Harvey Eugene Oyer III

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Harvey Eugene Oyer III (born April 5, 1968) is an American author and attorney[1] from West Palm Beach, Florida. Best known for his award-winning children's book series "The Adventures of Charlie Pierce", he was named Florida’s Distinguished Author in 2013.

Early life and education[edit]

Oyer was born in Boynton Beach, Florida, to Harvey Eugene Oyer Jr., a former Boynton Beach Mayor, and Linda Eve Oyer. A fifth generation Floridian, Harvey Eugene Oyer III is the great-great grandson of pioneer settler Captain Hannibal Dillingham Pierce, who was one of the first non-Native Americans to settle in Southeast Florida, arriving in 1872.[2] Pierce was one of several early settlers who planted thousands of coconuts salvaged from a Spanish shipwreck in 1878. The resulting acres of coconut palms eventually provided Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach County with their respective names.[3][4] His great grandmother, Lillie Pierce Voss, was the first white child born between Jupiter and Miami. She was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame in 2013.[5] He is also the great-grandnephew of Charles William Pierce, for whom Oyer's children's book series is named. Pierce was elected a Great Floridian in 2009.[6]

Oyer attended the University of Florida, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics with high honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.[7] He won a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and studied graduate economics at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Oyer graduated with a Master of Philosophy in Archaeology from the University of Cambridge in England and with a Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida College of Law.[7] He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1998. He served in the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of captain.[7]

Career[edit]

Writing[edit]

Oyer has written or contributed to a number of books and articles, predominantly about Florida and its history. He is best known as the author of the children's book series, "The Adventures of Charlie Pierce".[8] The first book in the series, The American Jungle, was published in 2008. The second book in the series, The Last Egret, was published in 2010. The third book in the series, The Last Calusa, was published in 2012. The fourth book in the series, The Barefoot Mailman, was published in 2015.[9] The fifth book in the series, Charlie and the Tycoon, was published in 2016.[10] His books have won numerous awards and have sold over 100,000 copies in Florida.[11]

In 2013, Oyer was named a Florida Distinguished Author by the Florida House in Washington, D.C.[12]

Public speaker[edit]

Oyer is a lecturer who mostly presents lectures about Florida. He was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Miami School of Law and an adjunct professor of political science at the Florida Atlantic University Honors College.[7] He has been a guest lecturer at a number of schools and universities, including Palm Beach Atlantic University and Vanderbilt University Law School.[13]

Historic preservation[edit]

In the early to mid-2000s, he led the effort to save and restore the historic 1916 Palm Beach County Courthouse, which was under the threat of demolition.[14] He later led the effort to create the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum in the restored building.[15] In the late 2000s, he lead the effort to restore Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.[16]

Board memberships[edit]

Oyer served for seven years as the Chairman of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County,[17] as the 100th Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches,[18] and as a board member of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium,[14] Florida Historical Society,[19] Palm Beach United Way, Palm Beach State College Foundation, and Palm Beach County Education Commission.

Honors and awards[edit]

Oyer has been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor,[20] the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Service,[21] the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution National Community Service Award,[22] and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Floridians by Florida International magazine[23] and a Legend of Palm Beach by Palm Beach Illustrated magazine.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Doris, Tony (May 20, 2015). "Wawa gets a go-go". West Palm Beat. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  2. ^ Pioneer Life in Southeast Florida by Charles William Pierce, University of Miami Press, 1970
  3. ^ Kelley, Russell (2020). An illustrated history of Palm Beach: how Palm Beach evolved over 150 years from wilderness to wonderland. Lanham: Pineapple Press, Inc. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-68334-065-2.
  4. ^ Oyer, Harvey E. (2001). "South Florida History" (PDF). Historical Museum of Southern Florida. 29 (4). The Wreck of the Providencia in 1878 and the Naming of Palm Beach County, pp. 25–28.
  5. ^ "Governor Rick Scott Selects Three Inductees for Florida Women's Hall of Fame". Governor Ron DeSantis. February 25, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  6. ^ "Great Floridians Program". myflorida.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d "Harvey Oyer, Shutts & Bowen, West Palm Beach, Land Use: Florida Law Firm, Attorneys". shutts.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  8. ^ "The Adventures of Charlie Pierce - Best Selling Children's Book Series". theadventuresofcharliepierce.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  9. ^ "Historian adds new barefoot mailman book to children's series". palmbeachdailynews.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  10. ^ "Children greet Flagler adventure writer Harvey Oyer". palmbeachdailynews.com. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  11. ^ "Middler River Press: Awards". middleriverpress.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  12. ^ Author Honored for Children’s Book Trilogy on Florida History, Patch, Aug. 30, 2013. http://patch.com/florida/landolakes/author-honored-for-childrens-book-trilogy-on-florida-history_3760b6ee
  13. ^ "Harvey E. Oyer III.(News and Notes)". highbeam.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Attorney Carries On Family Pioneer Spirit , Palm Beach Daily News http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/local/attorneycarries-onfamilyspioneer-spirit/ndNb9/
  15. ^ Palm Beach Daily News. http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/royal-poinciana-chapel-harvey-oyer-earn-historical/nMGFp/
  16. ^ "Q & A with attorney Harvey Oyer". The Real Deal Miami. May 19, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  17. ^ Royal Poinciana Chapel, Harvey Oyer Earn Historical Society Awards, Palm Beach Daily News, Apr. 20, 2010. http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/royal-poinciana-chapel-harvey-oyer-earn-historical/nMGFp/
  18. ^ New Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches Chairman Ready to Lead on Major Business Project, Palm Beach Post, Dec. 23, 2012. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/new-chamber-chairman-ready-to-lead-on-major-busine/nTYZc/
  19. ^ Attorney Carries On Family Pioneer Spirit, Palm Beach Daily News http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/local/attorneycarries-onfamilyspioneer-spirit/ndNb9/
  20. ^ Congressional Record, Vol. 157, Issue 99. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2011-07-06/html/CREC-2011-07-06-pt1-PgE1236.htm
  21. ^ "Palm Beach Leadership Council - World LEADERS Group". worldleadersgroup.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  22. ^ South Florida City Biz List. http://southflorida.citybizlist.com/contributed-article/shutts-bowen-partner-harvey-oyer-receiving-national-dar-community-service-award
  23. ^ "Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches". palmbeaches.org. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  24. ^ Palm Beach Illustrated, Mar. 2012. http://issuu.com/pbmg/docs/pbi_0312?e=1231778/3237595
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