The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-02
Park Trdn1n1eH--
An Appreciation
(By c. d. Clough, a Lifelong
Friend.l

My mind carries me back thirty
odd years ago when Park Trammell
and myself were small boys living
in the country in Polk county. We
were farmer boys. In those youthful
days we played together and worked
together. | chummed with him,
'plowed with him, chopped wood
with him and we hunted together in
the woods. We packed oranges to-
gethcr and one season when work
was scarce we went to the woods
with our axes and cross-cut saw and
cut wood and sold it in Lakeland for
livelihood. Later in young man
hood we uo~" = ~" newspaper bust
ness together. have set type at
the case with him, read proof with
him and we have min gled our edi-
torials on the same country weekly.
Shortly after had married. and he,
too, had entered into welded bliss
we rented together and lived in the
same house. With these predatory
remarks | think '1omay say that u
am well acquainted with Park Tram
mnu r'c~ida's present governor.
think | may say that | know him as
but few others have had opportun-
ity to know him, and now as l start
to write this sketch about my life
lons friend, this boyhood chum of
the days back on the farm, this as
sociate of my young manhood, this
manly man who has grappled with
unusual difficulties. and has wrested
from life unusual successes, ] am re-
minded that Park Trammell's bril-
liant career is one worthy of men
ton as a splendid example of the
great possibilities for the American
boy, however humble his early sur
roundings may be. would like for
the public to know some things
know of Park Trammell's interest
ing career which heretofore have not
been generally known. Hence !
write this sketch
In early boyhood he lived in a
log house in the country and his
school advantages were those afford
ed by the short term schools of the
pioneer days of South Florida, but
even these were his for limited
while. He began to make his own
living when a boy. He worked on
the farm, chopped wood, packed or
anges and clerked some. He never
considered himself too good to do
any kind of honest work. When
about sixteen years old he went to
Tampa to take position in gen
eral mercantile store.
From his earnings in Tampa
where he filled different positions for
about FIVE years he assisted in meet
ing his fathers obligations and
saved the money with which he paid
his way through law school. To bet
ter equip himself with an education,
he often burned the midnight oil.
1t was the unfortunate financial cir
cum stances of his father which made
Park Trammell feel that it was his
duty to go to work when but boy
for his father was a man who de-
sired to give his children every ad-
vantage possible and to this end he
would make any sacrifice. He came
home to Lakeland from law school
in 1899 and set about fitting up an
office in which to practice his pro-
fession. His SAVINGS were exhausted.
q his office was necessarily humble
one. A plain office table made with
his own hands, two or three cheap
chairs and fifteen or twenty law
books completed his first office
equipment Getting a foothold was
not easy but in order to pay ex-
! penses while getting a start as a
young lawyer, he. kept books at
nipht and worked as a travelling
/ salesman part of each week. His
| father had met financial reverses
and though working hard to get a
start in life, he helped his father to
a considerable extent in paying off
his debts. Soon after this his father
died. There we're four younger sis
tiers eft orphans, his mother having
died come years before. Assisted by
a younger brother he assumed their
care and support and he did all that
a devoted brother could do for them.
Notwithstanding unusual difficulties,
my friend, Park. demonstrated that
he was possessed OF excellent ability
and began to establish good law
practice. II was apparent that this
bright and gifted young man who