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Hillsborough County History and Information

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Hillsborough County was created in 25 Jan 1834 and was formed from Alachua and Monroe Counties. The County was named for after the Hillsborough River, which is named after Wills Hill, Viscount Hillsborough, a British politician during the period of the American Revolutionary War who ordered the mapping of the river's course. The County Seat is Tampa.

Hillsborough County is located in West Central Florida and is a growing metropolis with sunny beaches, amusement parks and nature at its best. Florida was granted statehood in 1845 and on the 25 Jan 1834, the U.S. Legislative Council for the Territory of Florida approved organizing Hillsborough as it's 19th county, being created from Alachua and Monroe counties.

"An Act to organize a county to be called Hillsborough, and for other purposes; approved 25th day of January, 1834. Section 1. Be it enacted by the governor and Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, that the district of country bounded as follows, to-wit, on the north by Alachua County, a line running east and west from the Indian village of Toachatka, 40 miles from Tampa, east by Mosquito County, south by Monroe County, and west by the Gulf of Mexico, shall constitute a county to be called Hillsborough."

Hillsborough County takes its name from British Colonial Secretary of 1772, Lord Hillsborough. Between 1559 and 1819, Florida was under the rule of four nations; Spain, France, Great Britain and the United States. In 1821 the United States purchased Florida from Spain for $5 million. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Hillsborough County are Pasco County (north), Polk County (east), Hardee County (southeast corner), Manatee County (south), Pinellas County (west).

Hillsborough County Cities and Towns include Plant City, Tampa, Temple Terrace. CDPs Include Apollo Beach, Bloomingdale, Boyette, Brandon, Cheval, Citrus Park, Dover, East Lake-Orient Park, Egypt Lake-Leto, Fish Hawk, Gibsonton, Greater Carrollwood, Greater Northdale, Greater Sun Center, Keystone, Lake Magdalene, Lutz, Mango, Palm River-Clair Mel, Pebble Creek, Progress Village, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Thonotosassa, Town 'n' Country, University, Valrico, Westchase, Wimauma

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Records at the Hillsborough County Courthouse

Hillsborough County Vital Records

Hillsborough County Census Records

Hillsborough County Maps & Atlases

Hillsborough County Military Records

Hillsborough County Tax Records

Hillsborough County Genealogical Addresses

Hillsborough County Church & Cemeteries

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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Extended History

Hillsborough County, which takes its name from the British Colonial Secretary of 1772, was first mapped and explored by the Spanish in the early 16th century. Between 1559 and 1819, the area now called Florida was under the rule of four nations: Spain, France, Great Britain and, finally, the United States The United States purchased Florida from Spain in 1821 for $5 million.

In 1845, it was granted statehood. And, on Jan. 25, 1834, the U.S. Legislative Council for the Territory of Florida approved an act organizing Hillsborough as Florida's 19th county. At that time, Hillsborough County was a sprawling area that included what is now Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties, most of Glades and a third of Lee. But despite that size, Hillsborough's population only numbered 836, not counting soldiers or Native Americans, according to S.P. Sparkman, the census taker at that time.

When the first Commissioners met in 1846, the general topics were taxes, transportation, a new court house and jail, and downtown development. The county tax for 1846 was fixed at 50 percent of the amount assessed by the state, and that assessment raised $148.69 that year. Pay for Commissioners was set at $2 per day while in session.

Commissioners took the first steps in transportation planning by granting permission to a man by the name of E.T. Mobley to build a toll bridge over the Hillsborough River at or near Ft. Foster. Commissioners also allowed another entrepreneur, Thomas Piper, "the privilege of establishing a ferry across Hillsborough River at Tampa." Piper was given a four-year license and required to pay $5 per year for the last three years. Various roads also were authorized, and even as early as 1846 there were road districts and road supervisors whose duty it was to keep the roads in passable condition.

However "establishing a road" often meant merely blazing trees to indicate the shortest and best route between two settlements. In 1846, Commissioners also approved plans for a new court house, since the original building a small log cabin was burned by Indians during the Second Seminole War. The project was turned over to Capt. James McKay in 1847, and he completed a two-story house, 20 feet by 45 feet, at a cost of $1,358.

Commissioners later paid McKay an extra $10 for additional work. A third structure was erected in 1855 and was used until 1891, when an ornate, red brick courthouse with a silver dome was built, occupying a square block in downtown Tampa. The current courthouse was built in 1952, and a new county government administration building, called County Center, opened in 1994. The County Center was renamed the Frederick B. Karl County Center in 2000, in honor of the former County Administrator who was instrumental in the purchase of the building.

The history of county government dating back to 1846 can be researched through the official minutes of the meetings of the Board of County Commissioners.

History of Hillsborough County

PROLOGUE: For any person or persons to presume to define the history of a county with so rich a past as Hillsborough County is to do it a gross injustice. With this premise, we at best, can only present a thumbnail sketch. We welcome additions, corrections and criticisms.

"An Act to organize a County to be called Hillsborough, and for other purposes; approved 25th day of January, 1834.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the governor and Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, That the district of country bounded as follows, to-wit, on the north by Alachua County, a line running east and west from the Indian village of Toachatka, 40 miles from Tampa, east by Mosquito County, south by Monroe County, and west by the Gulf of Mexico, shall constitute a county to be called Hillsborough."

