William H. Grace

Interviewed by Jennifer Rowland

Background Information	Koreshan Beginnings
Current Positions	Links

Born in Fort Myers, Florida on September 17, 1944, William "Bill" Grace is a notable activist in the preservation of history in Southwest Florida. Currently an Attorney at Law, Mr. Grace gives his time to various boards and commissions throughout the area. His family first arrived in Lee County in the early 1900s. Brought to this area by the Koreshan Unity, both maternal and paternal great grandparents became settlers, beginning a new chapter in history.

Upon arriving in Lee County, many other relatives soon followed. Mr. Grace's great great grandfather, William H. Case, and his grandfather, Henry Carlton Case, became the first developers of what is now Fort Myers Beach. Mr. Grace referred to the original entrance to the beach as it connected what is now Bunch Beach with Estero Island. This bridge was demolished by a hurricane in 1929. However, the original entranceway stood until it was eventually demolished. It was proposed for the National Registered Historic Sites. Unfortunately, development took precedent and the entrance was destroyed in the middle of the night.

Mr. Grace's family ties to the Koreshan Unity proved to be an interesting account of the history of this area. In 1894, Cyrus Reed Teed moved to Estero from Chicago bringing with him a small group of settlers to establish the "New Jerusalem." His great grandparents, the Grier's, were part of the Koreshan commune in Chicago where Reed was the original leader. It is rumored that he left due to various legal problems. Mr. Grace suggested that many husbands were irritated by their wives following Reed, as their husbands filed lawsuits for "alienation of affection."

Koreshan founder Cyrus Teed Reed

Photo compliments of: http://members.tripod.com/%7Emwidner/photos2.html

Photo compliments of:

http://members.tripod.com/%7Emwidner/photos2.html

The Koreshan's primarily believed that earth is a hollow sphere and within it is contained the sun, moon and stars within a gaseous cloud.

In 1906, Teed had Estero incorporated as a city. This lasted only year until it was deincorporated. The whole purpose for Teed wanting Estero to become a city was to gain tax benefits.

Around the early 1900s, the Grier's moved to the Koreshan Unity in Estero. Upon arrival, the mother was placed in the womens' dorm and father in the brothers' dorm. Their daughter, Ada Grier, was a teenager at the time of their residence. She told Mr. Grace memories of being at the commune. They were not all fond ones. One of the main components of the Koreshan beliefs were that women were considered equal. She stated that this was always the practice at the commune. Mr. Grace explained their were different levels of equality and that some women were more "equal" than others. There were the "Seven Women of the Planetary Court" who he said were pretty much "supervisors" to see that the laundry was done and that food was put on the table. His grandmother also told him that, "her mother spent a great deal of time while they were in Estero crying, because the Planetary Court women were walking around in her dresses and wearing her jewelry, while she was scrubbing the floors and had nothing." She was listed on the census as a domestic.

Mr. Grace told me that upon Teed's death on December 22, 1908, the Koreshans' believed he was immortal and that he would return to life on the 25th. His grandmother told him that they placed him in a bathtub and a couple days later, they took the children in to see him. By this time, "his skin was starting to mold, and they told the children that this was a sign of his rebirth." He said that a couple days later, the Health Department forced the Koreshans' to bury Teed.

When asked if his family believed in the Koreshan philosophy of the earth, Mr. Grace's opinion of Teed was so:

"I don't think that those people believed any much of that. It was a way to live. It was for them a way to live. If you'll read Teed's Cellular Cosmogany, it is filled with a bunch of double talk."

One year after the death of Teed in 1908, his grandmother Greir fled the commune to live with her future husband, Henry Carlton Case, and his parents.

They are believed to have resided in the Mound House on Estero Island. Mr. Grace is still doing his own research as to whether the Case's were actual Koreshans or just associated with them for their community activites such as plays and music.

Koreshan House on Estero Island

Photo Compliments of: http://draweb.dos.state.fl.us/web2/tramp2.exe/do_ccl _search/A081f20p.000

The Koreshans had the first band in Lee County. The Case's were definitely connected to the Koreshans' in some fashion as there are pictures of them in the State Archives with Koreshan members. Plus, the only way to access the Koreshan site was to ride by boat up the Estero River which would pass directly by the mound house, which was actually built by Koreshans. In fact, the only inhabitants of Estero Island were said to be Koreshans.

Slowly, the Koreshans have faded out. The last true Koreshan, Sister Vesta, died in the 1970s. Unfortunately, Mr. Grace is afraid that a lot of the original artifacts and archives are in the wrong hands. Currently, the Koreshan Unity Foundation has all of them. They have not opened the archives for many to do any historical research. Therefore, he feels that the accurate historical picture is not being produced. There were some negative sides to the Koreshans that the Foundation chooses to edit and he fears this will be lost forever.

Mr. Grace's grandparents on both sides soon became entrepreneurs in the Lee County area. Dr. William H. Grace, grandfather to Mr. Grace, moved from Graceville, Florida to Lee County around 1920 continuing to practice medicine, only to a larger spectrum. His family continued to do business in fields ranging from owning a packing house which sold produce to establishing the Federal Savings and Loans Association which eventually became First Union.

Mr. Grace is currently involved in various historic preservation works. He volunteers his time and energy in the following:

Trustee, (Past President) Burroughs Home Advisory Board

Member, Burroughs Home Society, Inc., President

President, Koreshan Unity Alliance, Inc., President

Treasurer, Lee Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc.

Founding Director and President of Friends of Florida Parks, Inc.

Advisory Boardmember to City of Fort Myers Beach for development of the Mound House, an historic and archeological site.

President, Southwest Florida Historical Society, Inc.

Fort Myers Historic Preservations Commission, Vice Chairman

Links related to this site:

The Department of Environmental Protection

http://www.dep.state.fl.us