Napoleon B. Broward

Napoleon Broward

Napoleon Bonaparte Broward (born April 19, 1857 in Duval County , Florida , † October 1, 1910 in Jacksonville , Florida) was an American politician and from 1905 to 1909 the 19th governor of the state of Florida.

Early years and political advancement

At the age of twelve, Broward was orphaned after the death of his parents. As a result, he had to earn his living doing various odd jobs. Among other things, he was a laborer on a farm, a sailor and later a helmsman on a steamship and a woodcutter. Before the Spanish-American War of 1898, Broward smuggled weapons to the island for the Cuban insurgents . He received his first public office in 1889 when he was elected sheriff of Duval County. In 1892 and 1896 he was re-elected in this capacity. In 1900 he became a member of the Florida House of Representatives and a member of the Board of Health).

Florida governor

A Democratic Party candidate , Broward was elected governor in 1904. He began his four-year term on January 3, 1905. One of his most important projects was the conversion of wetlands in the Everglades to fertile farmland. To do this, the swamps first had to be drained. The project was financed through an increase in property tax. In fact, it was possible to dry out considerable areas and make them usable for agriculture. This made him known nationwide beyond the borders of Florida. He received federal funding for his project in the Everglades, and President Theodore Roosevelt , a supporter of the idea, came from Washington especially to see the progress of the project. Also in Broward's tenure, the Choctawhatchee National Forest , a nature reserve , was created. There has also been progress in the field of school education. At that time, three notable universities were founded in Florida. The University of Florida , Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes , an agricultural and craft school for blacks, and Florida State College for women.

Further life

Broward was not allowed to run for re-election in 1908 due to a constitutional clause. His time as governor of Florida ended on January 5, 1909. He immediately applied for a seat in the US Senate , which he also won. However, he could not take up his office in Congress because he died in October 1910, before his term in office began in Washington. Napoleon Broward was a second marriage to Annie Douglass, with whom he had nine children.

According to him, Broward County named in Florida.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport Conn. 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Napoleon Broward in the National Governors Association (English)
• Florida Governors' Portraits (English)
• Napoleon B. Broward in the database of Find a Grave (English)