Source
State Archives of Florida, Series S877
Description
Petition by the citizens of Mosquito County to change the county's name to Harrison. The petitioners called the name Mosquito "unpleasant." While the petition itself does not explain the idea behind the name "Harrison," it likely was meant to honor the late President William Henry Harrison, who died in 1841. The territorial legislative council did indeed change the name of Mosquito County in 1845, but it was to Orange, not Harrison.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the legislative council of Florida:
We, the undersigned inhabitants of the County of Mosquito, approach your honorable body with feelings of respect, and humbly pray that the name of Mosquito County be altered and changed to that of Harrison County. The name of Mosquito is very unpleasant to many of the citizens of said county. Your petitioners further humbly pray that the boundaries of Harrison County may be defined as follows, viz: beginning on the Atlantic coast on the northern or upper parallel line lately run by Colonel Washington, and running due west along said parallel line to the high sand hills between ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven east, opposite the Ahapopka Lake; thence following the sandhills in a northwardly direction until it strikes the Ahapopka Lake; thence down the Ahapopka Lake until it strikes the Oklawaha River; thence down the Oklawaha River until it strikes the original south-west corner line of St. Johns County; thence eastwardly along the southern boundary line of St. Johns County to the Atlantic coast, near the head of Matanzas River; thence southwardly along said Atlantic coast to the point of beginning. And your petitioners will ever pray
C. Taylor
Henry A. Crane
Horace Dennis
Algernon S. Speer
Sterling H. Carty
A.J. Vaughn
Vincent Lee
Leo Church
L. Chatterno
Henry Brooks
L. Carpenter
J. Blizard
J.M. Kneeland
Jos. Mansfield
Theo. H. Hinsdale
Marcus Newton
John McIntyre
Samuel Taylor
Alfred Denny
Alexdr Swift
Peter Swift
John Knox
Jacob Vaughn
Aaron Smith
William Shelden Jr.
John Sweat
John Mether
David Gardiner
H.C.D. Masters
W.H. Thornhill
E.F. Barnard
J.C. Montgomery
A. Morris
J. Chatterton Sr.
Josh Mansfield
H. Brooker
M. Kneeland
Thos. G. Roberts
William Hunton
James Mansfield
George Mayberry
Samuel Hearne
J.B.F. Barnard
Constant Potter
John Smith
Daniel Hall
R.A. Palmer
Peter Thompson
John A. Witner
E.P. Reynolds
Jacob Raynor
Jos. Wagner
M.C. Sunderland
Wm. Henry Heath
Tob. Johnson
Joel Strong
Wm. B. Faid
John Simpson
John C. Houston
Wm. Ashman Houston
G.W. Taylor
J.M. McDermt
Nick Shepherd
John Eaton
Saml Parker
John Jernican
Richd. Hearn
Wm. Smith
John Zearman
J.B.F. Barnard
J. Carpenter
Marcus Newton
John McIntyre