William J. Howey Scrapbook

William J. Howey was born January 19, 1876 at Odin, Illinois, died June 8, 1938 in a sanitarium at Umatilla, Florida, and was buried at Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. He was a citrus grower, real estate developer, and twice Republican nominee for governor of Florida; he was defeated in 1928 by Doyle Carlton and in 1932 when he lost to Dave Sholtz. William Howey came to Florida in 1908 after leaving Mexico where he previously owned agricultural interests. He purchased citrus properties in Polk County and was active in the development of Winter Haven. In 1915, he moved to Lake County, purchased 60,000 acres of land, on much of which he planted citrus. He founded Howey-in-the-Hills in 1920 and at the time of his death owned 10,000 acres of citrus groves. Howey's interests included packing and canning plants and large real estate holdings. He was a former director of the Florida Citrus Exchange in the Florida Clearing House Association and the State Chamber of Commerce. He was called the "Greatest citrus developer the state ever had."