State Web Site

Military Service: Navy

War(s) Served:  World War I

DAVID SHOLTZ, Florida's 26th governor, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 6, 1891. He graduated from Yale University in 1914, and earned a law degree from Stetson University in 1915. Sholtz established careers in the business and legal fields in Daytona Beach, Florida. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Navy as an ensign, and he earned the rank of lieutenant commander in the reserves. Sholtz entered politics in 1917 as a one-term member of the Florida House of Representatives. He also served as state's attorney from 1919 to 1921, and he was the city judge in 1921. In 1932 he won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and was elected Governor of Florida. During his tenure, he dealt with the effects of the Depression and President Roosevelt's New Deal policies. Sholtz advocated for governmental restructuring, and he took advantage of social welfare programs for unemployment compensation, old age provision, and provisional aid. After finishing his term on January 5, 1937, Sholtz continued to stay active in his law career. He retired from public service after running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1938.  Governor David Sholtz died on March 21, 1953, and he is buried at the Cedar Hill Memory Gardens in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Sources:

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 1, Westport, Conn.; Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.

The Political Graveyard

Florida Division of Historical Resources - Governor's portrait