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OUR CHAPTER NAMESAKE
Thomas K. Spencer
Thomas K. Spencer was born in Pasco County but
resided in Hillsborough County most of his life.
He devoted his youthful efforts to the printer's
trade and was a pioneer in the newspaper
business in Florida.
At
15, he enlisted in the Florida Infantry as a
drummer boy. He served a year before his
superior officers became aware that he was under
the required age and sent him home with a
military discharge. But with martial spirit he
re-enlisted, this time as a blockade runner. He
was captured by the enemy and languished in a
military prison for seven months. As soon as he
was released, he was off again in a cavalry
company for the Southern cause. He was the last
man in the Confederate service of the state of
Florida, having been sent with dispatches and
not returning until twenty days after the
surrender.
After the war, Spencer returned home and
attempted to revive
The Florida Peninsular
newspaper, would would become
the The Tampa Tribune.
Under President Cleveland's first
administration, Spencer was Collector of
Customs, and in 1893 he was elected Sheriff, a
position he held for eight years.
As
Sheriff, Spencer planned and began the work that
stands as one of the monuments of his official
career - the system of good roads which have
brought Hillsborough County favorable notice and
proved of inestimable advantage to its
residents. In office, he was over watchful to
his duty, and he executed the important tasks of
the public trust with a conscientious regard for
its responsibilities. Levin Armwood, the first
black deputy sheriff, worked for Spencer and on
May 27, 1895, sheriff Spencer wrote: "To whom
it may concern . . . This is to certify that
Levin Armwood is a Deputy Sheriff in and for
Hillsborough County and is authorized to carry
prisoners to court." Hillsborough County's
Armwood High School was named after Levin
Armwood's Daughter, Blanche.
Because of illness, Spencer retired from public
life on January 1, 1901, and was in fact,
seriously ill with LaGrippe, which developed
into pneumonia. He died on May 6 at the age of
56. In accounts from his obituary, it was noted
that "no citizen had done more for the
upbuilding of Tampa as he, and he gained the
respect and love of its citizens."
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