Individual Details
Franklin Elmore "Frank" Saxon
(September 28, 1841 - February 25, 1922)
"Saxon, Franklin Elmore (b.9/28/1841 Autauga Co. AL; m. Marena May 12/15/1866 (1st); m. Tulula Hope 2/10/1876 (2nd); d. 2/25/1922 buried Hernando County.) Seminole War veteran enlisted 7/19/1861 at Brooksville. Wounded at honeymoon near Jacksonville in 1862. Badly wounded at Perryville 10/8/1862 in the leg and instep and was going to be left behind. Franklin's father persuaded Thomas Ellis (also wounded) to stay behind with Frank. In the evening, both men were taken to a farmhouse serving as a hospital and were captured the next morning. Frank was exchanged in the mid 1863 then furloughed 8/29/1864. He hid the regimental flag in his bosom during the surrender and brought it back to Brooksville. He later donated it to the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, VA." (A Biographical Roster of Brooksville's Confederate Soldiers (1861-1865). THIRD FLORIDA INFANTRY, COMPANY C (Hernando County Wildcats.) - http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/fl/hernando/military/3infcoc.txt )
"Frank Saxon was living in Brookville, Florida in 1914. He was the County Clerk there for 30 years." ("Texas and Texans," page 2518; "History of Texas," pages 697-699.)
"Frank E. Saxon served in the Civil War and was wounded in the foot. At a later date he was captured by the Union forces and became a prisoner of war. At the conclusion of the war he had to walk back to Florida which was more than 500 miles. Frank E. Saxon was a prominent man in Hernando County, and was active in fighting Indians in reconstruction days. He was also very active in the political life of this county. He served as County Tax Assessor from 1874 to 1876, as Postmaster of Brooksville from March 24, 1880 to May 1, 1883, also as Chief of Police from 1880 to 1883. He served as Clerk of court from 1887 to 1888, and again from 1893 to 1909. He served as Representative in the Sate Legislature from 1887 to 1889 and was a member of the Legislature when Pasco and Citrus Counties were taken from Hernando County. Frank Elmore Saxon died February 25, 1922, and is buried in the Brooksville Cemetery." (Barbara Daugherty, barjene3@juno.com, 2005.)
Franklin E. Saxon was the Tax Assessor of Hernando County, Florida in 1874 and 1881; and Clerk of the Circuit Court in 1887.
1870 Hernando Co., FL page 76, fam. #44 Frank E. SAXON 29 AL farmer Matilda H. MAY 68 PA keeping house Annie " 13 AL Matilda " 11 FL Ben SAXON 25 AL stock minder Jessie Marina SAXON 01 FL
1880 Hernando Co., FL ED 60, page 14 fam. #146 F. E. SAXON 38 AL SC NC farmer L. V. 22 FL GA FL wife J. R. 03 FL AL FL son J. M. 01 FL AL FL son
1900 Hernando Co., FL ED 56, page 8B fam. #193 Frank E. SAXON Sep 1841 58 AL AL AL (m. 24 yrs) Lula V. June 1858 41 FL GA FL wife (m. 24 yrs; 7/6) Jessie M. Jan 1879 21 FL AL FL son Elmore F. Apr 1881 19 FL AL FL son Terry W. May 1884 16 FL AL FL son Waddie W. Mar 1886 14 FL AL FL son Randolph B. Nov 1887 12 FL AL FL son Eaton L. June 1891 08 FL AL FL son
1910 Hernando Co., FL ED 18, pp 20-21 fam. #356 Frank E. SAXON 67 AL AL AL (m. 2nd 35 yrs) Lulu V. 53 FL GA FL wife (m. 1st 35 yrs; 7/6) Walter T. 25 FL AL FL son (single) William W. 24 FL AL FL son (single) Benjamin R. 22 FL AL FL son (single) Lewis E. 18 FL AL FL son (single) William F. 02 FL AL FL g'son (single)
1920 Hernando Co., FL ED 32 page 9B fam. #193 SAXON, E. Frank 78 AL SC NC " D. Lula 61 FL GA FL
ED 32, page 10A fam. #208 Elmore SAXON 38 FL AL FL tax collector Lois 30 AL AL AL wife Frank 12 FL FL AL son Rhodes 08 FL FL AL son Hope 06 FL FL AL son Randolph 4 & 3/12 FL FL AL son Eloise 1 & 4/12 FL FL AL da. Sanford COX 28 AL AL AL brother [in-law?]
