Page 140 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 129/340

The Era of Reconstruction

discovered irregularities in Lake City’s city hall precinct where
Ross was the victor by 331 to 13. The board ruled that the action
of the armed group in Lake City on the night of November 7,
intimidated hundreds of black voters and kept them from voting.
Republican John Mahoney was declared the winner in the assem­
bly race for the same reason. These and similar actions by the
board in other counties gave the Republicans a working majority of
five in the assembly and two in the senate. John Mahoney was
murdered in Lake City on April 26, 1871, and a special election
was held on December 19, 1871. The Conservative-Democrat
William Dukes, who earlier had been ousted in Mahoney’s favor by
the board of state canvassers, was the winner.33
Companies of federal troops were stationed in several Florida
cities during the election of 1872. The force at Jacksonville con­
sisted of 36 men and 1 officer, while Marianna and Tallahassee
each had companies of 20 men and 1 officer. Lake City and Quincy
each had companies of 12 men and 1 officer, while Madison and
Monticello each had squads of 5. No cases of any significant
violence were reported in the election, although some irregu­
larities were alleged. Conservative-Democrats particularly com­
plained about irregularities at the Colored Academy precinct in
Columbia County. The Colored Academy was a school for blacks
established in Lake City after the war. It was staffed by two white
female teachers and enrolled as many as 300 students. The school
and similar schools in Fernandina, Jacksonville, and St. Augustine
faced many difficulties.
Many of the white teachers who were sent to teach in them by
northern benevolent associations encountered considerable hos­
tility from the local-communities. Local whites, especially the
women, refused to associate with white northern teachers. In Lake
City teachers at the Colored Academy drawing a salary of less than
3:1 Tallahassee Floridian, May 2, May 16, 1871; Peek, “Lawlessness and the
Restoration of Order in Florida, 1868-1871.” pp. 167, 207-208.
127

www.LakeCityHistory.com LCH-UUID: 02905885-C4E0-4A35-9DAE-804ED8349EC9