VEEDERSBURG NEWS
Veedersburg, Fountain CO, IN
March 1951

ZEB. E. BOOE, BORN IN LOG CABIN, LONG ACTIVE IN EDUCATION

Zeb E. Booe, who died at his 'home in Bunnell, Florida, March 22, aged 88 years, had an eventful life, begun in a log cabin near the Scott's Prairie neighborhood of Fountain County, and ended in his retirement home in Bunnell, after about a year of failing sight and health. His funeral and burial took place there. He was a brother of Mrs. Margaret Booe May who is making her home with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and. Mrs. Robert Dice. He had written an autobiography from which were taken the facts that follow.

Zeb became a school teacher at the age of 17 and taught 20 years in the Kingman community, more or less continuously except for ten years he was engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Veedersburg with Austin V. Hitch as a partner, before moving to Florida. And when Flagler County was formed he became the chairman of the first county board of education; served. as county superintendent of public instruction from 1928 to 1936, and thereafter kept such close association with the schools that in 1947 he was honored as a man who had devoted most of 67 years to the schools.

He was born in the cabin on the farm of his parents, James Moffett Booe and Maria (Spinning) Booe, east of Steam Corner, on Dec. 16, 1862. He attended local schools, worked on the farm and also in his father's tile factory on the farm until he was 17. In that year he became a member of the Scott's Prairie Christian Church, and also started his teaching career.

He was married on December 13, 1885, to Ida May Coffing, at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Brazier Coffing, in Covington. She survives as do two sons, Fred S. and Willie Booe, both of Bunnell; two granddaughters, Mrs. Claude Deen, of Bunnell, and Miss Betty Jean Booe, and two grandsons, James, Jr., a bandmaster, and Richard Booe of New York City.

James Jr.'s father, James also was a bandmaster and was lost in the destruction of the Battleship Oklahoma in the Pearl Harbor tragedy of 1941. Richard is the son of the late Warben and Myrtle (Purnell) Booe, both deceased. Mr. Booe's second son, Harry, died in 1949 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Mrs. Frances Dice, daughter of Mrs. May, is a niece, and her daughter, Mrs. Margaret Ann Strawser, is a grandniece.

Mr. Booe after teaching for a time, attended Eureka College, enrolling as a sophomore, by reason of summer schooling and doing reading circle work, and was rewarded with an exemption teacher's certificate which required no further examination as long as he taught. For one summer he taught in the Covington teacher's training school.

For ten years he was one of the most active Veedersburg business men, in the real estate and insurance business with Mr. Hitch from 1903 to 1913, during which they conducted an emigration business to Texas, selling gulf state lands. For a time he had been a mail clerk on mail trains between Richmond, Ind., and. St. Louis. In 1913 they dissolved the firm, Mr. Hitch going to Texas, and Mr. Booe purchased $5,000 of the bonds of the Dupont Railroad and Land Company and moved his family to Dupont, Fla. Charles W. Miller, U. S. district attorney at Indianapolis; and Will R. Wood of Lafayette, afterward a congressman, were among others interested in the development, and a cousin, Marley Booe, had been a securities salesman interested in financing the company. A group of owners pooled their holdings of 1,975 acres and organized Haw Creek Farms Co. of which Mr. Booe became gene­al manager. They shipped from Veedersburg by freight car a pair of mules, two sows and a milk cow in one end of the car, and their furniture in the other.

They rented a two-story house by the Halifax River in Daytona and Mr. Booe's parents spent the winter with them returning the next fall but the elder Booe passed away, and the following winter, the widow died at Veedersburg. Zeb arrived before his mother died and her last words to him were, "Zeb be good".

Harry, Warben and Willie Booe and their uncle, Will Brown, lived the first winter in a box car on a narrow gauge side-track about 1 1/2 miles from a clearing on the Haw Creek Farms. A house was built that first year, however.

Mr. Booe threw his energies into the farms development and the boys fenced 360 acres as an experimental farm, producing large crops of Irish potatoes, one crop which sold for $29,800; sweet potatoes, cabbage, corn, hay and cotton, peanuts and other experimental crops. 'I'hey built the first silo, the first dipping vat for livestock to combat Texas fever, and the first compost vat in Flagler County, a new county formed by act of the legislature, when Mr. Booe was appointed by Gov. Catts to the first county school board.

