Alice Barnett Dillon was born in 1886 in Key West into a fascinating early Key West family. Her grandfather, Lloyd Edmund Dillon was a builder, born in Tennessee, and brought to Key West as a supervisor for the building of Fort Taylor. The family believes he also worked on Fort Jefferson, the famous fort in the nearby Marquesa Keys. Alice’s father, Capt. Geo. Washington Dillon was a sea captain in Key West, and also was elected Marshall of the City of Key West. He was an official Wrecking Captain and owned the 3-masted schooner, Lily White. Her mother was Elizabeth P. Albury Dillon whose family had come from Eleuthera in the Bahamas when she was a baby. The Dillon's had seven children, and Alice was the fifth. The family home in Key West was on the corner of Olivia and Duval Streets.
In 1898, Captain Dillon moved his large family to Miami under the employ of Henry Flagler. There, he captained Mr. Flagler’s private yacht, helped to choose the place for the Port of Miami’s “Government Cut” and also served as Supervisor of ships on the Key West Extension, which brought the railroad to Key West
in 1912. Alice was the only member of the Dillon clan who did not move to Miami, because she married a Key West gentleman named Alfred Recio from one of Key West’s best known families. His father was Carlos Recio, born in Cuba, and one of the city’s foremost businessmen, creating a large grocery wholesale business. He was also a major supporter of Jose Marti, often called Cuba’s George Washington, when Cuba began their revolution for independence from Spain. Recio was well known for rallying the large Cuban population then in Key West as Marti supporters. Of course, when the US Naval ship “Maine” was bombed in Havana Harbor, the US joined Cuba in what is now called the Spanish American War, which lasted only the year of 1898. Even under Castro today, Marti is still the main national hero of Cuba.
Alice was my grandfather, Raymond Dillon’s sister and therefore my great aunt, and my mother, Eugenia (Jean) Dillon loved her when she was growing up. She always told me about the wonderful times the whole Dillon family had visiting Aunt Alice and her family in Key West. She even pointed out the house where they lived, which is on Margaret St. near the Key West Cemetery. In Miami, all the Dillon families got together often, and it was always a great time when Aunt Alice and Uncle Alfred and their children would come to town for a visit.
Everyone in the family of that era remembers Aunt Alice’s twin girls, Anita and Adele as lovely young ladies, as well as their other sisters and brothers. Aunt Alice herself, was always spoken of as wonderful, cheerful lovely lady. I wish I had known her.
In 1898, Captain Dillon moved his large family to Miami under the employ of Henry Flagler. There, he captained Mr. Flagler’s private yacht, helped to choose the place for the Port of Miami’s “Government Cut” and also served as Supervisor of ships on the Key West Extension, which brought the railroad to Key West
in 1912. Alice was the only member of the Dillon clan who did not move to Miami, because she married a Key West gentleman named Alfred Recio from one of Key West’s best known families. His father was Carlos Recio, born in Cuba, and one of the city’s foremost businessmen, creating a large grocery wholesale business. He was also a major supporter of Jose Marti, often called Cuba’s George Washington, when Cuba began their revolution for independence from Spain. Recio was well known for rallying the large Cuban population then in Key West as Marti supporters. Of course, when the US Naval ship “Maine” was bombed in Havana Harbor, the US joined Cuba in what is now called the Spanish American War, which lasted only the year of 1898. Even under Castro today, Marti is still the main national hero of Cuba.
Alice was my grandfather, Raymond Dillon’s sister and therefore my great aunt, and my mother, Eugenia (Jean) Dillon loved her when she was growing up. She always told me about the wonderful times the whole Dillon family had visiting Aunt Alice and her family in Key West. She even pointed out the house where they lived, which is on Margaret St. near the Key West Cemetery. In Miami, all the Dillon families got together often, and it was always a great time when Aunt Alice and Uncle Alfred and their children would come to town for a visit.
Everyone in the family of that era remembers Aunt Alice’s twin girls, Anita and Adele as lovely young ladies, as well as their other sisters and brothers. Aunt Alice herself, was always spoken of as wonderful, cheerful lovely lady. I wish I had known her.