1930 Hernando Co., FL ED 6, page 2B fam. #52 Lula V. SAXON 71 FL GA FL (wid) m. at 16 Jesse 48 FL FL FL son (single) Wardie 45 FL FL FL son (single) Frank 21 FL FL FL g'son (single)
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"The Stringer House, home today to the Heritage Museum, sits on land once part of a 160-acre parcel deeded to Richard Wiggins in 1843 under the Armed Occupation Act. The act, introduced by Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri, offered 160 acres of free land, together with food and munitions. The bill stipulated that in order to take advantage of this offer, settlers had to agree to build a dwelling, cultivate at least 5 acres of the land and remain in the area for at least five years. After much research of the information available, it is felt that the original four-room structure was built by John May after he purchased the property from Wiggins in 1855. The records, contained in the original courthouse, were lost when the building was destroyed by fire on Sept. 29, 1877.
John L. May was a contractor who built several houses in Brooksville. He lived in a house on the corner of the street that now bears his name - May Avenue - with his wife, Marena, and their two daughters: Matildas, who married John Barnes, and Annie, who married C. P. Rogers. It is believed he moved to the Stringer House sometime between 1855 and 1858, when he died. His wife and children remained in the house.
Eight years later, on Dec. 25, 1866, Marena married Frank Elmore Saxon, whose picture is now hanging next to the fireplace in the living room. Saxon was a Civil War hero who was a member of the Hernando Wild Cats, a unit of the Florida 3rd Regiment of the Confederate Army. He was the first to be wounded in a battle called Honeymoon, which took place near Jacksonville. After the Civil War, he became a delegate to the Florida Legislature, representing Hernando County, and in his later years became clerk of the Hernando County Circuit Court. Two children were born to Frank and Marena Saxon - a son, Frankland Schmidt Saxon in 1867, and a daughter, Jessie May Saxon, in 1869. Their son lived only one month; their daughter died in 1872. Unfortunately, these were not the only tragedies to strike. Marena also died, on Feb. 19, 1869, while giving birth to Jessie May.
After Marena's death, Frank Saxon married Tululu Hope, daughter of William Hope (one of the earliest settlers of Hernando County). Saxon had another house built, south of May Avenue, for Tululu and himself. This house was constructed of cypress and is now known as the Scarborough House.
The May home was sold several times after Frank Saxon left. The records of those transactions, however, were lost in the courthouse fire. The first records after the fire are dated 1883, when J. H. Reddic sold the May-Saxon house to Jennie Johnson for $600. The house was then purchased by Dr. Sheldon Stringer Sr., a relative of the Lykes Brothers, in 1903, for $2,600. He bought the house after his home, near the hospital until recently known as Lykes Memorial Hospital, burned down. Dr. Sheldon Stringer Jr. and his wife had three children: Frederick, Sheldon Jr. and Marguerite. Frederick went to law school in South Carolina and later returned to Brooksville to practice law. Later, he served as an elected judge of the Hernando County Circuit Court. He lived in the house for a while until his death. His sister, Marguerite, also died after her marriage to Dr. Quinn. Betty Stringer Faircloth, the daughter of Judge Frederick Stringer, was the last of the Stringers to live in the house. Dr. Early Hensley and his wife, Helen, bought the house from Betty in October 1980, and the Hernando Historical Museum Association Inc. leased it with an option to buy from Dr. Hensley. The house itself has gone through many changes during the years since the first building was constructed in the 1850s. The most extensive remodeling occurred during the time the Stringers lived there. The structure you see today is a 12-room, seven-gable house with gingerbread trim. It stands four stories tall, has ceilings 10 feet high and has double sliding pocket doors. The original four rooms (consisting of the living room, dining room and two rooms directly above) contain fireplaces connected by a single chimney.
