Frank Gafford

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Frank H. Gafford (born November 1854) was a horse and mule trader who operated a livery stable and served a Birmingham City Marshal from 1884 to 1887, as a mine superintendent, and later as the city's Street Commissioner between 1911 and 1915.

The F. H. Gafford & Co. livery stable was located on 1st Avenue North between 21st and 22nd Street. He and his wife, Minnie had two children, Elizabeth and Frank Jr. In 1913 they lived at 2105 Highland Avenue.

As City Marshal, Gafford combined leadership of the Birmingham Police Department with the first professional Birmingham Fire Department, which was created at his suggestion in 1885. He also served as Grand Marshal of Birmingham's Mardi Gras parade on March 8, 1866.

By 1904 Gafford was serving as superintendent of mines at Blocton for the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company. He resigned from that position in 1909 and was succeeded by D. E. Richey.

In 1911, while serving as Street Commissioner, Gafford's department was asked to take over maintenance of public parks following the Birmingham City Commission's dismissal of park keepers. In 1914 Gafford, who had been quoted three years earlier saying that African American prisoners needed to be shackled around the clock, began experimenting with removing shackles from trusted leased prisoners, both black and white, while working on street gangs. He employed an honor system with inducements that included temporary leave for good behavior.

References

  • "Personal" (July 17, 1909) The Engineering and Mining Journal, Vol. 88, No. 3, p. 134
  • "Place Workmen in the Parks" (May 24, 1911) Municipal Journal Vol. 30, No. 21, p. 753
  • "Honor System with City Prisoners in Birmingham, Alabama" (September 1914) The Delinquent. National Prisoners' Aid Association. Vol. 4, No. 8, p. 19