Archives, Tampa City Council Members February 1856 - June 1904

Compiled for the City of Tampa Archives by W. Curtis Welch, CA 
April 1997

February 14, 1856 - November 25, 1856 Dr. Darwin Austen Branch, President Micajah C. Brown C.Q. Crawford B.J. Hagler   November 25, 1856 - February 9, 1857 Dr. Darwin Austen Branch, President (Acting Mayor 11/25/1856 - 12/6/1856) John Jackson William Cooley Edward A. Clarke NOTE: The make-up of this first city council (February 14, 1856 - February 8, 1857) seemed to change with some regularity. The exact nature and time of these changes are not recorded, nor are the methods of filling the vacancies.   February 9, 1857 - February 10, 1858 John Jackson, President William Cooley John T. Givens C.L. Friebele February 10, 1858 - February 12, 1859 William B. Hooker, President A.N. Pacetty William T. Brown Simon Turman, Jr.: 2/10/1858 - 9/20/1858 (Resigned ?) Dr. John R. Rice: 9/20/1858 - 11/16/1858 (Died in office) John Darling: 11/16/1858 - 2/12/1859 February 12, 1859 - February 1, 1860 Alfonso DeLaunay, President  William G. Ferris John T. Givens James Gettis February 1, 1860 - February 2, 1861 John Jackson, President William Cooley William T. Brown B.J. Hagler February 3, 1862 - February 22, 1862 Unknown at this time.   February 22, 1862 - October 25, 1866 The government of the City of Tampa was suspended by Confederate military authorities on February 22, 1862. The municipal government was not officially reorganized until October 25, 1866.   October 25, 1866 - March 1, 1869 Dr. L.A. Lively Josiah Ferris R.F. Nunez (Died 1/25/1868) B.C. Leonardy NOTE: There are no municipal elections known to have been held between October 25, 1866, and March 1, 1869.   March 1, 1869 - August 11, 1873 At the March 1, 1869, municipal elections the citizens of Tampa voted for the No Corporation People’s Ticket to disenfranchise the City government. The municipal government was not re-organized until August 11, 1873.   August 11, 1873 - August 1874 Edward A. Clarke, President William T. Haskins Josiah Ferris John T. Lesley Henry L. Crane     August 1874 - August 1875 Unknown at this time.   August 1875 - August 1876 Thomas E. Jackson, President NOTE: The other four members are unknown at this time.   August 1876 - August 14, 1877 Unknown at this time.   August 14, 1877 - August 14, 1878 Henry L. Crane, President J.B. Wall L.A. Masters J.H. Krause Edward A. Clarke   August 14, 1878 - August 13, 1879 William T. Haskins, President James E. Lipscomb Charles Wright Joe Grillion William B. Henderson   August 13, 1879 - August 14, 1880 H.H. Hale, President Edward A. Clarke D. Ghira William B. Henderson James E. Lipscomb   August 14, 1880 - August 12, 1881 M.E. Haynsworth, President (Acting Mayor 2/19/1881? - 3/22/1881) Francis Ghira R.B. Canning  (Resigned) O.J. Andreu W.A. Givens (3/22/1881 - 8/12/1881) Ed Carney NOTE: The Florida State Legislature passed an act making council member terms two years in duration and requiring the City Council to divide its membership into two nearly equal parts to be elected subsequently in alternating elections. The Council elected in the 1881 election was directed to draw lots to determine which council members would serve two year terms.   August 12, 1881 - August 14, 1882 Dr. John P. Wall, President [two year term] William B. Henderson Edward A. Clarke [two year term] Thomas E. Jackson D. Ghira [two year term] NOTE: At the new Council’s organizational meeting on August 12, 1881, it was decided that three of the five members should serve two year terms of office. Casting lots determined that Dr. John P. Wall, Edward A. Clarke, and D. Ghira would serve the two year terms.   