The Hernando Historical Museum Association has been restoring the lovely house since 1980, for the purpose of providing a home for Hernando County history and artifacts. Many hours of work have gone into this task and have been generously donated by many dedicated people. Eugene Lee, of Clover Leaf Farms, for example, spent many hours scraping, sanding, priming and painting the trim and railings, then re-installing them in their proper place. Many of these items were just lying around in rotted condition and required repair or reproduction. Other volunteers scraped, repaired or replaced plaster as well as lath in various rooms throughout the house. One room on the second floor has been completely redone from floor to ceiling and now depicts a school room from the early 1900s. The living room is furnished with turn-of-the-century furnishings that came from families in Hernando County. The mantle in this room is original to the house and required a lot of work to restore it to the condition seen today. An oil painting, also located in this room, is an original painting that hung in this house in the early 1900s. The kitchen is thought to have been a separate structure. "Summer kitchens," as they were called, were very common in the South. They were built away from the main house, mainly because of the potential hazard of grease fires on wood-burning stoves. What we now call the kitchen was most probably a breakfast room or informal dining room. It has been restored and furnished with items from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original spring-fed well is under the kitchen floor. A pie/food safe from the 1880s, displayed in the kitchen, was a very important item in order to protect baked goods from flies, bugs and dust. It is believed the room beyond the kitchen, currently being used as an office, may have been the servants' quarters at one time. Much has been accomplished since the house was first opened to the public. As with any house, however, there is always something else to be done." (Stringer House Is a Home to History, by Virginia Jackson, St. Petersburg Times on Jan. 24, 1993.)
"Frank Saxon was living in Brookville, Florida in 1914. He was the County Clerk there for 30 years." ("Texas and Texans," page 2518; "History of Texas," pages 697-699.)
"Frank E. Saxon served in the Civil War and was wounded in the foot. At a later date he was captured by the Union forces and became a prisoner of war. At the conclusion of the war he had to walk back to Florida which was more than 500 miles. Frank E. Saxon was a prominent man in Hernando County, and was active in fighting Indians in reconstruction days. He was also very active in the political life of this county. He served as County Tax Assessor from 1874 to 1876, as Postmaster of Brooksville from March 24, 1880 to May 1, 1883, also as Chief of Police from 1880 to 1883. He served as Clerk of court from 1887 to 1888, and again from 1893 to 1909. He served as Representative in the Sate Legislature from 1887 to 1889 and was a member of the Legislature when Pasco and Citrus Counties were taken from Hernando County. Frank Elmore Saxon died February 25, 1922, and is buried in the Brooksville Cemetery." (Barbara Daugherty, barjene3@juno.com, 2005.)
Franklin E. Saxon was the Tax Assessor of Hernando County, Florida in 1874 and 1881; and Clerk of the Circuit Court in 1887.
