Holmes County, Florida
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

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Holmes County

Holmes County was created in 8 Jan 1848 and was formed from Jackson and Walton Counties. The County was named after Thomas J. Holmes, an early settler in the region The County Seat is Bonifay.

The first courthouse was built at Hewett's Bluff and on 5 July 1848, a post office was established and named Cerro Gordo. The legislature didn't change the name of Hewett's Bluff to Cerro Gordo until 1861. Its former existence was recorded by the Secretary of State in a report to Congress in 1871. He said the courthouse had burned about a year earlier and that court was being held in the open woods.

In 1889 a new courthouse was built in Cerro Gordo. In 1894, the courthouse was moved from Cerro Gordo to Westville. In 1902, the courthouse in Westville burned. The county seat moved to Bonifay in 1905. From 1905 - 1907, a new courthouse was built (which is shown above). In 1963, the present day courthouse was dedicated. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Holmes County are Geneva County, Alabama (north), Jackson County (east), Washington County (south), Walton County (west).

Holmes County Cities and Towns include Bonifay Esto, Noma, Ponce de Leon, Westville

  • The Holmes County Official Government Website
  • Holmes County, Florida History Books at Amazon.com
  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
  • Search Historical Newspapers from Florida (1823 - 1959) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 450 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
  • Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.
  • Search Florida Historical Records - Databases include Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records; Birth, Marriage & Death Records; Voter Lists & Census Records; Immigration & Emigration Records; Obituary Records; Military Records; Family Tree Records; Pictures; Stories, Memories & Histories; Directories & Member Lists and much more....

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Records at the Holmes County Courthouse

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

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

The Official County website is located at http://www.myholmescounty.com/. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. See also Courthouse History

Holmes County Clerk of the Circuit Court / County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1902, Land Records from 1900, Probate Records from 1902 and Court Records from 1900 and is located at P.O. Box 397, Bonifay, Florida 32425; 850-547-1100 , Fax: 850-547-6630

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is also the County Clerk. His office is located in the County Courthouse. The office of the Clerk is created in Article V and Article VIII of the Florida Constitution. The Clerk is an officer of the court of justice whose responsibilities are mandated by the Constitution as well as state and local laws. Under a 1973 reorganization of the judicial system, the clerk of courts in each county was made, and remains, custodian of all records of all predecessor courts, whether justice of the peace, city, county, probate, civil, or criminal.

You may also search the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which covers Florida and surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Holmes County, Florida Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Holmes County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Florida

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Office of Vital Statistics, Dept of Health, P.O. Box 210, 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042; (904) 359-6900 Ext. 1029, Fax: (904) 359-6993.

  • Birth Certificates: has custody of birth records filed from January 1917 to date. Scattered birth records from 1865 through 1916 are also held by the bureau, and some city health departments have some additional scattered records (e.g., Jacksonville, 1893-1913; Pensacola, 1897-1916).
    • Cost: $9.00 for computer certification & $14.00 per photocopy certification (1930 to present), payment is payable to the Office of Vital Statistics. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $9.00/$14.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Death Certificates: From 1917 - present. Death records begin about 1877, but the first state law mandating registration of deaths was passed in 1899, and records before 1917 are spotty. It is always well to check with city health departments.
    • Cost: $5.00 per certificate. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: has custody of marriage, divorce, and annulment records filed after 6 June 1927. For records prior to that date, and there are thousands of them, query the clerk of courts in the county where the license or decree was issued. Numerous divorces and resulting name-changes are to be found in Names and Abstracts from the Acts of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, 1822-1845 (Pass-A-Grille Beach, Fla.: William A. and Janet B. Wolfe, 1985). Copies of marriage license applications are available only from the clerk of courts in the county courthouse. Standard request forms for copies of state-held records are necessary and available as indicated above.
    • Cost: $5.00 per certificate. Additional copies of the same record are $4.00 each. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
  • Processing Time: Allow 3 to 6 weeks for the search by mail for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY.
  • Order In Person: To order your copy through your local County Health Department Vital Statistics office click here for a list of the 67 County Health Departments. WALK-IN SERVICE is available at 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Florida, between 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Orders prepaid by Noonmay be picked up after 3:30 p.m. Orders prepaid after Noon may be picked up after 10:00 a.m. the next workday. Each requestmust be accompanied by picture identification Certifications for photocopies rush service requires an additional fee of $10.
  • Order By Mail:  Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. Mail to the following address: Office of Vital Statistics, Dept of Health, P.O. Box 210, 1217 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Florida newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Holmes County, Florida Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Holmes County Census Records

