Generations of Bethels Honored
Key West Mayor pro tem Mark Rossi, along with the entire City Commission, honored former Commissioner Harry Bethel for his dedication to public service, and honoring the fact that his great grandfather and great great grandfather also served the City of Key West.
Commissioner Bethel served on the commission from 1991 to 2007, and 13 of those years were served as vice mayor. He was elected to the Career Service Council in 1971 and served three terms through 1976. Mr. Bethel was appointed by Mayor Sonny McCoy to the Key West Housing Authority and served for 15 years before being elected to the City Commission. In 2002, he was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush Monroe County Housing Authority and has continued to be reappointed as recently as October 2014 by Governor Rick Scott, and has served as Chairman the entire time. Mr. Bethel was selected in 1976 as one of the original trustees to the Monroe County Housing Corporation and is currently serving as President.
Mr. Bethel’s great grandfather Livingston Wellesly Bethel was Key West’s mayor from 1876 to 1880. In 1880 Mr. L.W. Bethel was elected Lieutenant Governor of the State of Florida as running mate to Governor W.D. Bloxham and served until 1884. Mr. L.W. Bethel was appointed and succeeded his father, Mr. Winer Bethel, to the Southern District of Florida, U.S. District Attorney for Dade, Broward and Monroe County from 1885 to 1889. He was selected by the City Commission to the position of City Attorney in 1889, and appointed in 1895 as Judge of Criminal Court of Record for the City of Key West, serving for 15 years. L.W. Bethel was elevated to Judge of Florida 11th Circuit in 1911.
Before Mr. L.W. Bethel became mayor, his father – and Harry Bethel’s great great grandfather – served as mayor of Key West from 1872 to 1873. Mr. Winer Bethel was a practicing attorney in the City of Key West and Monroe County who served the Southern District Florida, U.S. District Attorney for Dade, Broward and Monroe County. Mr. Winer Bethel also served as Criminal Court Judge for Monroe County.
“It gives me a lot of pride to be mentioned in the same document as my great grandfather and my great great grandfather, who also served the City of Key West,” said Harry Bethel. “I served 16 years up there on the dais and I must say, I do not regret one minute of it.”