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{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}}
'''Van C. Swearingen''' (February 2, 1873 - ?) served as [[Florida Attorney General]] from 1917 until 1921 and as mayor of  [[Tallahassee]], [[Florida]] ([[list of mayors of Tallahassee]]). He was succeeded by [[Rivers Buford]].<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=-uxCAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA119&dq="van+c.+swearingen"+florida+attorney+general&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM5bCkr4DgAhVodt8KHSEoBsMQ6AEIJjAA#v=onepage&q="van%20c.%20swearingen"%20florida%20attorney%20general&f=false</ref>
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Van C. Swearingen
| image = VanCiceroSwearingen.jpg
| office = 21st [[Florida Attorney General]]
| governor = [[Sidney Johnston Catts]]
| term_start = September 1, 1917
| term_end = January 4, 1921
| predecessor = [[Thomas F. West]]
| successor = [[Rivers Buford]]
| office1 = 30th [[Mayor of Jacksonville]]
| term_start1 = 1913
| term_end1 = 1915
| predecessor1 = [[William S. Jordan]]
| successor1 = [[J. E. T. Bowden]]
| office2 = Judge of the Municipal Court of [[Jacksonville, Florida]]
| appointer2 = [[Albert W. Gilchrist]]
| term_start2 = 1911
| term_end2 = 1913
| birth_date = {{birth date|1873|2|2}}
| birth_place = [[Nassau County, Florida]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1943|3|3|1873|2|2}}
| death_place = [[Miami, Florida]]
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Alice Padgett|January 1, 1899}}
| children = 6
| education = [[Mercer University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B]])
| occupation = Attorney
}}


'''Van Cicero Swearingen''' (February 2, 1873 – March 3, 1943) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st [[Florida Attorney General]], serving from 1917 until 1921.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/4492d797dc0bd92f85256cb80055fb97/21d3e99c36cfb89385256cc60071795b!OpenDocument|title=Florida Attorney General - Florida Attorneys General (1845 - )|website=myfloridalegal.com|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref>
Swearingen was born in [[Nassau County, Florida]]. An account described hin as being self made. He worked in Jacksonville and served as a judge there.<ref> https://books.google.com/books?id=S9sBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA111&dq="van+c.+swearingen"+florida+attorney+general&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM5bCkr4DgAhVodt8KHSEoBsMQ6AEIRTAG#v=onepage&q="van%20c.%20swearingen"%20florida%20attorney%20general&f=false</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Swearingen was born on February 2, 1873, in [[Nassau County, Florida]]. After being educated in local schools, Swearingen attended [[Mercer University]] in [[Macon, Georgia]], graduating with his [[Bachelor of Laws]] degree in 1899. After graduating, he moved to [[Jacksonville, Florida]], and began a private practice.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S9sBAAAAMAAJ|title=History of Florida|last1=Cutler|first1=Harry Gardner|year=1923}}</ref>

== Political career ==

=== Mayor of Jacksonville ===
In 1911, Governor [[Albert W. Gilchrist]] appointed Swearingen, a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], to Jacksonville's [[Municipal Court|municipal court]].<ref name=":0" /> He served on the court until 1913, when he successfully ran for [[List of mayors of Jacksonville, Florida|mayor of Jacksonville]], defeating [[Socialist Party of America|Socialist]] Thomas W. Cox with over 92% of the vote.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/unf%3A21589/datastream/OBJ/view/History_of_Jacksonville__Florida__and_vicinity__1513_to_1924.pdf|title=History of Jacksonville, Florida and Vicinity 1513 to 1924|last=Davis|first=T. Frederick|publisher=San Marco Bookstore|year=1990|isbn=0935259066|edition=3|pages=321}}</ref>
As mayor, Swearingen began cracking down on vice, closing the [[Bordello|bordellos]] and keeping minors out of pool halls. This struck a nerve with many in Jacksonville who saw value in the city's [[Red-light district|red light district]]. Swearingen even used spies in the form of undercover police officers to help find hidden bordellos.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150322/NEWS/801241739|title=One hundred years ago, we had a mayoral race for the ages|last=Woods|first=Mark|website=The Florida Times-Union|language=en|access-date=2019-04-15|archive-date=2019-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415174356/https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150322/NEWS/801241739|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Swearingen sought reelection in 1915, though he faced three challengers in the Democratic [[Primary election|primary]]: businessman Rudolph Grunthal, physician Charles Johnson, and former mayor [[J. E. T. Bowden]]. Though Swearingen came in first during the first round of the primary, he was defeated in the runoff by Bowden, receiving just 41.5% of the vote.<ref name=":1" /> Bowden would go on to win in the general election, defeating Socialist I. C. Baldwin.<ref name=":2" />

