Biography of Wilford H. Brokaw, Orlando, Orange County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. 
III, page 91, 1923.

BROKAW, WILFORD H, who resides in the City of Orlando and is known as one of the progressive 
nurserymen and orange growers of Orange County, was born in Marion County, Florida, on the 
8th of February, 1876, and is a son of ISAAC J. and LUCY (MANN) BROKAW, who were born and 
reared in Morgan County, Ohio, where their marriage was solemnized and where they continued 
to reside until their removal to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in which locality the father was 
engaged in the cattle business ten years.  In 1875 ISAAC J. BROKAW came to Florida and
established the family home at Anthony, Marion County, where he founded and developed the 
Anthony Nurseries and became a prominent and successful orange grower, besides giving much 
attention to the raising of high grade horses and cattle.  After he had continued his 
successful operations in this state about a quarter of a century there came a ruinous 
freeze that destroyed his orange groves and nursery stock and brought to him large financial 
reverses.  In order to retrieve his fortunes he removed to the State of Texas, where he 
has prospered in his business ventures and where he met his death in a railroad accident 
when he was sixty-three years of age, survived by his widow and children.  I. J. BROKAW 
was a thorough business man of much initiative and constructive ability, and proved a force 
in development work both in Florida and Texas.

After having attended the public schools of Anthony and Ocala, Marion County, Florida, 
WILFORD H. BROKAW took a scientific course in John B. Stetson University at De Land, this 
state, which institution he left at the time when his father met such severe financial 
losses, as previously noted, and removed to Texas.  After leaving the university the 
subject of this sketch gave three years to successful service as a teacher in the public 
schools of Florida, and he then resumed his association with the nursery industry, in 
the capacity of salesman for the firm of Griffing Brothers of Jacksonville, this state.  
Later he passed a year as a lecturer on the subject of literature, under the direction 
of the state superintendent of public instruction in Texas, and he then took a position 
with the Austin Nursery Company of Austin, that state.  He subsequently became sales 
manager for the Planters Nursery, and later he served in a like capacity for the Texas 
Nursery Company, the most important concerns of this kind in the Lone Star State.

In 1911 Mr. BROKAW returned to Florida and reentered the employ of Griffing Brothers.  
Later he became allied with the Buckeye Nurseries at Tampa, and while representing this 
concern he also maintains similar connection with the Interstate Nurseries.  These 
connections brought him into close touch with the citrus fruit industry of Florida and 
eventually led to his active association with this important line of enterprise.  Mr. 
BROKAW is now president and general manager of the Minnehaha Grove Company, and is a 
stockholder in the Orlando Orange Grove Company and the East Orange Land company, besides 
being identified with other development and industrial enterprise.  He is one of the 
alert and progressive business men of Orange County, is a director of the Orlando Chamber 
of Commerce, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Orange County Chamber of 
Commerce, besides which he is an influential member of the Lion's Club and other civic 
organizations in his home county.  Several years ago Mr. BROKAW had a brief but effective 
connection with newspaper enterprise, as editor and publisher of the Orange County 
Citizen, an excellent weekly paper issued at Apopka.

The democratic party receives the unfaltering support of Mr. BROKAW.  He is a past grand 
in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and at the time of this writing, 1923, he is 
chancellor-commander of the local organization, Welcome Lodge No. 9, of the Knights of 
Pythias, in which his affiliation includes membership in the Dramatic Order of the Knights 
of Khorassan.  He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of 
Orlando Lodge No. 1079.  He and his wife, who are popular figures in the representative 
social life of their home community, are also active members of the Baptist Church at 
Orlando.

December 28, 1904, recorded the marriage of Mr. BROKAW and Miss RUBY GEIGER, a daughter 
of Rev. L. D. GEIGER, D. D., who was a pioneer clergyman of the Baptist Church in Florida 
and one of the most honored and influential of its ministry in this state.  He was elected 
by the convention as a trustee of the Stetson University, and at the time of his death 
was state secretary of Missions.  Mr. and Mrs. BROKAW have four children, WILFORD HAROLD, 
Jr., MARTHA, WOODROW and CHARLES HUGH.