Daniel T. McCarty
Encyclopedia
Daniel Thomas McCarty was an American politician and elected officeholder. McCarty was elected to the Florida House of Representatives
, and served as its speaker, and was later elected the 31st Governor of Florida
.
, the son of a prominent local family, and grew up in a large house on Indian River Drive just south of the present courthouse in downtown Fort Pierce. He attended local public schools including the University of Florida
. While at the University of Florida
he was extremely active within Florida Blue Key
, Student Government, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and ROTC. After finishing his education in 1934, McCarty became a cattleman and citrus grower in Fort Pierce. He married Olie Brown with whom he had three children. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army, was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and was decorated with the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart
, the Legion of Merit
, and the French Croix de Guerre
.
where he served until 1941. During the 1941 session, he served as speaker of the house. In 1948 he was the runner up for the Democratic nomination for governor. Four years later in 1952, he ran for governor again, and this time was successful in winning the office. During his tenure, he reformed purchasing and hiring practices by the state government, boosted teachers' salaries and created scholarships for teacher training, opposed oil exploration in the Everglades, and instituted aid programs for the disabled. On February 25, 1953, shortly after assuming the governorship, he suffered a debilitating heart attack and died on September 28, 1953 in Tallahassee
. After a large funeral at his life-long parish church, the old Carpenter Gothic
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
across the street from his boyhood home in Fort Pierce, he was buried in the Palms Cemetery three miles south on Indian River Drive in Ankona. It is said that the beginning of the bumper-to-bumper funeral procession reached the small cemetery before the last cars had left the church area. Dan McCarty Middle School, in St. Lucie County, was named in his honor.
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
, and served as its speaker, and was later elected the 31st Governor of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early life
Dan McCarty was born in Fort Pierce, FloridaFort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
, the son of a prominent local family, and grew up in a large house on Indian River Drive just south of the present courthouse in downtown Fort Pierce. He attended local public schools including the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. While at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
he was extremely active within Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key is a student honor and service society at the University of Florida. It is often written and referred to by the initialism "FBK."This organization was started at the University of Florida in 1923 under the presidency of Albert Murphree...
, Student Government, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and ROTC. After finishing his education in 1934, McCarty became a cattleman and citrus grower in Fort Pierce. He married Olie Brown with whom he had three children. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army, was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and was decorated with the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, and the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
.
Political career
He began his political career when in 1937, he was elected to the Florida House of RepresentativesFlorida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
where he served until 1941. During the 1941 session, he served as speaker of the house. In 1948 he was the runner up for the Democratic nomination for governor. Four years later in 1952, he ran for governor again, and this time was successful in winning the office. During his tenure, he reformed purchasing and hiring practices by the state government, boosted teachers' salaries and created scholarships for teacher training, opposed oil exploration in the Everglades, and instituted aid programs for the disabled. On February 25, 1953, shortly after assuming the governorship, he suffered a debilitating heart attack and died on September 28, 1953 in Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. After a large funeral at his life-long parish church, the old Carpenter Gothic
Carpenter Gothic
Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic, and Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures built by house-carpenters...
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Holy Apostles Episcopal Church (Satellite Beach, Florida)
Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, is an historic Carpenter Gothic church located today at 505 Grant Avenue in Satellite Beach, Florida in the United States. It was built in 1902 some 60 miles to the south in Fort Pierce to serve St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, which it did until March 25, 1959, when St...
across the street from his boyhood home in Fort Pierce, he was buried in the Palms Cemetery three miles south on Indian River Drive in Ankona. It is said that the beginning of the bumper-to-bumper funeral procession reached the small cemetery before the last cars had left the church area. Dan McCarty Middle School, in St. Lucie County, was named in his honor.