Jacksonville – Then and Now
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Beginning in the 1890s, two other crops, peaches and tomatoes, rose to great importance.
The peach industry was pioneered by a number of individuals. Among those who planted large orchards were Wesley Love, James Boles, Jake Love, S. Z. Alexander and the 1400-acre Morrill Orchard, located in the south end of the county. In about 1912, when the peach business reached its peak, over 1,000 cars were shipped from the county each year; and Jacksonville was recognized as the Peach Center of the State.
At the time peach production was still high, the orchards were attacked by San Jose Scale and other insects. Many of the trees died, and the business went into a speedy decline.
By the 1930s methods were learned for controlling insects and more than 50 people planted orchards and grew them with success. Within recent years most of the later orchards have been abandoned, and the land is being used for other purposes. Among the larger growers of the second peach era were E. A. Simpson, Sam Boles, N. A. Slover, Dr. J. M. Travis, R. B. Wiggins, Morrill Sherman, Lloyd Hughes, J. W. Patton, J. E. Patton, Homer Ragsdale, Bill Mims, Earl Gay, Ray and Jesse Earle and others.
The tomato industry was started at Craft, near Jacksonville, in 1897. Several farmers agreed to join in the experimental venture, and its success was beyond their expectations.
S. H. Jarratt planted the first seeds; and he and his brother, R. B. Jarratt, A. L. Dover, Joe Sharp, Tom Taylor, W. N. Goodson and C. A. Walker grew enough tomatoes to ship several cars. The first car of tomatoes ever shipped from Texas was loaded at Craft by these men on June 14, 1897.
C. D. Jarratt went to St. Louis to sell the tomatoes, and he became a highly successful sales agent as the industry developed.
The returns in money to the growers were suprisingly high, and the growing of tomatoes spread rapidly. When the industry reached its peak in the 1920s and 1930s, several thousand farmers were engaged in the tomato production, and hundreds of people were working at the packing sheds. Others were employed in box factories, shipping, sales and other activities related to the industry. It was not unusual for the Jacksonville area to ship 3,000 cars during a season, and the town became known as the Tomato Capital of the World.
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Compiled by Greg Smith. If you have any materials you'd like to contribute, please email me.