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Henry Addison Deland (October 25, 1834 — March 13, 1908[1]) was a baking soda manufacturer from Fairport, New York and founder of Deland, Florida and Stetson University.[2]
Henry Addison DeLand was born in Newark Valley, Tioga, New York, to parents Electra Tracy and Levi DeLand.[3]
Deland first visited Persimmon Hollow, Florida on March 1876.[4] The community where his brother-in-law, O.P. Terry had purchased property to raise oranges intrigued him. So did the name chosen thus for the persimmon trees abundant in the area. On DeLand's first visit to the hollow he and his brother-in-law traveled from the north by rail to Jacksonville, then took a steamboat up the St. Johns River to Enterprise. As their rig headed to the hollow DeLand was unenthusiastic during his bumpy ride from Enterprise but as the flat terrain transitioned from swamp to rolling acreage it was reported that DeLand exclaimed, "This looks like the West. Here is snap and push. I am willing to go on." And he did.
High noon, February 8, 1882, the town known as Persimmon Hollow, Florida was incorporated by a unanimous vote of its 23 townspeople. Persimmon Hollow's name change took place after the generous donation of acreage for a school, church, and main thoroughfare by DeLand. DeLand took great interest and pride in his new Florida enterprise and intended to make it the Athens of Florida as he dubbed it.[5] DeLand founded the DeLand Academy which soon became known as John B. Stetson University, after he persuaded his friend, the millionaire hat maker John B. Stetson, to come to DeLand and invest in the institution.
During the “big freeze” of 1894-95, Henry DeLand lost nearly $250,000 due to the cold snap. Additionally, he had guaranteed many ventures by other people against loss and felt obligated to honor those commitments.[6] He'd promised that anyone who moved to the area and planted oranges and then lost their crop to a freeze would have their financial investment covered by him. But as time passed, the city he founded continued to develop and thrive. It has remained the county seat of Volusia County since 1887, and today has an estimated population of around 37,000.[7]
Henry Addison Deland married Sarah Parce and had 3 children. He passed away on 13 Mar 1908 in Fairport, Monroe, New York, United States.