Editing Charles Henry Bliss
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| date_of_death =[[July 24]], [[1907]] | | date_of_death =[[July 24]], [[1907]] | ||
| place_of_death =Pensacola | | place_of_death =Pensacola | ||
− | | occupation = | + | | occupation =Politician, publisher |
| religion = | | religion = | ||
| spouse =Matilda Wilcox Bliss<br/>Sara Gertrude Herman Bliss | | spouse =Matilda Wilcox Bliss<br/>Sara Gertrude Herman Bliss | ||
| parents =Christian Henry and Caroline Fowler Bliss | | parents =Christian Henry and Caroline Fowler Bliss | ||
| children =Edwin S. Bliss<br/>Maud Allen Bliss<br/>Walter Henry Bliss<br/>Charles Herman Bliss<br/>Herbert Bryl Bliss<br/>Bessie Leeds Bliss<br/>Carlyse Genevieve Bliss<br/>Ruby Lee Bliss | | children =Edwin S. Bliss<br/>Maud Allen Bliss<br/>Walter Henry Bliss<br/>Charles Herman Bliss<br/>Herbert Bryl Bliss<br/>Bessie Leeds Bliss<br/>Carlyse Genevieve Bliss<br/>Ruby Lee Bliss | ||
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}} | }} | ||
'''Charles Henry Bliss''' was [[Mayor of Pensacola]] from [[1905]] to [[1907]]. He was also a publisher of a [[Bliss magazines|quarterly magazine]] called at various times ''Bliss' Magazine'', ''The Bliss Magazine'', and ''Bliss' Quarterly''. | '''Charles Henry Bliss''' was [[Mayor of Pensacola]] from [[1905]] to [[1907]]. He was also a publisher of a [[Bliss magazines|quarterly magazine]] called at various times ''Bliss' Magazine'', ''The Bliss Magazine'', and ''Bliss' Quarterly''. | ||
==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
− | + | Bliss married Matilda Sophia Wilcox on [[April 17]], [[1879]] in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bliss, a member of the Mormon Church, was called to a mission in the southern states. Upon returning to Utah, he attended the University of Utah, and there became disillusioned with Mormonism. Bliss and his wife, who remained a devout follower, later divorced, and Bliss returned to his home state of Indiana.<ref>Information provided by E. C. Bliss, Bliss' grandson.</ref> | |
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− | Bliss married Matilda Sophia Wilcox on [[April 17]], [[1879]] in Salt Lake City. | ||
Bliss settled in Kokomo, Indiana, where he taught school and edited a local newspaper. He remarried, on [[February 20]], [[1892]], to Sara Gertrude Herman.<ref>Information provided by C. Bozeman, a descendant of C. H. Bliss.</ref> | Bliss settled in Kokomo, Indiana, where he taught school and edited a local newspaper. He remarried, on [[February 20]], [[1892]], to Sara Gertrude Herman.<ref>Information provided by C. Bozeman, a descendant of C. H. Bliss.</ref> | ||
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==In Pensacola== | ==In Pensacola== | ||
In December [[1895]],<ref>"Mayor is Dead", ''Pensacola Journal'', July 24, 1907.</reF> Bliss and his second wife moved to Pensacola. Bliss worked as a reporter and newspaper editor, also publishing the [[Bliss magazines]]. He later was engaged in the concrete business, as well as in the design and manufacture of metallic [[Wikipedia:Launch (boat)|launches]].<ref>[http://brokert10.fcla.edu/DLData/WF/WF00000029/file30.pdf ''Bliss' Magazine'', January 1899, p.90]</ref> | In December [[1895]],<ref>"Mayor is Dead", ''Pensacola Journal'', July 24, 1907.</reF> Bliss and his second wife moved to Pensacola. Bliss worked as a reporter and newspaper editor, also publishing the [[Bliss magazines]]. He later was engaged in the concrete business, as well as in the design and manufacture of metallic [[Wikipedia:Launch (boat)|launches]].<ref>[http://brokert10.fcla.edu/DLData/WF/WF00000029/file30.pdf ''Bliss' Magazine'', January 1899, p.90]</ref> | ||
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===Mayoral tenure=== | ===Mayoral tenure=== | ||
Bliss was elected [[Mayor of Pensacola]] in [[1905]], and was re-elected to a second term shortly before his death in [[1907]]. | Bliss was elected [[Mayor of Pensacola]] in [[1905]], and was re-elected to a second term shortly before his death in [[1907]]. | ||
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According to a political ad which Bliss ran in the ''[[Pensacola Journal]]'' on May 1, 1907, he accomplished much during his mayoral administration. Bliss claimed to have done much to beautify and improve the City's streets, parks, and other public works: | According to a political ad which Bliss ran in the ''[[Pensacola Journal]]'' on May 1, 1907, he accomplished much during his mayoral administration. Bliss claimed to have done much to beautify and improve the City's streets, parks, and other public works: | ||
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====Scuffle with W. C. Jones==== | ====Scuffle with W. C. Jones==== | ||
− | In [[1905]], during Bliss' tenure as Mayor of Pensacola, [[W. C. Jones]] | + | In [[1905]], during Bliss' tenure as Mayor of Pensacola, a former city clerk named [[W. C. Jones]] accused Bliss of being corrupt and physically accosted him. |
