Thomas Palmer (Florida politician)

Thomas Palmer (1859–1946) was an American lawyer, developer, and politician in Florida representing Tampa. He served in the Florida Senate including as President of the Florida Senate.

Thomas Palmer
Member of the Florida Senate
In office
1896, 1897, 1901
Personal details
Born1859 (1859)
Washington County, Georgia
Died (aged 87)
Tampa, Florida
Spouse
Ruby Brooks
​
​
(m. 1899; died 1945)​
OccupationLawyer, politician
Signature

Biography

Thomas Palmer was born in Washington County, Georgia in 1859.[1]

He earned a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1888.[2]

He moved to Tampa in 1889, and shortly afterward was elected mayor of Brooksville, Florida.[1][2]

He married Ruby Brooks in April 1899.[1]

He was a state senator in 1896 and 1897.[3] In 1901, he represented Tampa and the 11th District.[4]

He proposed stone tablets dating to Spanish occupation in Florida be incorporated into an expansion of the Florida State Capitol. The tablets and the owner's home furnishings were acquired instead by Henry Flagler.

A lawyer and developer, he was involved in the development of the Palma Ceia neighborhood of Tampa.[5][6]

In 1926 he was recorded as owning Palma Ceia Springs (sometimes formerly written as Palmaceia Springs).[7] A pool was built on the site and a streetcar stop was part of the Port Tampa to Ballast Point line.[8] What remains of the spring can be found at Fred Ball Park alongside Bayshore Boulevard.[9]

In 1909, he was involved in organizing a citrus exchange and used the one in California as a model.[10] He reported the headquarters of the Florida Citrus Exchange would be located in Tampa.[11]

Thomas Palmer died at his home in Tampa on August 11, 1946.[2]

References
  1. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. VI. James T. White & Company. 1896. p. 166. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. "Thos. Palmer, Noted Tampa Lawyer, Dies". The Tampa Tribune. August 12, 1946. p. 1. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. State, Florida Office of Secretary of (July 23, 1896). "Report" – via Google Books.
  4. "Acts and Resolutions Adopted by the Legislature of Florida". W. & C. Julian Bartlett. July 23, 1901 – via Google Books.
  5. "What's in a Name?".
  6. "7 Founding Figures in South Tampa History". February 20, 2019.
  7. Survey (U.S.), Geological (July 23, 1926). "Water Supply Paper". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  8. Kaiser, Robert J. (July 23, 1999). Tampa: The Early Years. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738502250 – via Google Books.
  9. "A defender of freshwater springs restores one in Tampa". Tampa Bay Times.
  10. "Fruit Trade Journal and Produce Record". Fruit Trade Journal Company. July 23, 1909 – via Google Books.
  11. Hopkins, James T. (July 23, 1960). "Fifty Years of Citrus: The Florida Citrus Exchange, 1909-1959". University of Florida Press – via Google Books.
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