Joseph B. Lancaster | |
|---|---|
 Lancaster in 1847 | |
| 4th Mayor of Jacksonville | |
| In office 1846–1847 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Oliver Wood |
| 3rd Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office November 27, 1847 – December 23, 1847 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Brown |
| Succeeded by | John Chain |
| Justice of the Florida Supreme Court | |
| In office 1848–1850 | |
| Preceded by | George W. MacRae |
| Succeeded by | Walker Anderson |
| 1st Mayor of Tampa | |
| In office February 14, 1856 – November 25, 1856 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Darwin A. Branch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1790 (1790) |
| Died | November 25, 1856(1856-11-25) (aged 65–66) |
| Party | Whig |
| Spouse | Annie Blair |
| Profession | Politician |
Joseph Bradford Lancaster (1790 – November 25, 1856) was an American lawyer andWhig politician who served on theFlorida Supreme Court from 1848 to 1850. An important figure in Florida law and politics, he was the last justice under the system in which the circuit court judges served also on the supreme court. He served asMayor ofJacksonville, Florida from 1846 to 1847 and as the firstMayor ofTampa, Florida in 1856.
Lancaster was born inKentucky in 1790, the son of John and Catherine Miles Lancaster. He married Annie Blair, the daughter of aPresbyterian minister, in 1815. Heread law, was admitted to the Kentuckybar, and opened a practice inBardstown andLebanon. He moved to Florida at the behest of former Bardstown resident Florida GovernorWilliam Pope DuVal. DuVal appointed him assistant secretary to theEast Florida land commission. Lancaster opened a legal practice inSt. Augustine.
He gained admission to the bar of theFlorida Territorial Court of appeals and appointment to theFlorida Territorial Legislative Council in 1825. He entered the lists politically when he defended Judge Joseph L. Smith against charges of abuse of power. The following year he was appointedjustice of the peace ofSt. Johns County, Florida. He became judge of theAlachua County court in 1827 and conducted county's1830 federal census. In 1831 the president appointed him the Port of St. Johns atJacksonville's first collector. He was elected chief clerk of the territorial council in 1833 and for six successive years.
Governor DuVal appointed himDuval County lumber inspector in 1834. He served with distinction as a militia officer in theSecond Seminole War and was badly wounded nearMicanopy. Duval County voters elected him to the territorial house in 1839 and 1840 and yearly from 1842 to 1844. He presided over the house in 1843 and 1844. In 1845, he was nominated to run for Congress, but had to withdraw. The following year, the legislature appointedBenjamin D. Wright andGeorge W. MacRae to the circuit court instead of Lancaster.
In 1846 Lancaster becameMayor ofJacksonville, serving one two-year term from 1846 to 1847. He was subsequently elected to theFlorida House of Representatives, in an election tainted by accusations of election fraud. He was electedSpeaker of the House, and the membership humorously revolved to rename the chamber the "House of Lancaster" and to wear red roses. The following year, he was appointed to the Southern Supreme Court. His impartiality and sound judgement refuted his critics fears. In 1850, thesupreme court and the circuit court were separated, and he served on the circuit court until 1853, when he lost a three-way popular election. In 1852, the collapse of theWhig party prompted him to move to theAmerican Party. Financial troubles led him to move toTampa. He was elected Tampa's firstMayor on February 16, 1856.
He is buried atOaklawn Cemetery in Tampa and has a memorial stone at Jacksonville'sOld City Cemetery.[1]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None | Mayor of Tampa 1856–1856 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by unknown | Mayor of Jacksonville 1846–1847 | Succeeded by |
