There are soem things available in teh Tampa Hillsborough County Library System database. The Burgert Brothers took photographs for about 40 years. Tampa Public Library is the repository of theis collecion and it can be searched through it's Home Page. There wee 2 listings I found for photos. A photo taken in March 1958 at the Garcia y Vega Cigar factory. A photo taken in 1939 of the F Garcia and Brothers Cigar Factory. There is a book available that can be ordered through ILL about the West Tampa Cigar factories. The title is CIUDAD de Cigars: West Tampa Author: Armando Mendes Published in 1994 by the Florida Historical Society. There are many circulating copies. The Tampa Hillsborough County Libry Homepage url is scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us You can telnet to Thor, the database from there. Sue Wooten

Shade tobacco was covered by a very light weight, almost sheer, cotton fabric called "tobacco cloth". When I was first married & had no money, I bought many yards of it (at 19 cents a yard, I think) to make curtains....... -----Original Message----- From: Richard White <rwhite@pone.com> To: FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com <FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, November 28, 1998 12:07 PM Subject: Re: HAV-A-TAMPA Cigar Company >Just some general thoughts on the history of "organized tobacco" on >Florida... > >Tampa was *the* center for rolling of cigars because of the "cheap" >hispanic labor available in the area at the time (recent imigrants have >always been suppliers of cheap labor in the U.S., no matter where they >were from)... and (if I understand correctly) because there were already >tobacco rolling skills available in that population (especially Cubans) >that they brought with them to the U.S. But there was also a kind of >solidarity amongst the exploited and it boiled over into labor strikes, >unionization efforts and so forth at times. One of those times that I'm >specifically aware of was in the immediate post World War I period >(about 1920). But I believe that there were earlier episodes back >perhaps as far as the 1880s. > >On the other hand, while tobacco was grown all over the South including >much of North Florida, the specific type of tobacco that was required to >wrap fine cigars was grown primarily, or perhaps exclusively, in Gadsden >County Florida. This was not just the only place it was grown in >Florida... it was the only place it was grown in the U.S. > >Known as "shade tobacco" it was grown under some kind of partial barrier >to light. In my lifetime, before the business folded entirely, I guess >due to cheaper foreign competition, the "shade" was a type of plastic >screen. I don't know for a fact, but I suspect that the earlier >versions were probably small wooden slats nailed so that only partial >sunlight came through. I wasn't around Gadsden County before about >1970, so I cannot say that as a matter of fact, at all. I am basing it >on the shades that my father built for growing nursery stock in South >Florida in the 1950s. He used slats comprised of wooden lath (used to >hold together plaster walls in houses before metal lath and gypsum >"sheetrock" was invented. He got the lath from Victorian houses that >were torn down in Fort Myers during thec 1950s. But then he also used >rolls of metal wire similar to that used to fence in hogs, with steel >wool wrapped all over it, pained olive drab with black splotches. It >was surplus CAMOFLAGE material used to hide U.S. artillery, trucks, and >such from enemy observation in WW II or Korea. The only problem with >this was that the steel wool rusted away really fast. The wooden lath >was good solid wood and lasted much longer. > >Anyhow, there was one attempt that I know of to bring cigar >manufacturing to North Florida. A man whose name I cannot remember now >built a fine brick building a block and a half from the railroad depot >here in Tallahassee. Tallahassee is only about 15 miles from the county >seat of Gadsden County, Quincy, and it is a lot closer than that to the >county line... probably 10 miles or less at many points. > >That building still stands. For many years in my lifetime it housed a >local lighting fixture sales company, McGowan Lighting. It was recently >converted to a dance hall known as the Cow Haus, as it originated under >that name at another location... out in the country on an old farm. > >I cannot remember the man's name now... but it could be looked up in the >files of the old Tallahassee Historic Preservation Board. > >I also distinctly remember that there was a brand of cigars that had the >name "...... y Garcia". I cannot remember the other name that went >before the "y", which if my rudimentary Spanish does not fail me... "y" >means "and". It may be that company that you are looking for. On the >other hand, I am really only familiar with two brands of cigars that I >can recall... one was "Hav-a-Tampa" and the other was "Home Made". My >grandfather (my mother's father) smoked "Home Made" and I still have >boxes sitting around my house 30 years after he died. I just checked >one of those and "Home Made" was manufactured by Hamilton Harris. My >father smoked Hav-a-Tampas, but he quit smoking anything when I was >about 10 years old... long before grandpa died. I have a grave >suspicion that I remember ".... y Garcia" from inside the lid of >Hav-a-Tampa Cigars, and I believe that I still have one of those boxes >around somewhere, too... but I can't seem to lay my hands on it right >now. Maybe someone else can fill in...? > >RW >

