Jackson County was created by theFlorida Territorial Council in 1822 out ofEscambia County, at the same time thatDuval County was organized from land ofSt. Johns County, making them the third and fourth counties in the Territory. The county was named forAndrew Jackson, a General of the War of 1812, who had served as Florida's first military governor for six months in 1821.[4] Jackson County originally extended from theChoctawhatchee River on the west to theSuwannee River on the east. By 1840 the county had been reduced close to its present boundaries through the creation of new counties from its original territory, following an increase of population in these areas. Minor adjustments to the county boundaries continued through most of the 19th century, however.[5][6][7]
There were no towns in Jackson County when it was formed. The first county court met at what was called "Robinson's Big Spring" (later called Blue Springs) in 1822 and then at the "Big Spring of the Choctawhatchee" in 1823. The following year the county court met at "Chipola Settlement", which is also known as Waddell's Mill Pond.[citation needed]
The forced labor ofenslaved African Americans allowed European Americans to develop this area of Florida as part of the plantation belt in the antebellum years. Cotton was cultivated as a commodity crop by large workgangs, and Florida became a slave society.
Gradually towns were developed. In January 1821, Webbville was established as the first town in Jackson County. It was the first designated as the county seat.
Marianna was founded in September 1821 by Robert Beveridge, a native of Scotland. It developed about 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Webbville. About 1828, Beveridge and other Marianna settlers went to Tallahassee to lobby the state legislature to move the county seat to Marianna.
They enticed the Florida Legislature with offers of free land, and to pay locally to construct a county courthouse and develop a related public square. They donated an additional $500 to purchase a quarter section of land to be sold atpublic auction as a way to finance the new government, if the county seat was moved to Marianna.[8]
Beveridge and his supporters succeeded in their civic bribe. Marianna became thede facto county seat of the county justice and civil authority, although it was never officially proclaimed as such. Marianna began to grow and prosper when the county government moved into the new courthouse in 1829. It became the market and court town for the rural county.
Webbville's prominent citizens moved to Marianna to follow the courts, as did numerous businesses. When theL&N Railroad decided to bypass putting a station at Webbville, the town declined further and became defunct.[citation needed]
After theCivil War, the county was convulsed by violence asConfederate veterans and their allies attacked and intimidatedfreedmen and their sympathizers. The county faced the worst economic conditions in the state, as it had been most extensively developed for cotton plantations before the war, and was adversely affected by the international decline in the market.[9]: 461–462
White planters resisted dealing with freedmen as free workers. Insurgent Confederate veterans formed aKu Klux Klan chapter and carried out masked violence to exert power, intimidate freedmen and white sympathizers, suppress their voting, and restorewhite supremacy.
Throughout theReconstruction, Jackson County was the main site [in Florida] of political and class struggle between planters and black laborers.... Jackson County [was] so thoroughly dominated by the Klan at every level as to render the county and state governments completely powerless to stop them.[9]: 548–550
Planters were defaulting on tax payments due to the poor economic conditions, and Republican county officials began to sell thousands of acres in tax sales.[9]: 462 In addition the two representatives of theFreedmen's Bureau,Charles Memorial Hamilton andWilliam J. Purman, worked to break the cycle of black labor exploitation. Planters would throwsharecroppers off the land at the end of the season with no payment, claiming infractions that the Bureau deemed minor. The Bureau agents worked to enforce labor contracts.[9]: 549
Tensions broke out into violence and in 1869 Jackson County became the center of aguerrilla war that extended through 1871; it became known as the Jackson County War. The local Ku Klux Klan,insurgentConfederate Army veterans, directed their violence at eradicating the Republican Party in the county, assassinating more than 150Republican Party leaders and other prominentAfrican Americans as part of a successful campaign to retain whiteDemocratic power in the county.[10] Another source says that in Jackson County, 200 "leading Republicans" were assassinated in 1869 and 1870 alone; no one was arrested or brought to trial for these crimes.[9]: 549
The sheriff...Thomas M. West complained that public sentiment was so strongly opposed to him as sheriff that he did not feel safe to go outside of town and serve any legal process whatsoever. His life was constantly threatened.... He was even openly assaulted in the streets of Marianna, severely beaten to the near-point of death."[9]: 552
In 1871 he resigned, saying given the "lawlessness", he could not carry out the duties of sheriff. The last Republican official in the county, clerk of the circuit courtJohn Quincy Dickinson, was assassinated in 1871. (The previous clerk, Dr. John Finlayson, was killed in 1869.)[9]: 552
Violence by whites against blacks in the county continued after Reconstruction. Nine African Americans were lynched here after Reconstruction, most around the turn of the 20th century. But notorious lynchings of individual men also took place later.
