Charlie W. Pierce
| Charles William "Charlie" Pierce | |
|---|---|
Charles W. Pierce
|
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| Born | Charles William Pierce July 16, 1864 Waukegan, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 10, 1939 (aged 74) Boynton, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery, West Palm Beach |
| Occupation | Postmaster, Boat Captain, Author |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 1900-1939 |
| Genre | History |
| Notable works | Pioneer Life in South Florida (book) |
| Spouse | Yallahs Wallack Pierce (1896-1922), Ethel Sims Pierce (1924-1939) |
Charles William "Charlie" Pierce (July 16, 1864 – July 10, 1939) was one of South Florida’s most important pioneer citizens. Arriving in 1872, Pierce was a community leader in banking, seamanship, the postal service, and author of the sentinel book on early South Florida life.
Charlie Pierce was the son of Hannibal Dillingham Pierce and Margretta Louise Moore. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Pierce’s family moved to Chicago. Pierce’s uncle, William H. Moore, told the Pierce family of the warm Florida weather, and how he believed it would cure his developing tuberculosis. Hannibal Pierce purchased a sailing vessel (the Fairy Belle) for the family to sail down the Mississippi River towards Florida. Just as they were preparing for the trip, the Great Chicago Fire consumed most of the city, but not the Pierce boat. The family set sail and eventually moored at Cedar Key. Hannibal Pierce sold the boat and the family went by train and steamer to Sand Point (Titusville, Florida). They camped for several weeks on the Indian River until a fire destroyed their possessions. Hannibal Pierce then accepted a position as an assistant lighthouse keeper at the Jupiter Lighthouse.
After serving at the Jupiter Lighthouse station for a year, Hannibal Pierce homesteaded a large portion of Hypoluxo Island, located in the Lake Worth Lagoon. At the time of their homestead claim, the island had no name. In conversations with the Seminole Indians, Hannibal Pierce learned that the name was Hypoluxo, which meant "Water all around, no get out." Here the family built a house from driftwood and palmetto thatch. Hannibal Pierce became the keeper of the Orange Grove House of Refuge, in what would become Delray Beach. The United States federal government built five Houses of Refuge in Florida to care for shipwrecked sailors. It was at the House of Refuge that the first child of European descent was born, Lillie Pierce, (Lillie Pierce Voss) in 1876. The Pierce family returned to their Hypoluxo Island homestead. Pierce led many expeditions through the Everglades on hunting and fishing trips, being one of the first to explore what would become Everglades National Park.
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Wikipedia