1870 Hernando Co., FL page 76, fam. #44 Frank E. SAXON 29 AL farmer Matilda H. MAY 68 PA keeping house Annie " 13 AL Matilda " 11 FL Ben SAXON 25 AL stock minder Jessie Marina SAXON 01 FL
1880 Hernando Co., FL ED 60, page 14 fam. #146 F. E. SAXON 38 AL SC NC farmer L. V. 22 FL GA FL wife J. R. 03 FL AL FL son J. M. 01 FL AL FL son
1900 Hernando Co., FL ED 56, page 8B fam. #193 Frank E. SAXON Sep 1841 58 AL AL AL (m. 24 yrs) Lula V. June 1858 41 FL GA FL wife (m. 24 yrs; 7/6) Jessie M. Jan 1879 21 FL AL FL son Elmore F. Apr 1881 19 FL AL FL son Terry W. May 1884 16 FL AL FL son Waddie W. Mar 1886 14 FL AL FL son Randolph B. Nov 1887 12 FL AL FL son Eaton L. June 1891 08 FL AL FL son
1910 Hernando Co., FL ED 18, pp 20-21 fam. #356 Frank E. SAXON 67 AL AL AL (m. 2nd 35 yrs) Lulu V. 53 FL GA FL wife (m. 1st 35 yrs; 7/6) Walter T. 25 FL AL FL son (single) William W. 24 FL AL FL son (single) Benjamin R. 22 FL AL FL son (single) Lewis E. 18 FL AL FL son (single) William F. 02 FL AL FL g'son (single)
1920 Hernando Co., FL ED 32 page 9B fam. #193 SAXON, E. Frank 78 AL SC NC " D. Lula 61 FL GA FL
ED 32, page 10A fam. #208 Elmore SAXON 38 FL AL FL tax collector Lois 30 AL AL AL wife Frank 12 FL FL AL son Rhodes 08 FL FL AL son Hope 06 FL FL AL son Randolph 4 & 3/12 FL FL AL son Eloise 1 & 4/12 FL FL AL da. Sanford COX 28 AL AL AL brother [in-law?]
1930 Hernando Co., FL ED 6, page 2B fam. #52 Lula V. SAXON 71 FL GA FL (wid) m. at 16 Jesse 48 FL FL FL son (single) Wardie 45 FL FL FL son (single) Frank 21 FL FL FL g'son (single)
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"The Stringer House, home today to the Heritage Museum, sits on land once part of a 160-acre parcel deeded to Richard Wiggins in 1843 under the Armed Occupation Act. The act, introduced by Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri, offered 160 acres of free land, together with food and munitions. The bill stipulated that in order to take advantage of this offer, settlers had to agree to build a dwelling, cultivate at least 5 acres of the land and remain in the area for at least five years. After much research of the information available, it is felt that the original four-room structure was built by John May after he purchased the property from Wiggins in 1855. The records, contained in the original courthouse, were lost when the building was destroyed by fire on Sept. 29, 1877.
John L. May was a contractor who built several houses in Brooksville. He lived in a house on the corner of the street that now bears his name - May Avenue - with his wife, Marena, and their two daughters: Matildas, who married John Barnes, and Annie, who married C. P. Rogers. It is believed he moved to the Stringer House sometime between 1855 and 1858, when he died. His wife and children remained in the house.
Eight years later, on Dec. 25, 1866, Marena married Frank Elmore Saxon, whose picture is now hanging next to the fireplace in the living room. Saxon was a Civil War hero who was a member of the Hernando Wild Cats, a unit of the Florida 3rd Regiment of the Confederate Army. He was the first to be wounded in a battle called Honeymoon, which took place near Jacksonville. After the Civil War, he became a delegate to the Florida Legislature, representing Hernando County, and in his later years became clerk of the Hernando County Circuit Court. Two children were born to Frank and Marena Saxon - a son, Frankland Schmidt Saxon in 1867, and a daughter, Jessie May Saxon, in 1869. Their son lived only one month; their daughter died in 1872. Unfortunately, these were not the only tragedies to strike. Marena also died, on Feb. 19, 1869, while giving birth to Jessie May.
After Marena's death, Frank Saxon married Tululu Hope, daughter of William Hope (one of the earliest settlers of Hernando County). Saxon had another house built, south of May Avenue, for Tululu and himself. This house was constructed of cypress and is now known as the Scarborough House.
