Salvador T. Pons
Salvador T. Pons (December 23, 1835 - March 21, 1890) was a bricklayer and politician in Pensacola, Florida. He served in the Florida House of Representatives for Escambia County from 1868-1870 and in 1875. He served as Pensacola's mayor in 1874 and was on the city council in 1869, 1870 and 1874. He was a clerk for Pensacola from 1877-1880 and from 1882-1884. He was described as small in stature and was praised by Stephen R. Mallory.[1] He attended the Convention of Colored People in Nashville in 1876.[2]
He was born in Mexico.[1] His father was a White seaman and his mother Maria Rosario had African ancestry. He was described as Creole[2] and "mulatto".[1]
He caught Yellow Fever in 1882.[2] In 1885, Democrats ousted Pensacola's elected officials and the city archives burned. He died in 1890 and is buried at St. Michaels Cemetery in downtown Pensacola.[2]
John Pons served as an Escambia County Commissioner from 1868 to 1870 and as Escambia County tax assessor in 1874 and 1875.[1] He also worked as a federal customs inspector in Warrenton.[2] He died December 21, 1912.[1] A historical marker commemorates his history.[3]
See also
[edit]- List of mayors of Pensacola, Florida
- African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era
- John Sunday Jr.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Florida's Black Public Officials by Carter Brown Jr. page 116
- ^ a b c d e Reeves, D. C. "Righting the past: Pensacola's only Black mayor, Salvador Pons, is dead at 55". Pensacola News Journal.
- ^ "Salvador T. Pons Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.