| In
1878 John Godfrey Kilkoft and his wife Eva T. Dreka
Kilkoft discovered the settlement of DeLand. John Kilkoft
who had been in the spice and tea business in Philadelphia,
had come to Florida for his health.
They
told Eva's brother, George Augustus Dreka, about the
settlement and soon G. A. Dreka and his wife, Catherine
Maulsberger Dreka, traveled to DeLand. Upon arriving
to the settlement, they met J.B. Jordan, owner of a
store on East New York Ave. who wanted to devote his
time to growing citrus and who wished to sell his store.
Kilkoft
and Dreka went into business operating a small store.
They also took insurance policies out on each other
so that if anything happened to one of them the other
could continue on with the business and be able to take
care of each other's family.
Not
long after taking over Jordan's store, Mr. Kilkoft died.
G.A. Dreka used the money from the insurance policy
to build a new store. Dreka's new store was the best
department store in Central Florida. His motto was everything
to eat, wear and use.
G.A.
Dreka
A man's worth is to be determined by the sacrifices
he has made
-Faber
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