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

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Holmes County, Florida are 1850 ,1860 ,1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Holmes County, Florida are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Florida Census, 1820-90: This collection contains the following indexes: 1820 Census Index (Pensacola and Escambia River Areas); 1825 Leon County Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedule; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedule; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule; Early Census Index, Vol. 1-2.
  • Florida State Census, 1885: This database is an index with corresponding images of the 1885 Florida State Census
  • Holmes County, Florida Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Holmes County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an excellent source for beginning your research, because they provide much useful information at a glance. Many historic maps show individual buildings and are especially useful because they also record owners' names and features in the surrounding community. More detailed maps reveal property acreage and estate names. By examining a series of maps, you will be able to date changes in your property over time.

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Florida showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Florida showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. The Florida Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Maps. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Holmes County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Florida

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Holmes County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Early tax rolls, especially between census years, can be a gold mine for the fortunate researcher. Most existing rolls can be found in the counties of origin, but the Flordia State Archives also has some bound volumes sent to the state comptroller during the period 1829-81. Normal information includes the taxpayer's name, land ownership, number of white males (above taxable age, 21) and slaves, horses, wagons, and other taxable items of personal property such as jewelry, watches, musical instruments, and carriages. Many of the counties' records in the series are incomplete, but there are some in the Florida State Archives that the originating counties no longer have. This valuable resource is not indexed. It must be searched in the county, at the Florida State Archives, or both.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Holmes County, Florida Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Holmes County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Florida Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Holmes County Historical Society, 412 W. Kansas, Bonifay, FL 32425
  • Florida Dept of State Div of Library & Information Services, Bureau of Archives & Records Management, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250; (850)245-6700, [EMAIL]
  • Florida Historical Society 1320 Highland Ave, Melbourne, FL 32935; (321) 254-9855,[EMAIL]
  • Florida State Genealogical Society, PO Box 10249, Tallahassee, FL 32302-2249
  • Florida State Library, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250, (850)245-6600; Hours: Mon.- Fri. 9:00am - 4:30pm, Sat. 9:30am - 3:30pm
  • Florida State Records Center, 4319 Shelfer Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250; (850)245-6750; Hours: By Appointment Only
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Florida Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Holmes County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Florida

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Holmes County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Holmes County Tombstone Transcription Project.

As in most former frontier societies, early Florida church records are hit-and-miss, but they can be valuable when located. The Roman Catholic faith accompanied the earliest Spanish settlers to Florida, and by 1822 the Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians were also active in the new territory. By 1845 the Baptists had split into the Missionary and Primitive varieties (probably totaling more than 5,000 Florida members), and all of the above groups had become more or less well organized Methodists had two churches in Fernandina as early as 1822 (under the South Carolina Conference) and more than 10,000 members by statehood.

Cemetery records are held by most Florida libraries and archives. One important compiled source is the WPA Register of Deceased Veterans Buried in Florida, which covers fifty-one of the sixty-seven counties. Access to the massive amount of cemetery information scattered throughout the state is being facilitated by a continuing cemetery location project of the Florida State Genealogical Society.

Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Holmes County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Holmes County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

(From the book " Heart and History of Holmes County")
On Jan 8, 1848, Walton County contributed 435 square miles of her northeast corner, west of the Choctawatchee River, to form Holmes County. Washington, Calhoun, and Jackson counties also made contributions. The county, with an area of 484 square miles, was the 27th county in order of establishment. It was the second county created after Florida's admission to the Union. It is located in the northern part of the Florida Panhandle, along the Alabama state line. It is bounded on the north by Geneva County, Alabama; on the east by Jackson County; on the west by Walton County, and on the south by Washington and Walton Counties. It was said that Holmes County was created to help maintain a balance of power between northeast Florida and the more populous middle Florida. Holmes County was named for Holmes Creek, the eastern boundary of the county, which, in turn was named for Holmes Valley, which received its name either from an Indian chieftain who had been given the English name of Holmes, or else from Thomas J Holmes, who settled in the vicinity from North Carolina about 1830 or '34." -- Utley (From Allen Morris' Florida Handbook 1949-50)

Simson (1956) says the belief that the name was derived from that of an early white settler cannot be substantiated. After Andrew Jackson occupied Spanish Pensacola in 1818, he sent a raiding party on the sweep along the Choctawhatchee River. During this raid, the troops came upon and killed the half-breed Indian know as Holmes. Homes was on of the so-called "Red Sticks", the disaffected Muskogee or Creeks who fled to Florida from Alabama after the Creek War of 1813 - 14. (American State Papers, Military Affairs, Vol 1, 1832-59)

Mrs J H Godwin, who wrote on the early history of the County of Holmes, introduced a third possibility for the origin of the name of Holmes. A Colonel Robert Holmes was a member of General Jackson's army in his campaigns in Northwest Florida.