Mr. Booe became bookkeeper, cashier and letter writer for the Bunnell Development Company for four years, and later manager. He sold many lots and tracts, but a former manager had mis­managed the company so that it took him seven or eight years to liquidate it and when it was ended, the company still owed Mr. Booe $800 salary. However, he had established his personal affairs soundly, and remained active until a year ago when he retired as secretary of a drainage organization.


THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, March 22, 1951

Zeb E. Booe, long-time resident of Flagler County, died at his home here this morning at 9:30 o'clock, following an illness of several months.

Mr. Booe was 88 years of age.

A native of Veedersburg, Indiana, He had resided in Flagler Coun­ty for the past 38 years. He taught school in Indiana for 25 years and was active in school affairs there before coming to Flagler County to manage a farm in the Haw Creek section.

Later, he moved to Bunnell where he was employed with the Bunnell Development Co. Since that time he served as Superintendent of Public Instruction for Flagler County for eight years. He was Secretary-Treasurer of  the Bimini Drainage District for the past 20 years. He also was mayor of Bunnell for two, two-year terms.

He was a member of the Chris­tian Church and the Masonic Lodge.

He is survived by his wife, Ida Booe, two sons, Fred Booe and William Booe of Bunnell; one Sister, Mrs. Margaret D. May of Veedersburg, Ind.; four grand­children, Mrs. Margaret Deen, Bunnell; Richard Booe, New York; Betty Jean and James Booe, Jr.; San Diego, Calif. Also surviving are three great-grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.

Funeral services are under direction of .Baggett-McIntosh of Daytona Beach, but final ar­rangements are not complete, pending arrival of relatives.


IN MEMORIAM

Whereas, Mr. Zeb E. Booe departed this life on March 27, 1951, having served the people of Flagler County, Florida as County Superintendent of Public Instruction and member and chairman of the Flagler County Board of Public Instruction, and

Whereas, he served as County Superintendent of Public Instruction when problems of finances and consolidation were most acute, and

Whereas, he devoted his very best energy to serve the people of Flagler County with courage, sincerity and honesty of purpose so as to hold the love and respect of pupils, teachers, patrons and school officials,

Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Flagler County Board of Public Instruction, in behalf of the people it represents, hereby officially express a sincere appreciation of Mr. Booe as a citizen, patron, school official, a friend and neighbor to all, and

Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be placed in the record of minutes of the Flagler County Board of Public Instruction, one copy sent to the family of Mr. Booe, and one copy be sent to The Flagler Tribune for publication.

Adopted at regular meeting held on April 9, 1951.

BOARD OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA.
M. L. Johnson, chairman
John A. Clegg, secretary
T. K. McKnight
Harold Emery
Harold Bowden
W. L. Duson, Board Members

RESOLUTION OF RESPECT

Whereas, Our Heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom has seen fit to call to him our esteemed and beloved Brother Zeb E. Booe. He was called to his home on high March 22nd, 1951.

Be It Resolved, that we will cherish his memory and emu­late his virtues as we journey Life's Highway together.

Be It Further Resolved, that we of Bunnell Lodge No. 200, A. F. & M., extend the hand of sympathy and love to the bereaved family.

Be It Further Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to his family; a copy spread upon our minutes, and a copy be published in The Flagler Tribune.

Respectfully submitted,

H. M. BENSON
D. A. DEEN
T. F. MERCER


RESOLUTION ON THE DEATH OF BROTHER ZEB E. BOOE

Whereas: Our Heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom has: called to His Grand Chapter on High our beloved member, Brother Zeb K Booe. He answered His call March 22nd, 1951.

Be It Resolved: That we will cherish his memory and emulate his virtues, as we walk along life's pathway together.

Be It Further Resolved: That we, Bunnell Chapter No, 93 Order of the Eastern Star, extend the hand of sympathy and love to those bereaved, and express these reassuring words, Because I live; ye shall live also.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this Resolution be sent to his family, a copy spread on our book of minutes, and a copy be sent to The Flagler Tribune for publication.

From our chain a link has fallen, In the East a Star has set,
But engraved on memory's tablet Is a name we'll ne'er forget.
He followed the star to a better land
When the voice of the Master called clear,
He lovingly served with heart and hand,
And answered the call without fear-

Respectfully submitted,

LEONA W. EISENBACH
ETHEL B. HOLDEN
H. M. BENSON

NOTE OF THANKS

In this time of our bereavement over the passing of our loved one, we wish to express our sincere appreciation to our many friends for their expres­sions of sympathy, beautiful floral arrangements, assistance in the service and many other acts of kindness extended during the past few weeks.

Most Sincerely,
The Family of Zeb E. Booe.