Broward County, FL
Biographies
uncle for two years, and then worked in a log camp for another uncle. At various times he was a farm-hand, roustabout on a steamboat, cod fisherman
on the Grand Banks, seaman on sailing vessels and fishing boats, steamboat hand, and bar pilot on St. Johns Bar, Fla. Next he purchased an interest
in a line of steamboats plying between Mayport and Palatka, Fla., and in 1887 became proprietor of a woodyard in Jacksonville, Fla. Mr. Broward was appointed sheriff of Duval county in 1887, reappointed in 1889, and afterward elected and reelected until 1900. He became a member of the state legislature from Duval county in 1900, and was a member of the state board of health during 1900-04. In the latter year he was elected governor of Florida. During 1890-92 he was engaged in phosphate mining. In 1895 he returned to the steamboat business as owner of a steam tug, the "Three Friends," which he commanded during 1896-98 on eight trips, conveying war material to the Cubans. Since 1902 he has been in the towing and wrecking business at Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West. He was married at New Berlin, Fla., Jan. 10, 1883, to Caroline Georgia Kemps. She died October 30, of the same year, and he was married again at Jacksonville, May 5, 1887, to Annie I. Douglass. They have eight daughters.
p.39
GILCHRIST, Albert Waller, nineteenth governor of Florida (1909-), was born at Greenwood, S. C., Jan. 15, 1858, son of William E. and Rhoda
Elizabeth (Waller) Gilchrist. His first American ancestor was Nimrod Gilchrist, who came from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1750, and settled at Stevens Creek,
Edgefield C?., S. ?. His son was Obadiah, and his son was John Gilchrist, who married Mary Holmes, and was the grandfather of the subject of this
sketch. John and William were large planters and slave-holders, and the latter was also a general in the Florida militia, a member of the House of Representatives, and state senator of Florida. His entire estate was swept away as the result of the civil war. The son was educated at Caroline Military Institute, and West Point Military Academy. He began his career as a clerk at $15 per month in a general merchandise store at Quincy, Fla. Not long
afterward he entered the railroad field, becoming assistant and resident civil engineer for the Plant railroad system (1882). Three years later he
entered the employment of the Florida Southern Railroad Co., but severed his connection in April 1887, and since then he has been engaged in the real estate business. Mr. Gilchrist belonged to the Florida militia, serving on the staff of Gov. Fleming and of Gov. Perry as colonel and inspector-general, and rising to the rank of brigadier-general. He was appointed, in 1896, a member of the board of visitors at West Point. Two years later he resigned his position of brigadier-general and enlisted as a private in company C, 3d United States volunteer infantry, serving in Santiago province, Cuba, during the Spanish-American war, being mustered out of service in May, 1899, with the rank of captain. During 1893-1905 he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, acting as speaker during the last year, and in November, 1908, was elected governor of Florida by a majority of 26,583 votes over the Republican candidate. During his administration the state legislature enacted laws regulating the practice of osteopathy and dentistry; provisions were made for sanitariums for the treatment of tuberculosis, also a pure-food law and laws for the suppression of contagious diseases in live stock, and to prevent corrupt practices at elections were passed. He is unmarried.
p. 59
BRYAN. William James, U S senator was born near Fort Mason, Orange C?.,
Fla. Oct 10, 1870, son of John Milton and Louise Margaret (Norton) Bryan
and a descendant of "William Bryan", who came from England in
1750 and settled in North Carolina with his wife Alice Needham. Their
grandson removed to Florida and became the grandfather of Sen. Bryan.
On the maternal side the latter is descended from the earliest Huguenots
who came to the United States. His father, a planter, was for many years
prominent in state politics, having served as state senator and railroad
commissioner. Mr. Bryan's early life was spent on a farm. He attended
the Osceola High School, Kissimmee, Fla., studying in the meantime at
home in order to prepare for Emory College which he entered at the age
of sixteen. During his junior year he enjoyed the unusual distinction
of being placed on the college debating team and won high honors. He was
graduated B. A. in 1896 with class honors. He taught school at Monticello
for one year and worked on a plantation the next, simultaneously studying
law preparatory to entering Washington and Lee University, Lexington,
Va. By intense application he completed the usual two-year course of that
institution in one year and represented it in the intercollegiate oratorical
and debuting contests, graduating with the degree of B. L. in 1899. In
1899 he became a member of the law firm of Barrs & Bryan, at Jacksonville,
Fla. But a year later he opened an office by himself, and subsequently
formed a partnership with his brother, the firm being Bryan tense and
enthusiastic workers in Florida. He was a man of high ideals and wrought
fearlessly
for civic cleanliness and progress. He crowded an entire lifetime, all
of it honorable, into a dozen years. Although working almost literally
night and day he rarely refused to respond to the many calls he received
for public addresses, his most notable oration being the address at the
centenary anniversary of the birth of Gen. Robert E. bee, on Jan. 19,
1907. Mr. Bryan was married in 1903 to Janet G., daughter of Col. William
Allan of Lexington, Va., a stuff officer of Stonewall Jackson, afterward
professor of mathematics at Washington and Lee University, and Elizabeth
Randolph Preston, a great-granddaughter of Edmund Randolph, secretary
of state under Washington. He died at Washington. D. C., March 22, 1908,
survived by his widow, a son and a daughter.
p.236-237
MILTON, William Hall, lawyer and U. S. senator, was born in Jackson county,
Fla., Mar. 2, 1864, son of William Henry and Susan Hall (Hearn) Milton.