Alachua County, at this date, came as far south as the present Hernando County southern border. Mosquito county later became named Orange County. At the time it extended west to the present eastern border of Polk County.

Hillsborough County, as chartered in 1834, encompassed what is now Pasco, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Desota, Charlotte, Highlands, Hardee, Pinellas and Hillsborough County. The county was named in honor of the Earl of Hillsborough, a titled Englishman with huge land holdings in Florida.

For many years, the history of Hillsborough County was primarily the history of Tampa. Even though the county was larger in area than some of the smaller states, it was so sparsely settled that there was little county organization and little county business for the officers. The small burg of Tampa was the county seat. References to other parts of the county during this time period are mostly lacking.

Tampa, in the early-mid 1800's was often referred to as a fishing village. This is false. Fishing played a minor part until recent times. Tampa was both a military encampment and a commercial district serving a large part of the southwestern region.

The true history of Hillsborough County predates its charter status by over 300 years. The first white man of record to reach Florida was Ponce de Leon in 1513. There are mixed opinions on whether he visited the Hillsborough County/Tampa Bay area. In 1528, Panfilo de Narvaez landed in Hillsborough County. He had been appointed to succeed Hernandez Cortez in Mexico. He and most of his followers perished before reaching Mexico.

When the white man first came to Hillsborough County he discovered many small Indian villages. The numbers of size of the shell mounds indicated that Indians had resided here for many centuries. Tribes of the Muskogans, Tomokans, Caloosas, Creeks, Tocobagas and Seminoles were present.

In March 1567, the Menendez flotilla sailed into Tampa Bay. Menendez met with the Tocobagans who seemed interested in using the Spanish soldiers as a peace keeping buffer between them and the Caloosas. After a 4 day conference Menendez was given permission to set up a mission at Tocobaga village. Menendez left soon afterward and relations between the Tocobagans and the Spanish began to sour. All residents of the mission were slaughtered.

Formal territorial government was established in 1822 with William P. Duval as governor. It was necessary to establish outposts to protect the settlers from the Seminoles, now the prevailing tribe. The outpost to the south was established on the present site of Tampa on March 5, 1823. Four companies of US troops from Pensacola under the command of Colonel George M. Brooke and Lieutenant Gadsden landed their vessels and moved to what later became known as the Garrison district. A fort was immediately erected which came to be known as Fort Brooke. For years few lived outside the garrison, the exceptions being a couple of families on the shores of the bay to the east and the members of a small colony who comprised the Spanish settlement on Spanishtown Creek, the bayshore section of what is now Hyde Park.

With the establishing of this garrison and the advent of the soldiers sent to quell the Indian disturbances, increased settlement occurred. Among the first pioneers were the Jackson, Ferris, Collier, Haskins and Givens families.

In 1835 the Seminoles made war. Known as the First Seminole War, it lasted from 1835 until 1842. Its cause is said to be the suspicions of the Indians in regard to treaties between the Seminoles and the United States in which the Seminoles agreed to move west beyond the Mississippi River to land offered them.

During this time, Fort Brooke became the chief supply depot. As many as 3,000 troops were stationed there. Fort King, located 100 miles to the north, was the station of next importance. Nothing but wilderness lay between. In December 1835, an order came to the Fort Brooke commander to send one company to Fort King. This company was led by Major Francis L. Dade. He and his company left Fort Brooke on December 23, 1835 for Fort King (site of the present city of Ocala). The company of 107 men was massacred.

In October, 1837, Osceola, the leader of the Seminoles, was captured. The war continued another 7 years, but the hostilities were somewhat diminished.

Courthouse History

Hillsborough County was formed in 1834 and named for Hillsborough River and Bay, the latter better known as Tampa Bay even before the days of its modern Buccaneers. The Earl of Hillsborough was secretary of state for colonies during the brief British occupation of Florida. The county seat is Tampa, which grew up around Seminole War-era Ft. Brooke. As with many aboriginal names, the origin is obscure. One appropriate possibility is "many fires," given Tampa's more modern nickname "Cigar City."

There have been numerous courthouses in Tampa, most centered around the present downtown. The first structure, a log cabin, reportedly was burned at the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. An attractive wooden courthouse, distinguished by its picket fence, arose on MadisonStreet in 1855. Built for less than $5,000, it served the county for over thirty years. Later moved to Florida Avenue, it also served as Tampa's first hospital. It was replaced in 1892 by a large courthouse topped by an "onion dome" reminiscent of the nearby Tampa Bay Hotel (now the University of Tampa) - in all likelihood because both were designed by architect J. A. Wood. The pictures of the multi-story structure which replaced it are from the 1940's. A skyscraper was acquired for use as a county government center. Another courthouse building was constructed in 1952 and due to an increased caseload, the George E. Edgecomb Building Courthouse was built and began business in 2003.

Hillsborough County History and Information

Records at the Hillsborough County Courthouse

See Also Florida Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Hillsborough County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Florida

Hillsborough County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Florida

Hillsborough County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Hillsborough County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Florida

Hillsborough County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Hillsborough County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Florida Genealogical Addresses

Hillsborough County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Florida

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History