John Isaac Choate

John Isaac Choate, son of John Choate Sr and Julia Hamm, born 25 Sep 1873, Jefferson City, Cole CO, MO, died 21 Oct 1926, Knox's Hospital, Daytona Beach, Volusia CO, FL, and his wife Mary Elizabeth Heatherly, dau of John M Heatherly and Elizabeth, born Oct 1879, MO, died Feb 1916, MO, first came to Florida about 1909, seeking a warmer climate for her health. They with their daughter Edith traveled the East Coast of Florida as far south as Ft Pierce but decided on the small town of Bunnell in which to settle. Mrs Choate and Edith returned to MO and completed the move to Bunnell and Genevieve, Paul and Ralph returned with them.

However Mrs Choate's health did not improve even after seeking the advice of several doctors in the adjoining town and going to Jacksonville. Dr. Clark in Daytona diagnosed her illness as tuberculosis and advised to dry climate and they went to El Paso, Texas but when this move did not help either she returned to her mother's in Mo and was there two weeks before she passed away on Feb 1916. The children returned to Bunnell with their father.

He managed a general store for Mr Ross and an article in the Bunnell Home Builder in Nov 1916, said, "Messrs C.A. Smith, E. W. Johnston and J. I. Choate have organized the People's Mercantile Company, having purchased the general merchandise of S. Ross and will conduct their business next door to the Bunnell State Bank. They will carry a general line of merchandise and will cater to both town and country trade.

In a Flagler Tribune of 5 Jan 1922 was the announcement of the Town Clerk administering the oath of office to the newly elected mayor, Mr. John I Choate. In the 6 Mar 1924 issue of the Tribune was the announcement that Mr E. C. Cutts had purchased the Flagler Cleaning Works from Mr John I. Choate. Mr. Choate had opened the Flagler Cleaning Works in April 1923. It was located in the rear of the Mercantile Stores in the room formerly occupied by the Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

John Choate and his children are found in the 1920 census on page 6, and his occupation is listed as Salesman Hardware Store. Mr and Mrs Choate were the parents of the following four children;

1. Genevieve Choate, born Aug 1898, MO, married 28 Aug 1920, DeLand, Volusia CO, FL, Michael Murray "Pat" Sams, son of Francis William Sams and Zelia Sheldon, born 22 Jan 1889 FL, died Apr 1967, Volusia CO, FL.

She was employed as a stenographer in the Bank in Bunnell in 1920 when she married Murray. He was an attorney with a general practice in DeLand, Volusia CO, FL. Issue;

(1) Murry Sams, Jr, born 16 Oct 1922

He graduated from Stetson Law School in 1949. During his career, Murray Sams Jr. was one of our nation’s finest trial lawyers. He was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a board member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, president of the International Society of Barristers and the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education, and a member of numerous other legal organizations.

Over the years, Sams was a generous donor to Stetson, sharing his time, energy and talents to help launch numerous education programs. He served as a member of the College of Law Board of Overseers and the Charles A. Dana Law Foundation.

(2) Francis Sams, born about 1926

(3) Perkins Daugherty Sams, born 04 Sep 1927, DeLand, Volusia CO, FL, died 03 Jan 2010, Midland, Midland CO, TX, married Elizabeth Bradley Jones. He attended the University of Virginia before enlisting in the Army and serving on the Manhattan project in Las Alamos, New Mexico.

After the service, he embarked on an oil and gas career for a five year tenure with Gulf Oil Corporation (1951-1956) in their Land and Exploration department before becoming an active independent in 1956. During his career, he has owned and managed a cable tool company, a pipeland company and an oil and gas holding company. He has owned an automobile dealership, a newspaper and has been active in real estate including ranches in Texas. Issue;

A. Perkins Loursey Sams, born 19 Nov 1953, Midland, Midland CO, TX

B. Roe Smith Sams, born 09 Oct 1956, Midland CO, TX

C. Sarah Haskell Sams, born 10 Mar 1959, Midland CO, TX

Perkins Daugherty Sams, married 19 Aug 1979, San Francisco, San Francisco CO, CA, Ann Shapio Bronston. Perkins assembled and collected the largest private collection of Gems and Minerals in the world. The Ann and Perkins Sams Gem and Mineral Collection is housed in the Museum of Natural Science in Houston.

2. John Paul Choate, born 10 Jun 1902, Fredericktown, Madison CO, MO, died 17 Jul 1959, VA Hospital, Jefferson City, Cole CO, MO, buried National Cemetery, Jefferson City, Cole CO, MO. He was a corporal in the U S Army.

3. Ralph Choate, born 12 Sep 1904, MO, died 07 Nov 1970, Jefferson City, Cole CO, MO, married Louise E, born about 1911, MO. He was a telephone lineman and she worked in the sole department of a shoe factory in Jefferson, Cole CO, MO according to the 1930 census. Issue;

(1) Ralph Choate, Jr. He served in the U.S. Marines

(2) FNU (dau) Choate, married Harold A. Ahart

4. Edith Ethel (Ladye) Choate, born 28 Nov 1908, Fredericktown, Madison CO, MO, died 21 May 1997, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, buried Espanola Cemetery, Espanola, Flagler CO, FL, married 9 July 1933, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL by Judge H A Eisenbach, Sumner Winn Allen, son of George Elliott Allen and Ellen Louise (Nell) McIntosh, born 03 Jan 1909, FL, died 26 Jun 1937, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, buried Evergreen Cemetery, Jacksonville, Duval CO, FL. She was a former secretary for Flagler County Abstract Company in Bunnell.


Source: The First Families of Flagler by Mary Ketus Deen Holland who listed as her sources, Census, Published Articles and Edith Choate Allen.

Additional sources used by the compiler were: Census, 1900, Ste Genevieve CO, MO, Saline, Dist 106, 25 Jun 1900; Census, 1930, Cole CO, MO, Jefferson, Dist 11, 19-20 Apr 1930; 1930 United States Federal Census, DeLand, Volusia, Florida; World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Record; Social Security Death Index Record; Florida Death Index, 1936-1998 Record; The Flagler Tribune, 02 Sep 1920, 21 Oct 1926, 01 Jul 1937, 19 Nov1970; Sams’ family information posted on ancestry.com; U.S. Veterans Cemeteries, ca.1800-2004 Record; and The Midland Reporter Telegram, 05 Jan 2010.

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