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. 1stth 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.
