BackGround: Toronto Temple, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Created 28 September 2010
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;
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 Aurther 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.
Charles Bettes, Jr. Residence (1924)
Within a few years after his father died, Charles Bettes, Jr., had this handsome Tudor Revival style house constructed behind his parent's residence and overlooking Bettes Park. Named after the senior Bettes, this is one of four circlular parks laid out in 1909 along Baltic Avenue, forming an axis for the northern part of the Ortega peninsula.
Charles Bettes, Jr., and his wife Carol were camelia fanciers, and two types of camelias developed by them on this property are now grown nationally and bear their names. Mr. Bettes was owner of the Milldale Ice Company and later was vice president of Foremost Dairy Farms.
Source: Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, page 352
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 10A Line 25
Age
Mar 1st | Place of Birth |
Name Relat Sex Race Age Sta Mar |Self Father Mother| Occupation
BETTES Charles Head M W 36 M 25 N. H. Canada Conn. Manager Ice & Milk Mfg.
" Carol S Wife F W 34 M 22 Flori. Iowa Iowa None
" Carol S Dau F W 9 S --- Flori. N. H. Flori. None
LASSETER Ethel Serv F Neg 28 S --- S. C. S. C. S. C. Cook Private Family
Groom's Name: Charles Chester Bettes Jr. Groom's Birth Date: 1893 Groom's Age: 24 Bride's Name: Carol Randel Simmons Bride's Birth Date: 1895 Bride's Age: 22 Marriage Date: 25 Aug 1917 Marriage Place: , Duval, Florida Bride's Marital Status: Single Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M74382-5 System Origin: Florida-EASy Source Film Number: 963526 Reference Number: 850a
CHILDREN of Charles Chester BETTES Jr and Carol Randel SIMMONS:
9211. 1. CAROL SIMMONS b: Abt 1921; Ortega, Duval, Florida.Back to Charles Chester BETTES Sr's Family Page.
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