Petition to Change the Name of Mosquito County to Harrison County and to Alter Its Boundaries, 1844

County government

Land settlement

Petitions

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.

State Archives of Florida, Series S877

1844-03-06

petitions

eng-US

Text

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Territorial Florida (1821-1845)

Mosquito County (Fla.)

Orange County (Fla.)

Volusia County (Fla.)

Brevard County (Fla.)

Saint Lucie County (Fla.)

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Politics and Government

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

Russell Petition from sundry citizens of Mosquito County, praying that the name of said county may be altered and changed; and defining the boundaries of said county. Read & referred select committee of 3 - Russell, McClellan and Phillips. 4 [?]