Chronicles of Dudley Farm

Following Florida’s statehood in 1845, pioneers from South Carolina converged on the land looking for opportunities in cotton cultivation, and enslaved individuals were coerced to toil on these farms. Philip Benjamin Harvey Dudley and his wife Mary joined this migration, settling in Archer in 1852, acquiring the land that eventually transformed into Dudley Farm by 1859.

Rapidly rising as a prosperous agrarian, Dudley expanded his realm to 960 acres, managing 30 enslaved individuals who worked on the land cultivating cotton.

Prior to the Civil War, the initial homestead emerged – a log cabin with a distinctive layout situated northwest of the current homestead. Today, remnants of the cabin are elusive, except for a potential location of a well. Close to the “old home place,” one can find limestone foundation remains that might have been dwellings for enslaved individuals or tenant farmers, according to Myrtle Dudley’s accounts.

During the Civil War, Dudley served the Confederacy as a captain of the Alachua Rangers 7th Regiment, returning home to grapple with managing a large cotton plantation without the aid of enslaved laborers.

Dudley Sr. and Jr. diversified into cattle ranching alongside cotton and crop cultivation with hired assistance. A road was constructed from the farm to Gainesville, enabling cattle drovers to move herds to market. “Dudley” became a prominent hub linking Newberry, Archer, Jonesville, and Gainesville. The old road’s traces are still visible today.

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