Page 158 - lake-city-florida-a-sesquicentennial-tribute-(h-morris-williams-kevin-mccarthy)-2009

Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Governor Frederick Preston Cone

Local politician/banker Frederick Preston Cone (1871 -
1948) became the 27th governor of Florida and served during diffi-
cult years: 1937 - 1941. As a conservative, he rejected some of the
federal aid projects for Florida, but - recognizing the importance of
cars to the development of the state - did establish the Florida High-
way Patrol.

When he was governor of Florida, his personal secretary was
Ella Neill, a local woman. Governor Cone was elected as a financial
conservative, but nobody knew just how conservative he was until
the day he turned down a new Cadillac. Bill Roy (CHS 1939), a
Naples attorney, tells this story: Right after his inauguration ceremony,
Governor Cone went to his office, where he found a new state-pur-
chased “desk set” his office staff had bought for him. He thanked
them, then returned the desk set to an aide, saying “Take this back to
the store and get the money back. I brought my own pens and pencils
with me.” Claude Nolan, the Jacksonville Cadillac dealer, then came
in and brought him the keys to a new Cadillac which the state would

pay for. Governor Cone turned to his aide and said, “Does this office
already have a state car?” “Yes, sir.” “Does it run?” “Yes, sir.” “Then
I don’t need another car. Conservative economics and savings will
start right here in this office.” When Governor Cone left office in 1941,
the state had a $25,000,000 surplus, a lot of money for those days.

A photo of the actual
keys to Governor
Cone’s office that were
donated by the Ella
Neill Family to the
School Museum

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