John B. Reilly
Encyclopedia
John B. Reilly was the first Mayor of Miami.
John B. Reilly was born in Connecticut on May 18, 1870. In 1886 he became a shipping clerk in Branford
, Connecticut
. He moved to Florida in 1893 accepting the position of bookkeeper and cashier for the firm of McQuire & McDonald, who contracted with Henry M. Flagler and built his hotels. He was then appointed as a manager of Florida East Coast Railway
in 1896 and acted as company spokesman in Miami, Florida. The city was incorporated shortly after his arrival and due to his key role with the Florida East Coast Railway
he was elected Mayor in 1896 serving four consecutive terms. He also served as United States Commissioner for the southern district of Florida being appointed in 1897. In March, 1914, he became associated with the developments of James Deering
's Summer House Villa Vizcaya
and acted as financial agent until 1921. He was director of the Bank of Bay Biscayne, director of Reilly, Stoms & Paxton and a director of Miami Realty Corporation.
John B. Reilly was born in Connecticut on May 18, 1870. In 1886 he became a shipping clerk in Branford
Branford
Branford can refer to:Places*Branford, Connecticut, a town in the United States*Branford, Florida, a town in the United States*Branford College, a residential college at Yale UniversityPeople*Branford Marsalis, jazz musician*Branford, Henrietta, author...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. He moved to Florida in 1893 accepting the position of bookkeeper and cashier for the firm of McQuire & McDonald, who contracted with Henry M. Flagler and built his hotels. He was then appointed as a manager of Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
in 1896 and acted as company spokesman in Miami, Florida. The city was incorporated shortly after his arrival and due to his key role with the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
he was elected Mayor in 1896 serving four consecutive terms. He also served as United States Commissioner for the southern district of Florida being appointed in 1897. In March, 1914, he became associated with the developments of James Deering
James Deering
James Deering was an industrialist executive in the family Deering Harvester Company and subsequent International Harvester, a socialite, and an antiquities collector. He is known for his landmark Vizcaya estate, where he was an early 20th century resident on Biscayne Bay in the present day...
's Summer House Villa Vizcaya
Villa Vizcaya
Vizcaya, now named the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida...
and acted as financial agent until 1921. He was director of the Bank of Bay Biscayne, director of Reilly, Stoms & Paxton and a director of Miami Realty Corporation.