Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-04
A MAN OF FLORIDA.
Who Won Wife by becoming United
states senator, and Who Afterward
Built Some Railroads.

In costly mansion on one of tho
avenues of the national capital lives a
former United States Senator, whose
munificent and refined hospitality many
residents of Florida have enjoyed. His
name received on the day Of circumcis-
ion was David Levy, but he will be
known to history as David L. Yulee.
Born in the island OF st. Thomas in
1911, he came to Florida in 1924, only
three years after its complete transfer to
the United States.
He has steadfastly declined to give
the facts of his life to the public press,
declaring that no biography of living
man should ever be published, remind
ing one of that old Greek who said that
no man should ever be accounted happy
till he died. Hence, with the exception
| OF few piquant anecdotes which pass
from mouth to mouth in Florida, there
is little to be related of the most
thoroughly representative man of the
state, except that he was delegate in
congress from the territory from 1841 to
lS45, a member of the convention which
framed the state constitution, and
United States senator from Florida from
1916 to 1861.
How he came to change his name is
thus related: He was paying court to q
beautiful young gentle, whose father
was strongly opposed to the contemplate
ed union, chiefly. it would appear, from
race prejudice. He accordingly told the
young man that David Levy could never
wed his daughter, but that United States
Senator David l.. Yulee could. CThe
reader will readily perceive that the for
mer name is thoroughly Hebrew, since
Levy is only Il variation of Levi
Whether the prospective father-in-law,
or the young lady, or the aspirant to her
hand determined the form of the new
name, is not stated, but the substance of
the pretty legend passes current in Elori-
da to this day, undisputed. The ambi-
tlous young Hebrew changed his family
name simply by spelling it backwards,
with vocalization of the and trans
| position of the two last letters Thus
Levy, Yuel, Yulee But the better part
of the legend is that which relates how
he set himself at once to win his bride
by comprising the proud political pre-
ferment above indicated, and by secur-
ing at last an election as United States
senator, carried her off in triumph
Happy would it be for the nation if no
man should ever seek and gain an en-
trance to that august body from any
motive less worthy than that which ac-
tuated this lover-politician.
But the Legislature of Florida, seeking
to erect a memorial to the great services
he has rendered the state, gave his
name, as by the irony of fate, in its ORR
ginal form to one of the counties of the
peninsula-Levy.
His example seems to have been con-
tagious in one instance at least 1t is
related that when the present United
States senator, &. w. Jones, who was a
mechanic in his youth, was paying court
to his earliest inamorata, he was sup
planted in his graces by lawyer. This
set him to thinking and he determined
that if limb of the law could distance
knight of the chiscl in the amatory
arts, he would study Blackstone as a
preliminary to Ovid; and it was this act
which in the end led up to his present
political eminence.
Mr. Yulee early gave his attention to
the development of the railroads of the
state, and his great ability revealed it
self in their rapid growth. He was in
| terested more particularly in the Allan
tic and Gulf. the Florida Peninsular, the
Florida Transit, the Fernandina and
| jacksonville, and perhaps some Others
He was also interested in the improve
ment of Fernandina rs port of entry,
and in making it complete as the only
really heavy-draught harbor, fit for sea-
going steamers, in the state This and
his railroad enterprises eventually
brought him great wealth.
He was always noted for his perfect
urbanity and courtesy. One day he was
about to read letter to two confidential
friends when he observed an office-boy
leaning against the doorway ready to
overhear. Turning to him and calling
him by name he asked in the politest
tones: did you wish 70 see me?" mo,
sir" did YOU wish to see Mr.. Max
well?' mo, sir did You wish to
see Capt Burrinp" mo, sir. ..Wen,
then, | will excuse YOU"
When the Union gunboats made their
| appearance in the harbor Of Fernandina
q have forgotten under what oflicer)
Yulee had his headquarters there but
the troops fed, and he found himself
obliged hastily 10 load his valuables and
| papers on a train and leave. Fernandina
stands on the north end of Amelia is
land, and between the island and the
mainland there are vast lagoons,
through which winds a tortuous, inky
bayou. The railroad crosses this on a
short bridge some miles from the town.
There was lively race between the es-
Gaping railroad train and one of the
gunboats for this bridge. Yulee, who
was on the train, knew the gunboat
could not approach very near the bridge,
and when the train reached it he could
not resist the temptation TO stop it, and
have the engineer give defiant foot.
One version is that the old gentleman
| placed his thumb to his nose, and execut-
ed with his fingers certain hooking and
derisive gyrations well known to boys
on the street, but this consider apocry-
phal. Forthwith the gunboat waved
| round and sent she'll whistling up the
bayou, which went high over the train.
The gun was lowered, and the second
shot cut the train neatly in two, Just back
of the engine. In CONSERVATION the old
gentleman leaped from the train, ran
ahead to the locomotive, climbed aboard,
and he and the engineer together pulled
out in all haste, and made no end of
running until they had put long dis
lance between them and the gunboats.
In telling this story afterward to Col.
l.. A. Hardee, nephew of the famous
| general of tactics memory. the old gen.
tleman said that that foot on the whistle
cost him $4,000
After the surrender the ex-senator was
kept by the government prisoner for
several months on the Tortugas, if | re-
member rightly.
As is the case with all men of great
force and ability, there are very differ
ent views entertained of his character
and achievements, and heated partisans
in support of each Probably there are
very few well-informed men in Florida
who are not ready to acknowledge the
immense service rendered to the state by
Mr.. Yulee in building its railroads. At
the same time, while conceding this, a
large majority would unhesitatingly as
sert that he benefited himself thereby
much more than the state-in so far as
one mans capacity or purse may be
measured against state,-and that he
so drained these railroads of their re-
sources that they are now bankrupt
Ldaoley (Fla.) Cor. Cincinnati Com
n1ercidt Gazette.
The Gulf Stream.
The Hereditary Prince of Monaco has
hepn ma kino hinenIf 1,saf,,l b,, ;,,,-,e.;