Charlotte-Gadsden County FlArchives Biographies.....Gilchrist, Albert Waller 1858 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 27, 2010, 11:01 am Source: See below Author: See below Albert Waller Gilchrist It is too frequently the case in American politics that men attain high rank in official life through personal favoritism or by reason of the system of rewards for purely party services, where fitness for the place is a secondary consideration. And then there are instances of so-called "accidents" where men are the creatures of circumstances and through developments that could not be foreseen nor anticipated are unexpectedly elevated to high place. There are notable cases where a kindly fate seems to have led men through experiences that prepared them for the able performance of the duties to which they were suddenly called. And then again there are other records where the man chosen for office has had the public experience and training necessary to permit of his rendering the people able service, and at the same time has cherished an honorable ambition which inspired his every effort to better equip himself to serve. When such a man wins over distinguished opponents in a campaign in which the interest of the people of the whole State is aroused to a high pitch, and in which men and measures and principles are all compared and considered, then indeed the conferring of the honor by a discriminating people is one second to none to be attained at the hands of men. Such is the honor bestowed by the people of Florida upon her distinguished son, Gov. Albert Waller Gilchrist. He has for a number of years aspired to be governor of his State, and in his public services and private life has ever been diligent in preparing himself against the time when his ambition was to be realized. His ability and personal popularity are beyond question and that his policies and principles are approved by the people was evidenced by his splendid victory in the Democratic primaries and subsequent election to the high office of Governor. Gov. Gilchrist comes of good old Scotch-English and Irish stock. The Gilchrists settled in Edgefield county, South Carolina, about 1752, but on his mother's side his ancestors went back to a much earlier date, his mother being a far-off grand-daughter of Joseph Ball, the father of Mary and grandfather of George Washington. She was also a great-granddaughter of John Waller, a noted Baptist preacher, who was practically the founder of the Baptist church in Virginia in colonial days. Another of his ancestors was Col. Edwin Conway, who was the grandfather of James Madison, while still another was Judge John Hunter, a native of Ireland, one of the United States Senators from South Carolina about 1798. Still another was the Rev. James Creswell, a Presbyterian minister, known in the Revolution as the "fighting parson." His father was Gen. William E. Gilchrist, who was an extensive land owner and planter in Edgefield, South Carolina, prior to his removal to Quincy, Fla., in the early 40's. His mother was Rhoda Elizabeth Waller, a native of Greenwood, South Carolina. A few weeks before Gov. Gilchrist's birth, his mother went on a visit to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Waller, at Greenwood, and there he was born January 15, 1858. As soon thereafter as possible she returned to Quincy, where the husband and father died in 1860, leaving a large landed estate and many slaves. He had been one of the noted ante-bellum planters, as had his father before him, and had served the State both as Senator and as Representative from Gadsden county. The Gilchrist family is of Scottish origin, and in that country can be traced back for six hundred years. In America they go back to about 1700. They were Jacobites and irreconcilables, and when with the accession of Queen Anne, it became clear that there was no further hopes for the Stuart dynasty, many Jacobites came to America. Among these was Robert Gilchrist, founder of the southern family who settled at Woodbridge, N. J., about 1710. The name "Robert" was a favored one through many generations of the family. This first American Robert appears to have been a consequential man, serving as Justice of Woodbridge in 1715, and many settlers going to him to be married. One of his descendants, another Robert, became a Justice in Carlisle, Pa., and died there in 1859, at the age of ninety-six. Another member of the same family was Alexander, of Virginia, who became ensign in the 78th Regiment (English) in 1759, and lieutenant in 1760. In the present generations we find that Robert Gilchrist was attorney-general of New Jersey in 1873. Members of the family in the first half of the eighteenth century settled in lower Alabama and Mississippi, also in Virginia. The northern section of the family settled in the backwoods of New Hampshire. Of this family, John J., a graduate of Dartmouth, in 1824, and of Harvard in 1828, was a famous lawyer. Another John, born 1809, also a lawyer, became Chief Justice of New Hampshire, and died at Washington in his forty-ninth year, while serving as a Justice of the United States Court of Claims. Albert W., was reared in Quincy, where he received his early education, later attending the Carolina Military Institute at Charlotte, N. C, where he became a member of the S. A. E. Greek letter society, and held the rank of Cadet Captain at the time of his