A Georgia newspaper published an account of the altercation: | A Georgia newspaper published an account of the altercation: | ||
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====1907 reelection campaign==== | ====1907 reelection campaign==== | ||
− | In his campaign for reelection in [[1907]], Bliss was opposed in the Democratic primary by [[Walker Ingraham]]. At | + | In his campaign for reelection in [[1907]], Bliss was opposed in the Democratic primary by [[Walker Ingraham]]. At this time, the Democratic Party was by far the predominant political party in Pensacola, and accordingly, elections were quite often decided in the general election. |
Mr. Ingraham, Bliss' opponent, was supported by many wealthy and powerful citizens of Pensacola, including [[William Alexander Blount, Sr.]], [[Evelyn Croom Maxwell]], [[Pensacola City Council|City Council]] member and future mayor [[Frank Reilly]], and [[John B. Jones]], the [[Pensacola City Attorney|City Attorney]]. Bliss claimed that "although a poor man, [he] had done more work and spent more money to advertise Pensacola than all the entire gang of rich men who are now trying to defeat him."<ref>Political ads, ''Pensacola Journal'', May 1, 1907.</ref> Bliss claimed that rather than running against Ingraham, he was running against the [[First National Bank of Pensacola|First National Bank]], and that if elected Ingraham would be merely a puppet. | Mr. Ingraham, Bliss' opponent, was supported by many wealthy and powerful citizens of Pensacola, including [[William Alexander Blount, Sr.]], [[Evelyn Croom Maxwell]], [[Pensacola City Council|City Council]] member and future mayor [[Frank Reilly]], and [[John B. Jones]], the [[Pensacola City Attorney|City Attorney]]. Bliss claimed that "although a poor man, [he] had done more work and spent more money to advertise Pensacola than all the entire gang of rich men who are now trying to defeat him."<ref>Political ads, ''Pensacola Journal'', May 1, 1907.</ref> Bliss claimed that rather than running against Ingraham, he was running against the [[First National Bank of Pensacola|First National Bank]], and that if elected Ingraham would be merely a puppet. | ||
− | + | The ''[[Pensacola Journal]]'' endorsed Mr. Ingraham. | |
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==Death== | ==Death== | ||
− | Bliss died around 3 a.m. in the morning of [[July 24]], [[1907]], just more than | + | Bliss died around 3 a.m. in the morning of [[July 24]], [[1907]], just more than a month after winning a second term as mayor. He had long suffered from a heart condition brought on by an earlier bout of pneumonia. The ''[[Pensacola Journal]]'' reported his death that morning: |
{{cquote|Mayor Chas. H. Bliss, after an illness of six weeks, which had become critical in the past week, died at his home on South [[Florida Blanca Street]] at three o’clock this morning. Death was due to heart trouble, and a complication of diseases of which the mayor had long been a sufferer. The fatal collapse occurred this morning shortly before 1 o’clock. Prior to that time, he had been resting easy, and while his physicians held but little hope of his recovery, it was hoped that he would rally during the night and gain strength. With the last attack, about 1 a.m., when it became hopelessly obvious that the mayor was dying, intimate friends were telephoned, and many of them went to the home. Among them were [[Calvin C. Goodman|President Goodman]] of the City Council, [[Frank Dent Sanders|Chief Sanders]], [[Henry Horsler]], and members of the Danion Lodge No. 13, of which the deceased was a member.|20px|20px|"Mayor is Dead", ''Pensacola Journal'', July 24, 1907.}} | {{cquote|Mayor Chas. H. Bliss, after an illness of six weeks, which had become critical in the past week, died at his home on South [[Florida Blanca Street]] at three o’clock this morning. Death was due to heart trouble, and a complication of diseases of which the mayor had long been a sufferer. The fatal collapse occurred this morning shortly before 1 o’clock. Prior to that time, he had been resting easy, and while his physicians held but little hope of his recovery, it was hoped that he would rally during the night and gain strength. With the last attack, about 1 a.m., when it became hopelessly obvious that the mayor was dying, intimate friends were telephoned, and many of them went to the home. Among them were [[Calvin C. Goodman|President Goodman]] of the City Council, [[Frank Dent Sanders|Chief Sanders]], [[Henry Horsler]], and members of the Danion Lodge No. 13, of which the deceased was a member.|20px|20px|"Mayor is Dead", ''Pensacola Journal'', July 24, 1907.}} | ||
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==Other images== | ==Other images== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
− | Image:Bliss-1907.png|Circa [[ | + | Image:Bliss-1907.png|Circa [[1907]] |
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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==References== | ==References== |