BackGround: Toronto Temple, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Created 25 September 2010
Bettes Estate RIP
Posted at 5:30 pm in rivercityvib
I meant to post about this at the time, but I was busy. I ran past the Bettes Estate this weekend (as I do nearly everyday) and it reminded me. It’s a sorry picture. The house was recently consumed by fire after a careless worker involved in its restoration set it alight with a blow torch. Seriously. How mad would that make you, if that was your home? It is a total loss, apparently.

Your Ortega knowledge is slightly in error. The “Bettes Estate” was built in 1912 at its current location. The original owner, Charles C. Bettes, was a partner with J. N. C. Stockton in the Ortega Company. Mr. Bettes choose this lot to avoid the windiness along the river. The original site was 2.5 acres. In 1924 Charles C. Bettes, Jr. built a Tudor style house behind the main house and in 1984 five additional lots were sold, leaving the current site of 1.25 acres. Blowtorch + 97 wodden year old house = BIG FIRE.
Benny Andersson
Benny Anderson
2 Sep 09 at 6:47 pm
Charles Chester was a drug clerk at A. P. Fries and Company and Caleton Pharmacy before opening his own "Bettes Pharmacy" at the Northeast corner of Bay and Lawrence Streets in 1905 or 1906. Allen B. Pratt Sr. worked there as a young boy. Charles opened a branch pharmacy in the St. James Building in 1913. Around 1906, Charles entered into business with J. N. C. Stockton and the Ortega Company was formed after the purchase of Ortega Point. They agreed to build a permanent bridge across the Ortega River for an electric railroad and a hard-surface road for cars. They erected a lumber mill in what is now the 4100 block of McGirts Boulevard. The mill workers neede weekday living quarters, so in 1908, they built what local historians say is Ortega's oldest house. Charles built Ortega's Big House" at 3744 Ortega Boulevard or McGirts Boulevard in 1912. Laura lived there until her death in 1966. Bettes Circle in Ortega Point takes its name from Charles. Charles Jr. built his house behind his father's, across from Bettes Park. Charles and Laura are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. Charles and Laura had six children;
Mayor -- Duncan U. FLETCHER
Presicent City Council -- Pleasant A. HOLT.
CITY COUNCILMEN:
First Ward Clement D. Rinehart and Paul R. Wiggs. Second Ward Aaron K. Basham and Thomas J. Smith. Third Ward Charles C. Bettes and Frank Brown. Fourth Ward John W. Dodge and Pleasant A. Holt. Fifth Ward J. Samuel Hollingsworth and Thomas J. Kidwell. Sixth Ward George D. Ross and J. Douglass Wetmore. Seventh Ward Frank T. Barclay and Jose L. Romero. Eighth Ward Edmund M. Gasque and Harry Mason. Ninth Ward William H. Baker and Sherod L. Earle.
Charles Chester Jr.
James Jerome. died May 25, 1987 at age 93 in Orlando
Laura died in 1993
Harriet died between 1987 and 1993
Catherine
Eva
Charles Jr. was working as a clerk at Bettes Pharmacy in 1916.
James had two daughters; Bess B. Taylor and Laura, who married William Worth Schomberg Jr from Orlando.
Laura married A. E. Jones and moved to Orlando in 1925. They had a son, Arthur Bettes Jones who lived in Jacksonville, and a daughter Harriet Weant who lived in Gulf Breeze, Fl.
Harriet marries F. F. Waddell. They lived in Ottowa, Canada.
Catherine married C. W. Barnum. The lived in London, Ontario, Canada.
Eva married George H. Belton and also lived in London, Ontario, Canada.
1870 Census Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, Page 486
R Estate Personal Where
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Value Born
BETTES Jerome M 38 M W Doctor of Medecine $ 1,000 $ 0,400 Canada
" Ruth D 31 F W ------------------ -------- -------- -------
" Frederick 10 M W ------------------ -------- -------- -------
" Charles C 7 M W ------------------ -------- -------- New York
" William L 5 M W ------------------ -------- -------- New York
" Emily D 2 F W ------------------ -------- -------- Illinois
1870 Census Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Page 147
R Estate Personal Where
Name Age Sex Race Occupation Value Value Born
DIXON James H 42 M W Farmer $ 2,000 $ 0,300 -----
" Harriet T 28 F W Keeping House -------- -------- -----
" Sarah C 16 F W No Occupation -------- -------- -----
" Charles H 10 M W At Home -------- -------- -----
" Eva F 2 F W At Home -------- -------- -----
" Laura 1 F W At Home -------- -------- -----
1880 Census Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, ED 230 Page 19
Mont Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Race Sex Age Born Relat Sta Occupation |Self Father Mother|
BEATTES Jerome W M 48 ---- ----- M Physician Canada Canada Canada
" Ruth W F 46 ---- Wife M House Keeper Canada Canada Canada
" Fred A W M 19 ---- Son S ------------ Ind. Canada Canada
" Chas C W M 17 ---- Son S Druggist Canada Canada Canada
" Will L W M 15 ---- Son S Clerk N. Y. Canada Canada
" Daisy E W F 12 ---- Dau S ------------ Ill. Canada Canada
" Margarette W F 10 ---- Dau S ------------ Fla. Canada Canada
" Jerome W M 6 ---- Son S ------------ Fla. Canada Canada
ROBERTS Rose O W F 29 ---- S-n-L M ------------ Canada Canada Canada
1880 Census Mason, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, ED Page
Mont Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Race Sex Age Born Relat Sta Occupation |Self Father Mother|
DIXON James H W M 52 ---- ----- M Grocer Conn. Conn. Conn.
