Biography - William Thomas CASH

CASH, Hon. William Thomas, Superintendent of Public Instruction for Taylor County, is one of the highly-educated men and experienced teachers of this part of Florida, and a citizen whose efforts in behalf of the public have been unusually fruitful, both in a private capacity and in both houses of the State Assembly. He was born near Lamont, Jefferson County, Florida, July 23, 1878, a son of Benjamin F. and Susan (MIXON) CASH, the former of whom died May 8, 1881, when his son was only three years old. Mrs. CASH, who survives, is a daughter of James J. MIXON, who came to Florida in 1848, settling in what is now Taylor County and remaining there, except for about a year and a half spent at Newport, until after the Civil war, in which he saw service as a Confederate soldier. After the war he became a planter near Lloyd, Jefferson County. He was a native of South Carolina.

William Thomas CASH attended school in the backwoods region, and when he was only thirteen years old began earning his own living in farm work, for which he received $2 per month and his board. He has always been a close student, and in spite of his lack of early educational advantages began teaching school in December, 1897, when nineteen years old, and continued an educator until 1920. For some years he taught in the Perry schools, and during later years was a teacher in the teachers department of the Taylor County High School. From 1917 to 1921 he was teacher of history and civics during the summer sessions of the State College for women at Tallahassee. History is his hobby, he is a profound student, a great lover of the classics, and takes but little interest in modern fiction. While attending the country school of his neighborhood he had as one of his teachers a young man, now Hon. Carey A. Hardee, governor of Florida. In conjunction with his teaching, Mr. CASH has been identified with newspaper work, and was the editor and owner of the Taylor County “Topics” in 1905; was editor and part owner of the Taylor County “Citizen” in 1906, and the Taylor County “Herald” in 1911, but has not devoted any of his time to this field of endeavor since 1913.

In 1909 Mr. CASH was elected to represent Taylor County in the State Legislature, and was returned in 1915 and 1917, and in 1918 was elected to the Senate from the Twelfth Senatorial District, from which he resigned in order to enter the race for his present position in 1920, which he will hold until 1925. He has always been very active in democratic politics. In 1909 he introduced the Cash Primary Bill, and during that session and the others in which he participated he always gave his support to legislation on educational matters, and is a strong believer in compulsory education. In 1915 he took an active part in securing legislation relative to the fish industry, and he is an enthusiastic booster of the good roads movement.

In 1912 Mr. CASH married at Shady Grove, Florida, Gracie WENTWORTH, born at Shady Grove, a daughter of R. E. and Laura L. (COX) WENTWORTH, natives of Taylor County, who are both living at Shady Grove. They are farming people, and earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. CASH have five children, namely; Laura Louise, twin sons-Alton Horace and William Thomas, Alwyn Clymer (sic) and Erma Clarice. The CASH family live on their beautiful farm, Pine View, which is located two miles from Perry. During the late war Mr. CASH was chairman of the War Savings Stamp campaign, and also served on the Community Labor Board for Taylor County. The Methodist Episcopal Church has in him an honored member, and for some time he has been a teacher in the Sunday school connected with it.

Extracted by Nancy Rayburn from 1923 The History of Florida: Past & Present, Volume 3, page 199.

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