"Today in Florida History"

for December

1845                 David Levy Yulee and James D. Westcott, Jr., took their seats in the United States Senate today as the first senators from Florida.  Yulee was from St. Augustine, while Westcott was from Tallahassee.  David Levy Yulee won the long term of office, which ended on March 3, 1851, while Westcott’s term expired on March 3, 1849.  The decision was made by lot.  Yulee would later serve in the Senate of the Confederate States of America and Westcott would become the Attorney General of Florida in 1868.

                        Yulee, who had previously served as the delegate from Florida in the 27th, 28th and 29th Congress, was a large land owner and entrepreneur.  He would be the force behind the first cross-peninsula railroad that ran from Fernandina on the Atlantic Coast to Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico.  The railroad opened in 1860, but was almost immediately shut down with the outbreak of the War between the States.

1861                 Confederate General Braxton E. Bragg reported that he had approximately 3,000 men under his command in Pensacola, but arms for only about 600 of them.

1862                 The Union ship, the U.S.S. Sagamore, today captured the blockade-runner, By George, off the coast of the Indian River.  The captured vessel was carrying a cargo of coffee and salt.

                        The United States gunboat, Tioga, captured the schooner Nonsuch, after a four- hour chase.  Although the Nonsuch was flying British colors, she was carrying a cargo of coffee and cartridge paper.  She was taken to Key West for adjudication.

1864                 The Florida Methodist Conference began its annual meeting in Madison today.  The Conference had 8,641 white members and 5,169 African-American members.

                        The Florida Legislature today approved an appropriation for $60,000 to care for the sick and wounded soldiers of the state.

1928                 The first air line service between Miami and New York was inaugurated today by Pitcairn Airlines (later known as Eastern Airlines).

1945                 Delta Airlines began operating in Florida today with DC-3 service from Miami to Jacksonville. 

1969                 Eckerd Drugs of Florida, Incorporated,  was reincorporated as Jack Eckerd Corporation today.  The first Eckerd drug store opened in Clearwater in 1952.

1839                 Robert Raymond Reid, the fourth Territorial governor of Florida (December 2, 1839-August 11, 1844), took office today.  Reid was born in Prince William Parish, South Carolina on September 8, 1789.  He was educated in Augusta, Georgia, and practiced law there.  At age 27, Reid became the judge of the Burke County (GA) Superior Court.  In 1832, President Andrew Jackson appointed him the United States Judge of east Florida.  He continued in this office until he was appointed governor by President Martin Van Buren on December 2, 1839.  Reid presided over the Constitutional Convention at St. Joseph (See entry for December 3).  He died in Leon County on July 1, 1841.

1862                 Colonel William G. M. Davis of the 1st Florida Cavalry received his appointed today as a Brigadier General and was assigned to command Confederate forces at Knoxville and parts of East Tennessee.

                        The Florida Comptroller, Walter Gwynn, reported that the state expended $958,260.76 during the fiscal year that ended on October 31.  The state received $1,068,397.58 in taxes and other revenues.

1863                 As of this date, Federal naval authorities reported that thirty-four Union ships were attached to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, which enforced the naval blockade of Florida from Cape Canaveral on the East Coast to St. Andrews Bay on the Gulf Coast.

                        Men from the Federal bark, Restless, laying at anchor at St. Andrews Bay, marched inland to Lake Ocala.  At Lake Ocala, they destroyed three separate salt works belonging to a Mr. Kent.  The operations, which could produce 130 pounds of salt per day, were worked by a force of seventeen men, who were captured and paroled.  In addition to the boilers, two flatboats, six oxcarts and other equipment were destroyed.  A large quantity of salt was thrown into the lake.

1910                 Charles E. Bennett, former congressman from Jacksonville, was born today in Canton, New York.  Bennett has the distinction of being the member of Congress with the record of casting the greatest number of consecutive roll-call votes in U.S. history.  Bennett died in 2003.

1925                 The Florida Cattle Tick Eradication Committee, founded in 1916, formally changed its name today to the Florida State Chamber of Commerce at a meeting in St. Petersburg.

1957                 Atlantic Beach, first incorporated in 1926, was re-chartered today as a city.

                        December 2 is a favorite launch date for NASA.  On this date, the following shuttle launches took place:

                                    1988                 STS-27

                                    1990                 STS-35

                                    1992                 STS-53

                                    1993                 STS-61

1825                 President John Quincy Adams confirmed the selection of Pensacola as the site for the construction of a United States Navy Yard.

1838                 Florida’s first constitutional convention opened today at St. Joseph [near present-day Port St. Joe].  Fifty-six representatives from Florida’s 20 counties gathered to write a constitution in anticipation of statehood.  The convention lasted until January 11, 1839.  Interestingly, the document drafted by these men prohibited bank officers, clergymen, and duelists from being elected to the Legislature, governor’s office, or United States Senator.  The convention’s efforts were for naught, since statehood would be delayed for another six years.  When Florida became a state on March 3, 1845, the document drafted at St. Joseph served as the basis for the first state constitution.

1863                 Governor John Milton signed the legislative bill today incorporating the Monticello and Thomasville railroad Company.

1864                 A Federal task force, using men from the U.S.S. Nita, Stars and Stripes, Hendrick Hudson, Ariel, and Two Sisters destroyed a large salt works at Rocky point, near Tampa Bay today.  Seven boilers and other equipment were destroyed.  There were no casualties.

1963                 The St. Lucie County Historical Commission was created at Fort Pierce today.

1765                 Zephaniah Kingsley, pioneer land owner at Fort George Island, was born today in Scotland.  Kingsley Plantation, near Jacksonville, is open to visitors each day. 

1862                 Colonel Caraway Smith of the 2nd Florida cavalry was assigned to command the coastal defenses of Florida from Dead Man’s Bay west to Dickerson Bay.  Smith’s headquarters was at Camp Leon near Tallahassee.

1864                 Brigadier General Robert Bullock of the 7th Florida infantry regiment was severely wounded today in fighting near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Jacob A. Lash, major, took over command until a replacement arrived.

                        The blockade runner Peep O’Day was captured today by boats from the U.S.S. Pursuit near the Indian River.  The Peep O’Day was carrying a cargo of cotton.

1925                 Newspapers reported today that more than 600,000 persons were living in tents as migration outstripped the ability of builders to construct new homes during the “Florida Boom.”

                        Gilchrist County, Florida’s 67th county, was established today by the Florida Legislature.  Named for Albert Waller Gilchrist, the 20th governor of Florida (January 5, 1909-January 7, 1913).  The county seat is Trenton.  Gilchrist was a descendant of both George Washington and James Madison.  A bachelor, he left his estate of $500,000 to charity.

1925                 J. B. Johnson assumed office as the Attorney General of Florida today.  He served until June 4, 1927, when he was replaced by Fred H. Davis.

1925                 Justice Rivers H. Buford assumed a position on the Florida Supreme Court.  By the end of his tenure on March 1, 1948, he had written more opinions (by name) than any other justice.  The 2,657 opinions he wrote under this own name was supplemented by an additional 300-400 anonymously on behalf of the entire court.

1959                 “Sam,” a NASA test monkey, survived a trip into outer space and returned to Earth, paving the way for humans to travel in space.

1964                 Nova University was incorporated today.  Privately operated and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Nova University is one of the fastest growing higher education institutions in Florida.

1862                 The Florida Treasurer announced today that the State of Florida had issued $1,886,640.15 in treasury notes as of this date.  Of these notes, $1,486,601.28 was in circulation.

1863                 Federal General Alexander Asboth reported that Confederate forces were fortifying a position at Fifteen-Mile Station.  Asboth also reported that large numbers of deserters were coming through his lines to take the oath of allegiance to the Union.

1864                 Governor John Milton signed into law a bill that created special courts for trying slaves, free Negroes, and mulattos accused of capital offenses.  Milton also signed a bill that places all white male inhabitants of Florida between the ages of 16 and 55 into militia service.

1883                 Citizens of Tallahassee held a public meeting today to develop a plan for financing the city’s first public library.

1886                 Citizens of Pensacola woke up this morning to a blanket of snow on the ground.  More than one-half inch of the “white rain” fell on Florida’s second city. 