Anyone know Janie Miller she d. 1968 Eustis at 87 yrs. Probably no children. Would love to hear from you if you do. Chris Bain Westwood, MA USA 10. WILLIAM BAIN [Alexander8, William2, William1], b. 27 Aug 1852/3 Lauder Berwickshire Scotland, d. 13 Jun 1932 Umatilla FL , m. 10 Oct 1873 Galashiels, Scotland Jane White, b.1849 Scotland, d. 16 Dec 1905 Umatilla FL, dau. of John and Jane (Hamilton) White. 15. Alexander, b. 7 Jun 1874 Ladhope Parish, Galashiels, Scotland, d. 14 Apr 1887 Hyde Park MA . 16. Janie, b. 26 Mar 1881, d. Mar 1968 16. JANIE BAIN, [William10, Alexander8, William2, William1] b. 26 Mar 1881 Hyde Park MA, d. Mar 1968 Eustis FL, m. btwn 1920/27 Umatilla FL __ Miller.

Peggy, Yes, it was called "tobacco cloth", but it was also called "cheesecloth". Liz

Jan, It's a possibility. I'll let April check that one out since Garcia was her g- g-grandfather. Thanks for the tip regarding the web page. Regards, Liz

Peggy, The info from David Avant's book "History of Gadsden County" is basically the same info that I got from Miles Womack's book "GADSDEN - A Florida in Word and Picture". I would like very much to have a copy of David Avant's book. Where can I get a copy? What other books about Gadsden County do you have and where can I get copies? Actually, I only own two and there are none in the libraries here in central Florida where I live. I have had difficulty finding books on the subject. I appreciate any assistance that you can give me. Regards, Liz

Betty, You can get lots of info regarding the tobacco industry in Gadsden Co. from Miles Kenan Womack's book " GADSDEN - A Florida County in Word and Picture". Or, you may want to contact Miles personally. He lives in Quincy and you can probably get his phone number from the phone directory. If I find anything more on the subject, I will certainly send it to you. Regards, Liz

Just some general thoughts on the history of "organized tobacco" on Florida... Tampa was *the* center for rolling of cigars because of the "cheap" hispanic labor available in the area at the time (recent imigrants have always been suppliers of cheap labor in the U.S., no matter where they were from)... and (if I understand correctly) because there were already tobacco rolling skills available in that population (especially Cubans) that they brought with them to the U.S. But there was also a kind of solidarity amongst the exploited and it boiled over into labor strikes, unionization efforts and so forth at times. One of those times that I'm specifically aware of was in the immediate post World War I period (about 1920). But I believe that there were earlier episodes back perhaps as far as the 1880s. On the other hand, while tobacco was grown all over the South including much of North Florida, the specific type of tobacco that was required to wrap fine cigars was grown primarily, or perhaps exclusively, in Gadsden County Florida. This was not just the only place it was grown in Florida... it was the only place it was grown in the U.S. Known as "shade tobacco" it was grown under some kind of partial barrier to light. In my lifetime, before the business folded entirely, I guess due to cheaper foreign competition, the "shade" was a type of plastic screen. I don't know for a fact, but I suspect that the earlier versions were probably small wooden slats nailed so that only partial sunlight came through. I wasn't around Gadsden County before about 1970, so I cannot say that as a matter of fact, at all. I am basing it on the shades that my father built for growing nursery stock in South Florida in the 1950s. He used slats comprised of wooden lath (used to hold together plaster walls in houses before metal lath and gypsum "sheetrock" was invented. He got the lath from Victorian houses that were torn down in Fort Myers during thec 1950s. But then he also used rolls of metal wire similar to that used to fence in hogs, with steel wool wrapped all over it, pained olive drab with black splotches. It was surplus CAMOFLAGE material used to hide U.S. artillery, trucks, and such from enemy observation in WW II or Korea. The only problem with this was that the steel wool rusted away really fast. The wooden lath was good solid wood and lasted much longer. Anyhow, there was one attempt that I know of to bring cigar manufacturing to North Florida. A man whose name I cannot remember now built a fine brick building a block and a half from the railroad depot here in Tallahassee. Tallahassee is only about 15 miles from the county seat of Gadsden County, Quincy, and it is a lot closer than that to the county line... probably 10 miles or less at many points. That building still stands. For many years in my lifetime it housed a local lighting fixture sales company, McGowan Lighting. It was recently converted to a dance hall known as the Cow Haus, as it originated under that name at another location... out in the country on an old farm. I cannot remember the man's name now... but it could be looked up in the files of the old Tallahassee Historic Preservation Board. I also distinctly remember that there was a brand of cigars that had the name "...... y Garcia". I cannot remember the other name that went before the "y", which if my rudimentary Spanish does not fail me... "y" means "and". It may be that company that you are looking for. On the other hand, I am really only familiar with two brands of cigars that I can recall... one was "Hav-a-Tampa" and the other was "Home Made". My grandfather (my mother's father) smoked "Home Made" and I still have boxes sitting around my house 30 years after he died. I just checked one of those and "Home Made" was manufactured by Hamilton Harris. My father smoked Hav-a-Tampas, but he quit smoking anything when I was about 10 years old... long before grandpa died. I have a grave suspicion that I remember ".... y Garcia" from inside the lid of Hav-a-Tampa Cigars, and I believe that I still have one of those boxes around somewhere, too... but I can't seem to lay my hands on it right now. Maybe someone else can fill in...? RW

Since my husband is from Quincy (and also grew up working tobacco) we have some books on Gadsden Co, too. This following was scanned from David Avant's book "History of Gadsden County". I saw no reference to Have-A-Tampa but wonder if Hav-A-Good Cigar Co merged with a Tampa co later?? David does not mention McKelvy or Garcia. >178 HISTORY OF GADSDEN COUNTY Around 1840, when markets were found for the leaf, the growers stopped making cigars, and it was not until after the Civil War that the home factories appeared again, when a few farmers kept the culture of tobacco alive by selling their small crops of leaf in the manufactured state. Arch and Angus Nicholson, sons of Dr. Malcolm Nicholson, prominent early pioneers, were credited with growing tobacco and manufacturing cigars during the Reconstruction period, which they sold under their own label. (Ancestors of the owners' of the "Nicholson Farmhouse Restaurant") The first attempt to manufacture cigars at Quincy on a large scale was made in 1887, when the Owl Cigar Co. built a factory on North Madison street. The company brought to Quincy a number of Alsatian cigar makers and employed many of the local young men to roll cigars. A story in the Florida Herald in 1892, discloses the company were employing 500 people and making 150,000 cigars weekly, which was a large operation at that time. Labor troubles and the reorganization of the parent company in New York resulted in the permanent closing of the Owl factories in 1893. The Owl company made several brands of cigars which are still popular with the trade, and sold nationally, including the Robert Burns, Little Bobbie, Owl, and Copedure. Several Gadsden countians started small factories about this time, including Many years passed before another attempt was made to manufacture cigars on a large scale at Quincy. However, small factories operated continuously. In 1925, J. L. McFarlin and J. T. Budd established the Hav-A-Good Cigar Co., which was the largest since the old Owl factory was closed. This business was liquidated following Mr. McFarlin's death in 1927. In 1930, J. Walden Corry, son of Wm. M. Corry, who had operated the Owl factory, started business in the old Wilson packing house where McFarlin and Budd had been located He acquired some of the old firm's equipment and brands, including the Hav-A-Good Cigar, one of the oldest brands in the trade, registered in 1889. < ~ Peggy Munroe peggy@talstar.com My most wanted: ACOSTA~ALDERMAN~ARNAU/ARNOW~CARLTON~CASE~CLEARY~HOLDEN~HOPE~LAMB~ MAGEE~MUNROE/MUNRO~PARDEE~WALLIS -----Original Message----- From: LIZGERLITS@aol.com <LIZGERLITS@aol.com> To: FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com <FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, November 28, 1998 7:39 AM Subject: Havatampa >April, > >I have no other info regarding Havatampa. I searched my books on Gadsden Co, >FL where McElvy and Woodbery are from and do not find the name Charles Garcia >listed. I looked there because Gadsden Co, FL was the center of the tobacco >industry, I believe from the mid 1800's until the mid 1970's. (I was born and >raised in that area and I worked in the tobacco fields all summer every summer >from the time I was 6 years old until I was 17 years old. I worked 10 hours a >day, Monday thru Friday.) I found a number of tobacco companies and their >founders, but no Charles Garcia. However, this does not mean that your info is >entirely incorrect! > >McElvy was vice-president of Havatampa Cigar Company. My source does not say >who founded the company. Eli B. Witt was founder of what later was to become >Havatampa Corp. Witt started the business in a 9' by 30' store on Franklin >Street in downtown Tampa in 1910. The name of the store was "Hole in the >Wall". Woodbery merged Witt's wholesaling operations, the Havatampa operations >and several other operations into the current Havatampa Corp. > >If I were you, I would contact the Havatampa Corp. and the Chamber of Commerce >in Tampa. But, whatever you do, don't give up. > >Liz > >

I have read with interest the Hav-A-Tampa queries. I too am looking for information on a cigar factory that belonged to my Great Uncle J. M. Martinez. His company was known as the J. M. Martinez Company and was supposedly a large cigar factory that was located in West Tampa. I have not been able to find out any further information on this. All I know is that he came to Tampa with Vincente Martinez-Ybor. J. M. Martinez died in Tampa in 1911 and I do have his obituary, but it does not really give much information. His son apparently took over the company, but what happened after that is a mystery. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks, Cheryl Sanchez-Sivers Researching Martinez/Del Rio/Sanchez/Cepero/Mira all Cuban immigrants who migrated to West Tampa after living for awhile in Key West, Florida.