Alice Barnett Dillon was born in 1886 in Key West into a fascinating early Key West family. Her grandfather, Lloyd Edmund Dillon was a builder, born in Tennessee, and brought to Key West as a supervisor for the building of Fort Taylor. The family believes he also worked on Fort Jefferson, the famous fort in the nearby Marquesa Keys. Alice’s father, Capt. Geo. Washington Dillon was a sea captain in Key West, and also was elected Marshall of the City of Key West. He was an official Wrecking Captain and owned the 3-masted schooner, Lily White. Her mother was Elizabeth P. Albury Dillon whose family had come from Eleuthera in the Bahamas when she was a baby. The Dillon's had seven children, and Alice was the fifth. The family home in Key West was on the corner of Olivia and Duval Streets.
In 1898, Captain Dillon moved his large family to Miami under the employ of Henry Flagler. There, he captained Mr. Flagler’s private yacht, helped to choose the place for the Port of Miami’s “Government Cut” and also served as Supervisor of ships on the Key West Extension, which brought the railroad to Key West
in 1912. Alice was the only member of the Dillon clan who did not move to Miami, because she married a Key West gentleman named Alfred Recio from one of Key West’s best known families. His father was Carlos Recio, born in Cuba, and one of the city’s foremost businessmen, creating a large grocery wholesale business. He was also a major supporter of Jose Marti, often called Cuba’s George Washington, when Cuba began their revolution for independence from Spain. Recio was well known for rallying the large Cuban population then in Key West as Marti supporters. Of course, when the US Naval ship “Maine” was bombed in Havana Harbor, the US joined Cuba in what is now called the Spanish American War, which lasted only the year of 1898. Even under Castro today, Marti is still the main national hero of Cuba.
Alice was my grandfather, Raymond Dillon’s sister and therefore my great aunt, and my mother, Eugenia (Jean) Dillon loved her when she was growing up. She always told me about the wonderful times the whole Dillon family had visiting Aunt Alice and her family in Key West. She even pointed out the house where they lived, which is on Margaret St. near the Key West Cemetery. In Miami, all the Dillon families got together often, and it was always a great time when Aunt Alice and Uncle Alfred and their children would come to town for a visit.
Everyone in the family of that era remembers Aunt Alice’s twin girls, Anita and Adele as lovely young ladies, as well as their other sisters and brothers. Aunt Alice herself, was always spoken of as wonderful, cheerful lovely lady. I wish I had known her.
In 1898, Captain Dillon moved his large family to Miami under the employ of Henry Flagler. There, he captained Mr. Flagler’s private yacht, helped to choose the place for the Port of Miami’s “Government Cut” and also served as Supervisor of ships on the Key West Extension, which brought the railroad to Key West
in 1912. Alice was the only member of the Dillon clan who did not move to Miami, because she married a Key West gentleman named Alfred Recio from one of Key West’s best known families. His father was Carlos Recio, born in Cuba, and one of the city’s foremost businessmen, creating a large grocery wholesale business. He was also a major supporter of Jose Marti, often called Cuba’s George Washington, when Cuba began their revolution for independence from Spain. Recio was well known for rallying the large Cuban population then in Key West as Marti supporters. Of course, when the US Naval ship “Maine” was bombed in Havana Harbor, the US joined Cuba in what is now called the Spanish American War, which lasted only the year of 1898. Even under Castro today, Marti is still the main national hero of Cuba.
Alice was my grandfather, Raymond Dillon’s sister and therefore my great aunt, and my mother, Eugenia (Jean) Dillon loved her when she was growing up. She always told me about the wonderful times the whole Dillon family had visiting Aunt Alice and her family in Key West. She even pointed out the house where they lived, which is on Margaret St. near the Key West Cemetery. In Miami, all the Dillon families got together often, and it was always a great time when Aunt Alice and Uncle Alfred and their children would come to town for a visit.
Everyone in the family of that era remembers Aunt Alice’s twin girls, Anita and Adele as lovely young ladies, as well as their other sisters and brothers. Aunt Alice herself, was always spoken of as wonderful, cheerful lovely lady. I wish I had known her.
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