Edward Warren Henck hailed from Boston. He moved to Longwood in 1873, platting a new town, which he named after his hometown suburb. He was instrumental in recruiting new settlers, setting up the first post office, and bringing the South Florida Railroad to the region.

Edward and his wife, Mary, left the town for a few years after the Great Freeze but returned to Longwood during the 1910s. He played a large role in its further development during the Great Florida Land Boom.