THE


THE

JUDAH


GAMBLE


MANSION


BENJAMIN


MEMORIAL


LILLIAM


(MRS.


SPONENBARGER


-o-o-o-oo-o-


-o-o-o-o-o-


South' s


Lecture

past, an

filled w

of a man


State

it was

soil,


around


ith


city

most


Bradenton,


petfeot


which


whose

longing


adored


under

in t


for


and


clings


shadow

and d

his w


President


his


before


When


losing


of 1

ton,


.865,


Georgia,


Mississippi,


expected


those

two f

way d

him t

hero


goodby


famous


own

o e


a


abode


sailin

last


a stormy


Ben jam


from


and


secure

s had


6g


Manatee


complete


the


lurks


istra

orks,


Jefferson


that

for


he s

his f


gloomy d

sun-set

in bade


where


Benjamin


a boat


been


leaders,


scape


was
At


East

at


said,


aroma

the s


action,

Judah


Coun


example


roma


madness


hope


. Benja


Davis


pent

uture


ays


under


farewell


Davis

to F


the r

home


once

drab


remain


.ty, stands

es of beau

ntio histo

if heartbre

s, fears,

min, Secre

Southern C

ing days o


England.


proud

ands


Jefferson


planned


lorida,


immediately


which


Benjamin,


Coast,


that


received


0


time

by C
. -


nly

to


make


from

carry


were


disguised


learh


England.


captain
__ A 8


John


that


Confed


moke


fij


Davis


his


which


him


final


8se


abroi


ones


as a farmer


was


Finally


Lester,


* .


Near


4
4


impoi

reach


who


. -


to'


- a


the


one of.

tiful archi-

ry of dayp

making hours,

anticipations

tary of

onfederacy.

n American



erajoy was -

lied skies -

at Washing- "

way to
*
motion he

ad. After
4
for these \'

, made hie

th T, *
Bsible. or :.;

bed Tampa,

ok him by ;^
.. ^ ''I


^j~t^.


J&-a^


<


4




* q
*2 <.. -


* i


been


builded


slave


b teen
by qighteen


aooentua


- ,, r.. -L^ J- -
r
* C, .
4* A if.


faaid.


The


great


J.rr*


- --e


Sriok


and


,houej,


- ^r- t
-. -. *
/ ; ^ *
-
**
-v. -.rc:^ -
^- -4 *$ c >
S. N', *


2- .-. -"
1t t-.
* if *
* a
* --


facing


the


helle tortar and


1


.labor.


massive.


The


> white


ounaing


a ;irhi;oh


* -.


and


'double


.eo- -
rea.h ir


porches


C


the


Mabmti


.was~


A. ,


if if ("~_~i9
m ground oot
'loveliness
loveline ss v


enhanced


S:- /.- ,
Sthe wide doorway


and


full


length


Windows


Saettii


handsome


trees


with


drive


and


walkways


leading


the


finishing


the


south


touches


fro


upon


room Mr.


a picture


Benjamin,


never


known


forgotten.


only_


as Mr.


auwcaru


Here .
S. .
a S *


spent


his


time


gazing


out. over


the


expanse


blue


water


where


river


empties


into


Tampa


Ba,..


one


will


ever


know


depth


sadness


the


thoughts


the


hunted


man


'while


refugee ing


beo


- ;


neath


the


years of


near.


spacious


uncertaintyy


L price


<*' "- T *' ; *-t *'
+] +. ;t.t e 4 ^-
-. -
watohfulneas.-


hospitable


ahead


O,000 oo


Muaoh


roof.


with


upon


his


hi


-The


saoritioes


owledg .of d seat

s heak iept him in


oome
a -ifa
*003~c
*


time


-upper
c'* -


ly


varanda,


seen.


place,
* -. "
flC. t


SllWhile


a nearby


where


here


Benj


.for


* '1


.- -* a-- r. *
'had be~n n t
**A. .- *I


protectionn


t4eir


: '.-


*


ar.
*f


i. .


t to


;. jplan


*1,.- *-, -'
* r- 4C
'4i-t -


Ben jaijin
'E ** a
- I. 1- *i
a' -.^ F *


" -!"


SI.4 *'
e I-H
*i oot4d4


a a


depths

- rat
*itent


aring Florida as

SBaekiel Glazsi
" ,'* .*... ,. .-. *:*. t : -

^s&.'3^ '--
.9. a
~~clt~-L~ .4 -~


mm wmm a mm a m man ..


l. 1


rvtPj
-ti
'4'
I.
ti
Mt


have


States


.River,


erected


stone,


and


".-* '.- '.- -. .- ,' '- .
* ,e' *h 4ao -o n e l8'
to the spaolousne as,


plete


A


the.


approach


a troop


but


fortunately Mr.


forest,


hen the impatienoe


oonol


th o


4i ; .


J


I,


. ^


I


+


I ': -


- .





Di *


I


1II


mmmwwwm womww 1 wa


3


aramwW mam


eo0l1


1 jllIiI1 I


a eo


a ns.E m
-
& .




t 4 '-.ELY
1 -
I. ,1 q .-. ,.-
*r1
t


saw


- n* --
* r .


