W. Luther Koon (1873-1956) was a “pony-express” rider and cowman, who became
one of the area’s largest cattleman, President of the Punta Gorda State Bank
and one of Punta Gorda’s most prominent citizens.
Koon was born in Manatee County in 1873. While still in his teens, he rode 80 miles a
day in Florida’s version of the Pony Express and began acquiring cattle with
all the money he could spare to invest.
In about 1895, he and his new bride, Serena Victoria, moved to Punta
Gorda, where he became a merchant furnishing supplies to the phosphate and
turpentine camps.
At about the turn of the century, he built a large house on
Sullivan at Charlotte Avenue (1) and brought his widowed sister and her children
(including Sallie Jones) to Punta Gorda from Barstow. Meanwhile, he continued to build his
holdings, and by 1909, Koon owned many residential lots in Punta Gorda, 1000
acres of land and 600 head of cattle.
A hardworking and shrewd businessman, he recognized the
opportunity in ranching and meat processing, and in 1910 he incorporated “the
Big Cattle Company.” Then in 1917 when
the Punta Gorda Bank needed recapitalization, Koon made an investment entirely
in Spanish gold coin (the payment received from Cuban ship captains when buying
cattle at the cattle dock). He became
president of the Punta Gorda State Bank.
His first wife passed away in 1919 and he later married Elsa
Sophia Holtz. They continued to make
their home in Punta Gorda, which Koon wanted to see become one of the
outstanding cities on the southwest coast.
Koon worked tirelessly for the successful development of the City and
the County. In addition to his role with
the DeSoto Cattle Wharf Association, the bank, and his several enterprises, he
served many years on Punta Gorda’s City Council.
Sidebar:
(1) His original house in Punta Gorda was located at Sullivan and Charlotte. It was moved in 1999 to 360 West McKenzie. Photo Below:
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