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Source
State Library of Florida, WPA - Historical Records Survey, County Histories
Description
Brief history of DeSoto County, Florida collected by the Works Progress Administration's Historical Records Survey.
Date
ca. 1939
Contributors
Format
Coverage
Personal Subjects
Corporate Subjects
Subjects
Geographic Term
Note to Researchers:
Though the WPA field workers included extensive citations for the factual information contained in these county histories, it should be noted that these historical narratives were produced in the 1930s by federal government employees, and might reflect the inherent social biases of the era.
WPA
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DE SOTO COUNTY
On March the 15th 1887, a convention met at Pine Level, the county seat of Manatee County, to vote on county division. The vote while not unanimous was sufficient to divide that county into two counties. At a meeting of the legislature, April 1887, action was taken by that body confirming the division. The section cut off was named De Soto County. The late Senator John W. Whidden, a [veteran] of the Seminole Indian War and the Civil War, was responsible for the naming of De Soto County. For thirty-two years he was elected to serve in the Legislature of Florida, first as representative and later as Senator.
Pine Level was designated as the seat for the new county. An entry made May 29th, 1866 in the "Minutes of the County Commissioners, Manatee County", shows the specifications of the first courthouse built at Pine Level: "One Log House, 20 feet square in the cleaves, 10 foot story with a room added to the end, 20 feet by 10 feet, with a petition through the room making 2 10 foot Jury Rooms to be cased with 2 foot [Heart], covered with 2 foot [Heart] Pine or [Cypress] boards and floored with planks or [hinged] puncheon boards. One door in each side and two windows in the end opposite the Jury Room with 1 floor leading from the Court Room to each of the Jury Rooms. All the doors and windows to be cased and faced with shutters. The House to be furnished with 1 table 4 feet x 8 feet long, 12 10 foot benches, 1 box bench for the Judge".
For three years, the courthouse and equipment apparently proved adequate for all requirements. Under date of Sept. 7th, 1869, the Clerk to the board of county commissioners recorded in the Minutes proposed plans for renovations and additions: The courthouse to be placed on twelve inch pine blocks; a hallway built to connect an additional room constructed according to the dimensions of the original building,- to form a double pen house; the jury room to be enlarged, and all doors and shutters, provided with substantial locks.
Title
Historical Sketch of DeSoto County
Subject
Cities and towns--History
Florida--DeSoto County
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey
Description
Brief history of DeSoto County, Florida collected by the Works Progress Administration's Historical Records Survey.
Creator
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey
Source
State Library of Florida, WPA - Historical Records Survey, County Histories
Date
1939 (circa)
Contributor
Jarratt, Ellen Cooper
Melvin, Annie Laurie
Format
local histories
Language
eng-US
Type
Text
Identifier
wpa_county_history_desoto_01
Coverage
Depression Era Florida (1926-1939)
Thumbnail
/fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/wpa_county_histories.jpg
Geographic Term
DeSoto County (Fla.)
Pine Level (Fla.)
Arcadia (Fla.)
Peace River (Fla.)
Display Date
ca. 1939
ImageID
wpa_county_history_desoto_01_01
wpa_county_history_desoto_01_02
wpa_county_history_desoto_01_03
wpa_county_history_desoto_01_04
wpa_county_history_desoto_01_05
Subject - Corporate
Florida Southern Railway Company
Arcadia Street Car Company
Florida Children's Home
Subject - Person
Whidden, John W.
Pearce, C. C.
Jones, John L.
Carlton, M. G.
Carlton, C. W.
Raulerson, Harris
Hendry, Uncle Boss
Coker, Arcadia
Douglas, D. C.
Bunker, G. H.
Transcript
WPA
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF DE SOTO COUNTY
On March the 15th 1887, a convention met at Pine Level, the county seat of Manatee County, to vote on county division. The vote while not unanimous was sufficient to divide that county into two counties. At a meeting of the legislature, April 1887, action was taken by that body confirming the division. The section cut off was named De Soto County. The late Senator John W. Whidden, a [veteran] of the Seminole Indian War and the Civil War, was responsible for the naming of De Soto County. For thirty-two years he was elected to serve in the Legislature of Florida, first as representative and later as Senator.