August 14, 1882 - August 14, 1883 Dr. John P. Wall, President D. Ghira William B. Henderson [two year term] Edward A. Clarke David R. Fisher [two year term] (Resigned 7/9/1883)   August 14, 1883 - August 13, 1884 Henry L. Crane, President [two year term] H.H. Hale P.H. Collins [two year term] William B. Henderson J.H. Krause [two year term]   August 13, 1884 - August 13, 1885 Henry L. Crane, President J.H. Krause George B. Sparkman [two year term] P.H. Collins S.A. Jones [two year term] NOTE: On July 1, 1885, the Town Council passed an ordinance changing the number of seats on the Town Council from five to nine; the four new members to be elected at the General Municipal Election on August 11, 1885. Two of the four new members were to serve two year terms and two were to serve one year terms. The four new members were to draw lots at the first meeting of the new council to decide who were to serve the different terms.   August 13, 1885 - August 13, 1886 William T. Haskins, President S.A. Jones Dr. John P. Wall [two year term] George B. Sparkman Thomas E. Jackson [two year term] H.L. Knight William B. Henderson [two year term] H.L. Branch T.C. Taliaferro NOTE: The four new members cast lots at the new council's organizational meeting on August 13, 1885, and determined that William T. Haskins and T.C. Taliaferro would serve two year terms.   August 13, 1886 - July 15, 1887 Henry L. Crane, President [two year term] William T. Haskins H.L. Knight [two year term] William B. Henderson J.C. Fields [two year term] John P. Wall J.T. Gunn [two year term] T.C. Taliaferro Thomas E. Jackson   NOTE: Tampa reorganized under a Special Act of the Florida State Legislature approved on June 2, 1887, abolishing the governments of the Town of Tampa and the Town of North Tampa and establishing the charter for the City of Tampa.   July 15, 1887 - March 8, 1888 (Source: Council Minute Book #1, page 311) Charles E. Harrison-President William B. Henderson - President pro tempore W.A. Honaker I.S. Giddens H.L. Knight Fred M. Meyer Silas L. Biglow C.A.M. Ybor Joseph A. Walker C.N. Brigham James E. Mitchell - Died 11/26/1887 (Source: Council Minute Book 2, page 59)  Apparently his vacancy was not filled.    March 8, 1888 - March 6, 1889 (Source: Council Minute Book #2, Page 76) Charles E. Harrison - President Silas L. Biglow - President pro tempore Thomas E. Jackson Manuel Rodriquez Archibald Ross John P. Wall H.L. Knight R.A. Jackson Hiram M. Bruce George T. Chamberlain Fred M. Meyer   March 6, 1889 - March 5, 1890 (Source: Council Minute Book #2, page 176) Charles E. Harrison - President (Resigned 7/3/1889) Alfonso Garcia Fred M. Meyer - President 7/17/1889 - 3/5/1890 R.S. Pena, Sr. Silas L. Biglow - President pro tempore 3/6/1889 - 7/17/1889 C.L. Ayers - President pro tempore 7/17/1889 - 3/5/1890 Duff Post W.W. Hooper H.L. Knight Archibald Ross Frederick A. Salomonson George T. Chamberlain NOTE: Charles E. Harrison resigned from the City Council on 7/3/1889 [Council Minute Book #2, pg. 223]. Alfonso Garcia won the special election held on 8/20/1889 to fill his vacancy. [Council Minute Book #2, page 238] NOTE: The race for the second council seat of the 3rd ward originally resulted in a tie. A special election was held later in the month to fill the vacancy. W.W. Hooper won the run-off and was sworn in on 3/30/1889. [Council Minute Book #2, page 186]   March 5, 1890 - March 4, 1891 (Source: Council Minute Book #2, page 285) R.F. Webb - President Perry G. Wall, Jr. - President pro tempore Jose Gonzalez Elias C.N.(?) Brigham H.H. Scartell (?) D.S. MacFarlane Silas L. Biglow A.L. Shaw George E. Harris J.C. Papy H.M. Bruce NOTE: The race for the second council seat of the 2nd ward originally resulted in a tie. A special election was held later in the month to fill the vacancy. H.M. Bruce won the run-off and was sworn in on 4/2/1890 [Council Minute Book #2, page 291].   