10/15/2026
The Namesake Of The City: Alvah Alonzo Bunnell
Alvah Alonzo Bunnell, son of Eli Bunnell and Mary Ann Phoebe Caulder, was born on August 08, 1854 in Columbia County, Florida. He passed away March 21, 1944 in Miami, Florida. He was married on October 14, 1877 in Putnam County, Florida to Susan Godwin, daughter of Marion Godwin and Jemima McDonald.
Sometime before June 18, 1880, when the 1880 U.S. Census was taken, in which his occupation was listed as a "Farmer" , he moved his family from Columbia County, Florida to Espanola in present day Flagler County to homestead and he proved up on his claim on September 24, 1890.
He moved to Bunnell sometime after April 07, 1890, between the time his son Gus was born in Espanola and July 05, 1895 when his son Emmet Peas Bunnell was born in Bunnell.
Official records of the U. S. Postal Service show that Alvah A. Bunnell was appointed as postmaster for Bunnell on October 05, 1892.
In the U.S. Federal Census taken for Bunnell, Precinct 7, St. Johns County, Florida on January 16, 1900, his occupation is listed as Mfr., Lumber and Shingles.
In the minutes of the Board of Public Instruction of St. Johns County of June 27, 1894 was found, "Petition from Bunnell asking the establishing of a school." Then in September 1894 was found, "Miss Mary Lund was assigned to Bunnell."
Again on January 26, 1897 and on February 24, 1897 requests from Mrs. Bunnell for a school were reported in the Board Minutes. In a letter from October 1897, Mrs. Bunnell stated there were fourteen children of school age. A school at "Bunnell Stop" was mentioned in the Minutes of June, August and October of 1898. Rural schools would often only operate for a few months, some as little as three months and would close if the enrollment fell.
In November of 1901, according to a story in The Daytona Gazette-News, Alvah Bunnell completed construction of a saw mill about a mile north of the Daytona city limits (present-day Holly Hill) and on November 09, 1901 he set the machinery in motion. The building was 25 by 110 feet and had a capacity of 8,000 feet of lumber per day. Following construction of his saw mill, Alvah built a 50 by 75 foot planing mill next to same which opened in April of 1902.
The mill had a dock for his steam-tug "Leo" which he used to haul timber from the Tomoka River to his saw mill.
Alvah, his wife, eight sons, and two daughters, moved to Miami in May of 1905 into a home he had purchased on the Curry property.
In the summer of 1906, Alvah purchased the interest of a Mr. Amason in the Miami Real Estate firm of Carroll & Amason. In November of 1906 he went into the machine shop business with Mr. W. A. Lofton where, in addition to running the shop, they were agents for Reo Automobiles and Auto Supplies. He bought out Mr. Lofton’s interest in the business the following month.
In the 1910 United States Federal Census of North Miami, Dade County, Florida his occupation was given as Manager, Cigar Factory.
Sons Gilbert and Gus were mechanics in a garage, and son Emmett was a salesman in an auto store. The Bunnell Brothers Cigar Factory and Store was located on 509 Cordova Street and in November 1909, they were manufacturing 5,000 ci**rs a week.
Alva Bunnell also served as a policeman and sanitary engineer for the city of Miami.
Historical sketch revised from Flagler County Families - Sisco Deen.
Bunnell Family Portrait Photo: Flagler County Historical Society.
Daytona Gazette-News clippings, including the Holly Hill sawmill ad from Jordan Tyler Hobson with the Holly Hill Historic Preservation Society.
© Flagler County Historical Society
