William Sherman Jennings (March 24, 1863February 27, 1920) was an American politician. He served as the 18th

Governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

after being a lawyer, county judge, and state representative.

Early years and education

He was born near

Walnut Hill, Illinois Walnut Hill is a village in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 95 at the 2020 census. History Walnut Hill was at one time the intersection of two of the main roads in Illinois: the George Rogers Clark Trace, and the Yadda ...

, and attended public schools in Marion County. Jennings graduated from

Southern Illinois University Southern Illinois University is a system of public universities in the southern region of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its headquarters is in Carbondale, Illinois. Board of trustees The university is governed by the nine member SIU Board of Tr ...

in 1883, then studied law at the Union College of Law in Chicago (now named

Northwestern University School of Law Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law is the law school of Northwestern University, a private research university. It is located on the university's Chicago campus. Northwestern Law has been ranked among the top 14, or "T14" law scho ...

). He finished his law studies in Chicago under the supervision of his brother, Charles E. Jennings, who was the

State Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...

for Marion County.Florida International University: Reclaiming the Everglades-biography of William Sherman Jennings
/ref>

Florida

He came to Florida in 1885 and settled in

Brooksville, Florida Brooksville is a city in western Florida and the county seat of Hernando County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,719, up from 7,264 at the 2000 census. Brooksville is home to historic buildings and residence ...

. In 1887, he was appointed circuit court commissioner, and became county judge of

Hernando County, Florida Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill. Hernando County is in ...

, in 1888.

State office

Jennings resigned his office as county judge in 1893 to serve in the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopt ...

, eventually becoming

Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives The speaker is the Speaker (politics), presiding member of the Florida House of Representatives. The Speaker and his staff provide direction and coordination to employees throughout the House and serve the members in carrying out their constitution ...

in 1895. After his term ended, he served as a colonel in the Florida militia, was president of the Brooksville town council and chairman of the Democratic committee. Jennings campaigned for and was elected governor in 1900, taking the oath of office on January 8, 1901. During his term in office, he introduced the statewide

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

system, replacing the previous method of nominating candidates for political office at a convention. The first statewide primary election was conducted in 1902.Florida Division of Historical Resources: Florida Governors' Portraits-William Sherman Jennings
/ref> It was also Jennings idea to drain and develop the Everglades by cutting the natural rock dams in the rivers of south Florida. His term ended on January 3, 1905.

Remaining years

He moved to

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, then Florida's largest city, where he established a successful law practice. He divided his time between a home in Jacksonville and a farm and timber holdings in

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Flo ...

near Middleburg.My Clay Sun: October 11, 2007-W.S. Jennings' name became part of Liberty ship lore
/ref> In 1905, he was appointed by Governor Napoleon B. Broward as general counsel for the Internal Improvement Fund, the state agency responsible for administering public lands. The new governor also favored the development of the Everglades, so in this position, which Jennings held until 1909, he was able to continue leading drainage activities in the Everglades.

Family

Jennings met

May Mann May Mann, born May Vasta Randall, (September 1, 1908 - April 15, 1995) was a Hollywood columnist and freelance writer. She wrote a syndicated column about Hollywood gossip and wrote articles on celebrities for fan magazines. Her "Going Hollywoo ...

at her father's home near Brooksville, and began a courtship.Florida International University: Reclaiming the Everglades-May Mann Jennings
/ref> May's father, Austin Mann, had been a Florida Senator and had just won election to the state house of representatives. When the legislative session began in January, 1891, May went to Tallahassee to serve as her father's aide, with responsibility for her father's appointments, correspondence and hosting social events.Florida Times-Union: April 9, 2003-Wife turns into a good politician by Mary Jo McTammany
/ref> Jennings went to Tallahassee to continue his courtship. He married May Mann on May 12, 1891, and they were escorted down the aisle by the full legislative membership. The newlyweds lived in Brooksville in the William Sherman Jennings House. The couple had one child, a son, Sherman Bryan Jennings. NiagraFallsJennings

Politics and the law were prominent in his family. In addition to his brother, who was a lawyer and state attorney, he was a first cousin to

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

, congressman and three-time Democratic presidential nominee.

Civic activities

Jennings served as a trustee of

Stetson University Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I–4 corridor in Central Florida with the primary undergraduate campus in DeLand. The university was founded in 1883 and was later established in 1887 ...

during the first decade of the twentieth century and was involved in the controversy over whether the

Florida Baptist Convention The Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) is a group of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention located in the U.S. state of Florida. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the convention is made up of 49 Baptist associations and arou ...

would elect the trustees of the university. At one point, the controversy became so heated that Jennings and Lincoln Hulley, the president of the university, engaged in a fistfight in the lobby of the Leon Hotel in

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the populatio ...

Death

Jennings died on February 27, 1920, in

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabi ...

, and was buried in Jacksonville, Florida.

Legacy and honors

The

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Liberty Ship Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Ma ...

was named in his honor.

References

External links

Official Governor's portrait and biography from the State of Florida
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jennings, William Sherman 1863 births 1920 deaths Democratic Party governors of Florida Speakers of the Florida House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Florida lawyers People from Jacksonville, Florida People from Brooksville, Florida William Jennings Bryan family Southern Illinois University alumni Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law alumni