This article is about the Florida Supreme Court Justice. For the English Quaker educator, see Joseph Lancaster.
Joseph Bradford Lancaster (1790 – November 25, 1856) was an American lawyer and Whig politician who served on the Florida 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 as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida from 1846 to 1847 and as the first Mayor of Tampa, Florida in 1856.
Lancaster was born in Kentucky in 1790, the son of John and Catherine Miles Lancaster. He married Annie Blair, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, in 1815. He read law, was admitted to the Kentucky bar, and opened a practice in Bardstown and Lebanon. He moved to Florida at the behest of former Bardstown resident Florida Governor William Pope DuVal. DuVal appointed him assistant secretary to the East Florida land commission. Lancaster opened a legal practice in St. Augustine.
He gained admission to the bar of the Florida Territorial Court of appeals and appointment to the Florida 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 appointed justice of the peace of St. Johns County, Florida. He became judge of the Alachua County court in 1827 and conducted county's 1830 federal census. In 1831 the president appointed him the Port of St. Johns at Jacksonville's first collector. He was elected chief clerk of the territorial council in 1833 and for six successive years.
Governor DuVal appointed him Duval County lumber inspector in 1834. He served with distinction as a militia officer in the Second Seminole War and was badly wounded near Micanopy. 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 appointed Benjamin D. Wright and George W. MacRae to the circuit court instead of Lancaster.
In 1846 Lancaster became Mayor of Jacksonville, serving one two-year term from 1846 to 1847. He was subsequently elected to the Florida House of Representatives, in an election tainted by accusations of election fraud. He was elected Speaker 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, the supreme 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 the Whig party prompted him to move to the American Party. Financial troubles led him to move to Tampa. He was elected Tampa's first Mayor on February 16, 1856.
Manley, Walter W., Brown, E. Canter. and Rise, Eric W. "Joseph Bradford Lancaster, Supreme Court Justice, 1848–1851." The Supreme Court of Florida and Its Predecessor Courts, 1821–1917. pp. 128 – 131. University Press of Florida. Gainesville, Florida. 1997. eBook ISBN978-0-8130-2298-7. ISBN978-0-8130-1540-8. at Netlbrary. Online. April 23, 2008.
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This article is about the Florida Supreme Court Justice For the English Quaker educator see Joseph Lancaster Joseph Bradford Lancaster 1790 November 25 1856 was an American lawyer and Whig politician who served on the Florida 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 as Mayor of Jacksonville Florida from 1846 to 1847 and as the first Mayor of Tampa Florida in 1856 Joseph B LancasterLancaster in 18474th Mayor of JacksonvilleIn office 1846 1847Preceded byNoneSucceeded byOliver Wood3rd Speaker of the Florida House of RepresentativesIn office November 27 1847 December 23 1847Preceded byRobert BrownSucceeded byJohn ChainJustice of the Florida Supreme CourtIn office 1848 1850Preceded byGeorge W MacRaeSucceeded byWalker Anderson1st Mayor of TampaIn office February 14 1856 November 25 1856Preceded byNoneSucceeded byDarwin A BranchPersonal detailsBorn1790KentuckyDiedNovember 25 1856Tampa FloridaPolitical partyWhigSpouseAnnie BlairProfessionPoliticianBiography editLancaster was born in Kentucky in 1790 the son of John and Catherine Miles Lancaster He married Annie Blair the daughter of a Presbyterian minister in 1815 He read law was admitted to the Kentucky bar and opened a practice in Bardstown and Lebanon He moved to Florida at the behest of former Bardstown resident Florida Governor William Pope DuVal DuVal appointed him assistant secretary to the East Florida land commission Lancaster opened a legal practice in St Augustine He gained admission to the bar of the Florida Territorial Court of appeals and appointment to the Florida 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 appointed justice of the peace of St Johns County Florida He became judge of the Alachua County court in 1827 and conducted county s 1830 federal census In 1831 the president appointed him the Port of St Johns at Jacksonville s first collector He was elected chief clerk of the territorial council in 1833 and for six successive years Governor DuVal appointed him Duval County lumber inspector in 1834 He served with distinction as a militia officer in the Second Seminole War and was badly wounded near Micanopy 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 appointed Benjamin D Wright and George W MacRae to the circuit court instead of Lancaster In 1846 Lancaster became Mayor of Jacksonville serving one two year term from 1846 to 1847 He was subsequently elected to the Florida House of Representatives in an election tainted by accusations of election fraud He was elected Speaker 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 the supreme 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 the Whig party prompted him to move to the American Party Financial troubles led him to move to Tampa He was elected Tampa s first Mayor on February 16 1856 He is buried at Oaklawn Cemetery in Tampa and has a memorial stone at Jacksonville s Old City Cemetery 1 References edit Joseph B Lancaster July 8 2014 Brown Canter Jr Ossian Bingley Hart Florida s Loyalist Reconstruction Governor Baton Rouge and London Louisiana State University Press 1997 Brown Canter Jr Very Much Attached to Tampa The Civil War era Letters of Catharine Campbell Hart 1860 and 1865 Introduction Notes and Afterword at the Wayback Machine archived September 22 2003 Manley Walter W Brown E Canter and Rise Eric W Joseph Bradford Lancaster Supreme Court Justice 1848 1851 The Supreme Court of Florida and Its Predecessor Courts 1821 1917 pp 128 131 University Press of Florida Gainesville Florida 1997 eBook ISBN 978 0 8130 2298 7 ISBN 978 0 8130 1540 8 at Netlbrary Online April 23 2008 The Political Graveyard Stone Spessard The Know Nothings of Hillsborough County Online April 22 2008 at the Wayback Machine archived September 20 2006 https archive today 20120530061459 http etd lib fsu edu Political offices Preceded byNone Mayor of Tampa1856 1856 Succeeded byDarwin Austen Branch Preceded byunknown Mayor of Jacksonville1846 1847 Succeeded byOliver Wood Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph B Lancaster amp oldid 1210152460, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
