Demens
-
Peter Demens
Mr. Demens arrived in Longwood in 1881 when he was 31 years old. He was born into Russian nobility in St. Petersburg, Russia, and his birth name was Pyotr Alekseyevich Dementyev. He served as an officer in the Imperial Guards. After his parents died, he inherited their estates at an early age but had little success with them and decided to emigrate to America. Upon arrival in Longwood, he had sufficient funds to purchase 80 acres for an orange grove and a one-third interest in a sawmill. According to his account, he worked diligently to clear the land for orange…
-
May 6, 1886 – Description of Longwood
The following is from the Savannah Morning News: Your correspondent was mystified as to the points on the compass, took the wrong train, and was soon speeding in the opposite direction toward Sanford. It was not until we had passed Maitland that he discovered his error, and interrupting the conductor in the midst of an animated and unintelligible squabbe concerning their fare with about two score raw Italian emigrants, not one of whom could speak a syllable of English, asked that he might be put off at the next station. This provied to be LONGWOOD. And there he handed without…
-
Demens Sawmill
The factory was built somewhere around 1880. It was owned by P. A. Demens & Company, the corporation of railroad man Peter Demens. It was located where the SunRail overflow parking lot is today, on the block between Warren Avenue and Bay Avenue at Myrtle Street. It filled the entire block all the way to Olenader Street on the east. The 1884-85 State Gazetteer and Business Directory stated that Longwood’s chief industry was a sash, door and blind factory. This was P.A. Demens & Co., owned and operated by Peter Demens. Demens obtained the contract to build railroad station houses…
-
Peter Demens House
The former homestead of railroad icon Peter A. Demens, a native Russian, was located on the northwest corner of East Lake. It is along the road now called Bucksaw Place. It is depicted on the 1885 birds-eye-view drawing of Longwood.