We are collecting the names and stories of the hotel workers. They are, after all, the backbone of the business. They take care of all the patrons but they also hear the gossip and know all the secrets. Since the hotel closed down in the late 50’s we are unlikely to find many living former employees but I’m sure that there is still the family of these employees in the area and we would love to hear from them. For those who worked at the hotel during the 60s when it was a retirement home, we would like to hear from you too. The purpose of this book is to tell the story of the people who inhabited the building and not so much about its physical structural changes over the years.
Once we get more names we will create something cool to display them for our readers.
Prior to Opening
Mr. D.W. Brown Property Owner
Mr. Frank Milburn – Architect for New Hotel
Mr. H.W. Otis – Contractor
Mr. W. Riley Deloach of Live Oak Assisted Mr. Chappell in getting the Hotel ready for opening day
Mr. Joe Aldridge did all the fancy woodwork inside the Hotel
Mr. J.B. Barton of Live Oak supplied all the furniture for the hotel
1902 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Chappell, Hotel Manager (before opening until May 1903)
Mr. W.A. Dunston, Assistant Manager
Mr. C.B. Lansdell, Steward
Mr. Charles Jenkins, Chief Cook (until Feb 1903)
1903 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. D.E. Whetstone, Manager (May 1903 to Feb 1904 – Owner of Whetstone Telephone Company)
Mr. W. Riley Deloach, Steward (Feb 1903)
Mr. Alex Rice, Clerk (Aug 1903 to Sept 1903)
Mr. C. Daniels, Chief Cook (Feb 1903)
Mr. S.C. Folkes, Clerk (Sept 1903)
Mr. William Smith, Cook (Nov 1903)
1904 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. O.K. Paxton, Manager (Feb. 1904 to Dec. 1904)
Mr. J.T. Jones – Liveryman
Mr. Sam C. Folks – Clerk
Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Clayton – Assisting Managers (Nov. 1904)
Miss Caddie Irving – Assistant Clerk
Messrs. W.A. Mortimer & Ellis – Manager (Dec. 1904 until May 1905 )
Mr. D.P. Smith – Desk Clerk
1905 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. W.A. Mortimer – Manager until end of May 1905
Mr. Henry T. Drunet – Chef until November 1905
Mr. D.E. Whetstone – Manager Again Beg. June 1905
1906 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. D.E. Whestone – Manager (June to Nov 1906)
Prof. C.A. Holton has accepted a position at the Blanche, while Mr. Whetstone is on a month-long business trip. (June 5 – July 5, 1906)
Mr. Wade H. Lowry, Manager (Nov. 1906)
1907 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. Wade H. Lowry, Manager
Mrs. Wade H. Lowry, Hostess
1908 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David Willard Brown, Building Owner
Mr. Wade H. Lowry, Manager (Nov 1906 to March 1908)
Mr. J.W. Hopson, Manager (March 1908)
Mrs. J.W. Hopson, Hostess
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1909 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J. W. Hopson, Manager (March 1908 to March 1909)
Mr. W. R. Letcher, Manager (April 1909)
Mrs. L. N. Whitner, Head of Housekeeping (April 1909)
Mrs. Hummel, of Charleston, S.C – Head of the Culinary Department (Sept 1909)
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1910 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner
Mr. W.R. Letcher, Manager (April 1909 to February 1910)
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Manager (March 1910)
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor, Clerk
Miss Eliza Guyer, Maid
Miss Mary Reuben, Housekeeper
Miss Sarah Chainey, Maid
Mr. Ed Morrison, Porter
1911 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Manager
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor, Clerk
1912 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Manager
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1913 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Manager
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1914 Employee Roll Call
Mr. David W. Brown, Building Owner (passed away May 1914)
