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1 of 1977 Vernon Elmo Peeples, Sr.

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Name	Peeples, Vernon
Born	1930
Deceased	2015
Birthplace	Live Oak, Suwannee County FL
Nationality	American
Biographical Summary	Vernon Peeples Sr. may justly be called "the Historian of Punta Gorda". His personal collection of hundreds of books, documents, and maps related to the city's history formed the core of the assets of the Punta Gorda History Center ("the Center"). Although the Center opened after Mr. Peeples and his wife had passed away, they had legally transferred this treasure trove of historical information to the Center before they passed. Vernon Peeples Sr. was born in the Live Oak, FL, a town some 40 miles east of the state capital of Tallahassee in March 1930. His father's family had moved to the state from Georgia in 1825 and his paternal ancestors started a family tradition of political public service which continued for four generations and included Vernon himself. His mother's family moved to the Tampa area in 1886 from Arkansas, traveling in the type of covered wagon so common in frontier areas at the time. Vernon's father Vasco Peeples was a small business owner, and in fact the family moved to Punta Gorda in 1933 when Vasco Peeples saw an opportunity to open a grocery store which was the family business for the rest of his life. Vernon Peeples would later relate stories of the two most important events of his childhood: He was selected as a "page" (a combination messenger, general assistant and "gopher" for state legislators and other officials) for the Florida state legislature when he was 11. His selection was something of a feat as there were 92 applicants for only 8 such positions. Vernon, who served in the legislature for 14 years as an adult would later say that his years as a page familiarized him with the workings of the legislature and the courts, and gave him an advantage over other new state representatives after he was elected. The second event (which he would state was the more important) was that he met his wife Edna Jane at Charlotte High School in 1945 when he was 16 and she was 15. They dated for six years, and then built a marriage that lasted for 63 more and included three children. Vernon's business career centered on the Peeples Agency Inc., an insurance agency which was started in 1952 and remained in business for over fifty years before being sold to Tom Nolan, a close personal friend of Vernon's. The company, renamed Nolan Family Insurance remains in business in Punta Gorda today. In addition to building a successful insurance business Vernon was active in state politics, carrying on the family tradition of service in the Florida House of Representatives. In the House his primary interests were in education and road improvements. His position on the House Higher Education Committee enabled him to play a pivotal role in developing the campus of Edison State College, since renamed Florida Southwestern State College, located in Punta Gorda. He also focused his efforts on improving the southwest Florida road and highway system to aid the development of the area. His careers in business and politics were not enough to encompass Vernon's energy. He had developed an interest in the history of Florida, and of southwest Florida and Punta Gorda while a legislative page in his youth. He would later recount that he was fortunate to be able to spend his free hours in the House library, and apparently became "hooked" on the history of Florida and of his hometown. As an adult he became a passionate collector of books, documents, maps and memorabilia of the town's early days, and of its development from a fishing and cattle shipment port (servicing Tampa and New Orleans) into a winter resort for wealthy northerners (with the completion of a railroad terminus and a luxury hotel). Vernon was not just a passive collector. He actively researched the early days of Punta Gorda, from its founding on land purchased by Isaac Trabue, a Union Civil War veteran and real estate developer. His combing of the historical records resulted in the publication of "Punta Gorda: In the Beginning, 1865-1900 in 2012, three years before his death. The book is a compilation of articles on early settlers, prominent citizens (including Albert Gilchrist, a future governor of Florida), and the impact of technology (railroads, steamboats) on the city's development. Vernon passed away in April, 2015 age 85, a few months after his beloved wife Edna Jane (who had been active in civic life in her own right) passed away.
Occupation	Insurance sales Florida Legislator
Education	Charlotte High School
Places of residence	Live Oak, Florida Punta Gorda, Florida
Spouse	Peeples, Edna Jane
Children	Cari Jane Vernon Jr.
Father	Peeples, Vasco
Mother	Peeples, Lois Cole
Caption	Vernon Elmo Peeples, Sr.

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8. 2015.003.011.B.211 - Vernon Peeples childhood photos

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   Record Type: Photo

   
9. 2015.003.011.B.900 - Marion Avenue, Punta Gorda

   36 photos and postcards of Marion Avenue Punta Gorda including one with Vernon Peeples as a young man.

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10. 2015.003.011.C.118 - Vernon Peeples

    Photos of Vernon Peeples from childhood to adult. Graduation photo, childhood photo with Carmen Peeples, childhood (1938) with what appears to be Carmen and Gussie, football, football mascot photo. Photo of Vernon on horseback. Young adult portrait.

    Record Type: Photo

    
11. 2015.003.011.C.134 - Peeples Pictures and Clippings 1910-2010

    Photocopies of photos and text collected by Vernon Peeples spanning Punta Gorda from 1910 - 2010. Several are copies of photographs held elsewhere in the collection.

    Record Type: Photo

    
12. 2015.003.011.C.195 - Vernon Peeples school photos and house photos

    Photos of Vernon Peeples during his school days and of the houses in which he lived.

    Record Type: Photo

    
13. 2015.003.011.C.215 - Vernon Peeples' childhood photos

    Portrait of Carmen, Vernon and Gussie

    Record Type: Photo

    
14. 2015.003.011.C.235 - Peeples family photos

    Multiple photos, most late 1800s, early 1900s of various family members, the majority unidentified. More recent photos of Vernon and family Photocopies of older photos

    Record Type: Photo

    
15. 2015.003.011.C.312 - Edna Jane and Vernon family

    2 family photos of Edna Jane and Vernon's family One photo of unidentified young girl

    Record Type: Photo

    
16. 2015.003.011.C.315 - Vernon Peeples Legislative related photos

    90 photos and pamphlets related to Vernon Peeples legislative career 2015.003.011.C.382 One of the 1954 Chamber of Commerce officials: Dan Gibbons, Drayton Farr, Elliott Smith, Margaret Wilson, George Larkin Sons of the American Revolution certificate

    Record Type: Photo

    
17. 2015.003.011.C.406 - Legislative related photos of Vernon Peeples

    Record Type: Photo

    
18. 2015.003.011.C.441 - Vernon Peeples Legislative photos part 2

    Record Type: Photo

    
19. 2015.003.011.C.531 - Vernon Peeples Legislative photos 3

    Various photos of Vernon relative to his Legislative career

    Record Type: Photo

    
20. 2015.003.011.C.544 - Young Vernon Peeples

    2 photos of Vernon as young adult

    Record Type: Photo