The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-08-18
TO UTILIZE PARK
PRIZE MONEY FOR
NEEDED EQUIPMENT
JUDGE BROWNE WRITES LET
TER TO DIRECTOR OF
PARKS AND RECREATION
RELATIVE TO MATTER

money aOI1eIeu ds plHS AZ
the naming Of Nelson English
Park for colored people will be
used for the purchasing of needed
playground equipment, according
to an announcement made by
FERA officials.
The prize was won by Judge
jefferson B. Browne who has
turned over the money for this
purpose.
The following is the letter from
Judge Browne to J. Gerry Curtis,
director of Parks and Recreation
of the FERA, when submitting the
name:
"I want to suggest a name for
your negro park. | believe that
when a man lives an upright life
and sets an example worthy OF
following, the community should
give him some recognition when
it is in it's power to do so, and
where both father and son are
exemplary citizens and where
even in the third generation the
children lead industrious and up
right lives, the call for recogni-
ton becomes more insistent.
suggest the name of English, or
Nelson English for the park, for
these reasons:
Games English came to Key
West over a hundred years ago
from st. Augustine, Florida. or
Charleston, South Carolina; | am
uncertain which, but that can be
ascertained by inquiry among his
family of whom there are quite a
few in Key West. He was a light
mulatto and because of his in
telligence, industry and good
manners and perhaps other rea-
sons, he was given his freedom by
his owners, and was a free negro
when he came to Key West.
whether or not his former
owners educated him or whether
he acquired his education himself,
| do not know, but he was an
educated man, and his capacity
was recognized by such men as
Judge James w. Locke, Mr.. Alex
ander Patterson and other dis
tinguished Republicans, and ne
was made a member of the Mon
roe County Board of Public In
struction which position he held
until the Democratic party came
in power in 1877.
"He was a most respectful
negro and never presumed in his
attachments or official position in
the slightest degree.
GAS very young man, l at
tended his funeral with my father,
and fully half of those who fol-.
lowed him to his grave were lead
ing white citizens of Key West.
ale left several. children. but
one, Nelson, followed in his
fathers footsteps and achieved
greater distinction. He was an
unusually we'll educated man, an
expert accountant and bookkeeper
and man of unimpeachable
character and integrity. He was
most respectful and deferentiaI
to white people, but without ser
Witty.
"He served as assistant post
master under Mr.. f. l.. Ware I'M
til 1877. In that year Mr.. Hayes
appointed Hon. David L. Key. a
Democrat, as Postmaster General,
and he in turn appointed a num-
Der of southern Democrats as
postmasters. Among these was
my father, Mr.. Joseph Beverly
Browne and he although south
ern man whose ancestors had been
in Virginia for two hundred years
and was a slave owner, kept Mel
son English as his assistant post
master, during the forG years of
his term.
'Tn 1881, Nelson was made
postmaster of Key West, which
nositiOn he held with great credit,
and was universally respected and
liked by the people of Key West
for his unfailing courtesy and
modesty.
Gin 1886. I was made post
master of Key West, and during
my entire term l kept Nelson as
my assistant postmaster; and this
was before the miserable era of
civil service, which has done so
much to make Dublic officials in