Fleming family

The Fleming family were early Northeast Florida settlers. George Fleming came to Florida, via Charleston, South Carolina, from Ireland ca. 1785 and became a large landowner after receiving a number of grants of land from the Spanish government. In 1791, he married Sophia Fatio, daughter of a St. Johns River planter, Francis Fatio. The Fleming family grew to one daughter, Mary, and two sons, Lewis and George, Jr. They resided in St. Augustine and at their St. Johns River plantation, Hibernia, on Fleming Island.

Francis Philip Fleming, son of Lewis and his second wife Margaret Seton, was born in 1841 in Panama Park, Duval County. In 1861, he joined the Second Florida infantry and served in the Civil War armies of Gens. Magruder, Johnston, Hood, and Lee. After the war, he studied law, was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1868, and became a partner in the Jacksonville law firm, Fleming & Daniel (later Fleming & Fleming)

In 1871, Francis Fleming married Florida Lydia Pearson, daughter of Bird M. Pearson, justice of the Florida Supreme Court. They had two sons, Francis P. Jr. and Charles Seton Fleming, and one daughter, Elizabeth.

With law and politics as his primary interests, Fleming became a noted civic leader in Jacksonville, with increasing activities in state politics as a member of the Democratic executive committee. In 1888, after an arduous gubernatorial campaign during the Yellow Fever epidemic, he defeated the Republican candidate V. J. Shipman. Fleming served as Governor of Florida from 1889 until 1893, the single term then allowed by law. Notable issues and developments during his gubernatorial tenure included the creation of a State Board of Health in 1889, the repeal of the Florida Railroad Commission, attempts at higher education reorganization, adjustment of state revenues, the Farmers' Alliance movement, and the 1891 re-election controversy regarding U.S. Senator Wilkinson Call.

After retiring from politics in 1893, Fleming continued to practice law in Jacksonville and developed a strong interest in Floridiana and local history. He edited a two volume work by Rowland Rerick, Memoirs of Florida, helped to incorporate the Florida Historical Society in 1905, contributed several articles to the Society's Quarterly, and became the Society's President in 1907.

After a long illness, Francis Philip Fleming died on December 20, 1908.

After their father's death, his sons, Francis P. Jr. and Charles Seton, continued the family's law practice. Charles and Elizabeth Fleming also became active in the Florida Historical Society. Charles Fleming contributed articles and served as the Society's Director and Vice-President in 1924-25.

From the guide to the Fleming Family Letters, 1879-1930, (Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida)