Albert W. Gilchrist

Albert Waller Gilchrist (January 15, 1858 – May 15, 1926) was an American politician who served as the 20th Governor of Florida. A Democrat, Gilchrist was born in South Carolina before moving to Punta Gorda, Florida. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1893 and served as speaker in 1905. Gilchrist is the namesake for Gilchrist County, Florida.

Albert W. Gilchrist
20th Governor of Florida
In office January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913
Preceded by	Napoleon B. Broward
Succeeded by	Park Trammell
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office 1905
Preceded by	Cromwell Gibbons
Succeeded by	Eugene S. Matthews
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office 1903–1905
Preceded by	R. E. Brown
Succeeded by	William H. Hooker
Constituency	DeSoto County
In office 1893–1895
Preceded by	T. O. Parker
Succeeded by	O. T. Stanford
Constituency	DeSoto County
Personal details
Born	January 15, 1858 Greenwood, South Carolina
Died	May 15, 1926 (aged 68) New York, New York
Political party	Democratic
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	Florida State Militia
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War

Early life and education

Born in Greenwood, South Carolina, Gilchrist first attended Carolina Military Institute in Charlotte where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity before attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. He would have graduated in 1882, but he did not because he was deficient in experimental philosophy after three years.[1]

Early career

Gilchrist became a civil engineer and real estate dealer before settling in Punta Gorda, Florida to become an orange grower. He served in the Florida state militia until 1898, reaching the rank of brigadier general, when he left to serve in the U.S. Army during the Spanish–American War. He reached the rank of captain in the regular army, before being discharged in 1899.[1]

Gilchrist as the Speaker of the Florida House in April 1905.

Public service

In 1893, Gilchrist was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, serving until 1897. He represented DeSoto County, Florida. He returned in 1903, and in 1905 he became Speaker of the Florida House and left the legislature.[2]

Gilchrist was elected governor in 1908, taking the oath of office on January 5, 1909. As governor, Gilchrist prioritized public health. He left office on January 7, 1913.[1]

Death

Gilchrist died on May 15, 1926, in New York, New York. Upon hearing that the former Governor was dying in a New York hospital, the Florida Legislature quickly introduced and passed a bill naming Gilchrist County after him. Upon his death, the bachelor governor left a large portion of his estate to local orphans.[3]

The Gilchrist Bridge, which carries U.S. Route 41 bridge over the Peace River from Punta Gorda to Port Charlotte, Florida, is named after the governor. A dormitory at Florida State University is also named after the former governor.

Controversy

In 2020, Teddy Ehmann, president of the Charlotte County Historical Society, urged the Punta Gorda City Council to rename Gilchrist Park, of which Gilchrist was the namesake for. In his letter to the council, Ehmann called Gilchrist a "Southern racist" and asked the council to recognize the indigenous Calusa tribe.[4]

Theresa Murtha, director of the Punta Gorda History Center, called the proposal "outrageous". She pointed out Gilchrist's legacy as the only Governor of Florida from Punta Gorda, as well as his role in the foundation of the city.[4] Former cataloger Lynn Harrell claimed Gilchrist hired a crew of seven to eight black railroad employees, adding that "he wouldn’t have had a Black crew” if he was a racist.[4]

References

1. Florida historical society (1909). Florida Edition: Makers of America, Vol. II. Atlanta, GA: A. B. Caldwell. p. 87. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
2. Ward, Robert (2010). The People of Lawmaking in Florida 1822 - 2010. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida House of Representatives.
3. Buccellato, Robert. "Florida Governors: Lasting Legacies by Robert Buccellato with a foreword by Gov. Wayne Mixson | Arcadia Publishing Books". Arcadiapublishing.com. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
4. Bryson, Anna (July 8, 2020). "Proposal to rename Gilchrist Park criticized". Sun Port Charlotte. Retrieved December 28, 2020.

External links

• Albert W. Gilchrist at Find a Grave