Theodore Hartridge Willard was a sheriff, mayor, state legislator,[1] and merchant in Florida. He lived in High Springs, Florida. He served as a Captain with a volunteer company of Confederates in Florida during the American Civil War.[2] He was involved in a contested election in 1881 for a Florida Senate seat.[3] He prevailed and served in the Florida Senate representing Madison County, Florida.[4]
He testified that "colored" women and daughters threatened to hurt their husbands and fathers if they did not vote for Republicans.[5]
The Florida Archives have photos of him with an African American child he "raised".[6] and an 1898 wedding photo with Roberta Brown in High Springs, Florida.[7] The archives also include a photograph of his 3 year-old son Theodore Hartridge Willard Jr. dressed up for a Confederate soldier reunion event.[8]
References
edit- ^ Grenier, Bob (February 16, 2014). Central Florida's Civil War Veterans. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467112024 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Florida Historical Quarterly". Florida Historical Society. February 15, 1965 – via Google Books.
- ^ House, United States Congress (February 15, 1882). "Miscellaneous Documents: 30th Congress, 1st Session - 49th Congress, 1st Session" – via Google Books.
- ^ "General Acts and Resolutions Adopted by the Legislature of Florida". Office of the Floridian and Journal. February 15, 1881 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Congressional Serial Set". U.S. Government Printing Office. February 15, 1882 – via Google Books.
- ^ "President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., Joe Dan Osceola with Maynard Abrams and Horst Grabs". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "Wedding picture of Theodore H. Willard and Alice Roberta Brown - High Springs, Florida". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "Theodore Hartridge Willard, Jr. at the age of three". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 16, 2021.