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Nelson Tillis built a foundation for education in Fort Myers

Nelson Tillis holds a unique place in Fort Myers history. He was the first African American to settle in the frontier town, arriving on Christmas Day in 1867. His determination and vision made him more than just a pioneer farmer. He became a builder of community and a champion of education for Black children.

In the 1870s, Tillis went to Key West and returned with Wesley Roberts, a tutor for his children. This led to the creation of the first school for Black children in Fort Myers. The small schoolhouse on Tillis’ land was more than just a classroom. It symbolized the start of a long fight for equal education and opportunity in the city’s Black community.

Life and family of Nelson Tillis

Records show that Nelson Tillis was born in Florida and listed in the 1870 census as a 23-year-old farm laborer. Family stories suggest he was born on the Willoughby Tillis ranch in Fort Meade. His ancestry traced back to Cameroon on his African side, and possibly central Europe through the Tillis family.

He married Zilphie Jane Ellen Summerall, a Caucasian woman of British descent. The couple raised eight children together. By 1885, the family farm included 110 acres, livestock, and farmland worth thousands of dollars, making them prosperous compared to many neighbors.

Building community through hard work

Tillis was not only a farmer. His daughter Caroline “Daisy” Maybelle, who lived to 104,described himas a commercial fisherman, fishing guide, and hauler of building materials. He provided wood and shale for some of Fort Myers’ earliest buildings, including the town’s first courthouse.

On August 5, 1890, the U.S. government granted him 110 acres of land under the Homestead Act. The deed bore the signature of President Benjamin Harrison. His hard work and entrepreneurial spirit helped shape the growing town, leaving behind a legacy of resilience.

The first Black school in Fort Myers

The Tillis schoolhouse was small, but its impact was large. With Wesley Roberts as teacher, the school became the first formal place of learning for Black children in Fort Myers. Education for African Americans was not equal at the time, and classes were often shorter than those for white children. Yet Tillis’ decision to bring in a tutor showed his belief in learning as the path forward.

That one-room school inspired later milestones. In 1885, Monroe County established a formal school for African Americans on Tillis’ land. Over time, this led to larger institutions like Williams Academy in 1912 and eventually Dunbar High School in 1926, which became central to Black education in Lee County.

Lasting legacy of Nelson Tillis

Generations of the Tillis family have carried forward hislove of learning. His descendants often speak of his “emphasis on the magic of education.” The Williams Academy Black History Museum in Fort Myers, opened in 2001, keeps alive this tradition by preserving one of the county’s earliest African American schoolhouses.

Nelson Tillis’ story is one of courage, vision, and community leadership. He transformed his struggles into opportunities for others, ensuring that Black children in Fort Myers would have access to education and a brighter future.

Credit: WGCU