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New page: '''Florencio Commyns''', born circa 1796 in Pensacola, served as both Tax Collector and Sheriff of Escambia County beginning in 1830. He is be...
'''Florencio Commyns''', born circa [[1796]] in Pensacola, served as both [[Escambia County Tax Collector|Tax Collector]] and [[Sheriff of Escambia County]] beginning in [[1830]]. He is believed to be the first elected sheriff (other records credit [[Ebenezer Dorr IV]] with that title), as well as the first native Pensacolian to serve in that position.
Commyns served as sheriff until [[1837]]. Shortly thereafter, he was involved in an altercation in which he witnessed a man abusing one of his slaves. When the man refused to stop, Commyns shot him in the leg, took him to a hospital, and turned himself into the authorities. The man died the next day. Commyns was tried and acquitted by a jury on grounds of self-defense.
==Notable cases==
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*Murder of Major [[Saunder Dinaho]] at [[Cantonment Clinch]], resulting in the hanging of Sergeant [[Donica]].
*[[1831]] fatal stabbing of a man by [[Jose Vidal]] after a series of drunken fights. Witnesses included [[Benjamin Drake Wright]], [[John de la Rua]] and a young man named [[Jose Caro]], none of which reported seeing a fatal thrust exchanged by the men. Three justices of the peace dismissed the case over insufficient evidence.
*[[1835]] murder of [[Theresa Whitaker]] by her husband [[Richard Whitaker|Richard]], who cut her throat and then tried to take his own life in the same way, according to the attending doctor, [[John Brosnaham]].
==References==
*[[John Appleyard]]. ''The Peacekeepers: the Story of Escambia County, Florida's 43 Sheriffs''. 2007.
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{{succession box | before = [[James Pendleton]] | title = [[Escambia County Sheriff]] | years = [[1830]]-[[1837]] | after = [[Jesse Allen]]}}
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[[Category:Escambia County Sheriffs|Commyns, Florencio]]
Commyns served as sheriff until [[1837]]. Shortly thereafter, he was involved in an altercation in which he witnessed a man abusing one of his slaves. When the man refused to stop, Commyns shot him in the leg, took him to a hospital, and turned himself into the authorities. The man died the next day. Commyns was tried and acquitted by a jury on grounds of self-defense.
==Notable cases==
{{sectstub}}
*Murder of Major [[Saunder Dinaho]] at [[Cantonment Clinch]], resulting in the hanging of Sergeant [[Donica]].
*[[1831]] fatal stabbing of a man by [[Jose Vidal]] after a series of drunken fights. Witnesses included [[Benjamin Drake Wright]], [[John de la Rua]] and a young man named [[Jose Caro]], none of which reported seeing a fatal thrust exchanged by the men. Three justices of the peace dismissed the case over insufficient evidence.
*[[1835]] murder of [[Theresa Whitaker]] by her husband [[Richard Whitaker|Richard]], who cut her throat and then tried to take his own life in the same way, according to the attending doctor, [[John Brosnaham]].
==References==
*[[John Appleyard]]. ''The Peacekeepers: the Story of Escambia County, Florida's 43 Sheriffs''. 2007.
{{start box}}
{{succession box | before = [[James Pendleton]] | title = [[Escambia County Sheriff]] | years = [[1830]]-[[1837]] | after = [[Jesse Allen]]}}
{{end box}}
[[Category:Escambia County Sheriffs|Commyns, Florencio]]