Arthur Benjamin CHITTY Sr.

  General Notes:

Moved to Micanopy, Fl at age 3. Worked in the family business and made it very successful, saving up a lot of money. Came to Jacksonville right after the big fire, with enough money to buy a major interest in Porter Mallard Co. (he bought out Mr. Mallard and it became Porter Chitty Co.). ABC JR: Mr. Porter's daughter Bessie Porter Keeley "was the most important female influence in my life after my mother. I was everything that she wanted her son Bob to be. Bob was good looking but no account.)"

All the Brown virtues were vices from his point of view.

He was an eligible bachelor age 39, no hobbies, not athletic (poor coordination, couldn't run or swim, wouldn't go in a pool or ocean), just devoted to his business. Lived at Mrs. Conroy's boarding house for 10 years, the finest of its type. He walked 20 blocks to work across town. He met Hazel when she was 25, slim and statuesque, sweet disposition and well educated but little social life due perhaps to her big family. They became completely devoted to each other. He never had another date after she died, 35 years.

When eligible females would invite him to dinner, he would say "Yes and I will bring my 6 children."

About 1930, just before the crash, he bought out C.M. Lewis and the Consolidated Grocery Co. and subsidiary of Consolidated Naval Stores in Chicago. All through the depression we was trying to pay off this purchase with deflated money.

Wholesale grocery business, quite prosperous in the 1920's. Business was heavily damaged by the Great Crash. He had paid for foods which people could no longer afford at the regular price.

"He fell into a barrel at his father's store when he was a boy, stabbed his leg and it never healed. Open wound in lower right leg. His wife would put warm poultices. He had terribly deformed feet from wearing pointed shoes, big toe way out of line."

He wore custom clothing and shoes, linen in the summer, garbardine in the spring and fall, homespun from mills in NC in the winter.

Hazel Talitha started teaching at Duval High in Jacksonville. William Watkins Brown had moved to Jacksonville and was a salesman selling grain out of Nashville, and ABC Sr. was one of WWB's customers.

There was never a ripple of an issue between them. He would never comment on any feelings that he may have had. It was considered a weakness or effeminate to show any emotion.

On the evenings he would sit in his chair reading the newspaper and smoking a cigar, while the very busy household swirled all around.

Hazel was the one who drove the car (plus they had a chauffeur); Hunky would drive him back and forth to work-- they would come home for lunch..

After retirement he lived in a boathouse on the property of his daughter Gertrude.

Died from a slip in the bathroom at age 88. At the time he had many medical issues, digestive problems, colostomy.

Solved breakage of glassware problem by buying all sterling silver plates, goblets, tumblers, bread & butter plates-- which still survive, dispersed in family.

When he was upset he would smack the table with his fist and all the dishes would jump in the air (Gertrude, 2001).

In the later years he and Hunky lived in the boat house, kids would take turns staying overnight with Hunky after he passed away.

At its height Chitty & Co. had sales of $8.5 million from 12 locations. ABC Sr turned down the opportunity to be the exclusive Budweiser distributor because of his Baptist beliefs. He bought out his partners in 1929. In great distress in the depression Governor Martin gave him a grocery bag with $50,000. He also had offers of financial support from Cheek (Maxwell Coffee) and Ed Lane (Atlantic Bank).

At the business he was very controlling. He wanted the boys to grow into the business but would not delegate authority, thinking that no one could do anything up to his standards.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Businessman Wholesale Groceries.

Arthur married Hazel Talitha BROWN, daughter of William Watkins BROWN Jr. and Mary Annette HARSH, on 18 Sep 1912 in Jacksonville, FL. (Hazel Talitha BROWN was born on 21 Apr 1888 in Gallatin, TN (Castalian Springs), died on 19 Aug 1930 in Walloon Lake, MI and was buried in Jacksonville Evergreen Cemetary.)