On Fri, 27 Nov 1998 23:08:32 -0800 "Roy & April Bass" <BASSRA@concentric.net> writes: >Liz, > >I am so confused Welcome to the club April. I'm confused on every line I' researching. At the turn of the century thru the 20's and 30's there was many, many one room cigar factories here in Tampa. If you looked at the City directories and census for that time period, you will find lots of the entries occupation listed as "cigar maker". Most were a family affair, some had their own name and some sold their cigars to the bigger named companies who sold them under their label. All cigars at that time were hand rolled. While Gadsden County was probably the main Tobacco area, Tampa was the Cigar Capitol. The following addresses might be able to help you. Ybor City Chamber of Commerce 11800 9th Ave E Tampa, Fl 33605 Ph 813-248-3712 Ybor City Museum Society 2009 18th St N Tampa, Fl 33605 Ph 813-247-1434 Cigar Makers Local 533 1520 9th Ave Tampa, Fl 33605 Ph 813-248-1382 Good luck, Don Geary

April, I have no other info regarding Havatampa. I searched my books on Gadsden Co, FL where McElvy and Woodbery are from and do not find the name Charles Garcia listed. I looked there because Gadsden Co, FL was the center of the tobacco industry, I believe from the mid 1800's until the mid 1970's. (I was born and raised in that area and I worked in the tobacco fields all summer every summer from the time I was 6 years old until I was 17 years old. I worked 10 hours a day, Monday thru Friday.) I found a number of tobacco companies and their founders, but no Charles Garcia. However, this does not mean that your info is entirely incorrect! McElvy was vice-president of Havatampa Cigar Company. My source does not say who founded the company. Eli B. Witt was founder of what later was to become Havatampa Corp. Witt started the business in a 9' by 30' store on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa in 1910. The name of the store was "Hole in the Wall". Woodbery merged Witt's wholesaling operations, the Havatampa operations and several other operations into the current Havatampa Corp. If I were you, I would contact the Havatampa Corp. and the Chamber of Commerce in Tampa. But, whatever you do, don't give up. Liz

Liz, I am so confused on this whole thing, the names that you gave me are no where near my great great grandfather's, his name was Charles Garcia and he was born in Spain. He came to America as a stowaway on a ship, I don't know what port he originally came into. He did marry a woman named Addie and their first child was born in Atlanta, Georgia. I don't know if my grandmother has her facts messed up or what but I am getting a little discouraged. Maybe he just worked in a cigar factory, but he was pretty wealthy at the time that she was born because her and her whole family lived with him. My grandmother has alot of medical conditions and is on alot of medicine, so maybe she is not remembering things right I don't know. Was this man McElvy the person who started Havatampa ? Could he have bought a really small cigar company from a Spanish immigrant and made it what it is know as today ? I have no idea what else to do. I know very little about this part of my family, and on the 1920 census it has Charles Garcia as head of household and at the age of 46, and it lists his occupation as a cigar maker. Maybe I am just on a wild goose chase and my grandmother has her facts all confused. April BASSRA@concentric.net -----Original Message----- From: LIZGERLITS@aol.com <LIZGERLITS@aol.com> To: FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com <FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 5:03 PM Subject: Re: HAV-A-TAMPA Cigar Company >April, > >Curiosity got the best of me, so I went ahead and looked up the little info I >have regarding HAV-A-TAMPA Cigar Company. Here is the basic info....... > >Thomas William McELVY, born 1895 in GA, was vice-president of Hav-A-Tampa >Cigar Company until his death in 1966. > >Daniel Hoyt Woodbery, born ca 1892 in Gadsden Co, FL, was president of >Havatampa Corp. from 1947 until about 1972. Then his son-in-law, Doyle E. >Catlton, Jr., became chairman of the board of Havatampa Corp. Mr. Woodbery >died in 1973. He started with the firm at the age of 18 in 1910. He began as a >bookkeeper for Eli B. Witt, founder of what later was to become Havatampa. >Woodbery became president of the Witt wholesaling and cigar operations when >Witt died in 1947. In 1962, Woodbery engineered a merger of Witt's wholesaling >operations, the Havatampa operations and several wholesale houses into the >current Havatampa Corp., one of the top 500 companies in the US. > >In 1972, the firm moved near Brandon from Ybor City. Ybor City had been >Havatampa's home for more than half a century. > >I was wrong about McElvy being the founder. Oh, well! Anyway, McElvy and >Woodbery were cousins and I am their cousin. > >Which one of these men was your g-g-grandfather? Maybe you and I are >cousins??? > >Hope this helps. > >Liz Gerlits >Palm Bay, FL > >