If after more than a hundred years, we are unable to pin-point the exact origin of the name of Holmes County, perhaps we will never know. The writer is content with the idea that the county was named for beautiful Holmes Creek. A visitor to the Holy Land upon her returned remarked, "The Jordan River reminds me so much of Holmes Creek."

Holmes Creek rises over the line in Alabama, a small stream with some large springs adding quantities of water near its source. Similar springs in beds and banks continue to make their appearance until it is a sizeable stream and further down in its course through Washington County large springs and streams continue to swell the current into a deep river. At Vernon it is quite deep and its clear placid waters move majestically on the quite and peace of a greater stream. And until this day (in 1981), the creek remained unpolluted.

The following is a quote from the writings of Mrs J H Godwin on the early days: "The first settlers were typical of the early Americans who in the unlimited freedom granted by unoccupied, wide-open spaces, were in not hast to choose a permanent place of abode. Indeed many were habitual wanderers, who, ever, and anon must seek more elbow room, to find it in the quite of primeval forests basking in a balmy, semi-tropical sun, with his nearest neighbor miles away. He found a spot to his liking, water near at hand, plenty of game, good range for the cow, pigs and chickens he had brought with him, struck camp and built a log cabin; rather inadequate looking to the man of today, but wholly in keeping with the early settler's manner of life.

" A neighbor, though miles away, would ride over and help "raise" the logs. In case of no neighbor, smaller logs were used and pulled on skids, using ropes. The cracks between the logs were sealed with split boards. If transient minded, packed dirt served as a floor, and sometimes a surface of clean sand was given it. Others used puncheons -- logs split and hewed smooth with a broadax, edges fitted closely together, and underside notched to fit the sleepers of round logs beneath. A steady floor, yes.

"If permanent, a larger room was built later and the first building used as a kitchen. Later a third building was erected alongside the second, leaving a wide open hall between, a real breezeway, most pleasant during the summer. Thus it acquired the designation "dog-trot" house, as it provided a convenient avenue of travel for the watchful, ever-faithful family dog. This was home in the truest sense of the word and the latch-string always hung on the outside to anyone who chanced to pass that way. No one was turned away.

"Life was simple. His domain was unbounded and undisputed. He was a law unto himself. Society made no demands on him and he happily and unmolested pursued his rather hard life in his own way.

"Still life did not present so many problems after all. Game in the woods, bacon in the smoke house, potatoes in the bank, cow on the range, and a calf in the pen. One didn't have to go to the grocery store every day. No drugstore bills to pay at the end of the month. He look ahead and the occasional trip to the crossroads store or small town, forty, fifty, or more miles away, brought ample supplies of the few things his small clearing did not produce. A day's travel to the little water mill hid away in a secluded spot where the fish were so active that one had to "get behind a tree", so said, "to bait his hook" brought back good corn meal for a month or six-week's bread.

Courthouse History

Holmes County was founded in 1848 and named for Holmes Creek, its principal waterway. The exact identity of "Holmes" is a matter of conjecture, though some claim he was a Creek chief who had been given an anglicized name. The county seat of Holmes County has shifted numerous times since the county was founded, from Hewitt's Bluff (also known as Bear Pen, and now Cerro Gordo) to Pittman's Ferry to Westville to, finally, Bonifay ("The Crossroads of Gospel Singing") in 1905. The name honors a pioneer family.

  The Westville Courthouse burned in 1902, and most early county records perished with it.  The courthouse at Cerro Gordo also burned at least once in the 1870's, with court held thereafter in the open woods.  No courthouse was ever built at Pittman's Ferry, and court met either in the open or in the private offices of the judge.  A frame building was constructed back at Cerro Gordo in 1889. 

  The first Bonifay courthouse was constructed around 1906.  It was demolished after a newer facility was built in 1963. 

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