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Two Rent Receipts for Mrs. Seamore to Ella Walls
Collection
The Ella Walls Collection
Format
Two original paper receipts
Date
1931-10 - 1931-11
People
Ella Walls; Ella Wall
Michael Gladden Jr.; Michael Gladden
Mrs. Seamore
Location
Apopka, Florida, United States of America.
Historical Background
Two safekeeping receipts detailing two rent transactions made by Mrs. Seamore to Ella Walls, through Michael Gladden Jr.'s banking service. From material evidence, it appears that Ms. Walls may have had limited literacy and may have relied on Michael Gladden Jr. to fulfill her rent receipt requests. The receipts record Mrs. Seamore's rent activity for October 27th, 1931, to November 3rd, 1931. The top receipt's total is $2.50 to be paid to Ms. Walls. The bottom receipt's total is $1.25 to be paid to Ms. Walls.
Ella Walls (1874-1938) was an entrepreneur and businesswoman of Apopka who served as the inspiration for a character in Zora Neale Hurston's novel Mules and Men. Walls was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1874 and moved to Apopka as a widow. Throughout her lifetime, Walls purchased four parcels of land. She operated an orange grove and also constructed small wooden buildings that she rented out to migrant workers. Walls was also a close friend and confidant of Michael Gladden, Jr. up until her 1938 death.
