Biography of James E. Abercrombie, Pensacola, Escambia County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1923.

ABERCROMBIE, JAMES E., the popular harbormaster of the port of Pensacola, has held this 
office since 1895, and was associated with the service for a number of years prior to that 
year.

Mr. ABERCROMBIE claims the Empire State of the South as the place of his nativity, his birth 
having occurred near Columbus, Georgia, on the 3rd of April, 1854.  His father, Hon. JAMES 
ABERCROMBIE, became one of the prominent and influential citizens of Florida, which state 
he represented a number of terms in the United States Senate.  He was a progressive exponent 
of agricultural industry in this state and was identified also with early lumbering operations 
as the owner and operator of saw mills.  Of the eleven children only two are now living, 
JAMES E.., of this sketch, and Mrs. LULU PIERCE, who lives in the City of New York.

JAMES E. ABERCROMBIE gained his early education in the schools of Florida, and thereafter 
he continued his association with his father's saw-mill operations until he was nearly twenty-one 
years of age, his compensation during the greater part of this period of service having been 
only 50 cents a day.  He next found employment under the harbormaster at Pensacola, the 
office of the harbormaster having been not far distant from that now occupied by the present 
incumbent, on South Palafox Street.  In the passing years Mr. ABERCROMBIE gained thorough 
knowledge of all duties pertaining to the office of harbormaster, and thus he was admirably 
qualified when he individually was called upon to assume this important office in connection 
with the navigation interests centered at Pensacola.  He is widely and favorably known in 
navigation circles, and in his home city his circle of friends is limited only by that of 
his acquaintances.  He has been punctilious in his administration as harbormaster, and has 
brought the service of his office up to a high standard of efficiency.  Mr. ABERCROMBIE has 
been twice married, two children having been born of the first union and three of the second 
marriage.  He has given to all of the children the best possible educational advantages, and 
they have profited fully by the same.