A Land Remembered Essay

“A Land Remembered” is a story of three generations of MacIvey family. The story begins in 1858 when Tobias and Emma MacIvey arrive in the Florida with their son Zech and it ends up in 1968 when Zech decides to die in Miami. A land remembered is a rich story in Florida history with starts wild life and shows how the first generation struggles with surviving their life, second generation has put their root in Florida soils, and how the third generation got the wealthiest in these lands.

The first generations of MacIveys had many difficulties at the early stages of being in Florida. After a while they learned how to continue to exist and making money. The MacIveys consisted of Tobias who was a father and husband, Emma who was the mother, and Zech who was the son of them.

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The family decided to move from Georgia to Northern Florida to escape from the Civil War. Tobias and his family learned many new things to survive their lives. For instance, Tobias killed raccoons to trade for supplies that how they were poor and their life were hard. In the same way, they experienced many troubles that turned their life more difficult than before. For example, once a time Tobias had joined the federals to help them, that time soldiers who were federals attacked Tobias barn, Emma, and Zech. The family lost everything what they had. However, he struggled with all those difficulties. He was a strong man to continue to live in the wild life. Also, he was a helpful man who helped many times Indians who had many problems with white people. Tobias showed many times that he was not only a fair man, but also he would not tolerate prejudice in others. He was the founder of the family, and the one of the person who got them rich. He knew how to survive, and he was a very wise man, yet very stubborn and sometimes very naive. He knew he had to figure something out to make him a wealthy man. First he started with con skins, that didn't go very well. Then he went to trying to catch cattle and he made the family rich. MacIvey Empire began in Kissimmee with to capture wild cows and make a drive to Punta Rasa and sell them. After a while doing these drives and so many of them this large, set Tobias up to be a rich old man, but he didn't know what to do with his money he just kept it to have. Now, Tobias was the main man, he ran everything, but his wife Emma was always at his side. She was the smartest person in the family. She knew that what she has to do, Tobias could not be successful to handle many things without Emma. When the family in trouble or person who was the member of the family, she always gave advices that open the other people eyes to see that what is true or wrong. She was a great mom, she taught Zech things he would have never learned if he were just with Tobias. And the same about him with Tobias, he learned things from him that his mother could never have taught him.

The second generations of the MacIvey family, Zech and his wife Glenda, had some differences and similarities with the first generation. Zech was a little bit different than his father who believed that they don't need to buy a land. But, Zech knew what was happening around the land, this land would be all over the people and the land would be valuable. Zech bought a land without his father knowledge. He did not consult with Tobias because he knew that Tobias was thinking different than others. Tobias thought that land was enough for all people who were living around there. They would be free to graze the cows, choose the area to build a house, or grove to orange trees. It was a gift from the God for everybody. However, Zech knew that it was not work that way, and Tobias was so happy for now. One day someone would be there with deed and they would get rights to stop them. So he went out to the land sellers, and bought up tons of it all over. Also Tobias was too stubborn to admit he was wrong. All those reasons Zech did not tell to Tobias and he shared with his mother what he was planning Florida and he saved all the deeds in his draw. He was going to use them later when necessary. Zech and his father both loved their women very much. When Glenda joined the MacIvey family, she was like Emma. She has very strong personality. She is ready to do what she has to do for her family especially for Zech. When family lost Emma, Glenda did everything for her family. Zech offered someone for help to her, but each offer was refused.

“Glenda assumed all of the chores that once were Emma's domain, the cooking and washing and housecleaning, never complaining or asking for help.” (Smith.293) She was stubborn as MacIvey family. Once time, she was pregnant but she wanted to drive with family. Emma tried to stop her but she could not and told her “You are a MacIvey for sure. You are as stubborn as Tobias or Zech ever hoped to be. I'll share your secret under one condition.”(Smith.234). She was also smart because, she was able to see what is going on with grazing a herd. She many times gave advices to Zech about buying a land and fence the land that they have. And they didn't have to go Punta Parsa and tell him.

The third generation of the family was Sol and his girl friend Bonnie, this generation had a lot of good business in Florida rather than others but there were some ethical problems with nature. Sol was also smart with business. For example, when Sol and his family reached the Palm Beach, he saw a store that had sold birds. After a little conversation he realized that prices for birds pretty much high. After that he just bought wooden cages and tried to sell birds, which costs twenty-five dollars apiece which meant cheaper than the store. He made very good profits from birds. He earned three hundred dollars. He bought a land from Fort Dallas with that money. He was able to see that this land will be very valuable one day. There was a pretty good beach and the railroad was coming soon. And trader told him “We are going to name the village Miami. It is Seminole for “very large”. You will see people if you stay long enough. As I say, you ain't making no mistake.” (Smith.329) Sol was a millionaire, he had a farm, and hat had a very well market. Then he also had the orange groves in Kissimmee. He had built a house/bank in Miami, and stocked it with his own personal money. This made him very wealthy also. Sol came from a line of very smart successful men. He carried on this tradition, to the point of its down fall, where he had helped destroy most of Florida's natural wonders, this his half brother Toby Cypress hated him for it, and they didn't talk for years. Sol met with Bonnie at the restaurant, which she was working as a waitress. She was unhappy to work there and first time someone gave to her a compliment. And suddenly Sol liked her because her frankness reminded him, his mother. Bonnie helped him as Glenda did Zech. She was his right hand. Her advices were always right like Glenda. Glenda saw what would be happen at the future and she felt that they had to buy a land for future and she knew it would no longer to do cattle business. And Bonnie was smart as Glenda. When Sol felt anger to himself Bonnie explained to him why he should not think like that like Glenda did. Then Glenda wanted to marry with Zech like it happened to Sol, Bonnie wanted to marry with him. Also Bonnie wore her hair like Glenda whose blonde ponytail over left shoulder.

A land remembered gives the generations differences and similarities at McIvey family during the early stages of Florida history. First generation had very complicated times at the beginning. However, they fought for it and with the help of nature, they got survived. Second generation has expanded their root to Florida. Ironically, third generation got very wealthy but they damaged Florida nature.
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