida Grower who published his story and, with the aid of citizens from DeLand and North Adams, enough money was raised to save his property.

Lue Gim Gong died on June 3, 1925. He was unmarried, and his family disowned him, but hundreds of people attended his funeral at Oakdale Cemetery in DeLand. Lue Gim Gong touched the lives of citrus growers and his community, and he should not be forgotten by the industry.

Florida Citrus Stories: The Strawn Family in Volusia County

By Emily Allen, FCHoF Student Fellow

Theodore Strawn, a native of Illinois, moved his family to Volusia County, Florida, in 1882. During the late 1800s, Florida was promoted as a paradise on earth, with a “climate that could cure all ailments and produce wealth with little effort." As the railways spread southward to Florida, it became easier to ship goods across the United States. The ability to produce large amounts of fruit and ship them countrywide began to be known as the “orange fever.” Thus, living in Florida as a citrus grower and packer became very attractive. The Strawn family took full advantage of this budding industry to form the foundations for their citrus empire.

Not only did the boom provide for the Strawns, but the full takeover of Florida with the “Orange Boom” allowed for many new opportunities to come their way. Volusia County had a large amount of property owned by railroad developer Henry DeLand, who founded the city of DeLand. This small town became a large orange industry focal point with population growth following. In turn, not only did DeLand see profit, but all of Volusia County and the surrounding Central Florida region benefitted. Further expansion of the railroad allowed for further transport of citrus, and the Strawns found profit in this development in Volusia County’s version of a ‘Gold Rush,’ growing their business and name in the citrus industry nationwide.

Theodore Strawn first started in West Volusia County with the later-to-be-known “Bob White” packing facility. The “Bob White” name was given to the citrus after a small game bird, the northern quail, that the Strawn family would frequently hunt. Though many nearby farmers struggled through the 1894-1895 freezes, the Strawn citrus continued to prosper. Similarly to other Volusia County orange growers, the Strawns saw a boom in business. The freeze, while it did destroy business for many different crops and the citrus industry in Georgia and South Carolina, provided Florida with a large boost. Growers began looking south to warmer weather in Florida. This boom led to the Strawns becoming one of the many families in Florida, especially Volusia County, to see an opportunity and take hold of it to grow their citrus business.

The packinghouse was the center of quality control and species regulation for the Strawn company. This facility was originally constructed of a wooden frame, which later would be destroyed in a fire in 1921. As a result, Strawn was dedicated to creating a facility that could “never be destroyed.” He placed large amounts of profits from the packing company into the construction of the new building. The new building was made of steel siding and roofing, which became the Strawn company’s standard for future packinghouses and buildings.

As the company recovered from the devastating fire, they were able to produce large amounts of citrus of varying species and qualities. The highest quality oranges with the longest shelf life were named the Bob White. These oranges were shipped largely to the northern sector of the United States, while the “lower quality” oranges were saved for roadside markets and stands to be sold in Florida. The mechanism that was able to separate out the “Bob White,” Volusia, and Intrinsic varieties of oranges was a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt was seen as a large innovation for the citrus industry and became the standard for the Strawn company packing houses across Florida.

The company was succeeding and growing at a rapid pace. In 1921, the Strawn family owned up to 225 acres of citrus groves. With the profits from the Bob White operation, Strawn opened a new location in DeLeon Springs. He was also able to expand the variety of oranges his company grew, including a new species at the time called the Enterprise. The Enterprise was a seedless variety desirable from the growing consumer base for Florida citrus.

As time progressed, Theodore passed away in 1925, but his family kept the Strawn legacy alive, continuing to manage and grow the business. Theodore’s wife, Candace, became the president following his death and remained active in the company until her death in 1961. Theodore’s and Candace’s children, Theodore Strawn Junior, Robert, and Chester, ran the operations of the company, ensuring efficiency and quality remained strong. In 1951, John Strawn, Theodore Sr.’s grandson, returned from college with an education in business and became the manager of the Bob White operation. He was able to ensure the workers were efficient and motivated as he promised to keep his grandfather’s labor policy intact. Theodore implemented a policy to only allow his packers and other factory workers to work during daylight. With this, his goal was to ensure the workers stayed motivated to work and did not lower their quality of separation or packing due to the long hours of a night shift.

