Samuel Merwin Bortree

Samuel Merwin Bortree, son of Dawson Bortree and Elvira Gorman, was born Jan 1849, Dreher Township, Wayne CO, PA, died 20 June 1918, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL married 4 Apr 1886 in Sterling, Wayne CO, PA by Rev Horace A Smith to Alta G Ehrgood , dau of Jacob Ehrgood and Sarah Esther Campbell, born 16 Aug 1863, OH, died 12 Sept 1932, Glendale Hospital, Palatka, Putnam CO, FL. She is buried in Scranton, Lackawanna CO, PA.

His doctor advised him to move to Florida because of his emphysema. The family arrived in Bunnell about June 1912. He purchased six city lots in Bunnell and some farm land. He built the Pine Grove Inn, which was located on the corner lot directly across from the old County Court House on Moody Boulevard and opened for customers about 1913.

In the list of Registered Voters in the Town of Bunnell on 11 Dec 1915, S.M. Bortree is listed as a Trucker age 64. At the time of the 1920 census his widow, Alta Bortree, was living with their daughter and her husband, Tom and Ethel Holden as found on page 11.

Samuel M. Bortree also built the home for his daughter and son-in-law on the lots adjoining the Pine Grove Inn. They were the parents of three daughters;

1. Della Alma Bortree, born Nov 1888, Lake Ariel, Wayne CO, PA, died 20 Aug 1941, Miami, Dade CO, FL, married Dr. Edmund George Hoffman, MD, born about 1869, died 25 Nov 1947, Melrose, Putnam CO, FL..

2. Lura Ethel Bortree ,born 14 Apr 1892 Scranton, Bidwell Hills, Lackawanna CO, PA, died 27 Jun 1977, Daytona Community Hosp, Daytona Beach, Volusia CO, FL, came to Bunnell with her parents, married 25 Dec 1916, Thomas Edward Holden, son of Thomas Edward Holden and Amelia Jane Heelies, born 27 Jan 1893, Palatka, Putnam CO, FL, died 15 Jul 1974, Carter CO Mem Cntr, Elizabethton, Carter CO, TN. They had two daughters, Altajane Holden and Eleanor Pearl Holden. (See sketch on Thomas Edward Holden for additional information on this family)

3. Virginia Bortree, born 15 May 1894, PA, died Dec 1971, Scranton Lackawanna CO, PA, married Richard L Lenzer, born about 1893 Scranton, Lackawanna CO, PA, died 28 Nov 1941. Washington, DC. Issue;

(1) Alta Mae Lenzer, born about 1924, PA

(2) Delberta Lenzer, born Mar 1929, PA

Source: The First Families of Flagler by Mary Ketus Deen Holland who cited the following sources, Census, Published Articles and Altajane Holden Caudill.

Additional sources used by the compiler were: Florida Death Index, 1877-1998 Record; and 1930 United States Federal Census, Scranton, Lackawanna CO, PA.

Please send questions, corrections or additions to Sisco Deen, P.O. Box 637, Flagler Beach, FL 32136 or email him at Sisco_Deen@hotmail.com