Park Trammell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Park Trammell
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| Chair of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee | |
| In office March 4, 1933 – May 8, 1936 |
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| Preceded by | Frederick Hale |
| Succeeded by | David I. Walsh |
| Chair of the Senate Expenditures in the Treasury Department Committee | |
| In office March 4, 1917 – March 4, 1919 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph Taylor Robinson |
| Succeeded by | M. Hoke Smith |
| United States Senator from Florida |
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| In office March 4, 1917 – May 8, 1936 |
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| Preceded by | Nathan P. Bryan |
| Succeeded by | Scott M. Loftin |
| 21st Governor of Florida | |
| In office January 7, 1913 – January 2, 1917 |
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| Preceded by | Albert W. Gilchrist |
| Succeeded by | Sidney Johnston Catts |
| 19th Attorney General of Florida | |
| In office January 5, 1909 – January 7, 1913 |
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| Governor | Albert W. Gilchrist |
| Preceded by | W. H. Ellis |
| Succeeded by | Thomas F. West |
| President of the Florida Senate | |
| In office 1905–1907 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Adams |
| Succeeded by | W. Hunt Harris |
| Mayor of Lakeland, Florida | |
| In office 1900–1902 |
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| Preceded by | James P. Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Samuel L. A. Clonts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 9, 1876 Macon County, Alabama |
| Died | May 8, 1936 (aged 60) Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Virginia Darby
(m. 1900; died 1922)Beatrice Padgett
(m. 1934) |
| Education | Vanderbilt University Cumberland University |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1898 |
| Unit |  Quartermaster Corps |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War |
Park Monroe Trammell (born April 9, 1876 – died May 8, 1936) was an American lawyer and politician from Florida. He was a very important person in Florida's government for many years.
Trammell served as a United States Senator for Florida from 1917 until he passed away in 1936. He also led the Senate Naval Affairs Committee. In this role, he helped create important laws that made the United States Navy stronger. Before becoming a senator, Trammell was the Governor of Florida and the Florida Attorney General.
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Early Life and Education
Park Trammell was born on April 9, 1876, in Macon County, Alabama. When he was a young child, his family moved to a citrus farm near Lakeland, Florida.
In 1898, Trammell attended Vanderbilt University. Soon after, he joined the United States Army to serve during the Spanish–American War. He worked in the Quartermaster Corps, which handles supplies for the army. He was stationed in Tampa, Florida.
After the war, Trammell continued his education at Cumberland University. He graduated in 1899 and became a lawyer in Florida that same year.
Early Political Career
Trammell was a member of the Democratic Party. His political career began when he was elected mayor of Lakeland in 1900. He served two terms as mayor.
In 1902, Trammell was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, representing Polk County. He served there until 1904. Then, he was elected to the Florida Senate for Polk County. From 1905 to 1907, he was the President of the Florida Senate. After this, he left the senate to work as a private lawyer.
In 1909, Governor Albert W. Gilchrist chose Trammell to be the 19th Florida Attorney General. This job meant he was the chief legal officer for the state.
Becoming Governor of Florida
In 1912, Trammell decided to run for Governor of Florida. He wanted to take over from Governor Gilchrist. He won the Democratic Party's nomination, which meant he was their chosen candidate.
In the main election, Trammell won against four other candidates. He received 80% of all the votes. His closest opponent was Thomas W. Cox from the Socialist Party.
As governor, Trammell supported a law to control how much money was spent in election campaigns. He also created a state tax commission. This commission aimed to make property taxes fair across all counties.
During his time as governor, Trammell held views that were common at the time but are now considered deeply unfair. He supported policies that separated people based on race. He also did not take action against violence targeting African Americans in the state.
Serving in the United States Senate
A new rule, the Seventeenth Amendment, was passed in 1913. This rule changed how U.S. Senators were chosen. Before, state lawmakers picked them. Now, citizens would vote for them directly.
Trammell ran for the U.S. Senate in 1916. He won the Democratic primary election against the person who was already senator, Nathan P. Bryan. Then, in the general election, he easily beat his Republican opponent, William R. O'Neal, with almost 83% of the votes.
During his time as a senator, Trammell sometimes disagreed with his own party. For example, in 1916, he was part of a group called the Old Right. This group was against President Woodrow Wilson's idea to make people join the army during World War I.
Trammell also voted against some people chosen to be judges on the U.S. Supreme Court. He opposed Harlan F. Stone in 1925 and John J. Parker in 1930. Stone was still appointed to the court.
The Great Depression and the New Deal
During the Great Depression, a time when many people lost their jobs and money, Trammell joined a group called the Conservative Coalition. This group was made up of conservative lawmakers who did not agree with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" programs. They thought the New Deal was too liberal. Even so, Trammell generally supported President Roosevelt. Many Southern Democrats also started to vote against the New Deal programs.
In Florida, the 1934 U.S. Senate election was a big test of how voters felt about the New Deal. Trammell usually ran for election without much competition. But this time, he faced a tough race. He ran against former State Representative Claude Pepper and three other candidates. The main competition was between Trammell and Pepper, who had more social liberal ideas.
Because no one won more than 50% of the votes, the election went to a runoff election between Trammell and Pepper. Trammell won the runoff by a very small margin, just 2%. He then ran unopposed in the general election.
Earlier in 1934, Trammell worked with House Naval Affairs Committee Chair Carl Vinson on a law called the Vinson-Trammell Act. This law allowed the U.S. Navy to build new ships to replace older ones. This was important to keep up with the Japanese Empire.
During his time in the Senate, Trammell led two important committees. He was chairman of the Senate Expenditures in the Treasury Department Committee from 1917 to 1919. He also chaired the Senate Naval Affairs Committee from 1933 until his death in 1936.
Death and Legacy
Park Trammell passed away at his home in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 1936. He is buried in Roselawn Cemetery in Lakeland, Florida.
After his death, Trammell's official papers from his time as a senator were given to the Lakeland Public Library and the University of Florida. His papers from his time as governor are kept at the Florida State Archives.
In 1955, the Lakeland Public Library building was named the Park Trammell Building. Today, it is home to the Greater Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. Another Park Trammell Building, built in 1955, is in Tampa and houses the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
In 1956, a building at the Florida State Mental Hospital in Chattahoochee, Florida, was also named the Park Trammell Building. It is used to care for older patients.
Personal Life
Park Trammell married Virginia Darby on November 21, 1900. They were married until she passed away in 1922. Later, in 1934, he married Beatrice Padgett. Trammell did not have any children of his own.
Trammell was a member of several groups, including the Freemasons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Woodmen of the World.
