The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
James B. Whitfield (1860-1948) was born in Wayne County, North Carolina. His family moved to Florida when his father started a cotton plantation in Leon County. Whitfield received a bachelor of law from the University of Virginia in 1886. He became a prominent figure in Florida government after being elected as county judge in 1888. He served as clerk of the Supreme Court from 1889-1897, State Treasurer in 1897 and Attorney General in 1903. He was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court in 1904, serving as Chief Justice from 1909-1913 and 1935-1937. He retired from the Supreme Court in 1943.
James Whitfield was an active researcher of Florida's political and legal history. His interest in Florida history began when he was a newspaper reporter covering the 1885 Florida Constitutional Convention. Throughout his career, he produced several historical publications. He was a member of the Tallahassee Historical Society and the Florida Historical Society.
Summary:
This collection consists of materials related to Whitfield's historical and legal interests, including correspondence, research papers and notes, newspaper clippings and photostats of documents, articles and photographs. The correspondence, primarily received by Whitfield, included inquiries regarding his role as Chief Justice, important events in Florida and his research into Florida's legislative history. His correspondence included inquiries and responses from prominent figures in Florida's history, including Claude Pepper, William Moseley and Sidney Catts. The research papers include those written by Whitfield and others he collected for his research.
Finding Aids:
Folder listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials:
For photographs of James B. Whitfield, see Collection M82-5, General Photographic Collection, 1845-2001, and see Collection S1842, Photographs of Florida Political Figures, 1821-2002, searchable index available on the Florida Photographic Collection web site at https://www.floridamemory.com/photographiccollection//
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Previously State Library of Florida Manuscripts Collection MS80.
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Whitfield, James Bryan, 1860-1948 Pepper, Claude, 1900-1989 Moseley, William Dunn, 1795-1863 Catts, Sidney Johnston, 1863-1936
Florida Historical Society.
History Societies, etc. Constitution revisions. Legislation Florida
Personnel records. aat Letters. aat Clippings. aat
Tallahassee (Fla.) Leon County (Fla.)
for detailed listing.