Would anyone having access to local newspaper be able to look up death notices for Howard R. STOCK, who died Sept. 14, 1972 in Fort Lauderdale and was buried in Queen of Heaven cemetery in Pompano Beach and his wife Grace Hanson STOCK who died Jan. 4, 1989 in Fort Lauderdale, TIA Michael Kelly Ottawa

Hello All, I have a question, my great-great grandfather was said to have started a cigar company & then lost during the depression, and at first I didn't have a name, but seems my grandmother in her elder years has recalled that it was called HAV-A-TAMPA. Now from what I can understand this company has become very large and has changed hands often. Does anyone have any information on this company? Do any of you know a phone number or an address that I could send a letter to the executives and maybe they can tell me the original person who started the company. I have tried the website for Ybor City and have found nothing I also called the Ybor museum and they referred me to a website of theirs that had a link to a college (I think it was South Florida, but not for sure about the name), but any ways I didn't find anything there either. Is there anyone here who could help me or give me some suggestions. April BASSRA@concentric.net

Hello, I received the following message and have no information that would help. Please direct any replies to Marcy ervin@vsta.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- James b-feb. 2, 1903 pb-Beauford, S.C. d-1925 buried military cem.? FL. married may 18 1924 to Margaritte Katherine Bird (Byrd) b-may 31 ___pb-FL. d- aug. 10 1988. James had one child Elsie W. Caudill. need to find out more about James. i got the information from his daughter elsie but that was all she knew for james he died when she was 3 months old and mother remarried. i have know ideal where he is buried are anything about him. elsie said he did a pension check for her.can you help me out on james. Thank you Marcy ervin@vsta.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for your help, Ron Wakulla County FL GenWeb < http://mailer.fsu.edu/~rthompso/wakulla.html > Franklin County, FL GenWeb < http://mailer.fsu.edu/~rthompso/franklin.html > Civil War Soldiers of Florida < http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~thompson/cw/units.html > Antique Engines, Genealogy, Puzzles < http://mailer.fsu.edu/~rthompso/Ron-page.html >

April, Curiosity got the best of me, so I went ahead and looked up the little info I have regarding HAV-A-TAMPA Cigar Company. Here is the basic info....... Thomas William McELVY, born 1895 in GA, was vice-president of Hav-A-Tampa Cigar Company until his death in 1966. Daniel Hoyt Woodbery, born ca 1892 in Gadsden Co, FL, was president of Havatampa Corp. from 1947 until about 1972. Then his son-in-law, Doyle E. Catlton, Jr., became chairman of the board of Havatampa Corp. Mr. Woodbery died in 1973. He started with the firm at the age of 18 in 1910. He began as a bookkeeper for Eli B. Witt, founder of what later was to become Havatampa. Woodbery became president of the Witt wholesaling and cigar operations when Witt died in 1947. In 1962, Woodbery engineered a merger of Witt's wholesaling operations, the Havatampa operations and several wholesale houses into the current Havatampa Corp., one of the top 500 companies in the US. In 1972, the firm moved near Brandon from Ybor City. Ybor City had been Havatampa's home for more than half a century. I was wrong about McElvy being the founder. Oh, well! Anyway, McElvy and Woodbery were cousins and I am their cousin. Which one of these men was your g-g-grandfather? Maybe you and I are cousins??? Hope this helps. Liz Gerlits Palm Bay, FL

April, Who was your g-g-grandfather? A McELVY "cousin" of mine founded HAV-A-TAMPA Cigar Company. I don't have the details at my fingertips; I will have to look the info up. I believe his name was Thomas W. McELVY, born 1895 in GA. If memory serves me correctly, the company was started in Quincy, Gadsden Co, FL, then moved to Tampa. Don't quote me on any of this. I will look for the info if you want me to. Liz Gerlits a McELVY descendant in Palm Bay, FL

Looking for info on Robert & Jenny MAURER Holliston,MA>Longwood> Castleberry,Florida. Acting in interest for Laura Mellen Distaula. Please reply by email!