March 4, 1891 - March 4, 1892 (Source: Council Minute Book #2, page 363) W.T. Haskins, Sr. -  President       (Resigned from Council 8/7/1891) Ramon Rivero y Rivero Lamont T. Bailey - President pro tempore (9/9/1891-12/10/1891) President (12/10/1891 - 3/4/1892)   (Elected to fill vacancy of Haskins 9/9/1891) Silas L. Biglow - President pro tempore 6/5/1891 - 8/7/1891                President 8/7/1891 - 12/10/1891 (Resigned from Council 12/10/1891) Herman Glogowski - President pro tempore 3/4/1891 - 6/5/1891 (Removed from Council 6/5/1891) A. Rass (Declared elected to Council 6/5/1891) George B. Sparkman William B. Henderson George R. MacFarlane J.C. Papy J.J. Bell Rafael S. Pena  Henry Kruse NOTE: Lamont T. Bailey was elected to fill vacancy of W.T. Haskins, Sr. 9/9/1891 [Council Minute Book #2, page 425]. NOTE: Silas L. Biglow resigned from the Council on 12/10/1895 to become the first department head of the newly created Sanitation Department. His council seat was left vacant until the municipal elections in March 1892 [Council Minute Book 3, page 25]. NOTE: Herman Glogowski's election to the third at-large Council seat was contested by A. Rass immediately after the results were announced. The City Council examined and recounted the votes and declared A. Rass the official winner on 6/5/1891 [Council Minute Book 2, page 401].   March 4, 1892 - March 10, 1893 (Source: Council Minute Book #3, page 56) J.C. McNeil - President George T. Chamberlain - President pro tempore H.L. Crane John Savarese L.G. Cone Isaac S. Craft W.H. Kendrick Peter O. Knight J.W. Roberts Frederick A. Salomonson Jose Gormes (?)   March 10, 1893 - March 9, 1894 (Source: Council Minute Book #3, page 211) J.C. McNeil - President George S. Petty - President pro tempore Emilio Pons W.H. Kendrick J.S. McFall H.L. Crane R.W. Easley Peter O. Knight Ramon R. De Armas John Savarese George T. Chamberlain   March 9, 1894 - March 8, 1895 (Source: Council Minute Book #3, pages 414 and 415) George S. Petty -President J.H. Dorsey - President pro tempore William H. Beckwith Ignatio Haya William S. Hancock John P. Wall, Sr. Matthew B. MacFarlane Frank Bentley William W. Hooper Adalberto Ramirez NOTE: Ignacio Haya was elected both at large and for the 4th Ward. It was determined to fill the second seat of the 4th ward by special election. The special election was apparently never conducted, however.   March 8, 1895 - June 5, 1896 (Source: Council Minute Book #4, page 9) A.C. Moore - President J.H. Dorsey - President pro tempore L.G. Cone S.F. Brengle William H. Beckwith James L. Holmes William W. Hooper Perry G. Wall Emilio Pons Adalberto Ramirez J.S. McFall   June 5, 1896 - June 1898 (Source: Council Minute Book #4, page 179) A.C. Moore - President H.H. Kinyon - President pro tempore S.F. Brengle J.S. McFall J.H. Dorsey William H. Beckwith James L. Holmes L.L. Spafford William J. Dombrowsky Emilio Pons T.W. Ramsey   June 1898 - June 1900 (Source: Council Minute Book #4, page 406) Frank Bruen - President W. Lesley Brown - President pro tempore Selvin R. Morey James L. Holmes Francis L. Wing C. Elmer Webb Joel B. Phillips William H. Frecker Henry Kruse Oscar Manrara Ramon Ruberia de Armas   June 1900 - June 1902 (Source: Council Minute Book #5, page 267) A.C. Moore - President William H. Frecker - President pro tempore W.G. Mason E.D. Hobbs W.L. Parker J.B. Phillips Jose Fernandez Valdez J.C. Griswell E.M. Grieson A.B. Ballard John Corbera Lee Dekle Samuel L. Lowry (Resigned Jan 18, 1901, moved) Tucker Savage (elected by City Council on 1/18/1901 to fill vacancy) [Source: Council Minute Book #5, page 383]   June 1902 - June 1904 (Source: Council Minute Book #6, page 78) A.W. Cuscaden - President I.S. Craft - President pro tempore L. Merriwether R.A. Crowley A.L. Shaw                                       (Resigned in June 1903) J.R. Williams (Filled vacancy of A.L. Shaw) [Source: Council Minute Book #6, page 236]  A.D. Whaley A.C. Ordway Harry Howard W.D. Wiggins Max Caras Phillip Licata