=== Florida Attorney General ===
In 1917, newly elected Governor [[Sidney Johnston Catts]], a member of the [[Prohibition Party]], appointed the [[incumbent]] Florida Attorney General, [[Thomas F. West]], to the [[Supreme Court of Florida|Florida Supreme Court]]. Seeing Swearingen's efforts in cracking down on Jacksonville's red light district, Catts appointed him to finish the remaining 3 years of West's term.<ref name=":0" />
Swearingen's tenure as Florida Attorney General remains controversial, Swearingen oversaw the implementation of [[Prohibition in the United States|prohibition]] in [[Florida]]. Despite making use of his spy network from Jacksonville, Swearingen was unable to combat [[Rum-running|rum runners]] coming from [[Cuba]] and the [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://staugustinedistillery.com/journal/2016/03/prohibition-times-in-florida/|title=St. Augustine Distillery Prohibition Times In Florida|website=staugustinedistillery.com|access-date=2019-04-15|archive-date=2019-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415174346/http://staugustinedistillery.com/journal/2016/03/prohibition-times-in-florida/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Additionally, the [[Ocoee massacre]] occurred near the end of Swearingen's tenure. In response to African-Americans attempting to vote in November of 1920 in the town of [[Ocoee, Florida]], the entire black community of North Ocoee was razed to the ground, with as many as 56 blacks [[Lynching|lynched]] or burned in their own homes. Swearingen, a noted racist, did nothing in the aftermath of the massacre to bring the perpetrators to justice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ocoee-massacre/|title=Nov. 2, 1920: The Ocoee Massacre|website=Zinn Education Project|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref>

In 1920, Swearingen did not run for reelection, instead deciding to run for Florida governor. Swearingen faced the [[Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives]] [[Cary A. Hardee]] and [[Florida Senate|State Senator]] Lincoln Hulley in the Democratic primary. Swearingen was defeated by Hardee by over 22,000 votes. Hardee would go on to win in the general election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=734469|title=Our Campaigns - FL Governor - D Primary Race - Jun 08, 1920|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref>

After this loss, Swearingen retired, moving to [[Miami|Miami, Florida]], in 1925.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.springfieldheritagecenter.org/Publications/Newsletters/SHEC%20Sampler/Jan2014.pdf|title=The Sampler - January 2014|date=2014|website=Springfield Heritage Center|access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref>

== Personal life and death ==
Swearingen married Alice Padgett on January 1, 1899. They had 6 children together. Additionally, Swearingen was a member of multiple [[Fraternal order|fraternal orders]], including the [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], the [[Shriners]] from Jacksonville's [[Morocco Temple]], the [[Independent Order of Odd Fellows]], and the [[Knights of Pythias]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/duval/bios/swearing217bs.txt|title=Duval County FlArchives Biographies.....Swearingen, Van C. February 2, 1873|last=Rayburn|first=Nancy|date=October 23, 2015|website=USGenWeb|access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref>

