THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Joseph and Sarah Derry (colored folk)
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Joseph and Sarah Derry (colored folk) U.S. Federal Census--1920; Estero, Lee, Florida; Enumeration date: Jan 2, 1920; Enumerator: Henry D. Silverfriend; ED: 109; SD: 1; Fourth Precinct; Microfilm roll number: 1820221; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff, Dec 1994: Sarah E. Derry Jones; Relation to head of family: Boarder; Place of abode: Poultry Yard Road; Color: Mulatto; Age 58; Divorced; Place of birth: Virginia; Place of birth of mother and father: USA; Occupation: Trained nurse?/Koreshan Home.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Paul Deswert.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Fred Devine.
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Dionicious; "A Greek, fat and good natured, he always wore baggy trousers.--William McCready
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Madam Diss De Barr; "A character who was briefly at Beth Oprah. She wore a black robe with white and scarves around her neck and claimed to have contact with the unseen world." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Frank D. Jackson married Ann O'Delia Diss Debar. MEMORIES, MEMORIES--DAYS OF LONG AGO chronicled by Marie McCready with participation by Lovelle McCready: "The Unity attracted all kinds of people, some for reasons other than the belief, and Madam Diss de Barr was one of these. She was a very large woman with straw colored hair (though perhaps not naturally so) drawn straight back, and a florid complexion, who wore a full black dress, gathered into the neck, and two continuous silk scarves around her neck, reaching practically to the waist, one white and the other orchid in color. She came with the announced intention of putting a considerable amount of money into the coffers, always welcome information to Doctor who had many needs for funds. She was also an interesting and, apparently, interested talker, so was given the red carpet treatment when she first came, one of her special friends being Mrs. Boomer. We all called her just "Madam" and she went out of her way to be nice to us children, even to plopping her great bulk down on the ground where we were playing to take part in whatever we were doing, so she was always included in the kissing when she went down town and came home with Doctor. She would get the older girls into her room in groups to tell them tales of her travels in India, etc., and weird stories of supernatural experiences which, when Catharine repeated them to Pappa and Mamma made them warn her to be very careful with the Madam and, sure enough, it was not long until she began to try to talk two or three of the girls, including Myran Lane and Catharine, to leave with her. When this became known, her popularity immediately plummeted, though she still stayed on a little longer. Then one day while Lovelle, Ada and I were playing in the yard to the back and west of the kitchen, we were attracted by a commotion, and there came Madam, tumbling down the kitchen stairs, with Mrs. Boomer running down after her, evidently having tried to stop her before it could happen. Madam was drunk, an unheard of happening in the Unity, so the next morning she was hustled away, not to return."--Pages 47 and 48 CONFLICT INSIDE THE EARTH: THE KORESHAN UNITY IN LEE COUNTY by R. Lyn Rainard; Department of History; University of South Florida; Tampa, Florida 33620; Spring/Summer 1981, Volume 3, Number 1; KSHS-BK-074--Page 9: "Editha Lolita": Lolita was a most unbelievable character. She claimed to be the Countess Landsfeldt, and Baroness Rosenthal, daughter of Ludwig I of Bavaria and Lola Montez, god child of Pius IX, divorced wife of General Diss Debar, widow of two other men, bride of James Dutton Jackson, and the self-proclaimed successor to the priestess of occultism, Madame Blavatsky. She planned to establish a utopian community in Lee County, where her husband claimed to own several thousand acres of land. Her followers in the "order of the Crystal Sea" would be model citizens and they would win salvation and immortality by living, most appropriately, on a diet to fruit and nuts. Lolita claimed to be horror struck on learning of Teed's presence in Lee County, and she immediately launched a campaign to drive the Koreshans out. Day after day she reported to the Fort Myers Press stories of Teed's allegedly sordid past. Her newspaper blitz failed to excite the county, just as Damkohler's efforts had failed, because people did not feel threatened by Teed's strange ideas. Besides, both Lolita and Damkohler overlooked the good-will Teed had assiduously cultivated during his few short years in the county.--Fort Myers Press, 24 November 1898, p.1, 1 Dec 1898, p.1, 15 December 1898, supplement, p.1, 19 Jan 1899, p.1.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Fred Dodge. FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Fred Dodge.
The Koreshan Unity Membership List by Claude J. Rahn: Fannie Donovan; Born: 29 May 1884.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Lizzie Donovan, Born: 4 Oct 1887.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Louis Donovan; Born: 23 Sep 1882, Philadelphia.
