Postmark May 31, 1899

Dear Nelly,

I enclose schedule from Edgar Sta (One mile East of Johnson) to Folkston Ga. Changees sect.

Thought maybe it would be some advantage to you in planning your trip as you spoke of coming this way. Hope you can as Il get to see you. If you don’t let me know Sunday & Il come out the night before you leave.

Lovingly
Glass

Il see you Sunday

Postmark May 25, 1899

Thursday

My own Dear Nelly,

Your letter didn’t arrive yesterday but guess it will come in today.
Sleepy!! Don’t talk about how sleepy. I did get [Carriey?] home & it was real much late too.

Had some rain yesterday & I think it will help the people as much as the crops. I know I feel better already.

I had some fun yesterday with the Old Globe (our mansion).
The colored man was over there Hoeing Corn. I took my sling shot & would shoot shot on top of it & he didn’t know what it was. I had him hoeing backwards part of the time as he was afraid to turn his back to the House. He said he thought something was in it.

I went over yesterday to make a close examination of it & found 2 chairs one table & a bench. We’ll be in luck won’t we with all that much furniture.
Did Guy hear anything more!! We must tell him to go easy that he may want to court some time & we will tell on him.

I wish you all could come up here this week but guess no use to look for you.
Sunday seems a long time away but we’ll make good use of it when it gets here won’t we?

Lovingly your own boy
Glass

5/25

Julia Eleanor (Nellie) Lang Meggs

The following is an account of the life of Julia Eleanor (Nellie) Lang Meggs from the publication Miami of the Pioneers: A Picture History by Marjorie Meggs Gowin and Peter Thomas Skaggs Gowin, copyright 1976.

Was born in Georgia on a farm named “Solitude”. She was born into the Reconstruction period that followed the War of the 1860’s. As a daughter of an officer in the Georgia Cavalry, CSA, her early years were shadowed by the fact that her father, like all other Confederate soldiers could not vote, hold office, or own land until the repeal of the law making them outlaws.

The Lang family survived by farming a one hundred acre farm, a gift from her grandfather, Josiah Mizell, who was too old for military service. Also, her father, Felder Lang, became a lumber surveyor for the Dodge Lumber Company and did a lot of surveying of land in south east Georgia. It was hard for the Langs but they survived it.

She had two brothers and three sisters all born at Solitude. There was little educational opportunity, however, the St. Vincent’s Academy in Savannah offered some and she attended that school. It was Catholic and the Langs came to the colonies with Ogelthorpe and the Wesley’s and never departed the Methodist faith. So her school days were not easy.

She taught school in Folkston. At that time she stayed with her sister, Bernice, and her brother-in-law, B.G. McDonald. She also played piano at church, presumably the Old Mill’s Methodist Church.

In the late 1890’s the Langs sold everything in Georgia and moved to Florida to Dexter (near Ocala). There her father ran a turpentine operation, assisted by his two sons. He was also Postmaster of Dexter. Everything was going well until Felder Lang decided it was too cold in Dexter. He sold all his holdings and bought an Orange Grove on the Miami River, in Miami, Florida.

Meanwhile, Nellie had met and married William Glass Meggs. Glass had a brother who also ran a turpentine operation so the families were often thrown together. Glass’ brother, L.L. Meggs, decided to move to Jacksonville and wanted his brother with him. Felder Lang also wanted his family with him in Miami. Having seen Jacksonville, the Meggs’ obtained a “Homeseekers Ticket” and went to see Miami. If you stayed in Miami, you paid not fare. If you went back, you paid round trip fare. By now there were three Meggs’ since Donald their oldest son had been born. Nellie and Glass decided in favor of Miami and never regretted it.

They did not know then their life in Miami would be divided in three phases, the BOOM, the BLOW, AND THE BUST! These came in the period between about 1905 when the Meggs arrived and 1926 when a September storm ravished the area.

However, the Meggs family opened a successful business with money borrowed from Nellie’s father, Felder Lang. They were busy with a growing town and a growing family. Five Meggs’ were born in their second home, a large home bought from a Mrs. Knowles.

There were no hospitals so the children were born at home, with Dr. Jackson attending; and a Mrs. Pinder to care for the patient and the baby and to keep things in the home running.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. P.T. Skaggs and Dr. James M. Jackson told their patients there would have to be a hospital. So the ladies of Miami, including Nellie Meggs and Kate Gowin, stood on Flagler Street with ice cream cartons and collected nickels and dimes and quarters. Enough was raised to purchase a Spanish Mission located in the vicinity of Jackson Memorial Hospital. This was the beginning.

Meanwhile, Nellie was not idle. With all her large household, and competent help non-existent, she became a member of:

· Dade County and Greater Miami YWCA (Charter Member)

· Daughters of the American Revolution

· Gold Star Mothers (Her son Bill was killed in WWII)

· Hibiscus Garden Club

· Miami Pioneers Club

· Trinity Methodist Church (now First United Methodist of Miami)

· United Daughters of the Confederacy (Real Daughter)

She lived a full and active life. Her husband, Glass Meggs, expressed it very well. When he was dying he said of her, “I got me a good wife.” The Bible, which she lived, says, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband ---“

Nellie lived to be ninety-seven years old, and is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, Miami, Florida.