Swearingen died at his home in Miami on March 3, 1943.<ref name=":3" />

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin | title=[[1920 United States gubernatorial elections|1920 Florida gubernatorial election]], Democratic primary<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=734469 |title=1920 FL Governor - D Primary |website=Our Campaigns |access-date=April 16, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Cary A. Hardee
|votes = 52,591
|percentage = 59.48%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen
|votes = 30,240
|percentage = 34.20%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Lincoln Hulley
|votes = 5,591
|percentage = 6.32%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 22,351
|percentage = 25.28%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 88,422
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1914 United States elections|1915 Jacksonville mayoral election]], Democratic runoff<ref name=":1" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = J. E. T. Bowden
|votes = 2,655
|percentage = 58.44%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen ([[incumbent|inc.]])
|votes = 1,888
|percentage = 41.56%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 767
|percentage = 16.88%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 4,543
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1914 United States elections|1915 Jacksonville mayoral election]], Democratic primary<ref name=":1" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen ([[incumbent|inc.]])
|votes = 1,541
|percentage = 36.01%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = J. E. T. Bowden
|votes = 1,360
|percentage = 31.78%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Charles W. Johnson
|votes = 1,123
|percentage = 26.24%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Rudolph Grunthal
|votes = 255
|percentage = 5.96%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 181
|percentage = 4.23%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 4,279
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1912 United States elections|1913 Jacksonville mayoral election]], General election<ref name=":1" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen
|votes = 1,364
|percentage = 92.41%
|change = +9.69%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Socialist Party of America
|candidate = Thomas W. Cox
|votes = 112
|percentage = 7.59%
|change = -9.69%
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 1,252
|percentage = 84.82%
|change = +19.38%
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 1,476
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1912 United States elections|1913 Jacksonville mayoral election]], Democratic runoff<ref name=":1" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen
|votes = 2,492
|percentage = 53.78%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = William S. Jordan ([[incumbent|inc.]])
|votes = 2,142
|percentage = 46.22%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 350
|percentage = 7.56%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 4,634
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=[[1912 United States elections|1913 Jacksonville mayoral election]], Democratic primary<ref name=":1" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Van C. Swearingen
|votes = 2,056
|percentage = 46.04%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = William S. Jordan ([[incumbent|inc.]])
|votes = 1,354
|percentage = 30.32%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John Joseph Ahern
|votes = 601
|percentage = 13.46%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = S. T. Shaylor
|votes = 267
|percentage = 5.98%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = G. T. Christie
|votes = 187
|percentage = 4.19%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 702
|percentage = 15.72%
|change = N/A
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 4,465
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Florida Attorneys General}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swearigen, Van C.}}
[[Category:Florida Attorneys General]]
[[Category:Mayors of Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:1873 births]]
[[Category:Date of death unknown]]
[[Category:1943 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Nassau County, Florida]]
[[Category:Politicians from Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Politicians from Miami]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Miami]]
[[Category:Florida Democrats]]
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:American Freemasons]]
[[Category:Prohibition in the United States]]
[[Category:Mercer University alumni]]

Latest revision as of 05:42, 19 August 2023

Van C. Swearingen
21st Florida Attorney General
In office
September 1, 1917 – January 4, 1921
GovernorSidney Johnston Catts
Preceded byThomas F. West
Succeeded byRivers Buford
30th Mayor of Jacksonville
In office
1913–1915
Preceded byWilliam S. Jordan
Succeeded byJ. E. T. Bowden
Judge of the Municipal Court of Jacksonville, Florida
In office
1911–1913
Appointed byAlbert W. Gilchrist
Personal details
Born(1873-02-02)February 2, 1873
Nassau County, Florida
DiedMarch 3, 1943(1943-03-03) (aged 70)
Miami, Florida
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Alice Padgett
​
(m. 1899)​
Children6
EducationMercer University (LL.B)
OccupationAttorney

Van Cicero Swearingen (February 2, 1873 – March 3, 1943) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st Florida Attorney General, serving from 1917 until 1921.[1]

Early life and education[edit]

Swearingen was born on February 2, 1873, in Nassau County, Florida. After being educated in local schools, Swearingen attended Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, graduating with his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1899. After graduating, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and began a private practice.[2]

Political career[edit]

Mayor of Jacksonville[edit]

In 1911, Governor Albert W. Gilchrist appointed Swearingen, a Democrat, to Jacksonville's municipal court.[2] He served on the court until 1913, when he successfully ran for mayor of Jacksonville, defeating Socialist Thomas W. Cox with over 92% of the vote.[3] As mayor, Swearingen began cracking down on vice, closing the bordellos and keeping minors out of pool halls. This struck a nerve with many in Jacksonville who saw value in the city's red light district. Swearingen even used spies in the form of undercover police officers to help find hidden bordellos.[4]

Swearingen sought reelection in 1915, though he faced three challengers in the Democratic primary: businessman Rudolph Grunthal, physician Charles Johnson, and former mayor J. E. T. Bowden. Though Swearingen came in first during the first round of the primary, he was defeated in the runoff by Bowden, receiving just 41.5% of the vote.[3] Bowden would go on to win in the general election, defeating Socialist I. C. Baldwin.[4]

Florida Attorney General[edit]

In 1917, newly elected Governor Sidney Johnston Catts, a member of the Prohibition Party, appointed the incumbent Florida Attorney General, Thomas F. West, to the Florida Supreme Court. Seeing Swearingen's efforts in cracking down on Jacksonville's red light district, Catts appointed him to finish the remaining 3 years of West's term.[2] Swearingen's tenure as Florida Attorney General remains controversial, Swearingen oversaw the implementation of prohibition in Florida. Despite making use of his spy network from Jacksonville, Swearingen was unable to combat rum runners coming from Cuba and the Bahamas.[5]

Additionally, the Ocoee massacre occurred near the end of Swearingen's tenure. In response to African-Americans attempting to vote in November of 1920 in the town of Ocoee, Florida, the entire black community of North Ocoee was razed to the ground, with as many as 56 blacks lynched or burned in their own homes. Swearingen, a noted racist, did nothing in the aftermath of the massacre to bring the perpetrators to justice.[6]

In 1920, Swearingen did not run for reelection, instead deciding to run for Florida governor. Swearingen faced the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Cary A. Hardee and State Senator Lincoln Hulley in the Democratic primary. Swearingen was defeated by Hardee by over 22,000 votes. Hardee would go on to win in the general election.[7]

After this loss, Swearingen retired, moving to Miami, Florida, in 1925.[8]

Personal life and death[edit]

Swearingen married Alice Padgett on January 1, 1899. They had 6 children together. Additionally, Swearingen was a member of multiple fraternal orders, including the Freemasons, the Shriners from Jacksonville's Morocco Temple, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias.[9]

Swearingen died at his home in Miami on March 3, 1943.[8]

Electoral history[edit]

1920 Florida gubernatorial election, Democratic primary[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Cary A. Hardee 52,591 59.48% N/A
Democratic Van C. Swearingen 30,240 34.20% N/A
Democratic Lincoln Hulley 5,591 6.32% N/A
Majority 22,351 25.28% N/A
Turnout 88,422
1915 Jacksonville mayoral election, Democratic runoff[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic J. E. T. Bowden 2,655 58.44% N/A
Democratic Van C. Swearingen (inc.) 1,888 41.56% N/A
Majority 767 16.88% N/A
Turnout 4,543
1915 Jacksonville mayoral election, Democratic primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Van C. Swearingen (inc.) 1,541 36.01% N/A
Democratic J. E. T. Bowden 1,360 31.78% N/A
Democratic Charles W. Johnson 1,123 26.24% N/A
Democratic Rudolph Grunthal 255 5.96% N/A
Majority 181 4.23% N/A
Turnout 4,279
1913 Jacksonville mayoral election, General election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Van C. Swearingen 1,364 92.41% +9.69%
Socialist Thomas W. Cox 112 7.59% -9.69%
Majority 1,252 84.82% +19.38%
Turnout 1,476
1913 Jacksonville mayoral election, Democratic runoff[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Van C. Swearingen 2,492 53.78% N/A
Democratic William S. Jordan (inc.) 2,142 46.22% N/A
Majority 350 7.56% N/A
Turnout 4,634
1913 Jacksonville mayoral election, Democratic primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Van C. Swearingen 2,056 46.04% N/A
Democratic William S. Jordan (inc.) 1,354 30.32% N/A
Democratic John Joseph Ahern 601 13.46% N/A
Democratic S. T. Shaylor 267 5.98% N/A
Democratic G. T. Christie 187 4.19% N/A
Majority 702 15.72% N/A
Turnout 4,465

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Florida Attorney General - Florida Attorneys General (1845 - )". myfloridalegal.com. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  2. ^ a b c Cutler, Harry Gardner (1923). History of Florida.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Davis, T. Frederick (1990). History of Jacksonville, Florida and Vicinity 1513 to 1924 (PDF) (3 ed.). San Marco Bookstore. p. 321. ISBN 0935259066.
  4. ^ a b Woods, Mark. "One hundred years ago, we had a mayoral race for the ages". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  5. ^ "St. Augustine Distillery Prohibition Times In Florida". staugustinedistillery.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  6. ^ "Nov. 2, 1920: The Ocoee Massacre". Zinn Education Project. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - FL Governor - D Primary Race - Jun 08, 1920". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  8. ^ a b "The Sampler - January 2014" (PDF). Springfield Heritage Center. 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  9. ^ Rayburn, Nancy (October 23, 2015). "Duval County FlArchives Biographies.....Swearingen, Van C. February 2, 1873". USGenWeb. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "1920 FL Governor - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
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