A Guide to Florida Governors and the Florida Cabinet

Commissioner of Agriculture

Member of Cabinet: 1885 – present

The post of the Commissioner of Agriculture was created in 1885.  The Department of Agriculture was formed in 1889 and reformed in 1959.  The Commissioner of Agriculture was formerly the Commissioner of Lands and Immigration, a post created in 1871, combining the duties of the Commissioner of Immigration and the Surveyor-General.  Prior to 1969, the Commissioner of Agriculture controlled a Bureau of Immigration (until 1959), supervised the state prison (until 1957), and managed the Land Office (until 1963), in addition to supervising all matters pertaining to agriculture.

• Lucius B. Wombwell (December 31, 1888 - December 28, 1900)
• Benjamin E. McLin (January 9, 1901 - February 5, 1912)
• J. C. (John Christian) Luning (February 5, 1912 - March 1, 1912)
• William Allen McRae (March 1, 1912 - November 1, 1923)
• Nathan Mayo (November 1, 1923 - April 18, 1960)
• Lee Thompson (ad interim) (April 18, 1960 - January 3, 1961)
• Doyle Conner (January 3, 1961 - January 8, 1991)
• Robert B. Crawford (January 8, 1991 - January 30, 2001)
• Terry Lee Rhodes (interim) (January 30, 2001 - May 14, 2001)
• Charles Bronson (May 14, 2001 - present)

Lucius B. Wombwell (December 31, 1888 - December 28, 1900)

[1849-1900]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Lucius B. Wombwell.
  • Search Wombwell, Lucius B., 1849-1900 in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

• RG 690 State Board of Pardons
  • S 158 Pardon, commutation, and remission decrees, 1869-1909

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.

Benjamin E. McLin (January 9, 1901 - February 5, 1912)

[1851-1912]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Benjamin E. McLin.
  • Search McLin, Benjamin Earnest, 1851-1912 in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

• RG 690 State Board of Pardons
  • S 158 Pardon, commutation, and remission decrees, 1869-1909
• RG 940 Joint Legislative Committees
  • S 654 Testimony of witnesses appearing before the Commission for the Investigation of the Acts and Doings of the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund, 1907

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.

J. C. (John Christian) Luning (February 5, 1912 - March 1, 1912)

[1863-1928]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to J. C. (John Christian) Luning.
  • Search Luning, John C., 1863-1928 in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

No records as Agriculture Commissioner

As Treasurer:

• RG 342 Treasurer's Office
  • S 366 Daily cash balances, 1915-1939
  • S 375 Daily cash sheets, 1916-1946
  • S 668 Daybooks, 1873-1914
  • S 669 Abstracts of receipts registers, 1877-1939
  • S 670 Receipt and disbursement journals, 1845-1920
  • S 675 Warrants paid registers, 1872-1918

Other repositories:

• Report of the Treasurer of the State of Florida, 1885-2004. State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.
• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.

William Allen McRae (March 1, 1912 - November 1, 1923)

[1870-1943]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to William Allen McRae.
  • Search McRae, William A., 1870-1943 in the Florida Photographic Collection.

No records at the Archives

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.

Nathan Mayo (November 1, 1923 - April 18, 1960)

[1876-1960]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Nathan Mayo.
  • Search Mayo, Nathan, 1876-1960 in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

• RG 200 Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  • S 532 Washington Representative W. D. Outman administrative files, 1942-1950
• RG 90000 Manuscripts
  • M82-18 Memorabilia collection, 1920-1960

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.
• Papers, 1876-1960. P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, University of Florida.

Lee Thompson (ad interim) (April 18, 1960 - January 3, 1961)

[1908- ]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Lee Thompson.
  • Search Thompson, Lee in the Florida Photographic Collection.

No records at the archives

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.

Doyle Conner (January 3, 1961 - January 8, 1991)

[1928- ]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Doyle Conner.
  • Search Conner, Doyle, 1928- in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

• RG 100 Office of the Governor
  • S 184 Cabinet meeting official records, 1966-2005
• RG 150 Dept of State
  • S 1394 Cabinet meeting audio recordings, 1966-2002
• RG 200 Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  • S 1480 Correspondence, 1987-1993
  • S 1819 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner's Executive Clemency Board records, 1964-1982
  • S 1823 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Connor's speech files, 1981-1989 (bulk 1985-1989).
  • S 1827 Capital punishment correspondence, 1972-1979
  • S 1829 Annual Business Conference records, 1966-1979
  • S 1850 Agricultural Tours and Trade Missions files, 1964-1991
  • S 1854 Constitution Revision Committee files, 1977-1980
  • S 1860 Departmental reorganization research and planning files, 1983-1984
  • S 1864 Commissioner Doyle Conner's political meeting files, 1986-1989
  • S 1866 Commissioner Doyle Conner's re-election files, 1982-1989 (bulk 1986-1989).
  • S 1868 Commissioner Doyle Conner's Estero Bay preservation files, 1973-1977
  • S 1871 Commissioner Doyle Conner's Government Re-Organization Bill files, 1969
  • S 1872 Commissioner Doyle Conner's Executive Cabinet correspondence files, 1971-1985.
  • S 1876 Commissioner Doyle Conner's correspondence files, 1962-1985
  • S 1904 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner's reading files, 1976-1989
  • S 1909 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner Program Specialists' general correspondence files, 1976-1989
  • S 1917 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner office files, 1988-1989
  • S 1918 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner photographic files, 1960-1989
  • S 1920 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner miscellaneous office activities files, 1963-1990
  • S 1941 Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner Legislative Trail Ride photographs, 1969-1989
• RG 207 Department of Agriculture, Division of Marketing
  • S 1851 Departmental activities films and videos, ca. 1960-1990
• RG 90000 Manuscripts
  • N2003-2 Reporters Lee Mainella and Bill Burke's master story video tapes, 1982-1991

Other repositories:

• Annual Reports, 1889-1972 (microfilm). State Library of Florida, Tallahassee.
• Oral Histor. Florida Legislative Research and Museum, Tallahassee, Florida.

Published materials:

• Florida. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Doyle Conner: His Political years, 1950-1990 Tallahassee: State of Florida, 1990.

Robert B. Crawford (January 8, 1991 - January 30, 2001)

[1948- ]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Robert B. Crawford.
  • Search Crawford, Bob, 1948- in the Florida Photographic Collection.

Collections at the State Archives of Florida:

• RG 200 Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  • S 1979 Sherman Wilhelms general correspondence files, 1987-1997

Terry Lee Rhodes (interim) (January 30, 2001 - May 14, 2001)

[1956- ]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Terry Lee Rhodes.
  • Search Rhodes, Terry L., 1956- in the Florida Photographic Collection.

No records at the Archives.

Charles Bronson (May 14, 2001 - )

[1949- ]

Florida Photographic Collection:

• Images related to Charles Bronson.
  • Search Bronson, Charlie, 1949- in the Florida Photographic Collection.

No records at the Archives.

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