TAMPA TRIVIA: Did you know...Darwin Austen Branch was the 2nd and 4th Mayor Of Tampa. Born in 1832, Darwin Branch was trained as a physician. Politically active, Branch had served as Secretary for the Florida Know-Nothing Party also known as the American Party. While Floridians shared the national partys anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic views, the Know-Nothings in Florida and other southern states insisted the national party support a strong pro-Slavery platform. This platform was adopted at the 1856 Presidential Convention that nominated former President Millard Fillmore. After Fillmores defeat in the presidential election the Know-Nothing Partys deteriorated as a national party. After Lancaster became too ill to serve, Branch served as acting mayor. At twenty-four years old, he was Tampas youngest mayor until Mayor James Lipscomb (who was twenty-three when he took office) in August 1873. During his short term, Branch essentially served as a caretaker until December 6, 1856 when the city council appointed DeLaunay as acting mayor to complete the remainder of the Lancasters term of office. At the next municipal election for mayor, Darwin Branch ran against DeLauney and won. During Branchs second term, the government levied annual taxes on retailers of hard liquor and beer, pool halls, bowling alleys, ferry operators and peddlers. As mayor, Branch also served as a judge with the legal authority to render decisions concerning minor cases. Most of the cases presented before the mayors court involved brawling, drunk and disorderly conduct or petty theft. Toward the end of Branchs second term, an epidemic of yellow fever devastated Tampa and surrounding areas. The epidemic also took the lives of Branchs mother and sister and on August 16, 1858, Branch himself succumbed to yellow fever. His wife died several months later. His burial location is unknown. Courtesy of tampagov.net #tampa #tampahistory #cityoftampa #florida #floridahistory #tampabay #tampamayor #charity #nonprofit #501c3 #documentary #film #history
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 14:08:13 +0000