BOOTH, FRANK J. has been a lifelong resident of Clearwater, active in the city's business and public affairs, and is now in his fourth consecutive term as mayor.

He was born at Clearwater March 25, 1883, only son of R. J. and SUSAN J. (HAMMOCK) BOOTH. His father was born in Virginia and his mother in Georgia, and came with their respective parents to Florida during the '50's. They lived for a time at Sawfly Harbor. The great- grandfather of Mayor BOOTH, RICHARD PHILLEPA, was a pioneer of the state and was planter of one of the first orange groves. R. J. BOOTH still lives in Clearwater where his wife died in 1899. The only daughter is Mrs. MILLIE B. LEWIS, a widow living at Clearwater.

FRANK J. BOOTH was educated in the public schools of his native town, attended Rollins College and a college in Louisville. After pursuing different vocations he took up the insurance business in 1912, and in 1915 bought out H.A. Kilgore & Company. Since then he has conducted the business as FRANK J. BOOTH & Company, handling general insurance in all lines. He has made this a very successful enterprise, but he has other interests including real estate in the city and an orange grove 2 1/2 miles northeast of Clearwater.

Mr. BOOTH has always taken a commendable interest in local affairs and for four years was a member of the city council. He has given Clearwater a safe and conservative administration of its municipal affairs as mayor, and is the youngest chief executive the city has ever had. Mr. BOOTH is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner and a member of the Knights of Pythias. He has been a lifelong democrat. May 25, 1916, he married Miss JAMIE SCRANTON, a native of Florida.