Dade County FlArchives Biographies.....Justison, Harold B. 1880 - 
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Nancy Rayburn http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006128 November 11, 2015, 12:49 pm

Source: Vol. II  pg.150  The Lewis Publishing Co. 1923
Author: History of Florida, Past and Present

        HAROLD DEBUSSY JUSTISON is probably the man deserving of the chief 
credit for the upbuilding and promotion of the magnificent residential city of
Coconut Grove, and has likewise taken an active leadership in the business part
of that community, where he is president of the Sunshine Fruits Company.
	Mr. Justison was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1880, and his 
boyhood inclinations led him early to the life of the seas. He was reared and 
educated in New Haven, and had some practical experience as a mariner early in 
life, and after graduating from the New York Nautical College, where he 
received the extra navigator’s diploma in 1898, he spent about two and half
years in the service of the Ward Line, running between New York and Caribbean
ports.
	Then followed a considerable experience in business, and in 1910 he
came to Coconut Grove in Dade County, where his interests and activities have
since been centered. Within the years since he came here Coconut Grove has be
become the home of many notable Americans in a place famous for its homes of we
wealth and distinction.
	Mr. Justison organized the Sunshine Fruits Company, of which he is
president. This company owns and operates at Coconut Grove about 500 acres of
grapefruit groves. The company was incorporated in 1910. It also owns Sunshine
Inn Hotel and cottages, and the company does an annual real estate business of
nearly half a million dollars a year. They deal in groves,  home sites and
modern houses, and the company has cleared the land for, made costly
improvements on, and opened for sale a number of the largest and most popular
subdivisions in that locality. Among these should be mentioned the Bay View
Road subdivision and the Sunshine Villas. The company also has the management
of several hundred acres of citrus groves for owners, both resident and
nonresident, and through the company organization are marketed annually about
30,000 boxes of grapefruit. Mr. Justison with his associates has confined his
operations exclusively to Coconut Grove, and has been instrumental in bringing
to the town and procuring homes for a large number of its most prominent winter
and permanent residents.
	Mr. Justison had an interesting record of service during the great war. 
On account of his previous experience as a navigator he was well-qualified for
service in the navy, and he volunteered in March, 1917, a short time before
America declared war on the Central powers. He was commissioned a lieutenant
and assigned to duty on the U. S. S. Machias. Beginning in July, 1917, the
Machias went to Gibraltar, and throughout the remainder of the war was under
the command of Admirable Niblack, convoying merchant ships in the
Mediterranean. Mr. Justison was first division officer on the Machias and also
assistant navigator. He was on active duty a little over two years, being
discharged in January, 1919, and since then has been a member of the Naval
Reserve.
	Mr. Justison is commander of the Lindley de Garmo Post of the American 
Legion at Coconut Grove. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and
Shriner, is a member of the Miami Beach Golf Club and is a president of the
Coconut Grove Community Club.


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