A British Officer Finds Paradise in Florida

A British Officer Finds Paradise in Florida. . In 1888, Lt. Col. William Edwin Cadman of Yorkshire, England, came to Narcoossee to investigate a potential investment property, including a home and citrus grove. Several members of the family joined him, including his wife, Jane. Upon their arrival, Jane was shocked to see Seminoles at the dock and nearly sent the family straight back to England. Despite her initial hesitation, the family ultimately settled in Narcoossee. The Colonel and his family quickly became part of the local community - many of whom were also English. , , Colonel Cadman's story is typical of other wealthy "second son" families who migrated to Osceola County during the late 1800s. Investors were enticed to Florida by promises of its natural bounty and beauty, temperate climate, and commercial opportunity. Arthur Fell, a friend of the Cadman family, purchased 12,000 acres in the Narcoossee area from the Florida Land and Improvement Company. The Colonel eventually purchased 10 acres of land including 6 acres of orange groves from the Fell and Davidson company for $3,000. , , “ In the Fell and Davidson settlement, at Narcoossee, there was a close community of English who characteristically built their tennis courts first, much to the surprise of a hard-headed American nurseryman who afterward set out their orange groves. He just naturally couldn’t understand it; it didn’t seem businesslike.” , Unknown Author Cadman Papers , , Home and Gardens , The Cadmans' home was fondly called "the Bungalow." When the Colonel purchased the property, it included the house kitchen, outhouse, stable and buggy house, a one-acre garden, and a citrus grove with 250 trees ready to bear fruit. The yard around the home was lush with bamboo and other tropical plants. The family's possessions were shipped from England to Narcoossee and included more than a steamboat full of furnishings. Once they were settled, the well-to-do family, including the older children, worked the Florida soil alongside hired laborers. , , Cadmans at Play , Like the Cadmans, many of the new settlers in Narcoossee were English. These fellow countrymen played as hard as they worked. Favorite pastimes included croquet, tennis, golf, and horseback riding. William and Jane were involved in the community and known for hosting parties. On Christmas Eve, they decorated with Chinese lanterns, and guests enjoyed an elaborate affair with traditional English food and champagne. , , (captions ) , Cadman Family , Lt. Col. William Edwin Cadman, his wife, Jane, sons William, Reginald, Godfrey, and his daughter, Margery, posed for this portrait shortly before traveling to America. William Edwin Cadman was retired from his recent post; he was Lt. Col. 3rd PWO (Princess of Wales Own) Yorkshire Regiment. He was fondly called the “Colonel” in the States. , Courtesy Osceola County Historical Society , , The Colonel, Jane, and Margery Cadman , The family enjoyed afternoon tea daily , indoors or out depending on the weather. Margery seen here at age 20, returned to England for a year to complete her education and be presented to Court. After her return, she may have worked on the grove or helped her mother entertain. She never married. , , Image Courtesy of Orange County Regional History Center , , Cadman Children, 1901 , Bumble puppy, a tetherball-like game, is only one of the recreational activities the Cadman family enjoyed. , Image Courtesy of Orange County Regional History Center