The May home was sold several times after Frank Saxon left. The records of those transactions, however, were lost in the courthouse fire. The first records after the fire are dated 1883, when J. H. Reddic sold the May-Saxon house to Jennie Johnson for $600. The house was then purchased by Dr. Sheldon Stringer Sr., a relative of the Lykes Brothers, in 1903, for $2,600. He bought the house after his home, near the hospital until recently known as Lykes Memorial Hospital, burned down. Dr. Sheldon Stringer Jr. and his wife had three children: Frederick, Sheldon Jr. and Marguerite. Frederick went to law school in South Carolina and later returned to Brooksville to practice law. Later, he served as an elected judge of the Hernando County Circuit Court. He lived in the house for a while until his death. His sister, Marguerite, also died after her marriage to Dr. Quinn. Betty Stringer Faircloth, the daughter of Judge Frederick Stringer, was the last of the Stringers to live in the house. Dr. Early Hensley and his wife, Helen, bought the house from Betty in October 1980, and the Hernando Historical Museum Association Inc. leased it with an option to buy from Dr. Hensley. The house itself has gone through many changes during the years since the first building was constructed in the 1850s. The most extensive remodeling occurred during the time the Stringers lived there. The structure you see today is a 12-room, seven-gable house with gingerbread trim. It stands four stories tall, has ceilings 10 feet high and has double sliding pocket doors. The original four rooms (consisting of the living room, dining room and two rooms directly above) contain fireplaces connected by a single chimney.
The Hernando Historical Museum Association has been restoring the lovely house since 1980, for the purpose of providing a home for Hernando County history and artifacts. Many hours of work have gone into this task and have been generously donated by many dedicated people. Eugene Lee, of Clover Leaf Farms, for example, spent many hours scraping, sanding, priming and painting the trim and railings, then re-installing them in their proper place. Many of these items were just lying around in rotted condition and required repair or reproduction. Other volunteers scraped, repaired or replaced plaster as well as lath in various rooms throughout the house. One room on the second floor has been completely redone from floor to ceiling and now depicts a school room from the early 1900s. The living room is furnished with turn-of-the-century furnishings that came from families in Hernando County. The mantle in this room is original to the house and required a lot of work to restore it to the condition seen today. An oil painting, also located in this room, is an original painting that hung in this house in the early 1900s. The kitchen is thought to have been a separate structure. "Summer kitchens," as they were called, were very common in the South. They were built away from the main house, mainly because of the potential hazard of grease fires on wood-burning stoves. What we now call the kitchen was most probably a breakfast room or informal dining room. It has been restored and furnished with items from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original spring-fed well is under the kitchen floor. A pie/food safe from the 1880s, displayed in the kitchen, was a very important item in order to protect baked goods from flies, bugs and dust. It is believed the room beyond the kitchen, currently being used as an office, may have been the servants' quarters at one time. Much has been accomplished since the house was first opened to the public. As with any house, however, there is always something else to be done." (Stringer House Is a Home to History, by Virginia Jackson, St. Petersburg Times on Jan. 24, 1993.)
Events
| Birth | September 28, 1841 | Autauga County, Alabama | |||
| Marriage | December 25, 1866 | Marena H. May | |||
| Marriage | February 10, 1876 | Tulula Victoria Hope | |||
| Death | February 25, 1922 | Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida |
Families
| Spouse | Marena H. May ( - 1869) |
| Child | Franklin Schmidt Saxon (1867 - ) |
| Child | Jessie May Saxon (1869 - ) |
| Spouse | Tulula Victoria Hope (1859 - ) |
| Child | James Rhodes Saxon (1876 - 1877) |
| Child | Jessie M. Saxon (1879 - 1880) |
| Child | Franklin Elmore Saxon (1881 - 1921) |
| Child | Walter Terry Saxon (1884 - 1885) |
| Child | William Wadsworth Saxon (1886 - 1887) |
| Child | Benjamin Randolph Saxon (1889 - 1890) |
| Child | Eston Lewis Saxon (1892 - 1963) |
| Father | Dr. Benjamin Wadsworth Saxon (1798 - 1861) |
| Mother | Mary Collingsworth Terry (1814 - 1862) |
| Sibling | James Randolph Saxon (1832 - 1864) |
| Sibling | Mary Theodora Saxon (1834 - 1917) |
| Sibling | Walter Terry Saxon (1836 - 1924) |
| Sibling | Antoinette Adela "Jessie" Saxon (1838 - 1848) |
| Sibling | Benjamin W. "Ben" Saxon (1844 - 1876) |
| Sibling | Mable Antoinette Saxon (1851 - 1898) |