Sydney V. Coxetter Agriculture Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS 1986-30

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Coxetter Agriculture collection is composed primarily of correspondence concerning Sydney V. Coxetter's seed, livestock, and real estate businesses in the north Florida area during the early 20th Century. There are financial records documenting these activities, land deeds for George Elliot Dennis and his wife Ida H. Dennis for property in Lloyd and Tallahassee, and other legal records for property transactions. Correspondence and legal records for Coxetter's Everglades Produce Company in West Palm Beach are included. The collection also contains a scrapbook of news clippings, primarily about St. Augustine in the late 19th Century, and a handwritten genealogy, which lists the children of William and Sarah Lane of "Oak Hill," Fairfax County, Virginia.

Dates

Created: 1872-1947
Other: Majority of material found in 1910-1930

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has not been transferred to the Florida State University Libraries. All requests for permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Special Collections and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Florida State University Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical or Historical Information

Sydney V. Coxetter was a Florida entrepreneur who owned seed, agricultural produce, and livestock businesses in West Palm Beach and Lloyd, Florida in the early 20th Century. When he lived in St. Augustine from 1902-1903, Coxetter and two business partners, James Kincaid and A.T. Perry of West Palm Beach, went into the fruit produce business. The enterprise was called the "Everglades Produce Company." Perry eventually withdrew. Because of an economic downturn in South Florida during these years, the business was liquidated in late 1903.

Following the demise of his fruit produce business, Coxetter developed a seed business after 1903. About 1910, Coxetter and D.B. Mills formed a partnership called "Mills and Coxetter," which was renamed to "Perkins and Coxetter" around 1920 when his attorney, George B. Perkins, went into business with him. These businesses were located near Lloyd and Monticello, Florida. His company letterheads refer to "Sydney V. Coxetter, Miccosukee Meadows Plantation, Grower and Recleaner of Florida Seeds: Giant Beggar Weed Seed a Specialty." There is also evidence from these records that Coxetter sold other commodities, such as cotton, hogs, and cattle.

During the 1930s, Coxetter was involved in real estate development in what was then called the Griffin College Heights (known now as Griffin Heights) section of Tallahassee. He was also involved in Jefferson County Democratic Party politics. For example, Coxetter was an active member of the Jefferson County Democratic Executive Committee.

Winnifred Dennis, Coxetter's wife, was the granddaughter of prominent cotton farmer George Elliot Dennis. She was the owner and operator of the Whitfield House, which operated as a hotel during the late 1890s and early 20th Century. The collection also includes fire insurance policies owned by Winnifred Dennis' grandmother, Ida H. Dennis, for the Whitfield House and other dwellings in Lloyd.

Extent

14.18 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection contains correspondence, financial records, and legal papers related to the seed, agricultural produce, and livestock businesses of Sydney V. Coxetter, and legal papers pertaining to the real estate holdings of Coxetter and his wife Winnifred (Dennis) Coxetter, and those of George Elliot Dennis and his wife Ida H. Dennis in Lloyd and Tallahassee, Florida.

Method of Acquisition

The Collection was originally given to the Southern Business History Center at Florida State University. It was subsequently given to the Florida State University Libraries. Acquisition dates cannot be determined.

Existence and Location of Originals

Portions of collection available online?: No

Processing Information

In 1986, Special Collections staff rehoused the materials in archival folders and boxes and created a temporary box list. Since that time, additional Coxetter materials were identified and processed. Burt Altman, Special Collections staff member, completed processing the collection in June 2005.