"The survey of Red Bank gives the name which was known to the Indians and later the Spanish -- a great bank of red clay, utilized in the early 1860's in making brick for the plantation houses, and later used commercially by Stockton & Gamble," said Mrs. Philips.

"The first home built by Albert Gallatin Philips was frame, but it burned, and the brick house now known as 1230 Greenridge Road, Colonial Manor, was erected in 1857, the year Judge Philips was born, at least it was completed and the family moved in during the early fall of that year. The brick were made by slave labor, were manufactured right on the plantation between crops of cotton and sugarcane, and it took two years to complete the large mansion.

"The table over there in the corner, "(indicating a heavy light-colored wood center table, with a circular three-foot wide top) "was made by the slaves from a large Chinaberry tree on the old place -- they called it 'Pride of India.' It is all hand-fashioned and rubbed smoth, without polish.

"By a coincidence, my old family home near Spartanburg, South Carolina, Glenn Springs District, was also known as 'Red Bank'. My family name was Smith, and my mother was a member of the Anderson family of that section.

"The following is a translation of the Spanish survey of Red Bank:

I, DON PEDRO MARROT, Captain of the Battalion of Infantry, Regiment of Cuba, and Judge Commissioner of the Governor, and Commissioner in Chief of the Province of East Florida, have the survey of land commanded by His Majesty:

I certify that at the plantation called Red Bank there were measured and delivered 13 caballavias and 17 acres of land to the inhabitant Francis Flora, whose family consists under oath of eight persons, VIZ:

Husband, wife and six children.

The first line runs East 95 chains, begins at a cypress marked with a cross on the border of the St. Johns River, and ends at a stake with same mark, Bounding the line of Solomon King.

The second line runs North 69 chains, Begins at said stake, and Ends at another with the same mark.

The third line runs South 75 Chains, Begins West 85 Chains Begins at said stake and Ends at pine with the same mark of a cross at the St. Johns River, bounding the land of George Harrison. Its front runs along the corner of aforesaid St. Johns River.

All according to the orders which I have.

The Surveyor, Don. Josiah Dupont, signed it with myself, and the aforesaid not knowing how to write, made a cross (X).

In testimony thereof, and that it may serve for information at the office of the Secretary of Government where the parties have to apply for their respective titles, I give and present Red Bank, March 1, 1793.

)S( PEDRO MARROT

(Turn over)

(Diagram)

I, Antonio Alvarez, keeper of the Archives of East Florida, hereby certify that the foregoing to be a true and correct translation of the original in the Spanish language filed in my office.

WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE at the city of St. Augustine, Territory of Florida, this 12th day of March, 1831.

)S( ANTONIO ALVAREZ,
KEEPER OF THE PUBLIC ARCHIVES.

"The first home built by Judge Philips' father on Red Bank Plantation was a frame structure in the section now known as Granada," said Mrs. Philips.

June 6, 1940
Mrs. H. B. Philips
1950 Largo Place
South Jacksonville
Florida
Personal interview,
(cont)
Rose Shepherd, Writer

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection