St. Johns County, Florida
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
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St. Johns County

St. Johns County was created in 21 Jul 1821 and was formed as an original county. The County was named after Saint John the Baptist. The County Seat is St. Augustine.

?. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to St. Johns County are Duval County (north), Flagler County (south), Putnam County (southwest), Clay County (west).

St. Johns County Cities and Towns include St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach Hastings, Marineland. CDPs Include Butler Beach, Crescent Beach, Fruit Cove, Palm Valley, Sawgrass, St. Augustine Shores, St. Augustine South, Vilano Beach. Communities Include Armstrong, Elkton, Flagler Estates, Spuds, Switzerland, Vermont Heights

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Records at the St. Johns 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.co.st-johns.fl.us. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. See also Courthouse History

St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court / County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1823, Land Records from 1821, Probate Records from 1844 and Court Records from 1821 and is located at the courthouse, P.O. Box 300, St. Augustine, Florida 32085-0300; 904-823-2333 Fax: 904-819-3661
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 St. Johns County Court Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • St. Johns 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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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns 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.
  • St. Johns 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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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County, Florida are 1830, 1840, 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 St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Census Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns 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
  • St. Johns 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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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Maps. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Maps by clicking the link below:

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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Military Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • St. Johns County, Florida Tax Books at Amazon.com
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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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St. Johns 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 St. Johns County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing St. Johns 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 St. Johns County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing St. Johns County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

History of St. Augustine

The story of the founding of St. Augustine cannot be told without including the story of the colonization of the southeast section of the United States. Known today as the nation's oldest continuously occupied city, St. Augustine's history is firmly interwoven with the fates and fancies of many nations and people.

Florida was discovered by Don Juan Ponce de Leon, a former governor of Puerto Rico. He sighted the eastern coast of Florida on Easter Sunday, March 27, 1513, while in search of gold and silver. Ponce claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida.

In the following half century, the government of Spain launched no less than six expeditions attempting to settle Florida, but all failed. In 1565, the French succeeded in establishing a fort and colony near the mouth of the St. Johns River, and in doing so, threatened Spain's treasure fleets which sailed along Florida's shoreline. As a result, King Philip II named Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Spain's most experienced admiral, governor of Florida and instructed Menendez to explore and colonize the territory. King Philip also instructed him to drive out any corsairs or settlers of other nations, if they should be found in Florida.

Sir Francis Drake, the English corsair, pillaged and burned the town in 1586. Then in 1668, another pirate, captain John Davis, and his English buccaneers plundered the home and left 60 persons dead in the streets. Clashes between the Spaniards and the British became more frequent when the English colonies were established in Georgia and the Carolinas.

The year 1672 saw work begin on the stone fortress, now called Castillo de San Marcos. The fort was nearly completed in 1696, but not officially dedicated until 1756. Attesting to the strength of the fort, in 1702 Governor James Moore of Carolina led a two month siege without success, and in 1749, an even stronger attack by British General James Oglethorpe of Georgia was beaten off.

In 1763, the stroke of a pen accomplished what pitched battles had failed to do. Spain gave Florida to Great Britain in exchange for the newly conquered Havana, and St. Augustine came under British rule for the first time. England ruled over the city and the territory for 20 years, which included the period of the American Revolution. The citizens of the city remained loyal to the crown throughout the span. In 1783, under the terms of a treaty signed by England, France and Spain, Florida and St. Augustine returned to the rule of Spain, which lasted for 37 years.

In this period of the world's history, many changes were taking place in Europe and a a result, Spain sold Florida to the United States. At a colorful military ceremony on July 10, 1821, troops of the United States took possession of the territory and the Spanish soldiers departed, never to return again.

In the Second Seminole Indian War (1835-1842), the Indians made a desperate attempt to regain control of Florida from the Americans. In 1837, two prominent Seminole leaders, Osceola and Coacoochee, with a number of warriors were captured just south of St. Augustine where they had come under a white flag for a parley with the Americans. All were imprisoned in the Castillo from which Coacoochee and 20 of his followers managed to escape. Osceola, however, was transferred to Fort Moultrie at Charleston, SC, where he died.