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, wife of David W. Brown
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ettel, Managers
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1915 Employee Roll Call
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Proprietor
Mrs. L.P. Waggoner – Manager (Mr and Mrs Ettel’s Daughter)
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1916 Employee Roll Call
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Proprietor
Mrs. L.P. Waggoner – Manager (Mr and Mrs Ettel’s Daughter)
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk
1917 Employee Roll Call
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, Building Owner
Mr. J.W. Ettel, Proprietor
Mrs. L.P. Waggoner – Manager (Mr and Mrs Ettel’s Daughter)
Mr. Robert(Richard – Uncle Bunk) P. Taylor – Clerk – Passed away in his room at the Blanche May 1917
1918 Employee Roll Call
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, Building Owner
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ettel, Proprietor
Mrs. L.P. Waggoner – Manager (Mr and Mrs Ettel’s Daughter)
1919 Employee Roll Call
Mrs. D.W. (Elizabeth) Brown, Building Owner
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ettel, Proprietor
Mrs. L.P. Waggoner – Manager (Mr and Mrs Ettel’s Daughter)
William Hays – Clerk (Not sure when or how long employed – Obituary Sept 19, 1919)
N.G. Wade – Purchases Blanche Hotel Building October 3, 1919
1920 Employee Roll Call
N.G. Wade – Building Owner
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Ettel – Proprietor
Mrs Marie Waganer – Manager
Usher, David T – Clerk
Johnson, Addie – Chamber Maid
J.M. Powell – New Proprietor as of 04/06/1920
1921 Employee Roll Call
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
John M. Powell – Proprietor
1922 Employee Roll Call
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
John M. Powell – Proprietor
1923 Employee Roll Call
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
John M. Powell – Proprietor
1924 Employee Roll Call
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
John M. Powell – Proprietor until April 1924
O.K. Holmes – Proprietor Beg April 1924
Mrs. J.M. Harris – Hotel Dining Room Manager
Mr. H.L. Morse – Hotel Restaurant Manager
1925 Employee Roll Call
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
Sam Jenkins – Bell hop
Amanda Carter – Kitchen Helper
Oliver K Holmes – Proprietor
Rebecca Holmes – Asst Manager
1926 Employee Roll Call
From the Polk’s Lake City Florida Directory published 1926
Holmes, Oliver K- “O K” Proprietor – Blanche Hotel and Blanche Hotel Garage
Holmes, Rebecca L – Assistant Manager – Blanche Hotel and Blanche Hotel Garage
DeBanks, Lucy Mrs. Housekeeping
*Howell, Eliz – cook
*Jackson, Josephine – cook
*Mattox, W Warren – waiter
*Roach, Mina – maid
*Styner, John S – waiter
*Williams, Frank – porter
*Williams, Hayman – bellman
Blanche Hotel Garage
McRae, John W – Clerk
*Brown Elisha – helper
Farris, Fred – helper
*White, Nathaniel – helper
Blanche Hotel Restaurant
Sanders, Ammie H – Restaurant Manager
Neal G. Wade – Building Owner
1930 Census Records
Holmes, Oliver K – Manager Hotel
Holmes, Rebecca L – Clerk Hotel
Thomas, Lena – Head – Dining Room
McManus, Daisey – Operator Dining Room
McCray, John Jr – Night Clerk Hotel
Andre, Rudy – Maid Hotel
Sarecy, Veril – Housekeeping at Hotel
1935 Florida State Census
O K Holmes – Hotel Manager
Rebecca L Holmes – Hotel Clerk
Ammie Sanders – Dining Room
Amy Sanders – Clerk
Cecil Harue – Waiter
1940 Federal Census
Holmes, Oliver Knight Post Master/Hotel Manager
Holmes, Rebecca Locke Operator Hotel
1945 Florida State Census
Holmes, O.K. – Postmaster/Hotel Manager
Homes, Miss Rebecca – Hotel Operator
Butler, Mrs. Mabel – Hotel Clerk
Hamilton, Mrs. May – Hotel Clerk
1950 Federal Census
Holmes, Oliver K – Manager Hotel
Holmes, Rebecca L – Manager Hotel
Wilson, Myrtic L – Hotel Desk Clerk
Furstenberger, Lorene – Hotel Auditor
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