1918                 The Florida House of representatives rejected statewide suffrage for women by a vote of 31-37.

1822                 Eberhard Faber, the pencil manufacturer whose purchase and clear cutting of hundred of thousands of acres of cedar both fueled the economy of  Cedar Key and ultimately led to its economic demise, was born in Germany.

1861                 Governor John Milton today signed the bill changing the name of New River County to Bradford County in honor of Captain Richard Bradford, who was killed in the Battle of Santa Rosa Island on October 9, 1861.

1862                 Governor John Milton signed a bill today suspending the collection of taxes in counties under Union control.

1864                 The U.S.S. Sunflower today captured the Confederate sloop, Pickwick, along the Gulf Coast near St. George’s Sound.

                        Governor John Milton called for the restoration of 3-days-a-week mail service between Gainesville and Tampa.  The service had been reduced to a once-a-week run.

1947                 Today, President Harry  S. Truman dedicated the Everglades National Park in ceremonies held in the town of Everglades.

1957                 Today the test satellite Vanguard exploded two seconds after it was launched at Cape Canaveral. 

1965                 In an unusual experiment, astronaut James Lovell, aboard Gemini 7, became the first person to fly in space without protective gear, wearing only his underwear!                                                                         

TODAY IS PEARL HARBOR DAY.  ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, AMERICAN NAVAL AND LAND FORCES WERE SURPRISED BY A MASSIVE AIR RAID BY JAPANESE CARRIER BASED PLANES.  THIS “DAY OF INFAMY” SIGNALED THE UNITED STATES’ ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR II.  TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY SALUTES THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AT PEARL HARBOR AND IN THE YEARS OF WARFARE TO COME.

1821                 Pensacola’s First United Methodist Church was established as a Methodist mission in this Panhandle city.

1861                 John K. Mitchell was appointed Commander in the Confederate Navy, while Henry K. Stevens received a commission as Lieutenant.  Both men were Floridians.

1863                 The commander of the U.S.S. Sagamore received orders to proceed to the mouth of the Suwannee River and to capture two river pilots stationed there.  The pilots were suspected of piloted three Confederate steamers carrying contraband up the river at the end of their voyages to Havana.

1864                 The Federal blockade at Fernandina was lifted by order of Union President Abraham Lincoln.  Ships of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron were ordered by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgreen to obey this order, but to carefully screen the incoming ships to ensure they had not visited other ports that were still blockaded.

1918                 Sidney J. Catts, Florida’s only Prohibition governor, called the Legislature into session to ratify the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages.

1941                 Some 360 Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor.  Five American battleships were sunk, 14 smaller ships were destroyed, and 200 aircraft were obliterated.  Tragically, more than 2,000 seamen were killed, along with 400 civilians.  More than 1,300 were wounded.  Japanese losses were 29 airplanes, five midget submarines, and 100 killed.

1969                 Testimony continued today in the murder trial of Miami native, Lieutenant William Calley, who was charged with killing Vietnamese  civilians at Mylai, in Songmy Province, South Vietnam, on March 16, 1968.

1972                 Apollo 17 was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center.  This was the last manned moon shot in the NASA moon series.  Eugene A. Cernan and Harrison H. Schmitt land on the moon’s surface, while Ronald E. Evans remained in the command ship.  The astronauts spent a total of 75 hours on the lunar surface, and, in addition to collecting specimens, left a permanent plaque, signed by President Richard M. Nixon and the astronauts, on the part of their space ship that remained behind.

1824                 The first Presbyterian Church in Florida was incorporated at St. Augustine.

1862                 The Pensacola and Georgia Railroad was opened to Gee Gee’s Turnout, four miles from Quincy. 

1863                 The Florida Sentinel suspended publication today because of a lack of paper.

                        Former State paymaster, R.C. Williams, was cleared of charges made in November that he had defaulted with $11,400 in state funds.

1886                 The City of Arcadia was incorporated today.

1891                 Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns, the eleventh governor of Florida (acting) died today at Palatine Bridge, New York.  He served from March 18, 1874 until January 2, 1877.   Stearns was born at Lovell, Maine, on April 29, 1839.  He was educated at Waterville (now Colby) College.  He left college to join the Union army in 1861.  Stearns lost an arm at the Battle of Winchester.  Achieving the rank of First Lieutenant, he transferred to the Freedman’s Bureau and was stationed at Quincy, Florida.  In 1868, he served in the constitutional convention and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives from 1868 until 1872.  In 1869, Stearns was elected Speaker .  In 1869, he was appointed the United States Surveyor-General for Florida by Ulysses S. Grant, a position he held until 1873. 