Postmark May 24, 1899

L.L. Meggs

General Store and Real Estate

Marion County

Orange Springs, Fla. Tuesday 8:00 1899

My own Darling,

Guess youl be expecting a letter though you didn’t tell me what day to write. Then too you know I always write about 2 or 3 letters to your one.

I am feeling much better than I did last week & truly hope Il not get such a miserable feeling again soon.

I wish I could look for you this week but guess you think time about is fair play & it’s my time to come & Il come too if my Old Plug doesn’t get to fussy. Don’t look for me though I may come Wednesday eve.

Mr. Allen & his daughter from McIntosh is here. They leave today. I tried to sit up & talk with them last night but was so sleepy I had to pull to bed. I lay down while the young lady was playing the Piano & I soon fell into the land of Nod, dreamily thinking, of you.

I told Mr. Enox yesterday I was out Sunday & tried to sell his horse again. “He” laughed. He formed quite a good opinion of you I think.

I wish you all were here to take a [illegible] into the Spring these [illegible] days for it is certainly fine.

I never get a letter now only from you & seldom one other so I get lonely to not get any only I think my Nellie is thinking of me just the same even if she doesn’t write every day. Just think 2 years ago I had 8 young lady correspondents. Quite a change isn’t it.

Bye Bye with love & write long letter.

Your own boy Glass

Postmark May 19, 1899

Thursday 5/18

My Darling

Yours recd and OK

Dearest haven’t I always told you that you had more sense than I & I think you have proven so in this letter.

Nelly I am not of a quarrelsome disposition & don’t know why we should be quarreling this way.

I guess though its as you say I love foolishly & not wisely. Any way I love you no matter which way the wind blows. Nellie you say if I love you I would not begin to economize right at the engagement ring, suit & ect.

Now Darling isn’t that a true evidence of my love for you!!

I am a poor boy & I told you I’d give my all to you with Glass thrown in. Now what more can I do & you know the more I have the more I can give you. “C”@”C” don’t you C!!

Didn’t I tell you I’d buy you any kind of ring you wished!! Stop & think of it.

Friday. 5-19.

Yes Darling I had these two pages but wouldn’t give it to you yesterday thought I’d wait & mail it.

Darling I am truly glad you came. I’d just been writing to you & I had given you out & felt gloomy. Oh my when I saw you all drive up.

This am & evry since you came I have felt much better over the affair. I only wish I could be with you the whole time & am ready when you say to begin it. Dear be able to tell me Sunday when we shal marry.

I can’t tell what time Sunday I’l be there & may not get to come if Bro & Sister doesn’t come home as I can’t have but I think they’l be here any way by tomorrow & Il be there in time to go to S.S. Honey let’s go in the hack with Lewis & let my old Plug rest & drive him to Eureka at night as don’t you think it will be to warm for you to go at 11:00.

I know some of them will go to Eureka with us that is if you want to go Il go but it doesn’t differ to me. You make any kind of arrangements & Il [illegible] to your plan.

Gee whiz I’ve been lonely here this week. How I did wish my Nellie was with me.

I hope Guy will come tonight as I’l be alone.

Nellie if I wasn’t such a fool there would never any unpleasant thoughts come between us. So now you lay your plan for next Sunday & see if I don’t come to it.

With lots of love I’m your own Glass.

Postmark May 15, 1899

Monday

My Dear Nellie

You should see the long face this am as you term it.

Nellie it’s the hardest think for me to realize that you realy love me & that you will marry me. I don’t know why I feel this way about it. Then too yesterday caused me to believe more strangely that things are not as they once were. I can well remember at one time had I been stranded at your house without conveyance you wouldn’t have thought of going away and leaving me as you did yesterday & several things here of late sustains my ideas as to your love not being what it should be for me. All this yesterday because I didn’t have a horse & buggy to carry you. You know well had I my own team I’d never said one word about not going but circumstances of which I explained to you were such that I was without a team & that was what I had to face. Now Darling you know I wanted my own horse & buggy. You know me well enough to know I’d be glad to carry you any where or rather have you go with me but I couldn’t have just what I wanted & I am to suffer for it.

Do you ever think that during life there will be lots we want we can’t get!!

Just think of it!! Then would you leave me knowing I couldn’t merely because you wanted to go & had said you were going as you gave that for your biggest reason after returning home that you had told me you were going & that you meant to go whether or not. You wrote me one letter & said you were willful but that you could control it & not let it ever come between us. I often want things that I can’t get & can say yesterday I wanted a horse & buggy but couldn’t get it.

