Robert L. Summerlin
Robert L. Summerlin (1858–1926) was an American judge and politician, and the fifth Mayor of Orlando in the years 1878 to 1881. Read History Bench & Bar Southern California 1909 law reference included for true dates.
Robert Lee Summerlin | |
|---|---|
| 5th Mayor of Orlando | |
| Preceded by | Alex M. Hyer |
| Succeeded by | Charles Dennison Sweet |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February or March 7, 1858 [1] Tampa, Florida |
| Died | November 1926 Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Texas B. Parker
Elisabeth Templeman van der Hoeven Robert & Elizabeth married Robert about 1884 San Antonio, TX. They had 4 sons. George Thomas Arthur born San Antonio TX. Births 1885 thru 1892. RE: YEARS AS ORLANDO MAYOR READ HISTORY BENCH & BAR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1909 DESCRIBING ROBERT'S ORLANDO FLORIDA MAYOR MUCH LONGER THAN 1 YEAR. THIS WILL CONFIRM Judge Robert L.Summerlin, Mayor of Orlando named Lake Eola. </ref> Married Anita Barbeck later in life. No children |
Summerlin was the son of Frances "Fannie" Knight Summerlin (1823–1896)[2] and Jacob Summerlin (1820–1893). His father was known as the "Cattle King of Florida" named Lake Eola and built a house next to it. Jacob loaned money to Orange County, enabling it to keep the county seat in Orlando; Summerlin Avenue in Downtown Orlando is named after him.[3] Robert Summerlin received his law degree from University of Georgia in 1875[4] and in 1880 served as Mayor of Orlando for a year.[5] Summerlin married Texas B. Parker in 1876 in Polk County, Florida, with whom he had two daughters in 1880. The couple divorced before 1883.
Robert later married Elisabeth Templeman van der Hoeven in San Antonio where he practiced law for several years. Robert and Elizabeth had four sons and Thomas George Arthur moved to Los Angeles with their father early 1900s. Judge Robert Summerlin practiced law for many years in Los Angeles. Robert and Thomas moved to Los Angeles in the early 1900s. George and Arthur followed. (As did Elizabeth Vander Hoeven Summerlin, after their divorce to join her family.)
Late in life he married again in 1901 to a woman named Anita. The couple had no children. Anita lived in San Antonio much of time while Robert lived near 3 of his sons in Los Angeles. One son lived in Springfield, MA.
Galveston, Texas Anita Barbeck later in Robert's life.
References
- According to a reading of his passport application which he personally wrote in 1909 he was born on February or March 1858, and his brother older brother Jasper, confirmed Robert's birth in an official government letter stating Robert was in fact born in 1858. Letter was in 1917. This was Robert's request for a new passport in the 1880 census he claimed to be 23. He then would have been 17 or 18 graduating from Law School, and 20 or 21 when becoming mayor of Orlando. However, in the 1860 and 1870 census, when he was still living with his parents, he was 7 and 17 years old, respectively.
- Frances "Fannie" Knight Summerlin at Find a Grave.
- Jacob Summerlin, Sr at Find a Grave]
- Richard Lee Cronin, Naming Lake Eola
History of the Bench & Bar of Southern California, 1909 by Willoughby Rodman, Texas, Florida, California census, US passport applications Headstone in Los Angeles