On July 14, 1921, Morgan Bonaparte “Bone” Mizell died at the age of 58. A prominent figure in Florida’s cattle industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mizell was widely recognized as a Florida “cracker cowboy.”
Mizell operated primarily in the central and southern regions of the state, including regular work through Polk County. He participated in open-range cattle drives across areas such as Fort Meade and Homeland, contributing to the economic development of Polk’s early cattle trade.
His methods, including the use of whips for herding and reliance on Cracker horses, reflected standard practices in Florida’s frontier cattle industry. Mizell was later depicted in an 1895 painting by artist Frederic Remington, which documented the appearance and lifestyle of Florida cowmen during that era.
His death marked the decline of open-range cattle operations in Florida, which transitioned in the following decades to fenced ranching and modern livestock practices.
