334. Milton's Jewelry Store 1884

Updated: Mar 24, 2022

Once upon a time there was an uptown jewelry store in downtown Milton, owned and managed by a former soldier of the British Army. The question is how in the world did this come to be? The story began when Henry Newton Sweeting was born on May 5, 1854 in Pinner, England, which was a small town in Greater London, in the borough of Harrow. When he came of age he enlisted in the British Army and served overseas in India during the Victorian era. Luckily, few military campaigns were required of the army during his service. Upon his discharge to the reserves, he met and married Miss Alice Isabel Bourchier (1864-1916) in 1880. Three years later, their only child was born and given the name of Cassandra "Cassie" Alice Sweeting. However, because of a heart condition of Cassie, they chose to immigrate to America to a new environment in 1884. They chose Milton, Florida specifically because Henry's brother William A. Sweeting was already established in the area.

Henry's brother was William Welch Sweeting (1852-1928) who immigrated to America sometime prior to 1870. In 1870, William met and married Frances Jane Pooley, the daughter of a Milton clerk named Archibald Kerney Pooley. William supported his family as early as 1880 as a Milton school teacher although he would occupy several jobs over his lifetime. But about the time Henry and his family came to Milton, William and his were moving to Pine Barren in Escambia County where he became a lumber inspector. In the meantime, Henry set about opening up a jewelry and silverware store in downtown Milton. His picture window was full of silver picture frames and trinkets to catch the eye of the passersby. All was successful in their new home until midnight of April 4, 1892! In the upper floor apartment of Robert R. Sheppard, an old Confederate veteran and former Clerk of the Court, a fire broke out and quickly became out of control! Before it was over, Henry's store plus twenty-four others were gone with estimated damage set. at $85,000. Only $33,000 of that amount was covered by insurance. Sadly, Sweeting's was one of the latter!

With his store gone and no compensation from insurance, Henry chose to relocate to Tallahassee, Florida where his wife's sister lived. Emma Elizabeth Bourchier was married to John William Corbett who was a lithographer by trade. Both had immigrated from London in 1890 and were naturalized in 1903. Now they were joined by Henry and Alice and their daughter. Henry wasted no time establishing his jewelry business and made quite a reputation for himself in the area. So much so, that they bought a house at #25 Calhoun Street and opened a store at 80 South Monroe Street.

Sadly, on January 1, 1903 Henry received a devastating telegram from his brother William at Pine Barren. William's 13-year old daughter, Clara Rosalee, had been walking with her girlfriends when a young boy fired a rifle and unknowingly killed her. The next day she was buried in the nearby Lower Pine Barren Cemetery, next to Pine Barren Creek. The lonely grave still stands there today all by itself. Nine years later, Henry received another telegram of the death of William's son William Jr. of typhoid fever. He was buried in the Bagdad Cemetery where he was later joined by his parents and grandparents.

In 1913, Henry was selected as the Grand High Priest of the Florida Masons to serve from 1913-1914. But, after a lifetime of adventure in India, immigration to America, surviving the huge Milton inferno, Shriner conventions,and battling with the Florida governor over past due debts, ole Henry had one more coming his way! His last exploit occurred in Tallahassee on Wednesday, June 1, 1898 when he arrived at his jewelry store and unlocked his front door for business. But approaching Henry from the direction of the train station came a disembarking passenger taking a brisk walk to stretch his legs. The stranger inquired of Henry as to where he could get a good cup of coffee. Flabbergasted, Henry directed him to a coffee shop and offered to join him for breakfast. The two men discussed his travels as well as Henry's military service in India with the British Army. Afterwards, the two men shook hands and Henry watched the man heading back to the train station. Astonishingly, the man was none other than Colonel Teddy Roosevelt returning to join his Rough Riders embarking for Tampa on their way to their destiny at San Juan Hill. This same man would become the 26th President of the United States (1901-1909). Twelve years later, after Henry was walking down a sidewalk in New York City when he heard someone yell out jovially "Hi, Sweeting, how is India?" Turning around, there was former President Roosevelt on the steps of his hotel with an outstretched hand!

This quiet, unassuming man that got his start in American in downtown Milton would pass away on May 4, 1924 in Tallahassee and was buried in the St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Florida. There, he joined by Alice in 1916 and by his daughter Cassie in 1948.

Sweeting's Jewelry Store, downtown Milton, c1890. Henry Newton Sweeting 2nd from right

Henry Newton Sweeting (1854-1924)

Henry Newton Sweeting buried St. John's

Cemetery, Tallahassee, Florida

Cassandra "Cassie" Alice Sweeting Dixon ((1883-1948)

Pensacola News Journal 4-7-1892

Pensacola News Journal 4-5-1892

Henry's sister-in-law Emma Elizabeth Bourcier

Corbett and husband John William 1919

Tallahassee December 1901

Tallahassee 1909

Tallahassee 12-24-1909

Tallahassee 2-14-1902

Pensacola News Journal 5-8-1908. Apparently, Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward (In office 1905-1909) had a habit of not paying his bills. An one of his debtors happened to be Henry Newton Sweeting!