Pine Level was designated as the seat for the new county. An entry made May 29th, 1866 in the "Minutes of the County Commissioners, Manatee County", shows the specifications of the first courthouse built at Pine Level: "One Log House, 20 feet square in the cleaves, 10 foot story with a room added to the end, 20 feet by 10 feet, with a petition through the room making 2 10 foot Jury Rooms to be cased with 2 foot [Heart], covered with 2 foot [Heart] Pine or [Cypress] boards and floored with planks or [hinged] puncheon boards. One door in each side and two windows in the end opposite the Jury Room with 1 floor leading from the Court Room to each of the Jury Rooms. All the doors and windows to be cased and faced with shutters. The House to be furnished with 1 table 4 feet x 8 feet long, 12 10 foot benches, 1 box bench for the Judge".
For three years, the courthouse and equipment apparently proved adequate for all requirements. Under date of Sept. 7th, 1869, the Clerk to the board of county commissioners recorded in the Minutes proposed plans for renovations and additions: The courthouse to be placed on twelve inch pine blocks; a hallway built to connect an additional room constructed according to the dimensions of the original building,- to form a double pen house; the jury room to be enlarged, and all doors and shutters, provided with substantial locks.
Approximately one and one half years after the creation of De Soto County, Arcadia being decided upon, by vote, as the county seat, the contents of the courthouse were moved to Arcadia. Mr. C. C.Pearce whose bid of $22.00 was accepted by the county commissioners, undertook this move by ox cart. He, being unable to cross Peace River with his team, sublet his contract to Little Bryan who conveyed the County records to a building on De Soto Ave., where the Star Theatre now stands. The owner of this building ran a grocery store on the lower floor. County offices were established on the second floor and maintained as such until 1889 when the county built a courthouse on the site where the present courthouse now stands. Several years ago, the late John L. Jones, founder of the De Soto Abstract Co., asserted that in the year 1889 the entire collection of county records consisted of four (4) volumes.
The first meeting of De Soto County Commissioners was held at Pine Level, July 18,1887. The members present were M. G. Carlton, Peter Brown, T. O. Parker and S. T. Langford. M. G. Carlton was elected temporary chairman. They approved the bonds of M. G. Granger, Tax Assessor, F. B. Hagan, Treasurer, and Bud P. Clark County Surveyor. At the August board meeting, the bonds of O. H. Dishong, Sheriff, C. W. Carlton, Clerk and O. T. Stanford, Probate Judge, were Approved.
On December 10th, 1888 the board of commissioners met for the first time in Arcadia, the present county seat. Arcadia was first called "Tater Hill Bluff". Before the railways penetrated this section the pioneers followed the waterways, and several important shipping points were located on Peace River and Hunter's Creek. Harris Raulerson, a buyer of potatoes required all deliveries made at High point on the eastern bank of Peace River, south of the present bridge spanning that river. Mr. Raulerson loaded the potatoes in his old fashioned "side Wheeler" steam [boat] and transported them to other points. Because of this circumstance the pioneers jokingly referred to this high bluff as "Tater Hill Bluff". By some it is claimed the settlement was given the name Arcadia by Uncle Boss Hendry, a preacher and operator of a saw mill. Upon moving his mill to the eastern side of the [river] he decided to give his mill site the name Arcadia this honoring
Mrs. Arcadia Coker nee Albritton. [Others] assert that Col. D. C. Douglas selected Arcadia as the name for the post office when it was removed from [Joshua] Creek.
Soon after its establishment as the county seat, Arcadia began to rapidly [develop]. In 1885, the Florida Southern Railway Co. completed construction in this section. At that date a depot was established at Arcadia; flat cars were used to convey [passengers]. Mr. W. F. Britt, who operated a saw mill [cut] the lumber for the bridges. Records show that in 1889 the Arcadia Street Car Company operated one car from "Coon Prairie" to Peace River. The car was drawn by a mule and Billie Bowlegs, an old Indian Chief, was the "Motorman".
