William Jackson Brack

William Jackson Brack
1st Mayor of Orlando, Florida
In office
1875–1877
Preceded by Office established
Succeeded by John Howard Allen
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from Brevard County
In office
1885–1887
Preceded by Francis Platt
Succeeded by Riley Johnson
Personal details
Born (1837-06-17)June 17, 1837
Georgia
Died April 30, 1901(1901-04-30) (aged 63)
Resting place Mount Peace Cemetery, Saint Cloud, Florida
Spouse(s) Olive Chancey, Amy, Eliza Alpha Tyson
Military service
Allegiance  Confederate States of America
Service/branch  Confederate States Army
Unit Louisiana 27th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, Company C
Battles/wars American Civil War

William Jackson Brack (June 17, 1837 – April 30, 1901) was the first mayor of Orlando, Florida from 1875 to 1877. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from Brevard County from 1885 to 1887.

He was born to John and Eliza (McCall) Brack in Georgia on June 17, 1837. He married firstly to the former Olive Chancey (1838–1864) of Clinch County, Georgia, by whom he had two sons who died young. The Bracks removed to Alexandria, Louisiana before the outbreak of the American Civil War.[1] During that conflict, the future mayor served in Company C of the 27th Louisiana Infantry Regiment.[2]

After the war, the widowed Brack came to Florida, where he married his second wife Amy (July 5, 1847 - May 25, 1880).[3] They had three daughters before her untimely death: Olive, Bessie, and Josphine Brack.[4]

It is unclear exactly when Brack settled in the Orlando area. He was certainly there by October 16, 1873, when he was mentioned as guardian ad litem for the orphans of Mrs. Lucinda Hughey Terrell in a lawsuit filed in the circuit court of Orange County, Florida.[5]

In 1875, when Orlando was formally incorporated, Brack was elected its first mayor. He was subsequently re-elected to a second one-year term.

After leaving office, the former mayor remained in the Orlando area as a farmer and fruit grower until at least 1880.[4] He was married there to his third wife Eliza Alpha Tyson on March 6, 1881.[6] They had eight children: John Percy ("Jack"), Rosa Banner, Gussie, Emma Hortense, Ruby B, Blanche Alice, and Lillian Bell Brack, William Jackson, Jr[7]

The Bracks left Orlando to live on the north shore of Lake Tohopekaliga in what is now Osceola County, Florida, where they operated a general store and sawmill at "Brack's Landing." From that point, he also captained a 35-foot sidewheel steamboat called "Spray" along the inland canals that connected the Kissimmee River valley to Fort Myers, Florida on the Gulf of Mexico.

The former mayor retired to a cattle ranch near Narcoossee, Florida, where he died April 30, 1901. He is buried at Mount Peace Cemetery in Saint Cloud, Florida.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1860 Census, Rapides Parish, Louisiana, page 41.
  2. 1 2 Mount Peace Cemetery, Saint Cloud, Florida.
  3. Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, Florida.
  4. 1 2 1880 Census, Orange County, Florida, page 432a.
  5. The American State Reports by Abraham Clark Freeman, Bancroft-Whitney Company, 1894, Volume 37, page 95.
  6. Orange County, Florida, Marriage Book 1-1, page 269.
  7. 1910 Census, Precinct 8, Osceola County, Florida, page 8.
Preceded by
Office established
Mayor of Orlando, Florida
1875–1877
Succeeded by
John Howard Allen
Preceded by
Francis Platt
Member of the
Florida House of Representatives
from Brevard County

1885–1887
Succeeded by
Riley Johnson
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