The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-11-02
= liAJOR ROBERT cA4BLE. =


p On the 10th Of October there passed
from our midst one whose life was in
terwoVen with the life Of our commu-
nifty from its earliest day. Maj, Rob
ert Gamble passed through Tallahassee
on December "A, lsz7, on his way 70
Waukeenah, bis fathers plantation,
Augustine branch and the small stream
that crosses the st. Augustine road
about 100 yards east Of 1t.
Robert Gamble was the eldest son Of
John Grattan Gamble and OF Nancy
Christopher Grump Of Kentucky. He
was born In the old family residence on
CANDLES Hill, Richmond, Va, on De-
eember 10, 1873. His father and uncle,
who were partners, were large import
ing merchants, owning their ships, and
were ruined financially by President
JefHersOn's policy Of embargo enforced
against the British In the war OF 1872.
This reverse of fortune was eventually
the cause Of the removal of the family
70 Florida, In 1927, where both brothers
became large cotton planters on their
estates of Waukeenah and Welaunee.
Robert Gamble grew 70 manhood and
became 9 cotton planter In Leon county
on the Nehamathla place, just three
Ldles east of Tallahassee on the 81.
Augustine road; but a. cotton became
20 cheap, sometimes selling az low as
~ cents . pound, he gave that up and
moved 10 Jefferson county, tabliahing
there q tobacco farm and cigar factory.
This proved very profitable, and his ci-
gars made q reputation for excellence:
but one day . box Of Spanish tobacco
was opened that had been sent 10 him,
and almost Immediately the place be.
came infested with Q tiny insect pest
which ruined his business. Cigars
packed and shipped In apparently per
Feet condition would be perforated by
destination. Knowing no better way
20 rid tha country Of them, he set fire
70 his establishment and went south
seeking other investment.
Reaching the Wilds Of Manatee county
In 1912, and believing In her future, he
eatabllshed . sugar plantation and fac
tory on the north side Of the Manatee
river. Manatee was then g wilderness,
and the only communication with the
outside world was by schooner 70 81.
Marks once IN six weeks. On one Of
these trips his brother William, who
was on his way 20 visit him, was lost ut
sea In q storm. Here Major Gamble
purchased 3, 500 acres Of land, and, with
ITO slaves and q few expert wOrkmen
who had strayed into this section, TAX
Ing up land under the ARMED Occupa
ton act" he began clearing land and
manufacturing brick for a residence
and sugar houses. This residence still
stands, large two-stOry building. with
large colonial columns, and the ruins of
the sugar houses furnished brick for
most Of the first houses built in Ellen
ton, now q thriving village with four
daily trains.
The first crop was harvested and
manufactured, with q yield Of 80 hogs
heads, when the entire establishment
was burned 10 the ground aid all lost
The Major then purchased much more ex-
tenslVe machinery, which he succeeded
IN setting up before the next crop
From these mills there were erected
three brick buildings, aggregating $40
feet IN length. These contained a
80. horsepower steam engine, power
ful mills, with machinery for reaching
down and lifting up quantities Of cane,
two ranges Of kettles containing Ave
each, with capacities gradually decreas-
ing from six hundred gallons to forty
1--we gallons; four large clsterns sixty
fest long, fifteen feet wide and three
feet deep, and numbers Of large coolers
with porous bottoms through which the
mOlasses drained from the sugar. The
acreage In cultivation was Increased
from one hundred and sixty to three
hundred and fifty acres, and the yield
reached two hundred and fifty hogs
heads Of sugar and enormous quantities
Of mOlasses These were sent by
schooners 10 Mobile, New Orleans and
New York, bringing satisfactory prices
Major Gamble also manufactured large
quantities Of salt, which he shipped to
various ports, large quantity Of this
was c0nhscated by the Uni cd States ut
Savannah. He also shipped large
quantities Of live oak 20 New York.
taking Il by brig all the way round, one
trip taking thirty days. In 1863 Major
Gamble disposed Of his MAnAtoe county
property 20 a company of Louisiana
sugar planters for $3.50, 600 The civil
war followed closely and the slaves
were freed, and In the unsettled condi-
ton Of the country the business was
abandoned. Major Gamble served
throughout the Indian war In Florida
aS q volunteer, and was mentioned By
name a. conspicuous for courage and
activity In action by General Duncan
CliBeh, commanding the u. s A. forces
IN Florida. The last twenty years Of
Major CANDLES life were devoted 20
the Ondeavor of awakening public inter
nat In an intaF. afata vstafnFuav awtat,H