Richard Johnson Bolles (August 1, 1843 – March 25, 1917) was one of Florida's many early land salesmen. He was also one of the first to market the land in small tracts to would be future residents.

Richard J. Bolles
Born
Richard Johnson Bolles

(1843-08-01)August 1, 1843
New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 25, 1917(1917-03-25) (aged 73)
NationalityUSA
OccupationLand salesman
Known for1900s Florida land sale scam

Born on August 1, 1843, in 1908 he purchased 500,000 acres (2,000 km2) of undeveloped land from the state of Florida at the price of two dollars an acre. He went on to sell this land, sight unseen to unknowing non-residents. His salesmanship was ultimately a scam and, in 1911, those who were caught up in it brought suit against him. Later in 1913, he was indicted but was acquitted. Bolles died on March 25, 1917, at the age of 73.[1]

Sources

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  • Up for Grabs, John Rothchild, 1985

References

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  1. ^ Biography, whitewayrealty.com. Accessed March 21, 2024.