Florida Abbie Shultz and Harvie Earnhardt Heitman [196-300]

[196-300] FLORIDA ABBIE SHULTZ, b 1874; dau George R. and Josephine (Smith) Shultz [196-189]; m Oct. 6, 1897, HARVIE EARNHARDT HEITMAN, b Dec. 7, 1872; d Apr. 17, 1922; s Alfred McCrary and Josephine (Earnhardt) Heitman. Banker; res., Ft. Myers, Fla.

One child:

Lorraine Earnhardt, b 1908.

Harvie Earnhardt Heitman was born at Lexington, N. C., where he lived until he was about sixteen years of age. He was educated in private schools of that city, and after finishing his education he went to Fort Myers, Lee Co., Fla.,in 1888. There he was employed for several years by his great uncle, who conducted a general store in connection with a small bank. The knowledge and experience which Mr. Heitman secured in this business later resulted in his becoming one of the foremost business men and bankers of Lee County.

The building up of Fort Myers was a project which commanded Mr. Heitman’s constant and untiring efforts. Through his influence prominent people established homes there. The first brick building in Lee County was erected by him; he later made extensive additions to this structure which comprised an entire business block. His interest in the growth of Fort Myers did not stop at building, however, for he also financed the erection of the first sidewalk in that town, and introduced a system of electricity for which he paid all charges for a year without any expense to the city. In order to promote the industries of the town, Mr. Heitman had invested in many companies whose business was to boost Fort Myers. He was president and director of the Bank of Fort Myers, president of the H. E. Heitman Company, president of the Lee County Packing Company, president of the Mutual Realty Company, president of the Bonita Land Company, president of the Fort Myers Southern Railroad Company, ete.

Mr. Heitman was one of Fort Myers’ most valuable citizens, and the city mourned deeply when he died of cancer on the 17th of April, 1922, after an illness lasting two years.

Mrs. Florida Heitman supplied the Editor with valuable data regarding the Deshler and Bittenbender families, and he hereby expresses his gratitude for this assistance which enabled him to insert such complete records of these families in this book.