His first American ancestor was John Milton, who came from England and
settled in Halifax county, N. C., about 1730. He married Mary Farr, and
their son, John Milton, became one of the heroic figures in Georgia history,
fighting throughout the revolutionary war, and for a time being the ruling
power in his state. He married Hannah E. Spencer and their son was Gen.
Homer Virgil Milton, who rendered gallant services in the war of 1812.
He married Elizabeth Robinson, and their son, John Milton, (q.v.) became
governor of Florida in 1860. He married Susan Amanda Cobb, and was the
grandfather of the subject of this sketch. After a preliminary education
in the public and private schools of Marianna, Mr. Milton entered the
Agricultural and Mechanical College at Auburn, Ala., where he remained
until he completed the sophomore year and left there a qualified surveyor.
On returning to Marianna he engaged in merchandising, but continued in
that business only about four years. His innate interest in politics led
to his taking an active part in the campaign of 1885 and he was elected
to the legislature in 1888; in the meantime studying law and being admitted
to the bar in 1890. He became interested in an official capacity in the
banking business the same year, and banking has largely received his time
and attention ever since. He has, too, been an influential factor in state
politics and since 1886 has attended as a delegate every state and congressional
district Democratic convention, serving two terms on the state Democratic
executive committee and on the congressional district committee. In 1888
he was elected to represent Jackson county in the state legislature and
served with ability in that body. He was clerk and treasurer of Marianna
for eight years and was court commissioner by appointment of Judge McClellan.
He was presidential elector in 1892 and was appointed U. S. surveyor general
by Pres. Cleveland in 1894, holding this position until his resignation
in 1897, when he retired to again enter the banking business. In 1898
the people of Marianna demanded his services as mayor and nominated and
elected him over his protests, when there was an active, strong candidate
already in the field. He served two terms and positively declined reelection
to a third. In 1900 he was a candidate for governor and in the state Democratic
convention was the recipient of a large vote made up of some of the best
and ablest men in Florida, who loyally stood by his colors for four days,
until he released them in order that a nomination might be made. On Mar.
27, 1908, Gov. Broward appointed him U. S. senator to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Sen. William J. Bryan, and he served until March
3, 1909. In line with his policy of upbuilding, he completed in 1908 one
of the most beautiful and elegantly-furnished banking houses in the state,
for the use of the First National Bank of Marianna, of which he is vice-president
and cashier. The extent of his interests and scope of his activities may
be judged by the number of important institutions with which he is connected.
He is president of the Milton Land and Investment Co., president of the
Southern Life and Accident Insurance Co., president of the First National
Bank of DeFuniak Springs, president of the Bank of Blountstown, vice-president
of the Bank of Panama
City, vice-president of the Florida Home Insurance Co., director of the
Cottondale State Bank of Cottondale, Fla., Central State Bank of Campbellton,
Fla., Bank of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fla., American National Bank of
Pensacola, Fla., secretary and treasurer of the Marianna Manufacturing
Co., treasurer of the Chipola Transportation Co., president of the Marianna
Telephone Exchange, a member of the board of bond trustees of Jackson
county, and has for ten years been president of the board of managers
of the Florida State Reform School. He is a member of three patriotic
societies -
the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and
the Society of the Cincinnati, being vice-president of the latter for
the state of
Georgia. Among the fraternal orders he is a Pythian, a Mason, and a member
of the Alpha Tau Omega Greek letter fraternity. Mr. Milton was married,
Nov.
23, 1893, to Sarah S., daughter of James S. Baker, of Greenwood, Fla.
They have had six children, of whom five are now living, as follows: Lucy
Hall, Elizabeth Ferrall, Sarah Baker, Homer Virgil, and Mary Bruce Milton.
p.388-389
THE NATIONAL CYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY BEING THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE LIVES OF THE FOUNDERS,
BUILDERS, AND DEFENDERS OF THE REPUBLIC, AND OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO
ARE DOING THE WORK AND MOULDING THE
THOUGHT OF THE PRESENT TIME
EDITED ?Y DISTINGUISHED BIOGRAPHERS, SELECTED FROM EACH STATE
REVISED AND APPROVED BY THE MOST EMINENT HISTORIANS, SCHOLARS, AND STATESMEN
OF THE DAY
SUPPLEMENT I
NEW YORK, JAMES T. WHITE & COMPANY, 1910
Contributed by Robyn