                        In 1872, Stearns was elected Lieutenant Governor and became Governor upon the death of Governor Ossian Bingley Hart.  Defeated in his bid for election to a regular term, Stearns was appointed United States Commissioner at Hot Springs, Arkansas, a position he held until 1880.

1928                 Dale Van Sickle, an end on the University of Florida football team, was named to the Associated Press’ All-American football team.

1825                 The City of Tallahassee was incorporated today.

1825                 Washington County, Florida’s twelfth county, was established today.  The county was named in honor of President George Washington.  The county seat of Washington County is Chipley.

1861                 The Calhoun rangers, activated by Special State Order 83, reported for duty today at Camp Milton, near Apalachicola.

1863                 The Federal Navy reported the U.S.S. Circassin would serve as a supply ship operating between Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic Coast of Florida and the coast of Texas.

1864                 The Florida Brigade, consisting of the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Florida Infantry regiments attacked Federal positions at Bellfield, Virginia, today after a two-day march.  Federal units refused to become involved in combat and the Florida units returned to their camp.

1933                 WMBR Radio, founded in Tampa in 1927, was licensed to operate in Jacksonville.

1943                 Dennis J. Patrick O’Grady, reputed to be the youngest ever member of the Florida Senate, was born today in Brooklyn, New York.  O’Grady was elected in 1967, following a special court-ordered statewide apportionment general election.  When elected, O’Grady was 23 years and 3 months old. 

1960                 The New River Tunnel, the first in Florida open to vehicular traffic, was opened today.

1985                 Polls released today show Floridians joined other Americans (47%) who think President Ronald Reagan lied about his knowledge of the diversion of funds from the sale of arms to Iran to fund the Contra movement in Nicaragua.    Special prosecutor Lawrence E. Walsh, former president of the American Bar Association, conducted an investigation of the Iran-Contra affair.  Reagan’s public approval rating dropped from 67% to 46% as a result of the investigation and congressional hearings on the matter.

1810                 The sixth (acting) governor of Florida (April 1, 1865-May 19, 1865), Abraham Kurkindolle Allison, was born today in Jones County, Georgia.  Allison had earlier served a brief term as Acting governor (September 16-October 3, 1853) when Governor Thomas Brown and Senate President R. J. Floyd were both out of the state at the same time.  (For more information of A. K. Allison, see the entry for July 8.)

1842                 The Florida Journal for today announced the start of the 1843 race season at Tallahassee would begin on January 10.

1861                 General Braxton E. Bragg, on duty in Pensacola, reported that he was having great difficulty persuading his troops to reenlist for the “duration of the war.”  Many of the initial 90-day terms of enlistment were expiring and some troops were ready to abandon their units and go home.

1862                 The Federal ship, U.S.S. Sagamore, reported the capture of the British blockade-runner, Alicia, near the Indian River on the Atlantic Coast.

1862                 The M. Sandford, a Federal transport steamer, was reported aground near the Turtle Harbor Lighthouse.  A contingent of the 156th New York Volunteers was aboard.  The U.S.S. Gemstock and the U.S.S. Blackston evacuated the 500 men and officers of the unit.

1863                 Officers and men from the Union steamer, Bloomer, report the destruction of salt works near St. Andrews Sound this morning.   Twenty-seven buildings, 200 kettles, 2,000 bushels of salt, and warehouses containing enough supplies for three months’ operations were destroyed.  The value of the materiels destroyed was estimated at $500,000 (US).

1864                 The U.S.S. O.H. Lee  captured the British blockade runner, Sort, off Anclote Key today.  The Sort was carrying a cargo of cotton.

1941                 On this day off the coast of Luzon, Philippine Islands, Madison resident Captain Colin Kelly, Jr. was killed in action while piloting an American bomber against attacking Japanese ships.  Although the remainder of his crew managed to bail out of the bomber, Kelly remained at the controls to ensure their safety.  Kelly and his crew were the first American to inflict damage on a Japanese battleship in World War II.