I-


1 -' -* -r '
*h ,-* -
- n'i "..-; a.
- -


a plaoard


a, -*
* 4


* I
offering
v
*


the


fortin' of. $50000 fort


. 1 .
S" r
' '


Years


I


p seed,


sixty
ra.


of thea. nd
a t


Sthe
a- a-t*;.


ol mansion


-. *4-* -
b*
Ia
6


stood
r. .-i.


7 ofr


" b -
al


and


inroad
/-


aorei
S ,r


- storm'. going oe. and more d lapidated
.,,C. .. ...

LI upon it! tipe exterior. .It o.t p0
.e o .-4. t a. -: e "
I.. onoe oOrvered ith the green harielt .o: a


* -.4', F 0


* )-~r --
***4-*
-a.


. .-*<4


,a ,. a +
- *


4


'-. I


Sas .-t


antat
::f *^'< ^
C .,- ^


,, ,.:


a'


vhiooh carried .to"


departed


partially


been


sent


the mill,


grandeur,


blown


had


were


Union


syrup


npkept


and


and


the


and.ur
S*


T1


suppi


the


he aiq


the


'-
Statei


destroyed'.


Noting


the


raTy as.


made


upon .the


historic


plaoe,


the


looal


' IJ:

*a


Chapter


to purchase


,the

'_ it,
,p 4f f


r-.
4it-"t


* -?
-e -Jr

-I
S*^







r.:
I 8
L I '


** '- '4
^ .


d


United


and


of


tudah
s. .'. '


Daughters


restore


Confederacy


re sidenoe


Benjamin.
S i .


and


was


grounds


a heroto


/ -. e
is aoooapei hed.


* 9*
Thq:


-, *.- ..

property its puroha ed


S"'.R,


sk **


'P.


th aoeoept


Sponenbarger, .o
* f 'aI


same


t the
I 6


m built4(E or grounds


a
fe, a '


the ,uJah P..


Florida,
.4 .
4.
a a


and
1 *


not


until


DnJamin
'a. a


and the. net
S. ,. ., *' .
. ";-'. I .


Bradenton, deoli(

as a manoriaX t

uMertang .
- 4 4'dn
4


a
- a


by te Judh P.
" "" A "-"" a" a" -
' ^,- .. 4
.*t ^ e
F.


funds.


ke it a State Me

appropriate sone
. o / ,!


Ni


the property was
. ; 'I .I *


Chapter
* ***- a'


session
~ib


In
a


orial b


* or th.
-. t. '* 1 e


I d.A''
' ", ^ *, f;r-

I r'.
-a r- r <
^ ^l ?1


the Li
-. -*^.2^


F


of the
-' -^lf ^
A. I
- a-*


***"- '
bu~~id'


T2I
-_.^^1


C -


ncII -.-


* -a m -


- -


been


had


over-pown.


Southern army


soldier,


during


ar Between


'the


*- ? :&


State
a-. X. '*





- -,1


^^^


- -


produced


/. '


`Benja
- -* : I:'.
.'C71


1


'Y


,F


S500 -
+* __ ",.;-.


PF


oulAd


III~~LLII




-.. ti.'''

the' second appropriation was spent and the Mansion restored ',Thoe

next Legislature was asked to make an appropriation for, the mait

nanoe of the 'property- This was .done, but an agreement a reaohe

Whereby the State arrange 'to pay a' salaried caretaker to keepM upj

this property, this money being taken from the remainder of the

second $10,000 approriatioan for restoration The,original mae

of the oontission resigned and Governor Carlton appointed a new A.

commission in 1927, composed of Mrs. R. P. Sponenbarger, Mrs.. John

T. Campbell, of Bradenton, and. C. H. Patten, of Ellenton, where the ;

memorial is located, and this pomittee served until 1935, when

Governor Dave Sholtz appoint d a new committee, composed of Mrs.

R. P. Sponenbarger and Mrs. R. Dowling, of Bradenton, and Mrs ..

Marion 8. Diokson, of Tampa. This oa ttee is now in charge o0 .

the property and has made wonderful progress in the beaut iioati

of the grounds, considering the small amount of money available t.

caretaker has been employed, who lies in the rear, of the i

keeps the. building open at a11 times. 1We".. Whitehead .the ar.'

.taker, is the son of a Confederate veteran, and is nel .. see

Southern history, and tat of the Meoorial and Southern relio

display. There is no charge for admission and thousands of o

visit .the property each year. 4

During the 195$ State Convention' of the Unite Daughteru

he Confederacy, held at Dayona Beach, and of .-he State Conl-
en I -- o. a'ror.i te o .o1a *t os
Eo the aro a oto tretr s, to .a .toI
-, +-- I . -. .

r, 4Q)'S.flhti .l '& "pr i.ftt. payr .. C>
-4,, L .. -" & ,- 9. L.a. V a ,, :1,'/, + + .. *A. ,-+ '' .


