The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-06-07

day of July 1852 he left with that regiment for
The b.trc grounds oi Vunna Tnerr he rem
d"rel m inly and faithful service with his com
m tnd in HE Army OF rrthern Virginia until
August or September 1868, when he WAS pro
NOTED Ia HE rtnk of Lieutenant IN Company D.,
t'trsi Florida Cavalry, in the ARMY ot Tennessee
lie WAS afterwards promoted to the rank al
Captain, in which capacity he Faithfully served
until the end ot the war. having been eng aged
IN most Of the bloody battles which IN ,rkrd the
last year OF The struggle in Tennessee and North
Georgia
Soon after the termination of the war & tptiin
Fleming entered The law office of r. VI. i lyle,
ESD for The study ot his chosen profession In
1868 or 1869 he was admitted to the bar AMI
, shortly after hecame :. member at the law firm
| "t Fleming Il Daniel, with which firm he has
continued To he associate | up to the pre- sent
Time earning for himself reputation not only
in his own locality, but throughout The State, rs
an able advocate and IA reliable counsellor lie
has devoted himself To the practice OF his protcs
sion, but whilst doing 50 mas always elt and
manifested a profound interest in all matters
connected with the welfare and advancement oi
the State. His loyalty and devotion no less to
the Democratic party than to The Interests OF
Florida, have made for him h ,st ot friends,
while in his own county of Duval, where he is
most intimately known, he commands the rs-
te.m and confidence of his fellow w-citzens of all
classes.
GENkRAL ROBERT BUlLOtk
General Rober, Bullock short sketch of
whose lite follows, was born in 1923, and is con
sequentv in his 6O'h year. He moved to Flor
ida in 1874, when n voungster of only sixteen,
and settled at Fort King, two miles east of The
present site OF Ocaa, Marion county He was
one OF those who helped lay out The city of Oca
la, and erect The first structure which was ever
built il the present town This ust after
the organic .lion of the Territorial Government
FLORIDA in those days very sparscly settled.
and had not mtny Of the convrnences nor lux
uries of our modern times. OF school houses
aud churches there were none, settlements
were few and far between.
Not many years afterwards he married love
ly and esIimable lady "A Miss Waterman, who is
the mother OF large family OF Children several
oi whom are now grown and are themselves IA
theirs and mothers. Shortly after he settled in
Ocaa and was one OF The first nivnc ,tes and
founders OF the first public school o. which the
town boasied, viz: the old Elst Florida Seminary,
which subsequently was adopted by The Stale,
al hough almost always susta ned by private en-
terprise
From his earliest connection with Marion
county, where he dwell since entering The State,
be has been honnred nv he love and confidence
OF this community. Before he WAS 2l years of
OF aye he was elected by the people as their Cir
cut Court Clerk aud held the office for six wears,
giving the greatest satisfaction bv h orderly and
efficient administration OF the Office
About this time the Indian war broke out,
and, filled with the ar,lnr which always animat' s
our noble and high spirited Amer youths, he
WAS commissioned by the Governor with The
rank OF Captain. Rising c.,mp,ny of voiun
tecr rangers, he went into active service doing
duty Tor over eighteen months, or until the close
OF the war. He established Tor himself an com
piny repua All n for dash and gillanlry which
earned hlm more than once the encOmiums of his
people
With the changed condition OF our ltbor svs
tenn, he saw 1T once what advantage wnu}l come
To Florida from fruit growing and track farming
that we could supply IN earlier market than the
Northern States, and he urged upon our people
TO make the most OF such opportunities
In 1868 he was m tdc Judge OF the Criminal
Courl, and administered the office with such inn
partiality and justice that he was rendered it for
another term, but declined. But il wa, while
Judge OF Probaie, after the State Government
was organized under the Johns m reconstruction
acts, that he showed skill, knowledge OF hu
man nature, and Judgment equal to if not supc-
riorto that Of any man who has held Office in this
Secl ion OF the State.
In 1874 he WAS prominently brought forward
by his party before the Legislature Tor the United
States Senate, and WAS by them nominated in
caucus as their standard bearer Bat it was i'm
possible in those days fpr Il Democrat t. b,
clectcl without support from the K ,dica party.
Afterwards, in 1876, he was Tllden ceclor
and as such canvasscd the State everywhere
giving his best cxertioDs and most eloquent
thoughts TO the cause.
In 1879 he represented Marion county in the
Legislature, and assisted III framing that policy
Which happily redeemed the Safe from ii
nanclal bankruptcy inlo which the Il ldical party
had plunged her.
In $780, at Gainesville, he was put in nnmina
ton by stranger, Mr. Barker, OF Putnam with
out the knowledge or consent of the General
but when his name was once there he was not
allowed to Withdraw 1t till after a most exhaust
ing struggle ot sixIy-siX ballots, several of which
lacked only two or three votes of the necessary
twolhirds and the General in the intcres, of har
mony, and not wishing The nomination again
IN his own motion Withdrew, and Il third man.
General Finley, was nominated.
All candid and iair minded men must admit
that General Bullock has been u consistent aud
persistent worker in The cause oi good govern
ment tor his State. and though his political
prominence has been unusual, no man can point
with truth 10 any instance where he has sought
political position.
ROBERT w. DAVIS
Honorable Robert w. Davis was born in Lee
county, Ga, on the 10Th dav of March, A y.
1S49 His father, Rev Jesse NJ Davis was
distinguished Baptist minister. Mr.. ID vis mar
ried Marie TwiggS Mercer, daughter OF Il dis
linguished physician and agrcuI,urist of South
west Georgia. He served 10 the Confederate
army under Joseph f Johnston, having entered
the service at the age OF fourteen years
In the year 1868 Mr.. Davis was admiited to
the praciice OF law, and continued to practice
law in his old home until the year 1878, when
he removed to Gainesville. Fla. After Il
short residence in Gainesville, Mr.. Davis re-
moved To Clay county, Fla, and opened law
office in Green Cove Springs. In 1894 Mr.
Davis was elected Ia the Legislature from Clay
county, and AT the ensuing stssi N OF that body
he was made Speaker of The House. He pre-
sided over the more numerous branch of the
State l. legislature with rare grace and ability
receiving during the session open assurances
of admiration and esteem from members OF both
political parties.
In 1885 Mr.. Davis removed TO Palatka, Fla
and assumed control OF the law department
of the Florida Southern railway, having been
made general counsel tor Florida for that road.
Mr. Davis is thoroughly man of and for
the people, and occupies a near aud dear posi-
ton in the hearts of all with whom he has
been thrown in contact Possessing rare ability
ns "A speaker, combined with great tact, his ap
pearance before an audience is the signal for u
wild outburst OF enthusiasm, and his remarks
are listened to with the greatest amount of nj
ten,on. 1t is largely owing to his popularity
that HE county of Putnam. which has ever been
divided into factions, has harmonius Demo
cratic party to-day.
Mr. DAVIS is the father of three daughters and
one son. four as bright and intelligent children
as can be found in the State of Florida.
The Committee to nominate President
al Electors, reported as follows:
Electors for the State-at-Larye -R. A.
Burford, Of Marion county, and j. H.
McKinne, of Jackson. First Congress-
ional District, Daniel Campbell, of Wal
TON. Sa.on1 CnnurassionaI Dist II