In 1934,Claude Neal, an African-American suspect in the murder of a young white woman, was tortured, shot and hanged in a spectacle lynching that was announced beforehand on the radio and in a local paper.[11] It was covered by national newspapers, arousing condemnation.
In addition, Neal's lynching was followed by a white riot in Marianna, in which whites attacked the black section of town and blacks on the street, injuring 200, including two police officers, and causing much property damage.Howard Kester, a prominent Southern evangelical minister who tried to improve conditions, assessed the economic and class issues related to the racial violence.[11]
In 1943 the last known lynching in the county took place. Cellos Harrison, an African-American man, had been twice convicted by anall-white jury and sentenced to death. He was taken from the county jail in Marianna by a white mob and hanged while his case was being appealed.[12]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 955 square miles (2,470 km2), of which 918 square miles (2,380 km2) is land and 37 square miles (96 km2) (3.9%) is water.[13] Jackson County is the only county in Florida that borders both Georgia and Alabama and is the closest Florida county to the Tripoint. Jackson County is in theCentral Standard Time Zone. Its eastern border with Gadsden County forms the boundary in this area between the Central Standard andEastern Standard Time Zones.
Three water bodies form the eastern border of Jackson county. TheChattahoochee River forms the northeast boundary between Jackson County and Seminole County, Georgia. It flows intoLake Seminole. The Lake was formed by theJim Woodruff Dam, which was completed in 1952.
The outflow at the dam becomes theApalachicola River, which is the eastern boundary of Jackson county with Gadsden county.
TheChipola River is formed in north central Jackson county from the confluences of Black Creek and Cowarts Creek. It continues south through the county and becomes a part of the border between Jackson county and the west side of the northern section of Calhoun county.
Holmes Creek forms the northern portion of the western border of Jackson county with Holmes County.
Blue Springs is a Jackson county recreation area east of Marianna located near the site of former Florida GovernorJohn Milton's Sylvania plantation.
Two other notable water bodies in the county are Compass Lake in the southwest and Ocheesee Pond in the southeast.
Florida Caverns State Park is on the Chipola river. At Blue Hole Springs, the river disappears underground for a few thousand feet and then resurfaces.
Three Rivers State Park is located north of Sneads. It is at the junction of the Chattahoochee and the Flint (which flow into Lake Seminole from Georgia), and the Apalachicola, which begins at the Lake Seminole Dam.
Of the 17,083 households, 28.8% had children under the age of 18; 43.4% were married couples living together; 31.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 30.0% of households consisted of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[22] The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.8.[26] The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 9.8% of the population.[27]
19.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.7 males.[22] For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 81.7 males.[22]
The 2016-2020 5-yearAmerican Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $40,754 (with a margin of error of +/- $1,741). The median family income was $51,744 (+/- $2,303).[28] Males had a median income of $31,753 (+/- $1,635) versus $26,189 (+/- $1,545) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $29,322 (+/- $1,229).[29] Approximately, 14.5% of families and 18.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those ages 65 or over.[30][31]
As of thecensus[32] of 2000, there were 46,755 people, 16,620 households, and 11,600 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 51 people per square mile (20 people/km2). There were 19,490 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile (8.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.18%White, 24.56%Black orAfrican American, 0.77%Native American, 0.46%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.61% fromother races, and 1.40% from two or more races. 2.91% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 16,620 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% weremarried couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 110.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,744, and the median income for a family was $36,404. Males had a median income of $27,138 versus $21,180 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $13,905. About 12.80% of families and 17.20% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 21.00% of those age 65 or over.
Jackson County is governed by a five-member board of county commissioners.[34]
Politically, the county is predominantly Republican. The last time a Democrat won the county in the presidential election was 1980, when Jimmy Carter, the former governor of neighboring Georgia, was on the ballot. The county is part ofFlorida's 2nd congressional district, represented byNeal Dunn (R-Panama City).
At the state level, Jackson County is part of Florida State Senate district 2. This district is represented byJay Trumbull (R-Panama City). In the State House of Representatives, the county forms part of House district 5. This district is represented byShane Abbott (R-DeFuniak Springs).
TheFlorida Department of Juvenile JusticeDozier School for Boys, closed in 2011 after extensive investigations of abuse, was located in Marianna. It had operated there from January 1900. After it was closed, numerous unmarked graves were found. Combined federal and state efforts succeeded in identifying many, but not all, victims who had died at the school.
