J.E.T. Bowden was the owner of Florida's first taxi company.
In 1893, James Bowden was a member of the Duval County Athletic Club. They fought churches, civic groups, the mayor of Jacksonville, the governor of Florida, the Second Battalion of Ocala Rifles of the Florida State Militia, and even the local humane society to bring prize fighting to Florida. It became known as "Sports" vs "Church folk and the moral element of the country". He and the members prevailed and on January 25, 1894, in Moncrief Park, Gentleman Jim Corbett, Boxing Champion of America, fought Charles Mitchell, champion of England. In only 12 minutes of boxing, Corbett had knocked out Mitchell thus becoming Heavyweight Champion of the World.
He was the last mayor of LaVilla, until May 31, 1887, when LaVilla became incorporated into the city of Jacksonville. J.E.T. Bowden began bringing the "resorts" (prostitution establishments) into the news. Bowden had many real estate holdings in the area besides his own impressive home and garden, one of which was The Coliseum, consisting of a swimming pool and turkish bath, and he had long been involved in local civic concerns:
The temperance movement came to a head as a series of scandals erupted in LaVilla in which the little town's mayor,...Bowden fought an outrageously corrupt City Council, personally raided houses of prostitution, and tried to close one of the most notorious bistros along the LaVilla section of Bay Street..."The Store," owned by Colonel Sam Houston...The police force, controlled by the alderman, also refused to cooperate, and at one point Bowden personally arrested two of them when he raided a house of prostitution and caught them "in the arms of two
women" instead of patrolling their beats. At the height of his trouble Mayor Bowden minced no words, calling LaVilla's aldermen "drunkards and bar-room pimps...who have not the least regard for their oaths of office, and for a drink of whiskey...will sell their votes for any purpose".
Sources: Florida Times-Union, October 23, 24, 27, 1887;
J.E.T. Bowden was the owner of Florida's first taxi company.
In 1893, James Bowden was a member of the Duval County Athletic Club. They fought churches, civic groups, the mayor of Jacksonville, the governor of Florida, the Second Battalion of Ocala Rifles of the Florida State Militia, and even the local humane society to bring prize fighting to Florida. It became known as "Sports" vs "Church folk and the moral element of the country". He and the members prevailed and on January 25, 1894, in Moncrief Park, Gentleman Jim Corbett, Boxing Champion of America, fought Charles Mitchell, champion of England. In only 12 minutes of boxing, Corbett had knocked out Mitchell thus becoming Heavyweight Champion of the World.
He was the last mayor of LaVilla, until May 31, 1887, when LaVilla became incorporated into the city of Jacksonville. J.E.T. Bowden began bringing the "resorts" (prostitution establishments) into the news. Bowden had many real estate holdings in the area besides his own impressive home and garden, one of which was The Coliseum, consisting of a swimming pool and turkish bath, and he had long been involved in local civic concerns:
The temperance movement came to a head as a series of scandals erupted in LaVilla in which the little town's mayor,...Bowden fought an outrageously corrupt City Council, personally raided houses of prostitution, and tried to close one of the most notorious bistros along the LaVilla section of Bay Street..."The Store," owned by Colonel Sam Houston...The police force, controlled by the alderman, also refused to cooperate, and at one point Bowden personally arrested two of them when he raided a house of prostitution and caught them "in the arms of two
women" instead of patrolling their beats. At the height of his trouble Mayor Bowden minced no words, calling LaVilla's aldermen "drunkards and bar-room pimps...who have not the least regard for their oaths of office, and for a drink of whiskey...will sell their votes for any purpose".
Sources: Florida Times-Union, October 23, 24, 27, 1887;
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J. E. T. Bowden
1857 - 1930
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