- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
David Levy Yulee was born in St. Thomas on June 12, 1810. He was the son of Moses Elias Levy who was a Moroccan Jew. The father made his fortune in timber in the Caribbean and then bought 50000 acres of land near Jacksonville, Florida. He was hoping to create a New Jerusalem for Jewish settlers.
David went to school in Norfolk, Virginia and studied law in St. Augustine. He served in the Florida legislature and was a leader in the campaign for Florida statehood. When Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845, David became the first Jew elected to the United States Senate. He was a Democrat and was first elected in 1845 and served until 1851. He then served another term from 1855 to 1861. He resigned his seat in 1861 and joined the Confederacy.
Yulee was a vigorous supporter of slavery and secession and joined the Confederate Congress during the Civil War. After the war he was imprisoned for nine months at Fort Pulaski until he was pardoned. He then returned to Florida to his earlier pursuit of building of the Florida railroad and served as president of that railroad from 1853 to 1866. He was also president of the Peninsular Railroad Company, Tropical Florida Railroad Company, and Fernandina and Jacksonville Railroad Company. He was called the "Father of Florida's railroads". Yulee moved to Washington D.C in 1880.
He died in New York City on Oct. 10, 1886. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
On a personal note, in 1846 he officially changed his name to David Levy Yulee. He had been going by David Levy. He married Nannie C. Wickliffe, the daughter of Charles A. Wickliffe who was former governor of Kentucky and Postmaster General under President John Tyler. His wife was not Jewish and their children were raised as Christians. Even though he took up the Christian lifestyle, he was always an object of anti-semitic attacks throughout his career.
In1851, he purchased more than 5000 acres and ran a sugar plantation in Homosassa, Florida. It was worked by over 1000 slaves. Among the crops raised were sugar cane, citrus, and cotton. He started a Sugar Mill. The steam-driven mill produced sugar, syrup and molasses. It operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for southern troops during the Civil war. Yulee's home was on the Tiger Tail Island. It was burned in May, 1864 when the Union blockaders came up the Homosassa River. The Northern troops then freed Yulee's slaves, ending the operation of the sugar mill.
The Mill is now Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park. One can see the ruins of the mill. Still standing are the steam boiler, crushing machinery, and large cooking kettles. Also remaining is the stonework chimney, the well and foundation all quarried and constructed by slaves.
David went to school in Norfolk, Virginia and studied law in St. Augustine. He served in the Florida legislature and was a leader in the campaign for Florida statehood. When Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845, David became the first Jew elected to the United States Senate. He was a Democrat and was first elected in 1845 and served until 1851. He then served another term from 1855 to 1861. He resigned his seat in 1861 and joined the Confederacy.
Yulee was a vigorous supporter of slavery and secession and joined the Confederate Congress during the Civil War. After the war he was imprisoned for nine months at Fort Pulaski until he was pardoned. He then returned to Florida to his earlier pursuit of building of the Florida railroad and served as president of that railroad from 1853 to 1866. He was also president of the Peninsular Railroad Company, Tropical Florida Railroad Company, and Fernandina and Jacksonville Railroad Company. He was called the "Father of Florida's railroads". Yulee moved to Washington D.C in 1880.
He died in New York City on Oct. 10, 1886. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
On a personal note, in 1846 he officially changed his name to David Levy Yulee. He had been going by David Levy. He married Nannie C. Wickliffe, the daughter of Charles A. Wickliffe who was former governor of Kentucky and Postmaster General under President John Tyler. His wife was not Jewish and their children were raised as Christians. Even though he took up the Christian lifestyle, he was always an object of anti-semitic attacks throughout his career.
In1851, he purchased more than 5000 acres and ran a sugar plantation in Homosassa, Florida. It was worked by over 1000 slaves. Among the crops raised were sugar cane, citrus, and cotton. He started a Sugar Mill. The steam-driven mill produced sugar, syrup and molasses. It operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for southern troops during the Civil war. Yulee's home was on the Tiger Tail Island. It was burned in May, 1864 when the Union blockaders came up the Homosassa River. The Northern troops then freed Yulee's slaves, ending the operation of the sugar mill.
The Mill is now Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park. One can see the ruins of the mill. Still standing are the steam boiler, crushing machinery, and large cooking kettles. Also remaining is the stonework chimney, the well and foundation all quarried and constructed by slaves.