James T. Archer


James Tillinghast Archer was an American lawyer and politician from the state of Florida. Archer held a number of statewide offices.

Early life

Archer was born on May 15, 1819 in Gillisonville, South Carolina. His family moved to Leon County in the Florida Territory in the 1830s as a result of his father, Hugh Archer, taking a position on the Florida Territorial Legislative Council. Archer was thus raised into Florida politics from an early age.

Political career

In 1840, Archer was named U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Florida, though he would only hold the position for that year. A Democrat, he was named the first Florida Secretary of State when Florida gained its statehood in 1845. He served as in this position until April 1848, when he was appointed as the third Florida Attorney General upon the resignation of incumbent Augustus Maxwell.
During his tenure, Archer was selected to be a member of the first Democratic National Committee at the 1848 Democratic National Convention. He would only serve as Attorney General until his resignation in October 1848.
After his resignation, Archer began a private law practice in Tallahassee, Florida, partnering with local lawyer Hugh A. Corley to form law firm Archer and Corley. Archer would later be briefly appointed as the fifth Florida Comptroller following the short absence of incumbent Theodore W. Brevard. He would serve from November 1854 until Brevard's return in January 1855.

Death and legacy

Archer died in Tallahassee on June 1, 1859 from heart disease. He is buried in the Old City Cemetery in Tallahassee.
Shortly after his death, his friend David Levy Yulee named the town of Archer, Florida after him.