1862                 In action near Fredericksburg, Virginia, today the 8th Florida Infantry Regiment suffered losses.  Twenty men were lost in battle, while an addition 2 were captured. 

1862                 The Florida Methodist Conference met today in Tallahassee.

1863                 The United States bark, Restless, with the assistance of two other Federal ships, the Bloomer and the Caroline, began shelling Confederate works in the town of St. Andrews today.  Confederate forces in the area were stationed there to protect the valuable salt works in the area.

1886                 Horticulturalist Lue Gim Gong settled in DeLand on this day.  Gim Gong’s experiments with producing a hardy and commercially viable orange led to the development of a fruit that today bears his name. 

1941                 Floridians were still reeling at the horror of the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor and other American installations in the Pacific.  They were gearing up for a long and extended battle on two fronts as the United States Congress responded to the declarations of Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini by declaring war on Italy and Germany.  This titanic struggle would be a seminal watershed for the people of Florida.

                        Here are some of the results of World War II on the state.  During the next four years, Floridians would:

                        *construct 1,560 miles of new highways

                        *build the only fully powered concrete ships in the world

                        *drill the first producing oil well in the state in Collier County

                        *be invaded by a small force of German saboteurs at Ponte Vedra Beach

                        *see the state’s permanent population rise from 1,897,144 in 1940 to 2,771,305 in 1950

                        *become home to more than 4,000 German prisoners in 16 sites around the state

1853                 Palatka’s First Presbyterian Church was organized today.

1861                 Under Special Orders No. 264, issued by the Confederate War Department in Richmond, General Braxton E. Bragg’s command was the Florida Panhandle and extended westward to include the Pascagoula Bay and the part of the state of Mississippi that lies east of the Pascagoula River.

1863                 The Union steamer, Bloomer, continued its operations against Confederate salt works on the Gulf Coast.  The Bloomer continued operations in the West Bay area.

1891                 The first Elk’s Lodge (#221) was organized today in Jacksonville.

1932                 Elizabeth J. Johnson, the first republican woman in the Florida Senate, was born today in Catskill, New York.  Ms. Johnson was elected in 1966 from Cocoa Beach.  For five months, the Florida Senate had two Senators named  Beth Johnson.  The second Senator Beth Johnson represented the 19th District (Orlando).

1978                 Mario P. Goderich, a Cuban exile, was appointed to the position of Circuit Court Judge today by Governor Reubin O’D. Askew today.  Goderich became the first Cuban exile to assume such a position in Florida.

1979                 Maria Marinello Korvick, who became the first Hispanic woman to become a Circuit Judge on August 1, 1981, today was appointed a County Judge for Dade County by Governor Bob Graham (See entry for August 1).

1998                 Governor Lawton Chiles, born April 3, 1930, in Lakeland, died today of an apparent heart attack while exercising in the gym at the executive mansion in Tallahassee.  Chiles, who was educated at the University of Florida (B.S., 1952-LL.B., 1955), served 18 years as United States Senator and 8 years as governor, following service in the Florida House of Representatives (1959-1966) and the Florida Senate (1966-1970).  Chiles gained national fame in his campaign for United States senator when he canvassed the entire state on foot.  "Walking Lawton" Chiles was a Democrat.  Twice he defeated Republican candidates for governor.  In 1990, he handily defeated Bob Martinez of Tampa, and in 1994, he narrowly defeated J. E. "Jeb" Bush.

            He is survived by his wife, Rhea, and four children.

1861                 Polk County** was created today by the Florida legislature from lands that had previously constituted parts of Brevard and Hillsborough Counties.  Named for president James Knox Polk, the eleventh president of the United States, Polk County was the 39th Florida County.  (*This citation is taken from Samuel Proctor, Florida A Hundred Years Ago.  This document, published by the Florida Civil War Centennial Commission, is contradicted by Allen Morris, Florida Handbook, which cites February 8, 1861, as the date for the county’s creation.)

1861                 The Florida Legislature approved a one-year moratorium on the payment of taxes for the year 1860-1861.