The end of the Seminole War made Florida safe once again for visitors, who came to take advantage of the fine climate. In 1845, Florida became the twenty-seventh state of the Union with Tallahassee selected as the state capital. This was a compromise between St. Augustine and Pensacola, both of which were difficult to reach from most parts of the state.

St. Augustine continued to prosper until it was interrupted by another conflict, the Civil War. Slaves in this area played a minor role in the economy as compared with the rest of the state, and there was considerable Union sentiment in the city due to the number of northern-born residents. Florida, however, seceded from the Union, and according to letters,"It was announced here by the firing of cannon and musketry, and much shooting."

In March of 1862, a Union blockade squadron appeared off the inlet and demanded the city's surrender. During the night, the small Confederate garrison withdrew and the city was then occupied by Union forces who remained until the end of the conflict.

During the winter of 1883-84, Henry M. Flagler, one of the co-founders of the Standard Oil Company, visited the City and was impressed with the charm and possibilities of the area. As a result of his interest, he built the magnificent Hotel Ponce de Leon and the Alcazar Hotel.

Flagler purchased the newly constructed Hotel Casa Monica, renaming it Hotel Cordova. With the opening of these three, the wealthy and fashionable flocked o St. Augustine, soon to become known as the "Southern Newport". Flagler purchased the surrounding railroads at the same time as he started his hotels, marking the beginning of the Florida East Coast Railroad. Eventually, he extended FEC down the east coast of Florida, first reaching Palm Beach and then Miami in 1896.

The progress made by men such as Flagler also took its toll. The old and battered buildings inevitably gave way to the modern. Many old houses and the remaining sections of the defense lines were uprooted to make way for new buildings. In those days, these changes were hailed as a great improvement.

St. Augustine has again become a major point of interest for tourists. Now, however, instead of just a winter playground, St. Augustine, rich with heritage of the past, has become an important center for visitors all year long.

 

Courthouse History

St. Johns is one of Florida's two original counties, created along with the Florida Territory in 1821. It is named for Northeast Florida's principal river, which has also gone by such designations as Welaka, Rio de Corrientes ("river of currents"), Riviere du Mai ("river of May," hence the naval base at Mayport in Duval County), and San Mateo (still reflected in the name of a Putnam County village). In 1590 the Spanish established the mission of San Juan del Puerto at the river's mouth, and during the British occupation of Florida the name was anglicized to St. Johns.

  The county seat of St. Johns County, St. Augustine, is the oldestcontinuously-occupied European settlement in the United States, having been founded by Pedro Menendez August 28, 1565, the feast day of St. Augustine of Hippo, author of the Civitas Dei.

Casa Monica, built in 1886, was one of the first Moorish-style structures in the city.  Franklin Waldo Smith was the architect, builder, and owner.  The building was constructed of poured concrete, a method Smith developed in order to achieve designelements from buildings in the "mysterious East" without importing stone to build the massive walls.  Mr. Smith's exotic buildings won immediate acclaim.  They were the first buildings of their kind in the United States.  The building had three towers, two with battlements, the third with clay tile hip roofs.  Balconies with ornamental ironwork and  larger balconies with wooden turned spindle posts complement the look.  The Cordova Street facade originally consisted of a three-story arcade.

Unable to support the venture, Smith sold the hotel to Henry M. Flagler in 1889.  Mr. Flagler changed the name to Cordova and annexed the building to his Alcazar Hotel across the street.  The hotel prospered for a while but finally closed in 1932 because of the depression.  It was eventually sold to St. Johns County.  After seven years of extensive remodeling, including replacing the arcade with classical columns, the building reopened as the St. Johns County Courthouse.

The new St. Johns County Courthouse, Built in 1888 as a luxury hotel, it was purchased by St. Johns County and rebuilt in 1967 at a cost of more than one million dollars.

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