" Harriet T W F 39 ---- Wife M Keeping House N. J. N. Y. N. Y.
" Sarah C W F 24 ---- Dau S At Home Fla. Conn. N. J.
" Charles H W M 20 ---- Son S At Home Conn. Conn. N. J.
" Eva F W F 12 ---- Dau S At School Conn. Conn. N. J.
" Kattie J W F 9 ---- Dau S At School Mass. Conn. N. J.
" Lora A W F 11 ---- Dau S At School Mass. Conn. N. J.
1900 Census Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, ED 45 Sheet 2A Line 17
Mont Year Mar Yrs | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Race Sex Born born Age Sta Mar |Self Father Mother| Occupation
BETTES Charles C Head W M Feb 1863 37 M 9 Florid Florid Canada Druggest
" Laura A Wife W F Jan 1869 31 M 9 Conn. N. Y. Conn. ----------
" Charles C Jr Son W M Oct 1892 7 S --- N. H. Conn. N. Y. At School
" James J Son W M Jan 1894 6 S --- Florid Conn. N. Y. ----------
" Laura A Dau W F Dec 1899 5M S --- Florid Conn. N. Y. ----------
Laura Mother of 4 Children 4 Living
1910 Census Jacksoville Ward3, Duval, Florida, ED 75 Sheet 6A Line 26
Mar Yrs | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Sex Race Age Sta Mar |Self Father Mother| Occupation
BETTYS Charles Head M W 47 M1 18 Canada Canada Canada Druggist Drug Store
" Laura Wife F W 41 M1 18 Conn. Conn. N. Y. None
" Charles Son M W 17 S --- N. H. Canada Conn. None
" James Son M W 16 S --- Flor. Canada Conn. None
" Laura Dau F W 11 S --- Flor. Canada Conn. None
" Harriet Dau F W 8 S --- Flor. Canada Conn. None
" Catherine Dau F W 6 S --- Flor. Canada Conn. None
" Eva Dau F W 1 S --- Flor. Canada Conn. None
DIXON Hattie S-n-L F W 36 S --- Mass. Conn. N. Y. Book Keeper Drug Store
Laura Mother of 6 Children 6 Living
1920 Census Ortega, Duval, Florida, ED 79 Sheet 21A Line 20
Mar | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Sex Race Age Sta |Self Father Mother| Occupation
BETTES Floraura Head F W 50 Wd Conn. Conn. N. Y. Part Owner Bettes Drug Co.
" Charles C Son M W 27 M N. H. Conn. Conn. Manager Drug Store
" James J Son M W 25 S Flori. Conn. Conn. Manager Drug Store
" Laura Dau F W 21 S Flori. Conn. Conn. None
" Harriet T Dau F W 18 S Flori. Conn. Conn. None
" Catharine E Dau F W 16 S Flori. Conn. Conn. None
" Eva F Dau F W 11 S Flori. Conn. Conn. None
" Carol F D-n-L F W 24 M Flori. Iowa Iowa None
DREW Katie S Siste F W 60 Wd Flori. Conn. Flori. None
DICKSON Harriet Mothe F W 75 Wd Conn. N. J. N. Y. None
YARKES Judson W Board M W 25 Wd Flori. Penn. Penn. Retired Merchant
" Elizabeth Board F W 23 S Flori. Georga Georga None
" Elizabeth Jr Board F W 1 S Flori. Flori. Flori. None
HICKS Richard Servs M Mu 63 Wd Flori. Flori. Virg. Gardener Private Family
1930 Census Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, ED 57 Sheet 3A Line 24
Age
Mar 1st | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Sex Race Age Sta Mar |Self Father Mother| Occupation
BETTES Laura A Head F W 61 Wd 22 Conn. Conn. N. Y. None
" Katherine E Dau F W 26 S --- Flori. Canada Conn. Teacher Private
" Harriett T Dau F W 28 S --- Flori. Canada Conn. Clerk Post Office
" Eva F Dau F W 21 S --- Flori. Canada Conn. Student University
DIXON Harriett T Mothe F W 88 Wd 22 N. Y. N. Y. N. Y.
Owns a home valued at $ 60,000 No Radio
CHILDREN of Charles Chester BETTES Sr and Laura Augusta DIXON:
+ 921. 1. CHARLES CHESTER Jr b: 16 Oct 1892; Masson, , New Hampshire.
md: 25 Aug 1917; , Duval, Florida.
Carol Randel SIMMONS
+ 922. 2. JAMES JEROME b: 11 Jan 1894; Jacksonville, Duval, Florida.
md: 20 Apr 1926; Orlando, Orange, Florida.
Mallie Glasgow SLIGH.
d: 25 May 1987; Orlando, Orange, Florida.
+ 923. 3. LAURA A b: Dec 1899; Jacksonville, Duval, Florida.
md: 17 Feb 1920; , Duval, Florida.
Arthur Edmund Roy JONES
d: 1993; , , .
+ 924. 4. HARRIET TILYON b: Abt 1902; , , .
md: Sep 1939; St. Thomas, Elgin, Ontario, Canada.
Frederick Frances WADELL
d: 1987 & 1993; , , .
+ 925. 5. CATHERINE E b: Abt 1904; Jacksonville, Duval, Florida.
md: Bef 1833; , , .
Clarence Wesley BARNUM
+ 926. 6. EVA FRANCES b: 19 Oct 1908; Jacksonville, Duval, Florida.
md: Aft 1930; , , .
George Harrison BELTON
d: 6 Mar 1994; London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.
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