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: George Dore. THE FLAMING SWORD; Community Current Events; September 1934: "Tuesday, the 14th, a party composed of Sisters Tacy Weaver, Carrie Peterson and Alwina Lorweer and Brothers George Hunt, GEORGE DORE, Harry Irwin and Dale Peterson enjoyed a boat picnic down the river."
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Minnie Dotterer; Born: 29 Apr 1829, Bavaria .
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Elmer A. Douglas. U.S. Federal Census/Lee County/Estero, Florida/1900; Enumeration date: 27 Jun 1900; Enumerator: A. A. Gardner; Microfilm number: 1240172; SD: 2; ED: 77; Sheet number: 16; Page number: 26; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff: Elmer A. Duglas; Relation to head of family: partner; Color: white; Sex: male; Born: Jan 1891; Age 9; Single; Place of birth: Oregon; Place of birth of mother and father: Canada; Occupation: Assistant; No. of days not employed: 0; Attend school: Nothing listed; Can read and write: yes; Can speak English: yes. FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Elmer A. Douglas; Scotch Canadians. I never knew Thomas or Ethel. Hester was caretaker at the children's cottage for a good while. Later she and Elmer returned to Canada.".
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: Ethel Douglas. FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Ethel Douglas; Scotch Canadians. I never knew Thomas or Ethel. Hester was caretaker at the children's cottage for a good while. Later she and Elmer returned to Canada.".
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: William Douglas and Hester. FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Hester Douglass, mother; "Scotch Canadians. I never knew Thomas or Ethel. Hester was caretaker at the children's cottage for a good while. Later she and Elmer returned to Canada." U.S. Federal Census/Lee County/Estero, Florida/1900; Enumeration date: 27 Jun 1900; Enumerator: A. A. Gardner; Microfilm number: 1240172; SD: 2; ED: 77; Sheet number: 16; Page number: 26; Transcribed by Joyce Nelle Ratliff: Hester E. Duglas; Relation to head of family: partner; Color: white; Sex: female; Born: Nov 1860; Age 39; Married: 20 yrs; Mother of 2 living children; Place of birth: Canada; Place of birth of mother and father: Ireland; Occupation: Assistant; Number of days not employed: 0; Can read and write: yes; Can speak English: yes. FLAMING SWORD, Community Current Events by D. J. Richards, March 1937: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Douglas of Spokane, Wash., and Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Adair of Detroit, Mich., arrived in Estero, Friday, February 27, remaining overnight at the Unity, while en route from Miami to Ocala, Fla., where the Adairs have their winter home. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas are Koreshans, and both were in the Home in Chicago, in the early nineties. Mrs. Douglas (better known as Sister Hester to our people) pioneered among the early ones to Florida and was matron at the St. James Hotel on Pine Island, owned by the Koreshan Unity, and later was assistant to Sister Emma Norton at the Home here in Estero. This was Mr. Douglas's first visit to Estero, and he was simply charmed with the place. It was a delightful reunion when Mr. and Mrs. Douglas saw so many of their old friends and co-workers and all were very happy reminiscing about the days when the Master was here directing things. There were many regrets upon their leaving that they could not have tarried here a little longer for Auld Lang Syne."
THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: William J. Douglas
FOLKS WE KNEW WHILE IN THE K.U. by Marie McCready: Thomas Douglas, father; Scotch Canadians. I never knew Thomas or Ethel. Hester was caretaker at the children's cottage for a good while. Later she and Elmer returned to Canada." THE KORESHAN UNITY MEMBERSHIP LIST by Claude J. Rahn: William Douglas and Hester. FLAMING SWORD, Community Current Events by D. J. Richards, March 1937: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Douglas of Spokane, Wash., and Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Adair of Detroit, Mich., arrived in Estero, Friday, February 27, remaining overnight at the Unity, while en route from Miami to Ocala, Fla., where the Adairs have their winter home. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas are Koreshans, and both were in the Home in Chicago, in the early nineties. Mrs. Douglas (better known as Sister Hester to our people) pioneered among the early ones to Florida and was matron at the St. James Hotel on Pine Island, owned by the Koreshan Unity, and later was assistant to Sister Emma Norton at the Home here in Estero. This was Mr. Douglas's first visit to Estero, and he was simply charmed with the place. It was a delightful reunion when Mr. and Mrs. Douglas saw so many of their old friends and co-workers and all were very happy reminiscing about the days when the Master was here directing things. There were many regrets upon their leaving that they could not have tarried here a little longer for Auld Lang Syne." "The Koreshan Unity Membership List" of Claude J. Rahn lists William and Hester Douglas; Marie McCready's "Folks We Knew While in the K. U." lists Thomas and Hester. I believe William and Thomas are the same person. His name is probably William Thomas or Thomas William.--Joyce Ratliff