Collections

The collection consists of the personal and business correspondence of Bucky Family members and other correspondents from 1893-1915. Most of the letters are incoming correspondence from business associates, close family members, relatives and friends to Jacob (Jake) D. Bucky. Numerous letters from 1893-1895 are written on the "L. Bucki and Son" letterhead stationery. The business correspondence from 1893 to 1895 refers mainly to payments and shipments of materials. Also included are several telegrams and notes concerning Masonic Hall Lodge dues. Of particular interest are the numerous pieces of letterhead stationery providing documentation for late nineteenth century Jacksonville businesses. In 1903-04, several letters from the Jacksonville law firm of Bisbee and Bedell refer to J. D. Bucki's appearance as a witness in the U.S. Supreme Court case, Fidelity & Deposit Co. vs. L. Bucki and Son Lumber Co. Reference is also made by the law firm to the L. Bucki Company ceasing business early in 1898. Three letters written by Fred Bucky to his father on May 16, 22, and 30, 1901 are of special note for their glimpse of life in Jacksonville at the beginning of the twentieth century. The contents also provide a brief eyewitness account of the re-building of Jacksonville after the Great Fire on May 3, 1901. On May 22, he relates to his father: "...It is a sad sight to see the once busy bustling prosperous Jacksonville buried in ashes. One cannot imagine how bad it really is unless they could actually see it. A few well insured ones and those whose homes were spared are alright..." On May 30: "... I know what the poor boy has suffered... the fire excitement was too much for his nerves. The re-building of the city is very slow at present, material is hard to get... " All items are photocopies. Most letters are legible; however, some handwritten letters are difficult to read.

The collection consists of Burgert Brothers prints derived from various sources and assembled into a composite collection.  The two principle sources for the Burgert images were the photographic holdings of the Tony Pizzo and Hampton Dunn collections. Both had considerable numbers of Burgert prints and negatives dispersed under various subject headings. The collection was assembled into a single, coherent collection in 1993.

Personal papers, 1840-1979, including records as a student, 1916-1919; as a teacher at Pensacola High School, 1928-1967; memorabilia and letters about life at Florida State College for Women, 1919-1923; summer studies at Columbia, 1929; the University of Virginia, 1938; and the University of Wisconsin, 1930. Includes considerable family records of her parents, John McMillan Burrow and Nelle Agnes Barrington Burrow and other relatives including the Anderson, Burrow, Cresap, Pyle, and Vaughn families of Pensacola; the Barrington, Burrow, Conner families of Wabash, Indiana; and the Medbury and Phillips families of St. Mary's, Ohio.

Educational diplomas, 1899-1933, of Christian C. McDonald and Christian McDonald Campbell for attendance at Palmer College, at Florida State Normal School, and the Okaloosa County public schools in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Reports, ledgers and correspondence.

The collection of Cantor Morton Pliskin consists of manuscript music, print music, personal songbooks, personal papers, programs, and pictures relating to his professional life as a cantor. Music books have been cataloged and relocated to Rare Books. Audio recordings have been relocated to Judaica Sound Archives. Cantor Pliskin was known as a "wunderkind" cantor who started singing next to his father who was a cantor at the age of 13. After his family moved to Chicago he studied at the Hebrew Theological College of Jewish Studies in Chicago, the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and the University of Northern Illinois (where he focused on cantorial history). After graduating and serving as a cantor in Minneapolis for a few years he returned to Chicago where he served at the congregations of Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation and A.G. Beth Israel. Cantor Pliskin also had well established relationships with Cantor Moses Silverman and Dr. Bauer. He passed away on January 9, 2008.

In 2012, Cantor Murray Yavneh donated his collection of nearly 200 pieces of print music, music manuscripts, song books, and periodicals to Florida Atlantic University. The collection dates from 1863 to 1976 and includes: cantorial music Hebrew and Yiddish songs, American popular standards, and instrumental works.

In 1991, the family of Zvi Aroni [neé Shalom Zvee Aronowitz] donated his collection of print music, music manuscripts, personal songbooks, pictures, programs, and video recordings relating to his professional life as a cantor. Music books have been cataloged and relocated to Rare Books. Audio recordings have been relocated to Judaica Sound Archives. Cantor Aroni studied voice with Cantor Samuel Kavetsky and had a close relationship with the composer, Reuven Kosakoff. Many of their manuscripts can be found in the Collection. Cantor Aroni came to America in 1947 where he served as cantor in synagogues in Philadelphia and New York City. From 1964-1968 he served as Cantor of the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in Toronto, Canada. It was here that he was able to realize his dream of reviving the boy choir and integrating it into the service. From 1968-1979 Cantor Aroni lived and sang in NYC. He was Cantor at Beth Torah in North Miami Beach until his death in 1990.

The papers include letters and one diary written during the Civil War (1863-1864) by Black to his wife, Mary Ann Black, from various places in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia and contain descriptions of army life and of the battlefields.