Francis W. Eppes

Francis W. Eppes
Intendant of Tallahassee, Florida
In office
1841–1844
Preceded byLeslie A. Thompson
Succeeded byJames A. Berthelot
In office
1856–1857
Preceded byThomas Hayward
Succeeded byD. P. Hogue
In office
1866–1866
Preceded byP. T. Pearce
Succeeded byD. P. Hogue
Personal details
Born(1801-09-20)September 20, 1801
Monticello, Virginia, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 1881(1881-05-30) (aged 79)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Spouses
Mary Elizabeth Cleland Randolph
(m. 1822; died 1835)
Susan Margaret Ware Crouch
(m. 1837; died 1881)
Children13
Parent(s)John Wayles Eppes
Mary Jefferson Eppes
OccupationPolitician

Francis Wayles Eppes (September 20, 1801 – May 30, 1881) was a planter and slave owner from Virginia who became a cotton planter in Florida Territory and later civic leader in Tallahassee and surrounding Leon County, Florida. After reaching legal age and marrying, Eppes operated the Poplar Forest plantation which his grandfather President Thomas Jefferson had established in Bedford County, Virginia, which he inherited. However, in 1829 he moved with his family to near Tallahassee, Florida. Long interested in education, in 1856 Eppes donated land and money to designate a school in Tallahassee as one of the first two state-supported seminaries, now known as Florida State University. He served as president of its board of trustees for eight years.[1]

  1. ^ Napton, WB, Phillips, C & Pendleton, JL 2005, The Union on Trial: The Political Lournals of Judge William Barclay Napton, 1829–1883, University of Missouri Press