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.

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.

Martha Mizell Lang

The following is an account of the life of Martha Mizell Lang, Nellie Lang's mother, as told by Nellie's sister Kate Lang Dane in 1963. It is from the publication Miami of the Pioneers: A Picture History by Marjorie Meggs Gowin and Peter Thomas Skaggs Gowin, copyright 1976.

This story was written by her youngest daughter, Kate Lang Dane (Mrs. Seymour Dane) in 1963, just prior to Mrs. Dane's death.

Martha was born February 14th, 1846, at Sunny side, near Folkston, Georgia. Her parents were Letitia Rhea (Ray) Paxton Mizell and Joshua Everett Mizell, who had lived in Camden County until Joshua's Uncle William Mizell gave him his home farm in Charlton County, Georgia.

Letitia Paxton was the daughter of Joseph Paxton and Martha McClesky. Martha McClesky was the daughter of James McClesky and Isabella Rhea (Ray). James McClesky was a revolutionary soldier, serving in North and South Carolina; and a Captain in the Third Regiment of Georgia Militia in the War of 1812. He emigrated to Georgia from N.C. shortly after the revolution. (DAR Natl Number 381897).

She was only sixteen when the war between the states began. She shared the work of maintaining a home for ten; helping to milk the cows, make the butter, spin the cotton and weave the clothes which were needed for her family and for the slave family of six. Educational opportunities were few, but her Aunt Sarah, who shared the home was a great reader, and supplied the magazines and books the family read. The Christian Advocate was a monthly paper and Godey Magazines were greatly appreciated. She taught school and was paid with Confederate money, which soon became worthless. Her devotion to her brothers, Jack and Everett, who were in the Confederate Army, made her happy to join with others who had been asked to make shirts for the soldiers.

She was a woman of great strength of Character and devotion to duty. On the 6th of February, 1867, she was married to Felder Lang, a soldier in the Confederate Army, who had come home to Camden County only two years before. Their home for a while was Incachee by the sea, near Brunswick. Here they share cropped with the owner, Burwell Atkinson. Martha making the butter, after milking the cows, and giving the butter as rent. Soon her father, Joshua Mizell, gave them a small house and one hundred acres near him. One daughter had been, Letitia Lang Howell. The family soon built a new house which was the birth place of five more children.

Martha took part in the affairs of the community and boarded the teachers until a public school system was established. She was determined to have the children get an education, so about 1883 she got her husband, Felder, to let her buy a home in Folkston where the children attended school.

This did not last long, so she was back on the farm boarding teachers again until she looked forward to better things.

When the family moved to Fort McCoy, Florida, in 1887, she set about to have a nice home with fruit and flowers and friends whom she made. A second move to Ocala, Florida, and a third to Dade County, Florida, brought her happiness, but the same old duties. A life long Methodist, she placed her membership at Trinity Methodist Church, Miami, Florida, in 1907.

In 1906 she joined the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Southern Cross Chapter. While living at her final home in Miami she delighted in the visits of her children:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Howell of Branford and four children
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lang and their three children
Mr. and Mrs. B.G. McDonald of Folkston, Georgia
Mr. and Mrs. William Glass Meggs, Sr., of Miami, Florida, and their six children
Mr. and Mrs. Guy C. Lang of Branford, Florida
Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Dane, of Redlands, Florida

(All are deceased now)

In 1933 she rented her home at 675 W. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida, and went to live with her daughter, Mrs. Seymour Dane, in Redland, Florida. Here she joined the Home Demonstration Club and the Woman's Club of the Redlands, and was an active member of the club.

She died in Redland on January 26th, 1936, and was buried from the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Glass Meggs, Sr. She is buried in Woodlawn Park Cemetery, Miami, Florida. Rev. H.G. Tyler of Trinity Methodist Church of Miami, Florida, officiated. Death was caused by pneumonia just two weeks prior to her 90th birthday.

From the records of Marjorie M. Gowin (Mrs. T.S.)