Noyes family

Alonzo B. Noyes (1813-1876) moved to Florida in the late 1830s and married Jane Frances Cowan Hall (1815-1884) in 1841. They had five surviving children: Elvira (Ella), Emily A., Alonzo B. Jr., Edward Prescott, and Charles Albert. A.B. Noyes served as a Customs Collector and the Superintendent of Lights at St. Mark's, Florida. He also served as a major in the Confederate Army.

Ella Noyes (1844-1924) married Dr. Charles W. Horsey in 1871 after the family moved to Fernandina, Florida. After a long illness Dr. Horsey died in 1878; Ella did not remarry. Ella and her sister Emily Noyes (1846-1934) continued to live in Fernandina near their brother A.B. "Lonnie" Noyes (1848-??). Lonnie received his education from the Virginia Military Institute. When Ella died, Emily inherited her estate, including her letters and papers. The papers later were passed to Ella "Nell" Thackera Noyes (1891-1991). She was active in the Amaryllis Circle Garden Club of Fernandina, Florida, and served as Secretary of the Fernandina Library Association.

Edward Prescott Noyes, Jr. (1885-1973), grandson of A.B. Noyes Sr. graduated from Georgia Tech University in 1906. He served as a Colonel in World War II.

Alonzo Noyes and his family forged relationships with the Denham, Miller, and Steele families of Florida. Many of the letters in the collection are from the Denham family, especially Isabella Denham (1850-1910), daughter of John Denham. She wrote the letters at the young age of 16. Jessie and Jane Pringle Denham are also the writers of some letters. The Denham family settled in Monticello, Florida after the Civil War.

Marie Maxwell ("Max") Miller (1827-??) married her first cousin William Miller (1820-1909). Prior to the Civil War, the Millers lived near Pensacola and ran the 'Miller' lumber mill. William Miller was active during the Mexican American War with Zachary Taylor, after which he received land in Florida. During the Civil War, Miller formed a militia unit and served as its major; he later enlisted in the 1st Florida Infantry and became its first colonel in August 1862. On August 1864 he was appointed to organize and coordinate the state's reserve troops as new commander of the Florida District. He raised and commanded the 1st Florida Reserves. His most prominent action came at the Battle of Natural Bridge in March 1865, where he defeated Union forces. The Millers were close friends with the Noyes family. "Max" was a regular correspondent with Ella, and A.B. Noyes Sr. lived at times with the Millers in Tallahassee during the Civil War.

Augustus Steele (1792?-1864) of Cedar Key was a business acquaintance of A.B. Noyes. Augusta "Gussie" Steele (1847-?), his daughter, was about the same age as Ella Noyes and her sisters and they grew up as friends. During the Civil War and after Augustus's death the Steeles grew closer to the Noyes family, eventually moving to Newport to live with them. Gussie Steele later married James Matheson of Gainesville, Florida.

From the guide to the Noyes Family Papers, 1854-2011, 1854-1945, (Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida)