In the Sunshine State on this day in:

1702 Colonel Daniel and British troops from Charleston occupied the town of St. Augustine and laid siege to the Spanish Castillo de San Marcos there.

1868 Jonathan C. Gibbs assumed the office of Secretary of State, the first African-American to hold this position.  He fulfills the obligations of this office until January 17, 1873.

1962 Mrs. George W. “Beth” Johnson of Orlando was elected today as Florida’s first woman state senator.

1965 The U.S. operated “Varadero-to-Miami” freedom flights were inaugurated today.  Under the terms of an agreement between the United States and the Cuban government of Fidel Castro, these flights would bring 3,000-4,000 Cuban refugees to the United States.

1971 Spessard Lindsey Holland, 28th governor of Florida, state senator, and United States Senator, died today in Bartow (Polk County).  A much decorated World War I hero, Holland was a popular Florida politician.