2023 FCIAAO Spring Newsletter

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: WO MEN’S HISTORY MONTH

In honor of Women ’ s History Month in March, FCIAAO thought it appropriate to highlight the first female County Assessor of Taxes in the state of Florida, Eleanor Gertrude Hickey Floyd. Commissioned in 1920, in Franklin County, the Honorable Eleanor H. Floyd was elected into office on November 2nd, 1920, which was just a few months after women in the United States gained the right to vote. Though a Democratic candidate, election technicalities caused her to run as an Independent on the ballot. Her term was for four (4) years, with her appointment starting the first Tuesday in January, 1921. The image below shows the original executive commission from then Governor of Florida, Sidney J. Catts, and attested by then Secretary of State, H. Clay Crawford. While the document was obviously amended to note the current governor, per the visible traces of prior names under Governor Catts ’ s name, it is interesting to note the gender related verbiage (his) throughout the document was not updated pertaining to Eleanor Floyd (her). The Honorable Eleanor H. Floyd passed away in 1976 at the age of 92. She was a trailblazer, not only in the assessment profession and the State of Florida, but in United States politics and the history of women across the world.

Franklin County Map, 1920

Courtesy of USF College of Education, and produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology

Today, Franklin County has a female assessor at the helm as well. The Honorable Rhonda Skipper was elected into office in 2012, after serving over 23 years working within the Franklin County PAO.

History & Commission document: Volume 15, State and County Officer Commissions (Series S1288), State Archives of Florida

Rhonda Millender Skipper

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Spring 2023 Newsletter of the FCIAAO