George Proctor ¹George Proctor, a free man of color, a master carpenter and builder, made significant contributions to Tallahassee's early history. The extraordinary history of the Proctors stands as an example of the resilience and diversity of African American families. His father, Antonio Proctor, a free black from the Caribbean, worked as an Indian interpreter with the U.S. Army during its campaign to remove the Seminole Indians from Florida. Antonio died in 1855 at the age of 105. During George Proctor's time in Tallahassee, he purchased and married a slave woman named Nancy and together they had eight children. George was drawn to California by the lure of the Gold Rush, he left in 1849, but never returned to Tallahassee. In his absence, his family was sold back into slavery.( In one account it's stated that Evidence suggests that the Rutgers, the white family to whom George Proctor entrusted his family's care, arranged this and in another account it states he mortgaged his family to go to California and when he went broke in the West, his family was sold into slavery.) To view larger image click picture ²John Proctor The son of George Proctor and grandson of Antonio (Tony) Proctor. He was a clergyman and served in the Florida Legislature: House: 1873-1875, 1879; Senate: 1883, 1885. John Proctor lived to age 100. Later one of George and Nancy's sons, John Proctor, became a state legislator 1873-1875, 1879; Senate: 1883, 1885, an educator, and a customs officer at St. Marks, Florida. John Proctor lived to age 100. To view larger image click picture ² Built in 1835 for Judge Thomas Randall...Many years later Mr. George Lewis and his wife, Betty Douglas Lewis, lived in this house... Still later, Mr.C.B. Collins, who was State Treasurer in 1893, lived there. The builder of this house was George Proctor, a free Negro who came here from the West Indies. He made such a success of this contract that he was engaged to build a house across the street for Mr. Rutger. This property in now the home of Mr. C.C. Aschenhart." Proctor constructed several homes in the Tallahassee area including the Knott House, the Murphy House in 1838, the Randall-Lewis House in 1835, the Rutgers House in 1848 as well as the Chaires House in 1844. Proctor was responsible for some of the finer homes in this city. To view larger image click picture ²Left-Murphy House- Built in 1838 Right-Known as the Chaires House Built in 1844 for L. O'Brien Branch, nephew of Governor John Branch, who probably used the new house as his home during his term (1844-45). Sold to Dan Meginniss who sold it to Mr. R.C. Chaires in 1877. By 1934 the house was owned by the Caverly family. To view larger image click picture ²Tallahassee Garden Club - Built 1n 1848 The Knott House holds a very distinct place in Tallahassee's Civil War history. On May 20, 1865, Union General Edward M. McCook of the occupying Union Army read the Emancipation Proclamation from the steps of the house. The Knott House Built 1839-42 for Katherine Gamble, bride of Thomas Holmes Hagner, U.S. minister to the court of King George. The front of the house was altered in 1885. ¹Some of this information is from: John Gilmore Riley Center Museum of African American History and Culture ² Photos and captions courtesy of: Florida Memory Project-Photographic Collection [Florida Index] Some Facts and Photos [1] [2] [ 3] [ 4] [Currency] [Eatonville] [Lighthouses] [Art Deco- South Beach] [Kingsley Plantation] [Florida Plantations] [Ante Bellum Plantations] [Native Floridians] [James Weldon Johnson] [Mary Mc Leod Bethune] [The Knotts] [Zora Neale Hurston] [John Ringling] [John Gorrie] I have sincerely and honestly tried to follow all guidelines, terms of use and copyright notices for using information from the above sources and have given complete titles, web site addresses, credit, etc. to the best of my abilities. I take no credit for any of the information and have no personal knowledge of the events and I am not representing such. If the information I have provided concerning where and how the information was obtained is not properly done or credited, it is in no way intentional.