John A. Addison
Addison was one of the first settlers south of Miami, at a place on the Biscayne Bay which later became known as Cutler. He was a squatter who settled on land that was part of the Perrine Grant and also was part of the Seminole's "Big Hunting Grounds." He probably established his homestead in 1864, or at least sometime between 1861 and 1866. His wife was Mary Townsend Addison (1834-1906). His neighbor was another early settler and squatter, William Fuzzard, who lived about a mile away. In 1886-1887, he was listed as a banana grower and starch manufacturer. When visited by the Ingraham party in 1892, he was engaged in agriculture, growing pineapples, oranges, lemons, limes, mangos, guavas, and alligator pears. In 1897, S.H. Richmond's survey of the proposed town of Cutler included an avenue called Addison's. In 1898, a settlement with the U.S. Government and Perrine's heirs led to Addison receiving 80 acres of land. In time, his land became known as Addison's Hammock and later became part of the Charles Deering Estate. Addison served as a scout in the Third Seminole War in the Mounted Volunteers.
- Birth: 1827
- Death: 1911, Florida
Name Variations:
- J.A. Addison
- John Addison
Credits:
Sources:
- Findagrave.com
- "The Wagner Family: Pioneer Life on the Miami River," by Margot Ammidown, Tequesta, Vol. 42, 1982
- "Seminoles at Home," by Caroline Washburn Rockwood, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly American Magazine, Vol. 31, 1891 (describes encounter with the Addisons and includes drawing of John Addison, Mary Addison, and their homestead, but there is not evidence this drawing is accurate)
- South Publishing Company's Florida State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1886-1887
- Map showing location of Addison land, page 35 of "Miami During the Civil War, 1861-65," Tequesta: The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida, 1993
- Story by J.W. Ewan about Addison and the Seminoles: "The Seminole's Christmas," Tequesta: The Journal of the Historical Association of Southern Florida, 1980
- Charles W. Pierce, Pioneer Life in Southeast Florida, 1970
- National Register off Historic Places Nomination Form for the Charles Deering Estate, 1986
- Perrine Community Chronology, University of Miami Libraries
- "All About The New City Which Is Being Laid Out At Cutler On The Perrine Grant." Miami Metropolis, May 21, 1897
References in the Texts:
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For other topics referenced in the Expedition texts, please refer to the Index to Subjects and Names.
1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition : Three Digital Texts, 2015