Black and white photo of Paul Harris with Mrs Mina Edison. Mina Miller was the second wife of Thomas Edison and married him in 1886, two years after the death of his first wife. The Edisons had their main home in Glenmont, New Jersey near the Edison factory. However, in anticipation of his marriage to Mina, he had built Seminole Lodge in Fort Myers, Florida. In the winter of 1931, Thomas Edison died and his widow spent most of the following years in New Jersey where in 1935 she married Edward Everett Hughes, which is probably why the caption reads; "formerly Mrs Thomas Edison". This photograph was taken at the Edison winter home in Fort Myers on Tuesday, February 23, 1937, the 32nd anniversary of the founding of Rotary.

Paul Harris regularly spent vacations in Florida where he had worked in his youth, and on occasion was in the Fort Myers area where he later met Mrs Edison. To the right of Paul Harris and Mrs. Edison are George K. Harris, a member of the Fort Myers Club and Joe Mitchell Chapple, an author and lecturer from Boston, who was traveling with Paul Harris at the time. This appears to be a cut down version of a Black and white photo of Paul Harris with Mrs Mina Edison. Mina Miller was the second wife of Thomas Edison and married him in 1886, two years after the death of his first wife. The Edisons had their main home in Glenmont, New Jersey near the Edison factory. However, in anticipation of his marriage to Mina, he had built Seminole Lodge in Fort Myers, Florida. In the winter of 1931, Thomas Edison died and his widow spent most of the following years in New Jersey where in 1935 she married Edward Everett Hughes, which is probably why the caption reads; "formerly Mrs Thomas Edison". This photograph was taken at the Edison winter home in Fort Myers on Tuesday, February 23, 1937, the 32nd anniversary of the founding of Rotary.  A larger photograph in the archives of the Fort Myers Club who identified the location and people in the picture.

Also see the "Other Ches Perry" from Fort Myers

Also see Paul Harris' 1937 speech in Fort Myers, Florida, USA

This ongoing project is the work of RGHF historian Basil Lewis, first posted 7 April 2006 This section is maintained by RGHF webmaster Paul D. McLain. If you can help identify or supply more information about anything on this page, please contact us at www.historycomment.org

We acknowledge the assistance of DG 11/12 David Templin, ROTARY/One (RGHF Member), Neil Dahlmann of Rotary Club of Highland Park in District 6440, and Jack Selway, USA, with providing photos used in this section.

After you see the museum office, meet his partners and office workers at Harris Dodds & Brown. (A page of photographs of the actual office in the early 2000's)

Learn more about tours of Rotary International Headquarters

Souvenirs