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About Charles Edwin Eiland:

Charles Edward Eiland
Birth: Aug. 16, 1887, Dade City, Pasco County, Florida, USA
Death: Aug. 17, 1938, Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida, USA

Charles was one of 14 children born to Neri Daniel a Emily Ellen (Jones) Eiland. He married Miss Zola Ophelia O'Berry on March 15, 1908 in Brooksville, Florida. Together they raised six children: Charles was born with a talent for working with wood and became a carpenter by trade and had been working as a carpenter since before he got married. With 20+ years experience he was hired on to build a large hotel on St. Petersburg Beach in Florida in 1928. The hotel was named the "Don Cesar Beach Resort." Charles moved his family to Pinellas County, Florida during the construction of the hotel. When the hotel was complete it was instantly known as "Florida's Pink Castle." Times were good for Charles, Zola and their children and they were living well on the money Charles made as a carpenter. THEN - the DEPRESSION HIT! Financial institutions failed and Mr. & Mrs. Eiland lost all their money they had in the bank. This tragedy would teach their children to distrust financial institution for the rest of their lives. To say Charles and Zola were devastated after having lost everything was surely an understatement. They both went into a deep depression and began to drink heavily. On August 17, 1938, the day after Charles' 51st birthday, he'd started drinking fairly early,; not sure if Zola had been drinking that particular day or not, there was an argument and Charles stormed out of their home. Zola got back to her household chores. When she opened the back door to toss out the dirty dish water, her husband was lying in wait - he shot her. Neighbors called police - Zola was rushed to the hospital. Officers began the search for Mr. Eiland. The neighbors had informed the officers that Charles had left the scene of the shooting on foot with shotgun in hand. They found him just blocks away and a chase ensued. One of the officers yelled out ordering Charles to stop and drop his weapon. This order was shouted more than once and ignored. Charles continued running and jumped a fence and as just as he was about to jump he was shot and killed instantly thus they never got an account of the days events from Charles. Officers went to the hospital to get a statement from his wife. Charles died one day after his 51st birthday.
Burial:, Mount Zion Cemetery, Dade City, Pasco County, Florida, USA, Plot: Row 18W, lot 28
Maintained by: MEMORIES, Originally Created by: Jaimeleigh Arnold, Record added: May 18, 2000, Find A Grave Memorial# 4200186

Name: Charlie Edwin Eiland
Death date: 17 Aug 1938
Death place: Brooksville, Hernando, County, Florida
Gender: Male
Race or color (on document): White
Race or color (expanded): White
Age at death: 51y 0m 1d
Birth date: 16 Aug 1887
Birth place: Dade City, Fla.
Marital status: Married
Spouse name: Zola Eiland
Father name: Nery Daniel Eiland
Father birth place: Ala.
Mother name: Emily Ellen Jones
Mother birth place: Dade City, Fla.
Occupation: Carpenter
Residence: Brooksville, Fla.
Burial place: Dade City
Burial date: 18 Aug 1938

Home in 1930: Ellenton, Manatee, Florida
Charles E Eiland 42 , FL, packer in Fruit House
Zola Eiland 40
Eva M Eiland 20 , Grader in Fruit House
John C Eiland 19 , Laborer, Farming
Roy L Eiland 14 , Laborer, Farm Work
Edna L Eiland 12 , Warker, Farm

Home in 1920: Dade, Pasco, Florida
Charles Eiland 32 , farmer, own farm
Zola Eiland 31
Eva M Eiland 10
Chas Eiland 9
Dora Eiland 7
Ray Eiland 5
Edna Eiland 3 0/12
William Eiland 1/12

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name: Charlie Edwin Eiland
City: Dade City
County: Pasco
State: Florida
Birthplace: Florida;United States of America
Birth Date: 16 Aug 1887
Race: Caucasian (White)
Age: 30
Occupation: farmer, self
Nearest Relative: wife & 4 children
Height/Build: tall/slender
Color of Eyes/Hair: gray/brown

About Zola Ophelia (Ovella) O'Berry:

Zola Ophelia O'Berry Eiland
Birth: Dec. 9, 1888, Spring Lake, Hernando County, Florida, USA
Death: Aug. 20, 1938, Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida, USA

Domestic Violence Victim. Zola was born to John and Emily O'Berry. She married Charles Eiland on March 15, 1908. Times were good for couple and they were living well. Charles was a carpenter and although they did move fairly often depending on where he could find work he was making a good living for the family. They lived in Manatee, Hernando, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. While living in Pinellas County, Charles worked on building the Loews Don CeSar Hotel on the St. Pete Beach. When the depression hit in 1929 they lost everything. They had all their money in the bank and lost it all. This tragedy would teach their children to distrust financial institution for the rest of their lives. To say Charles and Zola were devastated after having lost everything was surely an understatement. They both went into a deep depression and began to drink heavily. On August 17, 1938, the day after Charles' 51st birthday, he'd started drinking fairly early; not sure if Zola had been drinking that particular day or not. There was an argument and Charles stormed out of their home. Zola got back to her household chores and when she opened the back door to toss out the dirty dish water her husband was lying in wait and shot her. Neighbors called police and Zola was rushed to the hospital. Officers began the search for Charles. The neighbors had informed the officers that Charles had left the scene of the shooting on foot with his shotgun still in hand. A couple officers found Charles just blocks away from his home and when Charles seen them the chase was on. One of the officers yelled out ordering Charles to stop and drop his weapon. This order was shouted more than once and ignored. Charles continued running and jumped a fence and as he jumped down on the other side the deputy shot and killed him. Charles died instantly. Zola lived for a few more days in the hospital. She lived long enough to answer questions for law enforcement officers explaining what happened that day. At one point a newspaper article said Zola's condition was improving and it's obvious now that she took a turn for the worse after that article was printed in the Tampa Tribune and passed away a day or so later.
Burial: Lake Lindsey Cemetery, Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida, USA, Plot: AD11B - unmarked grave
Created by: MEMORIES, Record added: Feb 18, 2010, Find A Grave Memorial# 48304606,

Name: Zola Ovelia Eiland
Death date: 20 Aug 1938
Death place: Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida
Gender: Female
Race or color (on document): White
Race or color (expanded): White
Age at death: 48y 8m 7d
Birth date: 09 Dec 1888
Birth place: Hernando County, Fla.
Marital status: Widowed
Spouse name: Charles Eiland
Father name: J. B. O'Berry
Father birth place: Pierce Co, Ga.
Mother name: Emily N. Morgan
Mother birth place: Clinch Co, Ga.
Occupation: Housewife
Street address: Russell St.
Cemetery name: Lake Lindsley
Burial date: 21 Aug 1938

Mrs Zola Ovella Eiland, died Aug 20, 1938, Bksv, FL, born Dec 9, 1888 Hern Co, FL, burial-Lake Lindsey Cem, Hern Co, survived by parents M/M John B O'Berry, Spring Lake, FL, one bro-W H O'Berry, 5 sisters Mrs Mabel Chuncey, Dunedin and Mrs Hoyt Campbell, Bksv, Mrs Annie Page, Mrs Osie Irby and Mrs Grace Wilson, 2 sons John Chas Eiland, Bksv and Roy Lee Eiland, 3 daus Mrs Leonard Rolland, Bksv, Mrs Dan Price and Mrs F M Fullaway,

About William Rayford Eiland:

Name: Eiland
Death date: 25 Feb 1920
Death place: Dade City, Pasco, Florida
Gender: Male
Race or color (on document): white
Race or color (expanded): White
Age at death: 2m 4d
Birth date: 21 Dec 1919
Birth place: Dade City, Fla.
Marital status: Single
Father name: C. E. Eiland
Father birth place: Blanton, Fla.
Mother name: Zola O'Berry
Mother birth place: Spring Lake, Fla.
Residence: Dade City, Fla.
Cemetery name: Mt. Zion
Burial place: Dade City
Burial date: 25 Feb 1920

William is survived by his loving parents Charles and Zola Eiland; three sisters, Eva Mae, Dora Ellen, and Edna Louise; and two brothers, John Charles and Roy Lee Eiland all of Brooksville, FL.