The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-08-02
An OLD Land Mark Gems.

on corner OF Park Avenue and Adams
street. Mr.. and Mrs. H. L. Felkel are
removing an old land mark that was
erected prior to the earliest recollec-
tions Of our Oldest citizens.
At some long-agO date, a wealthy
man from Decatur, Ca, named Viii
liams, with the soubriquet money"
prefixed on account of his wealth, built
the handsome brick structure, row
owned by Mrs. Feikel, fronting PARK
Avenue.
Running out TO Adams street is an
immense room Of one story above the
basement, into the south wall Of which
was built large iron vault. This part
of the structure was probably the Office
of Money Williams" and the vault
the secure receptacle of his much
talked-of ducats. Since his occupancy
of the mansion it has passed through
the hands of various distinguished own
ers, among them being, Colonel John
Parkhill, grandfather Of our wellknown
GLIB. Parkhill, Justice on the Supreme
Bench of Florida, and General William
Bailey, one of Florida most prominent
and wealthy citizens. At the death Of
the latter the property descended to
one of his daughters, Martha, wife Of
DR.. A. b. Hawkins, for many years a
resident of Tallahassee, who, with his
wife, occupied the dwelling up to the
time Of their removal to North Carolina
about fifteen years ago.
From these owners it was bought by
our late fellow townsman, Colonel I.
j. Roberts, and presented to his wife.
This lady has since become the wife
Leon county's popular Clerk of tn
Court, Hon. Henry T. Felkel
AS the vault jutted out some distance
beyond the wall, it broke the symmetry
of the south side of the building and,
as the present owners are not possessed
of more wealth than can be safely
handled in our city's banks, they de-
cided that the days of it's usefulness
had passed away and the old vault
must come down.
Attracted by the immense pile of
bricks which had been torn from the
outside covering Of the partly exposed
iron cage, the writer, by inquiring,
found it to be two feet in thickness.
The inner door Of iron is Of immense so
lidity and weight.
This residence, named 1.-THE Columns"
by its present owner, on account of the
massive brick pillars that support the
large front veranda, is, by the way,
OilC Va NllV HlOob PAsh9ASo1NO
in the Capital. Covered on all sides
with vines that climb to the second
story window, and surrounded by cool
green lawn thickly dotted with trees
and shrubs. it makes an ideal home for
oar Southern climate, and a restful
picture for the eye.
The solidly built brick kitchen, with
its Dutch oven and immense fire
place, still stands, Vine-clad and
cozy. transformed into a comfortable
cottage, the home of Mrs. Mary A.
Blake, now the oldest native-born citi-
zen Of Tallahassee, and the oldest living
charter member of the Methodist
Church in this city.
Immediately in the rear of the main
residence is the old brick building once
used as the Union Bank. Subsequently
this became the seat Of operation for
the Frecdman's Bureau, of 'rancid
reputation" Later, IL was used as a
church by the Reformed Episcopalians,
and, since their demise in this commh-
nifty, for various purposes of commerce.
The hrick in these buildings was made
In the old kiln about quarter Of a
mile north of the city.
A legend is attached to this residence
Of the old millionaire, which declares
that there is a ten-cent piece embedded
between every two of the bricks used
in its construction, but II the workmen
in tearing down the vault have discov-
cred anything of the kind, they have
Hppt ypry pnfat nhOiIt IL