One of the earliest settlers of Longwood was Frederic H. Rand who arrived in Longwood the year the post office was established. Like Henck he was from Boston. He purchased several large tracts of land on the west side of Longwood and planted citrus. In 1891, it was reported that he owned 40 acres of citrus, one of the largest grove owners in the Longwood area at the time. Rand helped organize the first Episcopal mission in Longwood in 1877 which constructed Christ Church on West Church Avenue in 1880. The church, which is still being used, was dedicated on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1882 and is the oldest existing church in Seminole County. Rand was also a generous supporter of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford and served as treasurer of the Episcopal Missionary District of Southern Florida Diocese for thirty years from its beginning in 1893 to 1923.
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