Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (January 31, 1927) Windermere (Fla.) Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941 Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948 Citrus fruit industry--Florida Citrus--Florida Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.) Orange industry--Florida Oranges--Florida Grapefruit industry Grapefruit Pineapple industry Pineapple Tangerine industry Tangerine Pear industry Pears An original letter of correspondence between brothers and business partners Joshua Coffin Chase and Sydney Octavius Chase. Topics discussed in the letter include the great deterioration of fruit in the previous week, hot weather at Isleworth Grove, the wilting of trees on higher parts of the grove, the good condition of valencia orange, and the waste of grapefruit.<br /><br />Chase &amp; Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase &amp; Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase &amp; Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase &amp; Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer. Chase, Joshua Coffin Original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase, January 31, 1927: box 49, folder 20.84, <a href="http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm" target="_blank">Chase Collection (MS 14)</a>, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. image/jpg eng Text Atlanta, Georgia Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida