Theodore Hartridge Willard was a sheriff, mayor, state legislator, and merchant in Florida. He lived in High Springs, Florida. He served as a Captain with a volunteer company of Confederates in Florida during the American Civil War. He was involved in a contested election in 1881 for a Florida Senate seat. He prevailed and served in the Florida Senate representing Madison County, Florida.
He testified that "colored" women and daughters threatened to hurt their husbands and fathers if they did not vote for Republicans.
The Florida Archives have photos of him with an African American child he "raised". and an 1898 wedding photo with Roberta Brown in High Springs, Florida. The archives also include a photograph of his 3 year-old son Theodore Hartridge Willard Jr. dressed up for a Confederate soldier reunion event.
References
- Grenier, Bob (February 16, 2014). Central Florida's Civil War Veterans. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467112024 – via Google Books.
- "Florida Historical Quarterly". Florida Historical Society. February 15, 1965 – via Google Books.
- House, United States Congress (February 15, 1882). "Miscellaneous Documents: 30th Congress, 1st Session - 49th Congress, 1st Session" – via Google Books.
- "General Acts and Resolutions Adopted by the Legislature of Florida". Office of the Floridian and Journal. February 15, 1881 – via Google Books.
- "Congressional Serial Set". U.S. Government Printing Office. February 15, 1882 – via Google Books.
- "President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., Joe Dan Osceola with Maynard Abrams and Horst Grabs". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- "Wedding picture of Theodore H. Willard and Alice Roberta Brown - High Springs, Florida". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- "Theodore Hartridge Willard, Jr. at the age of three". Florida Memory. Retrieved February 16, 2021.