Mosquito County | |
|---|---|
Former county | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County seat | nearOrmond (1824–1835), New Smyrna (1835–1843), Enterprise (1843–1844)[1] |
| Founded | December 29, 1824[1] |
| Disestablished | March 14, 1844[1] |
| Population (1830) | |
• Total | 733 (15 heads of families) |
Mosquito County (also labeled on maps asMusquito County) is thehistoric name of an earlycounty that once comprised most of the eastern part ofFlorida. Its land included all of present-dayVolusia,Brevard,Indian River,St. Lucie,Marion,Martin,Seminole,Osceola,Orange,Lake,Polk andPalm Beach counties.
Mosquito County was disbanded in 1844.
The whole east coast ofcentral Florida was known as "Los Musquitos" starting from the 1500s until 1844.[1]
AfterAndrew Jackson received authority to take possession of the Florida territory ceded by Spain in 1821, he divided the whole territory into two counties, along theSuwannee River.[1] All of the area west formedEscambia, and all of it east formedSt. Johns County.[1] This was largely consistent with the previously existing British colonies ofWest Florida andEast Florida.
Mosquito County was split off from St. Johns on December 29, 1824, and thecounty seat was designated atJohn Bunch's house just west of the present location ofTomoka State Park.[1] At roughly 220 miles (350 km) long by 90 miles (140 km) wide, it was the largest county in the new territory.[1]
In 1830, the census listed 15 heads of households, and a total of 733 persons, mostly slaves.[2] In January 1835, the county seat was movedNew Smyrna on Bunch's forced-labor farm.[3] However, theSecond Seminole War had largely depopulated Mosquito County of white settlers by the end of that year.[4] 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.[4] However, by 1840, although the census listed no white inhabitants other than the military personnel based at Fort Pierce and New Smyrna,[2] the county had its own officials.[4]
In 1841, legislation was introduced and passed to rename the county "Leigh Read County". However thegovernor did not sign the bill within the legal time, so the renaming did not take place.
In 1842, theArmed Occupation Act was passed, providing a quarter section (160 acres or 65 ha) to any head of family who settled on property south ofOcala/Ormond.[2]
In 1843, the county seat had moved again toEnterprise.
In 1844, the expansive area of Mosquito County was cut in half with the southern half being namedSt. Lucie County, and the northern half being renamed Orange County.[4] St. Lucie County was renamed Brevard County in 1855.[4]
29°18′31″N81°05′46″W / 29.3085°N 81.0960°W /29.3085; -81.0960
