William A. Guild (1827-1902)

Early Settler

William Augustus Guild was born in 1827 in Massachusetts.  He was educated in the public school system of Lowell, Massachusetts. Guild completed high school and began working as a clerk in a drug store in Lowell in 1842. He continued working in the store for several years with the exception of three years he spent in the navy working as an apothecary. William also attended and graduated from Harvard Medical School.   Later on in his life he moved to Boston where he worked as a pharmacist for thirty years.  He married Laura Jane (Barnes) Guild and had two daughters, Alice E. Guild and Clara L. Guild. 

William first came to Florida in 1883 in an effort to retire and improve his health.[1]  During that year he bought twenty acres of land on the north shore of Lake Osceola.  Guild went into the orange grove business and had twelve thousand orange trees planted on his property.  He also built a large house that could accommodate approximately fifteen boarders.  Guild was active in the development of Winter Park and was dedicated to the efficient running of his orange groves.[2]  However, after his business suffered greatly during the Great Freeze of 1895, he became discouraged about the orange grove business.[3]  In 1888 Williams entered the drug business in Sanford, Florida.  He later moved back to his Winter Park home and continued working in the drug business.  While in Winter Park, Guild also became close friends with Dr. Edward Hooker, the first pastor of the Winter Park Congregational Church and a New Englander.

While in Florida, his daughter, Alice E. Guild, who had recently graduated from the Massachusetts Normal Art School became an art instructor at Rollins College with the help and recommendation of Dr. Edward B. Hooker.  Later she became the head of the Arts Department at Rollins College.  Her sister, Clara Louise Guild, enrolled in the Rollins Academy for one year prior to entering Rollins College because she was thought unprepared for Greek studies.[4]  After one year, Clara was admitted into the College and joined the Chi Omega Sorority.  Clara Louise Guild, along with Ida May Missildine were the first individuals to graduate Rollins College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in May of 1890. 

William Augustus Guild died in 1902.  He was not only one of the first settlers of Winter Park, but also the father of two influential individuals the College has had the pleasure of working with.  Mr. Guild has been described as “a fine gentleman of the old school, an excellent type of America’s best citizenship and enjoys the esteem of all who come in contact with him.”[5]  There is no doubt that his strength of character influenced both Clara and Alice, and thus had a positive impact on both the Winter Park and Rollins College communities. 

- Kerem K. Rivera