Ion Farris

Ion Lowndes Farris was an American politician and attorney from the state of Florida. He served as both a member of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. He served twice as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives at a time when the legislature meet only once every two years, in both 1909 and 1913 and President of the Florida Senate in 1913. He was an ardent supporter of former Governor of Florida Napoleon Broward, and led the effort to get Broward County, Florida named after him. He also led efforts to reduce the amount of Committees in the Senate. In 1916, he made a run for Governor, but lost the Democrat primary. However, he led efforts to drain the Everglades, and forced the other candidates to take a position on the issue.

Farris was born in 1878 in Savannah, Georgia. While he was still a child, he moved to Marion County, Florida with his family. Farris dropped out of high school to enter the workplace he first went to work with his father as a boilermaker. He studied stenography and later began an apprenticeship with a law firm.

Source: Wikipedia