"Dedicated to Preserving Florida's History"
The purpose of The Florida Historical Society is to mark and preserve historic places, acquire items with antique or historical value, to preserve them in or near original form as possible and make these items available for the benefit and education of the public.
The Society strives to impress upon its members and residents the importance of keeping alive our heritage as a source of interest and information for its unique educational value.
The Green Homestead
Mr. Raymond Green, a founding member of the Florida
Historical Society, hoped that his family home could become a museum honoring the history of the Village of Florida. At his passing, Ray bequeathed the Green family home to the Florida Historical Society.
The Green family in Florida spanned four generations and 173 years. It is the desire of the Florida Historical Society to honor the wishes of Ray, and his family, and create a museum showing the chronology of the development of a village and farming community.
Green family contributions have included:
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Henry Green (1818-1883) established the family
home at 13 Bridge Street in 1842. -
Henry Green, in 1848, built a blacksmith and
carriage shop next to the house. Samuel Green
(1840-1911) continued to create iron products in the
family's blacksmith shop. Products included nails,
horseshoes, wagon wheels and beyond. This was a
business that was foundational for the village
community at that time. In 1892 the shop also made
sleighs, rollers and harvesting equipment and other
farming implements. -
In 1885, Samuel Green was one of the 16
residents who started the Florida Fire Department. -
Samuel, Fred (1880-1975) and Ray (1918-2012) Green,
among others, were superintendents of the Florida
Cemetery Association since the beginning. -
In 1890, Samuel Green started the Florida
Waterworks Company, Inc. for a dependable supply
of fresh water. Fred Green, in 1909, became president. Ray was the 3rd generation of the Green family with the Florida Waterworks. He served as the Florida Waterworks' president of operations and manager. -
In 1901, Samuel Green and others started the Florida
Telephone Company. -
Samuel Green, in 1910, was one of the original backers in bringing electricity to the Village of Florida.
-
The idea of organizing the first National Bank of Florida was first brought up by Samuel Green in 1910. The original architectural drawing was drafted by Fred
Green. This building is still standing on North Main Street. -
Fred Green serviced the numerous windmills that were erected throughout Orange County. Climbing to the top of these windmills to change the oil was just one of the duties of this work.
-
Ray Green served in the Army's 31st Infantry Division
from 1942-47 and was a recipient of three Purple Hearts. He was chaplain of the American Legion Post #1250 in Florida, a member of Disabled American Veterans National Amputation Chapter 12 and a past commander of Warwick V.F.W. #4662. -
Ray Green was an exempt member of the Florida Fire
Department, member of the Florida Fire Department
Benevolent Association, Explorer Advisor, Scout Master and Assistant Scout Master of Troop #44, Florida, past president of the S.S. Seward Alumni Association, member of the Florida Lions Club, historian with the Florida Historical Society, member of the Florida Presbyterian Church and past president of the Middletown Stamp Club. -
Ray, his brother Frank (1913-1934), sister Helen Green
(1921-2004) and Jean (Green) Griffith (1929) all attended S.S. Seward Institute. Helen was class valedictorian of her senior class. Jean continues to be an active member of the alumni association. -
Jean (Green) Griffith's children, Karen (Griffith) deFur-Maxwell (1952) and Alan Griffith (1956) continue the family's ties to the Village of Florida and the preservation of the Green Family legacy. They are members of the Florida Historical Society.
Samuel Green
Memorial Plaque Dedication for
Raymond Green
as appeared in the Warwick Valley Dispatch 7/27/16
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At its annual meeting on Saturday, July 16, the Florida Historical Society (TFHS) dedicated a Memorial Plaque for Raymond Green. In 1989 TFHS was started by a group of local residents who wanted to record local history and eventually became a group dedicated to preserving, protecting and presenting the history of the Village of Florida and surrounding area. Ray Green was a Charter Member of this HIstorical Society.
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TFHS, along with many community members are grateful to Ray for leaving his ca. 1840 house, contents and property to the Historical Society. Over four generations of the Green family have left the house and contents glowing with history. The house at 13 Bridge Street in Florida, will be used to present history for the public to view. Thank you Ray!
Photo above from left to right: Alan Griffith, Sid Griffith, Jean Green Griffith (Ray's sister), Leah Griffith, Seth Griffith and Karen Griffith Maxwell.
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Article written by Gary Randall