Fast forward a few decades to the early 2000s. David Strawn, a descendant of Theodore Strawn, became the owner of the citrus company and lands. David Strawn was a retired longtime circuit judge of Brevard-Seminole County who became widely involved in the relationship between the citrus and cattle industries. Once David wanted to consolidate the land and company to shift the company to the cattle industry, he decided to sell the land of the old Volusia County groves. During this time, much of the old Florida groves were being bought by residential developers, eliminating much of Florida’s natural landscape. Strawn took this as a large concern when he decided to sell the land. Thus, when the opportunity arose to have the grove land be converted into conservation land through grove clustering, he took it. Clustering was used by the state to “cluster” nearby groves and ranching land into a singular protected piece of land that would restrict development and protect the natural habitat. Strawn took a deal in June of 2008 to cluster his land with nearby agricultural lands. This deal saved the 1,207 acres of land owned by the Strawns from ever being developed. David decreased the Strawn company’s lands (now named the Deep Creek Ranch) in DeLeon Springs while protecting the old acreage for the future of Florida’s natural ecosystem. The Strawn family now owns and operates the Deep Creek Ranch on the remaining land they have, and they specialize in raising high-quality beef for the local community and restaurants.

Sources:

“Apr 21, 1989, Page 43 - Florida Today at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/175798362/?match=1&clipping_id=142216269

“Aug 11, 2005, Page X4 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/269244115/?match=1&clipping_id=140586208

“Strawn Citrus Packing House District.” Abandoned Florida, June 28, 2022. https://www.abandonedfl.com/strawn-citrus-packing-house-district/

“Stating His Case Orlando Lawyer David Strawn Sees Activism as His Responsibility.” Orlando Sentinel, July 22, 2021. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1985/07/22/stating-his-case-orlando-lawyer-david-strawn-sees-activism-as-his-responsibility/

“Candace Strawn and the DAR.” Newspapers.com, March 20, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-candace-strawn-and-the/140584079/

“Chester C Strawn (1900-1981) - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113055359/chester-c-strawn

“Chester Strawn Marriage.” Newspapers.com, July 29, 1937. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-chester-strawn-marr/141837608/

“Chester Strawn Obit.” Newspapers.com, September 12, 1981. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-chester-strawn-obit/141843784/

“David Strawn - Lake Foods, LLC and Wauka Mountain Foods, LLC | Linkedin.” Linkedin. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-strawn-026ab310/

“David Strawn and Delon Springs.” Newspapers.com, August 11, 2005. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-david-strawn-and-de/140586208/

“David Strawn Marriage.” Newspapers.com, August 17, 1958. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-david-strawn-marria/141784981/

“David Strawn Sells Land for Conservation.” Newspapers.com, June 22, 2008. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-david-strawn-sells/140586763/

“Deep Creek Ranch: De Leon Springs Fl.” Facebook. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064718340466

“Dr Robert Kirk Strawn (1922-2008) - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27680662/robert-kirk-strawn

“Florida Memory Theodore Strawn’s Packing House for Bob White Oranges.” Florida Memory Project. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/1557

“Gordon Milton Strawn (1905-1971) - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75170932/gordon-milton-strawn

Jacobson, Susan. “Grass-Fed Beef Finds Niche with Consumers.” Sun Sentinel, June 16, 2018. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2015/10/17/grass-fed-beef-finds-niche-with-consumers/

“Jan 11, 1974, Page 27 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/236795070/?match=1&clipping_id=140581814

“Joel Degree in Bachelor of Science.” Newspapers.com, June 14, 1959. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-joel-degree-in-bach/142211358/

“Joel Strawn and Anne Strawn Baby Announcement.” Newspapers.com, February 1, 1968. https://www.newspapers.com/article/boca-raton-news-joel-strawn-and-anne-str/142211497/

“Joel Strawn Engament Announcement.” Newspapers.com, May 10, 1963. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-joel-strawn-engamen/142211430/

“Joel Strawn UF Law School Graduate.” Newspapers.com, February 4, 1986. https://www.newspapers.com/article/boca-raton-news-joel-strawn-uf-law-schoo/142211568/

“Joel T Strawn Wedding.” Newspapers.com, June 2, 1963. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-joel-t-strawn-weddi/142211274/

“John R. Strawn (1927-Unknown) - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34357784/john-r-strawn

“John Strawns Wife.” Newspapers.com, May 31, 1960. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-john-strawns-wife/140586072/

“Jul 14, 1995, Page 22 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/233453612/?match=1&clipping_id=142214011

“Jul 26, 1962, Page 34 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/223385567/?match=1&clipping_id=142211031

“Jun 09, 1921, Page 7 - the Evening Tribune at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/779654140/?terms=bob+white+citrus+brand&match=1

“Jun 22, 2008, Page J1 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/268507819/?terms=Volusia+County++strawn+family&match=1.

