James Gettis

James Gettis (May 4, 1816 – December 14, 1867) was a lawyer and judge in Tampa, Florida. He was the second lawyer in Tampa. Gettis was also a city councilman, and state representative, and the first town clerk.

James Gettis
Born(1816-05-04)May 4, 1816
Pennsylvania
DiedDecember 14, 1867(1867-12-14) (aged 51)
Tampa, Florida
OccupationLawyer, judge
James Gettis
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Service/branch Confederate States Army
Years of service1862–1863
RankCaptain
Unit7th Florida Infantry, Co. B
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Originally from Pennsylvania, Gettis came to Tampa in 1848. He promoted development of Tampa and sought to bring rail service to the area.

An ardent Confederate secessionist during the Civil War, he attended Florida's Secession Convention and signed the Ordinance of Secession, and was the hero of the Battle of Tampa.

Lawyer and judge

He was the second lawyer admitted to the bar in Tampa, on October 24, 1848, and tutored other law students, including John A. Henderson and Henry L. Mitchell.[1] James McKay Sr. was one of his clients. His law office was on Franklin Street.

In 1865, Gettis was appointed Circuit and Probate judge.[2]

Civil War

Though he held no slaves, Gettis was a pro-slavery secessionist, and was one of two delegates form Hillsborough County to vote for secession when the Convention met in January 1861.[3]

He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War for a brief period, as captain of the 7th Florida Infantry, Company B, the "South Florida Rifles".[4] Gettis was singled out for his bravery by captain John William Pearson during the Battle of Tampa.[5] He received a medical discharge and returned to Tampa due to ill health, inflicted with "incipient phthisis and chronic diarrhea".[5][6] Just before his discharge, he organized the Tampa City Guards.[6]

Personal

He was a Master Mason and American Party member.[7] He had no children, but raised the brothers of W. B. Henderson after the death of Henderson's father. In his will, Gettis left all his property to James F. Henderson. He is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery in downtown Tampa.[7]

References
  1. Jr, Canter Brown (1 July 1997). Ossian Bingley Hart, Florida's Loyalist Reconstruction Governor. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807168592 – via Google Books.
  2. Key West. p. 65.
  3. "P2. Magbee & the Civil War in TAMPA". www.tampapix.com.
  4. Swanepoel, Gareth. "The South Florida Rifles Officers' Biography". www.thestrawhats.com.
  5. James Gettis: Tampa Pioneer Lawyer by Kyle S. VanLandingham Sunland Tribune March 2018 Sunland Tribune: Vol. 23, Article 6. PDF file via Scholar Commons . usf. edu
  6. Hartman, David W.; Coles, David (24 November 1995). "Biographical Rosters of Florida's Confederate and Union Soldiers, 1861-1865: 5th Florida Infantry-8th Florida Infantry". Broadfoot Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  7. cotadmin (8 July 2014). "James Gettis". City of Tampa.
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