Sheriff Donald L. Edenfield is the current Sheriff of Jackson County and serves an area of over 955 square miles (2,470 km2). In 2018, the department fired deputy Zachary Wester, who was arrested for planting drugs in the vehicles of innocent motorists.[38] The sheriff's department has dropped charges in 119 cases.[39]
Jackson County Fire Rescue provides EMS and Fire Services with over 30 to 35 personnel.
I-10 (Interstate 10) is the main west-to-east interstate highway in the county, and runs along southern Jackson County for a length of 33 miles. It contains five interchanges within the county; US 231 (Exit 130), SR 276 (Exit 136), SR 71 (Exit 142), SR 69 (Exit 152), and CR 268 (Exit 158).
US 90 (U.S. Highway 90) was the main west-to-east highway in the county, until it was surpassed by I-10.
US 231 (U.S. Highway 231) is the sole south-to-north U.S. highway running through the western part of the county.
SR 2 is the west to east route that's closest to the Alabama border.
SR 69 is a south-to-north state highway that enters from Calhoun County north ofOcheesee. North of the interchange with I-10, it passes through Grand Ridge, Dellwood, Two Egg, and finally terminates at SR 71 in Greenwood, across from the eastern terminus ofJackson County Road 162.
SR 71 is a south-to-north highway that enters the county fromAltha in Calhoun County. North of the interchange with I-10, it has a westbound overlap with US 90 for approximately 1.7 miles, then branches off in a northeasterly direction. Curving north, it passes the Marianne Municipal Airport, then runs through Malone, only to curve to the northwest on its way to the Alabama State Line where it becomesAL 53.
SR 73 is a south-to-north highway that enters the county fromWillis in Calhoun County. InMarianna, Florida it has a westbound overlap with US 90 which begins at the southern terminus of SR 166. then branches off in a northwesterly direction for 9 miles until finally terminating at US 231.
SR 77 is a south-to-north highway running through northwestern Jackson County fromChipley, Florida in Washington County. The road has an overlap with SR 2 inGraceville and terminates at the Alabama State Line where it becomesAL 109.
SR 166 is a short south to north state highway running through Marianna and a portion of rural Jackson County northeast of the city limits.
SR 273 is a south to north state highway running through northwestern Jackson County.
SR 276 exists primarily in Marianna, but has county extensions in both Washington and Jackson Counties.
Jackson County has two railroad lines. The primary one is theCSXP&A Subdivision, a line formerly owned by theLouisville and Nashville Railroad that servedAmtrak'sSunset Limited. This service formerly went toNew Orleans, but in 2005 service was truncated by the extensive damage in the Gulf area due toHurricane Katrina. Another is theBay Line Railroad: originally theAtlanta and St. Andrews Bay Railway main line, this railway runs from Panama City through Campbellton. US 231 was constructed parallel to the railroad. The lines have a junction inCottondale. Other lines within the county were abandoned after restructuring of the railroad industry in the mid to late 20th century. Passenger traffic declined after affordable automobiles became widely available.
^Fernald, Edward A. (1981)Atlas of Florida. The Florida State University Foundation, Inc.ISBN0-9606708-0-7
^Robin Gaby Fisher, Michael O'McCarthy, Robert W. Straley,The Boys of the Dark: A Story of Betrayal and Redemption in the Deep South (2010), p. 53.
^abcdefghWasserman, Adam (2010).A People's History of Florida 1513–1876. How Africans, Seminoles, Women, and Lower Class Whites Shaped the Sunshine State (4th ed.). Sarasota, Florida.ISBN9781442167094.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Weitz, Seth. "Defending the Old South: The Myth of the Lost Cause and Political Immorality in Florida, 1885–1968," InThe Historian, Vol. 71, No. 1 (Spring 2009), pg. 83.
^abYoungblood, Joshua (Summer 2007). ""Haven't Quite Shaken the Horror": Howard Kester, the Lynching of Claude Neal, and Social Activism in the South During the 1930s".The Florida Historical Quarterly.86 (1): 1,3–4.JSTOR30150098.
^Tameka Bradley Hobbs,Democracy Abroad, Lynching at Home, Oxford University Press, 2015
Daniel R. Weinfeld.The Jackson County War: Reconstruction and Resistance in Post-Civil War Florida (University of Alabama Press; 2012) 224 pages; covers the racial/political violence in the county 1869 to 1871.
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