Leland Speed (October 20, 1899 – August 8, 1971) was an investment banker and former mayor of Jackson, Mississippi and the husband of

Katherine Ettl Katherine Rhymes Speed Ettl (April 7, 1911 – January 10, 1993) was an American sculptor. She designed many bronze statues, including the one of President Andrew Jackson outside the Jackson City Hall. Life Ettl was born on April 7, 1911, in Mo ...

Biography

Speed was born on October 20, 1899, in

Covington County, Mississippi Covington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,568. Its county seat is Collins. The county is named for U.S. Army officer and Congressman Leonard Covington. History Covingto ...

, to Joseph W. and Nebraska Pickering Speed. He received a business degree from Bowling Green College. He ran for mayor successfully in 1945, defeating incumbent Walter Scott. He ran again in 1949, but was defeated by

Allen C. Thompson Allen Cavett Thompson (November 6, 1906 – October 18, 1980) was an American politician in the state of Mississippi. Affiliated with the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served in the Mississippi House of Representativ ...

. He died of "an apparent heart attack" at his home in Jackson on August 8, 1971. The library at Mississippi College is named after Speed. The funds for the library were given by his children.

Personal life

Speed married Katherine Rhymes in 1931. They had five children: Leland Rhymes (1932–2021), James (1934–1935), Joseph Liston, Shellie (Speed) Bartlett, and Lake Chambers (born 1948).

References

Mayors of Jackson, Mississippi 1899 births 1971 deaths People from Covington County, Mississippi American investment bankers {{Mississippi-mayor-stub