S' r


I, ,.* f


, -


l A 7r -


q


, t -


. I-


-L Y--




S -


,' - .9 ft -.



oeiving moh favorable antion. It i builded ocTraventine .ton
the center of the tablet being flanked, by two large pill ofi o l
sate rialth- lfeft. for eleotrio lighting. On the

of the Barker ai aegravedd *. *, '^^
JUDAH P, BENJ".MZr MiaORIAL
S1868--1955 ''
"Ereoted by the Florida Division
United Daughters and Sons
Confederate Veterans a 'a

The memorial custodian has allotted rooms to different re
organizations of the U. D. C. There is in all a South room, a
Children of the Confederacy room, a room for the First, Second and .,
Third Brigades and one for the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Brigades of "
the Florida U. D. C., and one known as the "All South" room.. A
articles sent to the Meorial or rather to the oustodian e arit o
placed in the room designated by the donor, -
Glass cabinets, hioh oan be loo d, havebeen ao..in
roon, so that articles oan be preserved untouched.. 4 or
bed, the oheet of avers the dining room table pa of

-Bamin are now in the Meoril and 'any a tio .
donated by. different chapters of -the State. The eos ,s7
anxious to have artioles fom all. sections of the Southin 'he |
MUorial, and th6se should be sent to Mrs. R. P. 4onenbarg n.
, '. **A -- ,- -..* r- ... ', :..,.. A ". ... :, .; ; ......
... a~ Avenuey tahe Fn ,iii dai s i.. o ,
C.onrd eraet. ofVeern. ..
oranzatns o Ce. Thee a ,nAreoisein aolliaSth room, a
.. era
"- ft. e%.-.4~-e. -
4; .7,' *v. t~;-"-' .~- -A 4 Aft, ~ '~9 V P g.~ "a 4 C
UwaAantnn ham vwatantaA a tin&zotProsavdo& aabiii'et" Lana.. bt


-'l*r


_ 1 __




.. r -. .. .., -. / ;,
_, ,, ...- .

*h Another thing thad p hrove ver iorosthenae heas l oS3

is a largo register wo h is mantaenld in the bmorial niotohr
*. ". t 4' : .,.- ,. 'Y. <, -..-,s. I ,- -,']a",
... .- .,.. -,.'--.-<.- .- .- ..- .-*i* ,,.,. ... ,,, .,,-,<*-
L, islito is asee.. tosrnuit gitinn the ir hoer adirea ss andinty
.ti.ltethe .- : -- -. -B

n BuAnoetSraiwho played wo prominent a part in the hitofl3' Q

is a- ai .. trh han ,. ,each
ths glorious aouthlandk ano ho ar he a l hoe ars a cadat heo .
eall, has long sinoe gone to his Heavenly rfr, bt the history
,. r" -. -.

and beautiful old Masion, where he spent his last days n iths

country, still stands and stretcohes a benign, shelter oTOr his

shadowy preseno e. Tranquil, with a and id serenity, with a dignity,
an assurance that oomes from having played 'an inspiring part in epol
ang events, with an integrity tthat oomes fro having weathered

taorms and Tioo ss tues of fortune, the ol house is a plao o
gathor teasur vl weh we would not relinqulsh, to pr-oo*rve iaent

Se"of apast too d to be forgotten The South held in its

rhilh all the nations should oher she Chsialry, rdeayo
:aooetanoe of life as a challenge to high enoeator o hero hais
anes, tolersnooea rstern ilens oif jtustie and asfeeity ofw dig

moblakeing evntswori a iat legret a pride of native soiln theatre
-,, ,.S_ -. ,, .a a., .. ,..^ ,^ ,
never been xcelled i ideals of honor, and housage, an(la to1,7
,antd a eopl who whre brawe enough to rline up to thoa It mm_.
S- I .. .

.- possible' In tese days when all bitterness has passed .B
whichalattshe that thio should oh risehCrial rwhyh rwe a .






Seo a aiewhore ayense agaiin pgal,

fleas to era oeja,_t rn'--ense of, s:t.c : >-' ,
-A





-~ -? A K K -
-- ,c~I-' S. 4->' ~..




Fa*0*oh U D *4 *. e of theOoza *- -


--4




44
o fa -a -t :7 --dt 2
*a







eep. the fireo .f .So-tons and.as rations ever esh




in mid bonown al aor !to bave ,,patriots, ho gave itz~
thei" ho (I fire "'







.all to defend ,their h and fre 10.e4.,
*t


S"r













*
a -. 1.~















.t










:.... '", ,
keep th f e of So tb rz tt di los n a pi at on e e .,
-. t 5 .. t. -- ht..lag.Nhox.or brave patriots. gave. thqir


all tod e-n .their .ho- ,.. and fir.s ide.. i -





*
-




a. 5-











t o




a /
It
**
I -













a-
e4



*. 4 .


















**
i* Sr


'l




t'- .4


-~ *

*I gr -
-i ) ..*5



-

-. 44

a* I
r*,!st;~L *. at.-t











4 '''I. .* .-~.-
~ *h* 5'-
1* 4 ~~5
-. .1 .5 9
--' -*-t- **~5 I .j -, *'. .5-' y2. vi .. 5 *.~r5'
.5 a,.f# ., -
9- -*. -, a
6~ j~ ;7.t~ Ar