graduation in 1877. A year later he received an appointment to the military academy at West Point. He remained there three years, steadily advancing, but in 1881 he ws found deficient in experimental philosophy. Notwithstanding his splendid record, he was, under the rules, retired. He served there as Cadet Private, Cadet Sergeant and Cadet Liuetenant. He determined that he would go back officially recognized by the United States Government, that as General, he would meet the Professors at West Point. The Professors there are Colonels. In 1896, when a General in the Militia of Florida, he was one of the board of visitors to the institution, appointed by the president. His early training aroused a taste for military affairs, which has lasted through all the years. He was Inspector-General with the rank of Colonel during the administration of Gov. Perry, and held the same office during Gov. Fleming's administration, in 1895. Governor Mitchell appointed him Brigadier-General of the State Militia. He always felt there would be a war during his life-time. He intended going into it. Failing to secure a commission in the United States army, when the Spanish-American war occurred, he resigned this commission of Brigadier-General of Militia, and on June 17th, 1898, he enlisted as a private in the Third United States Volunteer Infantry. He did not remain in the ranks, however, being promoted to Lieutenant and Captain and serving as Acting Major. He rendered able service in Santiago Province and at Manzanillo, being mustered out of service with his Regiment at Macon, Ga., in May, 1899, with the rank of Captain. Governor Gilchrist first went to Punta Gorda as a surveyor in the employ of the Charlotte Harbor Division of the South Florida Railroad. The fortunes of war having swept away his father's estate, he commenced life with nothing, beginning business as a clerk at $15.00 per month. Saving his money, however, he invested in unimproved lands around Punta Gorda, and in South Florida generally. Even in his early years he had ambitions, and while acting as civil engineer remarked to Rev. T. J. Sparkman, in 1885, with whom he boarded, that he did not propose to always wade through the mud, but some day was going to be Governor of Florida. The rapid growth of the section around Punta Gorda, and in his county, enabled him to give up professional work and attend to his land interests. He developed his properties and sold them at a profit and at the same time engaged in a general real estate business negotiating from time to time many important land deals of large proportions. He is today one of the most extensive land owners in South Florida, and in South Georgia. All the time he was preparing himself for the important duties of Governor. In 1892 he told some of his friends that he would be Speaker and then Governor. He served in the Legislature in 1893 and 1895 and was again found in the Legislative halls in 1903 and 1905. In the latter year he was elected Speaker. He entered the race for Governor in 1908, and was one of the two leading candidates in a field of brilliant and popular men. In the runoff there was a lively debate of public questions throughout the state and the popularity of the Governor and his principles was shown by his nomination with a majority of 9,076. His eleciton at the regular election was by an enormous majority. Governor Gilchrist has adopted for his motto an injunction which comes from the orient and is quaintly illustrated in a statuette of three monkeys. One has his paws over his ears, another over his eyes while the third holds his mouth closed. The motto is "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." He is splendidly informed on all public questions and is progressive and enterprising. Nationally he believes the most important question is the Tariff issue and the Trusts growing out of the Tariff. He believes that one of the most important questions is the reform of criminal procedure on the lines laid down by the Alabama Bar Association, to prevent purely legal technicalities from defeating the ends of justice. He was christened in the Episcopal church, but is partial to the Baptist doctrine, possibly because of the prominence of one of his great grandfathers in that denomination. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is Past Master of his lodge in the Free and Accepted Masons. He is also Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Florida F. & A. M. He has never married. His mother, Mrs. J. G. Gibbes is now living at Columbia, S. C., where two half brothers, Dr. Robert W. Gibbes and Hunter A. Gibbes also reside. Mrs. Walter Montgomery, of Spartanburg, S. C., and Mrs. Dr. Cheatham, of Durham, N. C., are half sisters. Additional Comments: Extracted from: FLORIDA EDITION MAKERS OF AMERICA AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS VOL. II. Published under the patronage of The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida ADVISORY BOARD: HON. W. D. BLOXHAM COL. FRANK HARRIS HON. R. W. DAVIS SEN. H. H. MCCREARY HON. F. P. FLEMING W. F. STOVALL C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY 1909 A. B. CALDWELL ATLANTA, GA. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/charlotte/photos/bios/gilchris102gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/charlotte/bios/gilchris102gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/ File size: 11.1 Kb