William K. Cessna was a Union Army officer, state legislator, [1] and judge in the United States. He served as an officer with a colored regiment from Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. [2] He served in Florida during the Civil War and settled there afterwards. He employed Josiah T. Walls in a lumber business. [3] [4] A Republican, [5] he lived in Gainesville and served in the Florida House of Representatives for Alachua County in 1871 and 1872. [6]
He was a signatory to the 1868 Florida Constitution. [7] [8] He made a motion to adopt a report that would have removed Liberty Billings, Charles H. Pearce and William Saunders from the convention. It failed to pass. [9]
The governor appointed him a judge. He gave testimony in a hearing about an election. [10] In 1874 he reported on agricultural conditions in Alachua County. [11]
He chaired the committee preparing articles of impeachment against Harrison Reed. [12] 1873 appointed Major and assistant quartermaster. [13] He was accused of corruption by Democrats disparaging of "Carpetbag Rule". [12] One account identified him as politically "rabid". [14] He served as Alachua County Schools superintendent. [15] Democrats filed accusations of corruption against him when he was in the legislature. [16]
In 1878 U. S. President Rutherford B. Hayes nominated him to be postmaster at Gainesville in Alachua County. [17]
He was the editor and publisher of the Social Visitor in Jacksonville. [18]
Cessna was also a farmer growing a variety of crops such as beans, tomatoes and strawberries that he sold not just to Florida but also much further north. [19] [20] He grew strawberries on several acres of land and was accused of selling them without paying tax on the sales. [20] He was the first vice-president of the Fruit Growers' Association. [21]
William K. Cessna was a Union Army officer, state legislator, [1] and judge in the United States. He served as an officer with a colored regiment from Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. [2] He served in Florida during the Civil War and settled there afterwards. He employed Josiah T. Walls in a lumber business. [3] [4] A Republican, [5] he lived in Gainesville and served in the Florida House of Representatives for Alachua County in 1871 and 1872. [6]
He was a signatory to the 1868 Florida Constitution. [7] [8] He made a motion to adopt a report that would have removed Liberty Billings, Charles H. Pearce and William Saunders from the convention. It failed to pass. [9]
The governor appointed him a judge. He gave testimony in a hearing about an election. [10] In 1874 he reported on agricultural conditions in Alachua County. [11]
He chaired the committee preparing articles of impeachment against Harrison Reed. [12] 1873 appointed Major and assistant quartermaster. [13] He was accused of corruption by Democrats disparaging of "Carpetbag Rule". [12] One account identified him as politically "rabid". [14] He served as Alachua County Schools superintendent. [15] Democrats filed accusations of corruption against him when he was in the legislature. [16]
In 1878 U. S. President Rutherford B. Hayes nominated him to be postmaster at Gainesville in Alachua County. [17]
He was the editor and publisher of the Social Visitor in Jacksonville. [18]
Cessna was also a farmer growing a variety of crops such as beans, tomatoes and strawberries that he sold not just to Florida but also much further north. [19] [20] He grew strawberries on several acres of land and was accused of selling them without paying tax on the sales. [20] He was the first vice-president of the Fruit Growers' Association. [21]