Now I’l have the blues until I see you & hear from you but Nellie I love you. I love you true. There isn’t a doubt & if I felt that I would always have every thing & any thing you might wish I might not feel as I do to day but might feel as though you loved me true too.

There is another thing you always speak of my looking so gloomy at times. Please get the idea from your mind that it is because I’m with you for I love & love to be with you.

Write me a long good letter & if you come Tuesday or Wednesday bring it if not mail it. I’ll get Thursday. It seems long off but guess you’ll have your way.

Your broken hearted boy

Glass

William Glass Meggs

The following is an account of the life of William Glass Meggs from the publication Miami of the Pioneers: A Picture History by Marjorie Meggs Gowin and Peter Thomas Skaggs Gowin, copyright 1976.

William Glass Meggs was born in Mississippi near Ebenezar, Mississippi. Like his wife, Nellie, he was the son of an officer of the Cavalry, CSA. He was born into the Reconstruction era. The Meggs family survived when his father, James Meggs, took a job as overseer, with a property owner who did not wear Confederate grey.

As the youngest of a large family, the only one born after the war, he hardly knew his brothers and sisters. They had left home long ago. Mississippi was recovering very slowly from the war’s desolation. There were no educational opportunities except what his mother could teach him.

At the age of eighteen he left Mississippi to find his oldest brother, L.L. Meggs, who was in Ocala, Florida. Glass registered at the hotel and asked the clerk where he could find L.L. Meggs. The clerk asked why he wanted to find him, and he said, “I’m his brother, I’ve come to visit him.” So the clerk said, “He is standing beside you.” Thus began a business association for the brothers that lasted until L.L. died in 1922.

Glass’ first job was to manage a “Company Store”. That was a store where you charged everything all week and hoped your salary would cover it on Saturday night. The store manager was to see that it did. L.L. Meggs had a large turpentine operation and employed many men. It was near Orange Springs, Florida (Ocala). He owned property in many parts of Florida. After Glass came when he bought property he would form a company and make Glass an officer. They made a lot of money that way. It was before 1899 and Florida was opening up fast.

Then L.L. decided to move to Jacksonville. He wanted his brother to go with him. However, Felder Lang, Glass’ father-in-law, had moved to Miami, Florida, and he wanted his daughter, Nellie, and his grandson, Donald, with him. On August 10, 1900, Glass and Nellie had been married, so both families were involved.

Obtaining a “Homeseekers Ticket”, Glass and Nellie went to Miami. They liked what they saw and decided to stay. The brothers continued in business, mostly land, and Glass opened a grocery store. They arrived in Miami in 1905.

The business prospered so well that in 1908 Glass had to build a larger store. It was one of the first two story mercantile buildings north of Flagler Street. Meanwhile he had bought a home for his growing family, and he soon built on to his original building. Then he built four more stores across the street to rent for income. Whenever a property near his store was sold, he bought it, and built up a large estate. The main store was at the N.E. 1^stth Street. Avenue and 8

Meanwhile, at home there were more children who rarely saw their father because he worked from can’t see to can’t see and then some.

So, when Christmas approached, he decided he would have a Christmas holiday. He called in his order boys and told them, “I would like to close this store on Christmas Day and this morning if that will inconvenience them, then write it on your order sheet.” All the votes were “Yes, close.” The news spread, as it will in a small town, and a committee of merchants came to see Glass. They told him he would ruin them, asked if he were out of his mind, etc. Glass listened carefully, then he said, “My business here depends on my customers, not my competitors, and they are in favor of closing. Thank you, gentlemen, for coming.” He spent his first Christmas holiday since he had gone to work planting Royal Poincianas in front of his home. He also saw his children opening their presents.

In early 1920, he retired from active business. He turned it over to his son Donald, who ran it. Glass played golf, fished, and kept season tickets to the Polo games, where he was a fixture. He did not know the end of the BOOM was coming.

The BLOW arrived in September of 1926. So great was the property damage to the Meggs’ property, it impoverished Meggs to repair it. His tenants had no business and no jobs so there was no income.

The BUST began then. All he could salvage was a small property in the S.W. section with a small house on it, and six stores that could be rented for income. There he moved and lived until his death in 1958.

Meanwhile, with all these business interests, he educated his children. He always said they should have everything he didn’t have. He sent a son to Stanton Military Academy and then to Emory in Atlanta. His oldest daughter went to Ward Belmont and graduated with honors. His youngest son, Bill, attended school in Gainesville and was commissioned in the army. He was killed in WWII. His youngest daughters earned degrees from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

He always had an avid interest in politics, but he would not run for office, nor would he accept a political appointment. However the district where he lived usually voted as he did. Every Sunday morning, as long as they were able, his best friend, J.E. Lummus, picked him up and they toured Miami. They looked at proposed parks, bridges, streets, etc. Mr. Lummus was for many years a city commissioner and he valued Glass’ opinion.

The Methodist Pastor who concluded his services said of him, “That he lived in a house by the side of the road, and was a friend to man.” Glass is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Miami, Florida.