Mosquito County
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Mosquito County (also labeled on maps as Musquito County) is the
historic History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
name of an early
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
that once comprised most of the eastern part of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. Its land included all of present-day
Volusia Volusia County (, ) is located in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Florida, stretching between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 census, the county was home to 553,543 people, an increase of 11.9% from the 2 ...
, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie,
Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...
,
Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
,
Osceola Osceola (1804 – January 30, 1838, Asi-yahola in Muscogee language, Creek), named Billy Powell at birth in Alabama, became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. His mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfather was a S ...
,
Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
,
Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
,
Polk Polk may refer to: People * James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States * Polk (name), other people with the name Places *Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois * Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Polk, Missouri ...
and Palm Beach counties. Mosquito County went out of existence in 1844.


History

The whole east coast of
central Florida Central Florida is a region of the U.S. state of Florida. Different sources give different definitions for the region, but as its name implies it is usually said to comprise the central part of the state, including the Tampa Bay area and the Gr ...
was known as "Los Musquitos" starting from the 1500s until 1844. After
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
received authority to take possession of the Florida territory ceded by Spain in 1821, he divided the whole territory into two counties, along the
Suwannee River The Suwannee River (also spelled Suwanee River) is a river that runs through south Georgia southward into Florida in the southern United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset hig ...
. All of the area west formed Escambia, and all of it east formed St. Johns County. This was largely consistent with the previously existing British colonies of
West Florida West Florida ( es, Florida Occidental) was a region on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico that underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. As its name suggests, it was formed out of the western part of former S ...
and
East Florida East Florida ( es, Florida Oriental) was a colony of Great Britain from 1763 to 1783 and a province of Spanish Florida from 1783 to 1821. Great Britain gained control of the long-established Spanish colony of ''La Florida'' in 1763 as part of ...
. Mosquito County was split off from St. Johns on December 29, 1824, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
was designated at
John Bunch John Bunch (December 1, 1921 – March 30, 2010) was an American jazz pianist. Early life Born and raised in Tipton, Indiana, a small farming community, Bunch studied piano with George Johnson, a Hoosier jazz pianist. By the age of 14, he ...
's house just west of the present location of
Tomoka State Park Tomoka State Park is an Florida State Park located along the Tomoka River, three miles (5 km) north of Ormond Beach on North Beach Street. Fauna Among the wildlife of the park are West Indian manatees, alligators, white-tailed deer, gophe ...
. At roughly long by wide, it was the largest county in the new territory. In 1830, the census listed 15 heads of households, and a total of 733 persons, mostly slaves.Stone, Elaine Murray, ''Brevard County From Cape of the Canes to Space Coast'' In January 1835, the county seat was moved to New Smyrna. However, the
Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...
had largely depopulated Mosquito County of white settlers by the end of that year.Shofner, Jerrell H., ''History of Brevard County Volume 1'' In 1838, there was so little activity in the county that the St. Johns County Clerk was designated to keep the records of the county. However, by 1840, although the census listed no white inhabitants other than the military personnel based at Fort Pierce and New Smyrna, the county had its own officials. In 1841, legislation was introduced and passed to rename the county " Leigh Read County". However the
governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
did not sign the bill within the legal time, so the renaming did not take place. In 1842, the
Armed Occupation Act The Florida Armed Occupation Act of 1842 () was passed as an incentive to populate Florida. The Act granted of unsettled land south of the line separating townships 9 and 10 South (an east–west line about three miles (5 km) north of P ...
was passed, providing a quarter section () to any head of family who settled on property south of
Ocala Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home to ...
/ Ormond. In 1843, the county seat had moved again to
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
. In 1844, the expansive area of Mosquito County was cut in half with the southern half being named St. Lucia County, and the northern half being renamed Orange County. St. Lucia County was renamed Brevard County in 1855.


See also

*
Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...
*
East Florida East Florida ( es, Florida Oriental) was a colony of Great Britain from 1763 to 1783 and a province of Spanish Florida from 1783 to 1821. Great Britain gained control of the long-established Spanish colony of ''La Florida'' in 1763 as part of ...
*
Florida Territory The Territory of Florida was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 30, 1822, until March 3, 1845, when it was admitted to the Union as the state of Florida. Originally the major portion of the Spanish te ...
*
Hernández–Capron Trail The Hernández–Capron Trail also known as the Hernández Trail is a historic trail in Eastern Florida (then Mosquito County) extending between New Smyrna in Volusia County and Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County. It was the first road from St. Aug ...
*
Charles Downing Charles Downing (died 1841) was a Delegate to the US House of Representatives from the Florida Territory. He was born in Virginia, although it is unknown when. In his life, Downing studied law, and after being admitted to The Florida Bar, h ...
* Douglas Dummett *
William Henry Brockenbrough William Henry Brockenbrough (February 23, 1812 – January 28, 1850) was a U.S. Representative from Florida from 1846 to 1847, and a United States District attorney from 1841 to 1843.The People of Florida Lawmaking He served in the Legislative ...
*
Frederick Weedon Frederick R. Weedon (1784–1857) was a contract surgeon to the U.S. Army during the Second Seminole War and was the physician who attended to the ailing Seminole warriors Osceola and Uchee Billy after their capture, and was notorious for decap ...


References


Further reading

* {{authority control Regions of the United States 1824 establishments in Florida Territory 1844 disestablishments in Florida Territory Former counties of Florida History of Florida History of Brevard County, Florida Osceola County, Florida Orange County, Florida Volusia County, Florida