The Florida Children's Home, one of the outstanding charitable institutions of Florida is located at Arcadia. The land was deeded for this home by a [group] of public spirited and kind hearted citizens of De Soto County. The Children's Home, incorporated April 14th, 1902 is [sponsored] and maintained by the members of the Baptist denomination of the state. Those serving on the first board of trustees were J. F. Forbes, W. A. Hobson, M. E. Weeks, W. L. Mahon, W. S. Bullock, J. C. Porter and J. L. Jones. The morate of this home is especially fine. It is the endeavor of the administrative personnel to operate the institution in such a manner that the children are at all times surrounded by the atmosphere of a real home. The boys and girls attend the public schools at Arcadia, and their happy smiling faces inform each passer they are contented well loved group [sic].
The county is divided into nine school districts. The senior and junior high schools are accredited. There are twelve elementary schools; and the total county enrollment is 1,758, white 447 colored.
The corner stone of the present court house was laid on Friday, May 17th, 1912. This spacious building, constructed of red brick and marble, was erected at a cost of $120,000.00. The Board of County Commissioners at that time were W. J. Wingate, Chairman, L. W. Whitehurst, C. W. Pearce, F. M. Cooper, and W. H. Hooder. The architects were Bonfoay and Elliot and the contractors were Read-Parker Construction Co.
De Soto County is in the First Congressional District, the 27th Senatorial District, the 12 Judicial District, and has [one] representative in the State Legislature.
In April 1921 by an Act of the Legislature the original area of De Soto County was divided into five parts and the counties of Hardee, Glades, Highlands and Charlotte were created. By this division the county suffered a lowered rank in area, population and financial status.
In 1885, the southern boundary of De Soto County was surveyed by G. H. bunker, a deputy surveyor, who established headquarters at Fort Ogden. The settlement Bunker-Lansing was named for this young [surveyor]. [Legend] tells us Mr. Bunker and party were attacked at that spot by Seminole Indians.
Peace River, a stream flowing through this section, was so named because of a treaty made with the Seminoles. This treaty stipulated that all the land east and south of the [river] and Lake Okeechobee should belong to the Indians. The earliest available records of a name for this stream is found on Maps made in 1856 by Wm. Moseley, a deputy surveyor. He refers to it as Peas Creek; his field notes indicate the Indians called it "Tallak-Chopko-Hatchie".(*)
(*)
Jean Ploudens History of Hardee County.
(This article was read to the De Soto County Advisory Committee composed of Mr. Glenn Ebersole, Mr. W. F. Britt and Mr. Claude Jones. The members approved the information used and in some instances supplied [valuable] material. The sketch was [compiled] by Mrs. Ellen Cooper Jarratt, Manatee, Florida, Dist. Hardee, Highlands and De Soto Counties.
Annie Laurie Melvin
DeSoto County
10/12/36
In 1887 DeSoto County was created from Manatee County. Pine Level, which had been the County Seat of the latter was designated as the county seat for the new county. Later in the year, Arcadia being decided upon, by vote, as the county seat, the contents of the Court House were moved to Arcadia by Mr. C. C. Pearce whose bid of $22.00 was accepted by the County Commissioners. This move was accomplished by ox cart, being unable to cross the river with his team, his contract was sublet to Little Bryan, who carried the contents to a building on DeSoto Avenue, where the Star Theatre now stands. The lower floor being occupied by the owner of the building who ran a grocery store, the Court House was established on the second floor.
In 1889 the county built a court house on the site where the present court house stands. The new building was erected in 1912.
Chicago Manual of Style
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey. Historical Sketch of DeSoto County. 1939 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321097>, accessed 4 December 2024.
MLA
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey. Historical Sketch of DeSoto County. 1939 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321097>
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Works Progress Administration)