William H. Kendrick

William H. Kendrick (1822 – 1901) known as Captain Bill Kendrick was a soldier, state senator, pioneer and lecturer in Florida.[1] He has been referred to as "the original Florida cracker".[2] Kendrick, Florida is named for him.[3] He is also credited with naming Orlando.[3]

William H. Kendrick
Born1822
Hamilton County, Florida
Died(1901-11-26)November 26, 1901
Jacksonville, Florida
Allegiance
Service/branch
Years of service1855, 1861, 1864
RankCaptain
Unit10th Florida Infantry, Co. E
Battles/warsSeminole Wars

American Civil War

Spouse(s)Mary Gibbons
Martha E. Johnston

He fought in the Seminole Wars[4][5] and was present at the capture of Osceola.[6] He once lived in the "White House" plantation just north of Dade City.[7][8] He was involved in a land dispute.[9]

He also fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War and was at the Battle of Olustee.[6]

He was a member of the Florida State Senate for two terms, retiring from politics in 1876 to devote his time to the real estate business.[3] In 1870, he was involved in an aquatic plant propagating company that planned to build a canal.[10] In 1880, he discovered the phosphate deposits in the Bone Valley region, a key moment in the economic history of the region.[3]

His father James came from Georgia and fought in the War of 1812.[3] His brother Edward Tatnall "Tat" Kendrick commanded a company in the Third Seminole War,[5] served as sheriff of Hillsborough County, and sheriff of Polk County during the Civil War. He died in the war.[11] "Tat"'s son William was a contractor who laid the first brick in Tampa, and constructed the Old Hillsborough County Courthouse.[12][13] His sister Emily married William Spencer, who was Hillsborough County sheriff during the Civil War, and the father-in-law of W. B. Henderson and Henry L. Mitchell.[3]

He was known as a great story-teller[14] and traveled the state recounting tales.[2] He died in Jacksonville.

References
  1. Denham, James M.; Jr, Canter Brown (25 December 2018). "Cracker Times and Pioneer Lives: The Florida Reminiscences of George Gillett Keen and Sarah Pamela Williams". Univ of South Carolina Press – via Google Books.
  2. "Capt W. H. Kendrick Dead". The Weekly Tribune. November 28, 1901. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Hazen, Pauline Brown (1914). The Blue Book and History of Pioneers, Tampa Florida (PDF). p. 14.
  4. "Statutes at Large of the United States of America from ..." U.S. Government Printing Office. 25 December 2018 – via Google Books.
  5. Florida militia muster rolls, Seminole Indian Wars. pp. 32–33.
  6. "Captain Kendrick Dead". Ocala Evening Star. November 29, 1901. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "History of Dade City, Florida". www.fivay.org.
  8. "History of Pasco County Florida, by J. A. Hendley". www.fivay.org.
  9. "Southern Reporter: Containing All the Decisions of the Supreme Courts of Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi". West Publishing Company. 25 December 1889 – via Google Books.
  10. "General Acts, Resolutions and Memorials Adopted by the ... Legislature of Florida ..." Office of the Floridian and Journal. 25 December 1870 – via Google Books.
  11. "Tax Collector for Polk County". www.polktaxes.com.
  12. "Kennedy / Lafayette St. Bridge History, Tampa - Part 2". www.tampapix.com.
  13. https://www.tampagov.net/sites/default/files/city-clerk/files/citycouncilbook5theditionapril2018digital.pdf
  14. "Pamphlets". 25 December 1880 – via Google Books.
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