“Mar 25, 1962, Page 74 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/223413054/?match=1

“May 28, 1961, Page 23 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/223484528/?match=1&clipping_id=140514100

“May 31, 1960, Page 19 - The Orlando Sentinel at Newspapers.Com.” Historical Newspapers from 1700s-2000s - Newspapers.com. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/223486287/?match=1&clipping_id=140586072

Mimna, Robin. “The Great Freezes of 1894-95 and the Collapse of the Florida Citrus Industry.” Volusia History, August 8, 2024. https://www.volusiacountyhistory.com/post/the-great-freezes-and-the-collapse-of-the-florida-citrus-industry

Munizzi, Amy. “West Volusia Memories: Deleon Springs’ Intriguing History.” The West Volusia Beacon, July 27, 2021. https://beacononlinenews.com/2020/12/16/west-volusia-memories-deleon-springs-intriguing-history/

“Robert R Strawn Obit.” Newspapers.com, August 26, 2001. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-robert-r-strawn-obi/141840618/

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From the Archives: Pineapple Oranges

Around 1876, early settlers started citrus groves by budding wild sour orange trees that originated from the shore of Orange Lake in Marion County. Some of these seedlings were grown by James B. Owens and later taken and propagated by Mr. Putnam Bishop. He named this new variety the Hickory Orange. As the trees continued to develop, it was discovered that they created a faint pineapple smell. This led the variety to be named Pineapple instead.

In 1967, Senator W. J. Crosby got inducted into the Citrus Hall of Fame due to his association with the pineapple orange. Due to its unique taste and stunning appearance, the pineapple orange is regarded as one of Florida's best mid-season varieties. Today, there are several varieties of the Pineapple orange being grown in Florida; however, the original continues to be the most popular variety.

In a previous blog, we discussed the difference between a chimera and a hybrid. A hybrid is any organism that is produced by combining genes from two different species. In this case, grafting was used to combine the traits of two different plants. Hybrids isolate desired characteristics in two different species to create an entirely new species that is superior to its parents. A new taste was acquired, and different characteristics can be isolated such as better yields, uniformity, and disease resistance. This process helps growers to better fruits overall.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:

Mack, Thomas B. Citrifacts II: A Portion of Florida Citrus History. Bartow, Florida: Associated Publications Corporation, 1998.

From the Archives: Wild Oranges

During his travels in the 1700s, a botanist named Bartram reported finding wild citrus groves scattered along lakes and rivers. He stated that the majority of them were found growing with magnolia and bay trees and that the environment was perfectly suited for citrus growth. It is believed that the Native Americans in the area were responsible for planting these wild citrus groves. They most likely got the seeds from white settlers in the region as citrus originated from Europe.

When early settlers began to make a home in Florida, they began to graft and cultivate these citrus groves. A grove is defined as a naturally growing body of trees while an orchard is characterized as being a planned planting that is going to be harvested. Groves are trees that are typically free of underbrush.

Early settlers made attempts to cultivate the citrus groves in formation; however, they realized how difficult it was to grow seedlings in these conditions. This is when the citrus nursery was first implemented. Seedlings are planted in separate regions, and when they become large enough, the seedlings are then moved to the large-scale grove with the already adult trees.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:

Mack, Thomas B. Citrifacts II: A Portion of Florida Citrus History. Bartow, Florida: Associated Publications Corporation, 1998.

From the Archives: Citrus Greats – Odet Philippe

Odet Philippe, a former surgeon for Napoleon, arrived on the eastern coast of Florida in the early 1800s. Him and his family did not stay here long because they were feuding with the Native Americans already living in the area. So, they decided to leave Florida and set sail for the Caribbean Islands. He landed on the Florida Keys where he met a pirate who told him about Old Tampa Bay and how it was vacant, so he encouraged Phillipe to try again in this region.

Once again, Philippe and his family set sail back to Florida; they settled in present day Safety Harbor and named it St. Helena. He immediately began building his plantation; however, in 1848, a hurricane destroyed part of it. This did not discourage Philippe; he began working to repair the damage and make the entire structure stronger than it previously was.

It is believed that Odet Philippe planted one of the first citrus groves on the west coast of Florida with seeds he brought from the Caribbean. He did many experiments on citrus and the effects of grafting different citrus trees. Grafting is a process used to create the best type of plants. The tissues of two different plants are joined together; this is done to combine the most desirable traits of each plant to create an especially desirable plant. The tissues that are being spliced together start to grow into one another going from two different pieces into one uniform plant. In this case grapefruit was created by grafting an orange with a pomelo. Through these experiments he may have created the grapefruit. In 1892, A. L. Duncan introduced the Duncan grapefruit, which he stated that he got the trees  from Philippe. Today, you can visit the site of Odet Philippe’s plantation and find evidence of his early planting that led to this creation.

 

Odet Philippe was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 1963 https://floridacitrushalloffame.com/inductees/odet-philippe/. 

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:

Jie, Ma Wen. “How to Graft Grapefruit Trees.” Garden Guides, September 21, 2017. https://www.gardenguides.com/115127-graft-grapefruit-trees.html.

Mack, Thomas B. Citrifacts II: A Portion of Florida Citrus History. Bartow, Florida: Associated Publications Corporation, 1998.