began
as a government homestead in 1887. Robert T. Smith and his brother
Charley came from southwest Georgia seeking a new
life after the ravages of the Civil War. They
were farmers and raised beans, sweet potatoes (yams),
collards and later citrus. Their produce was shipped to the White
House during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Robert
bought out his brother's interest in the homestead, married a Missouri
gal named Elizabeth (Bessie) Wells, built a cracker house in 1899
and started raising a family. Honest John was the third child of
eight. He disliked farming and became a commercial fisherman.
He holds the Honest John's Fish Camp trout record of 13 lbs. 4 oz.
Honest John died in 1994, but his legacy lives on. His daughter,
Barbara Smith Arthur holds seven IGFA world records for sea trout and one
for black drum. Barbara and her husband, Roger, have three sons who
operate the fish camp today.
This
two story house was built by Robert T. Smith in 1899 as documented in paperwork
housed in the National Archives. It is built from heart of pine and
has sustained minimum damage from termites. Located on its original
site, this is a typical cracker "I" house. A centennial celebration
and Smith family reunion was held in March 1999 with four generations of
Smiths attending including the oldest child born to Robert and Elizabeth
Smith in 1900.