The Old Country
1844
Marion County Created
On March 14, 1844 the Act was signed by the Florida territorial governor creating the county of Marion from portions of Alachua, Mosquito (Later to be Orange), and Hillsborough counties. Marion County was after General Francis Marion of South Carolina, a guerrilla fighter and hero of the American Revolutionary War who was known as the "Swamp Fox". The numerous settlers of this area at the time were natives of South Carolina and picked their local hero as the county's namesake.
While most of the Arrendondo Grant remained in Alachua County, including Paynes Prairie and Micanopy, the north boundary line of Marion County with Alachua County put the bottom fifth of the Arredondo Grant in Marion County. [see map] The “Old Country” of my story is within this portion of the Arrendondo Grant in Marion County.
In June it was announced that additional public lands in Florida, much of it in Marion County, was made available for sale.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
In pursuance of law, I John Tyler, President of the United States of America, do herby declare and make known, that public sale will be held at the Land Office at NEWNANSVILLE, in the TERRITORY OF FLORIDA, commencing on Monday, the sixteenth day of December next, for the disposal of the unappropriated vacant public lands within the limits of the townships hereinafter designated, to wit:
South of the Base Line and East of the Meridian.
Townships twenty, twenty-one, and twenty-two, of range eighteen.
The two easternmost tiers of sections in township fifteen, the two easternmost tiers of sections and sections twenty-two, twenty-seven and thirty four, in township sixteen, the east half of township seventeen, and the east half of township eighteen, and the sections twenty-on, twenty-eight and thirty-three, in the same township, and all of townships nineteen and twenty, except the tow westernmost tiers of sections in the former, of range nineteen.
Townships fourteen, fifteen and sixteen, of ranges twenty, twenty-one and twenty-two.
Townships fifteen and twenty, of range twenty-three.
Lands appropriated by law for the use of schools, military or other purposes, will be excluded from sale.
The sale will be kept open for two weeks, (unless the lands are sooner disposed of,) and no longer; and no private entries of lands in the townships so offered, will be admitted, until after the expiration of the two weeks.
Given under my hand, at the city of Washington, this twenty-fourth day of June, Anno Donimi one thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
J. TYLER.
By the President:
Tho: H. Blake
Com’nr. Of the General Land Office
The Florida Hearld and Southern Democrat, July 23, 1844
In November The Charleston Mercury reported that Archibald Kirkland Mixson arrived in Charleston from Savannah on the steam packet named Cincinnatti.
On Dec. 12, 1844, the Committee on Territories favorably recommended the admission of Florida, the years of campaigning by David Levy had paid off, the stage was set for Florida statehood.