Hamilton County Court Houses
Hamilton County was created by Legislative Act, Dec. 26, 1827, and its first county seat was Micco on the site of an old Indian village on the Alapaha River. The first Court House was a rude log building, a description of which cannot be found.
The county seat was later moved to old Jasper as that section had become the center of habitation. The following report of the County Commissions is found in an old County Commissioners' Minute Book:
"We, the County Commissioners, hereby certify that the surveys of the town lots are complied with at the county site of Hamilton County by John L. Stewart, County Surveyor of Hamilton County, in compliance with the order of the court of said county by October term 1839, this December 7, 1839.
William M. Hunter
Peter W. Law
Aldrich Sutton
Joseph B. Watts "
The following was also found in the same volume:
"Order No. 3 November Term 1850. Ordered that the County agrees to proceed to purchase glass and other materials necessary to finish the windows of the Court House and that he draw upon the Treasurer to meet the necessary expense of completing the same."
No record of this Court House can be found.
On July 15, 1855, it was ordered by the court that a new Court House be built, said house to be two stories high, 45 feet long, and 35 feet wide, the first story to be nine feet high and the second story to be 10 1/2 feet high, the court room on the second floor and two petit jury rooms adjoining. On the first floor four rooms with a stair case leading to the floor above. The builders of the Court House were ordered to enter into bond with sufficient security, said Court House to be completed by the fourth Monday in November, 1856.
This information was obtained from County Commissioners' Minute Book "B".
In 1891 it was again decided to move the site of the Court House, and a brick building was erected on the present site about one mile from the Court House on old Jasper. The new Court House was a two-story building, the lower floor being divided into six county offices and the upper floor into a court room and three other rooms to be used as jury and consultation rooms. The approximate cost of this building was $20,000. It was partly destroyed by fire in 1928 and until repairs were made in 1932 the county officials had offices in the high school building and in a privately owned building known as the Tuten building. Court was held in the school auditorium and in the Masonic Lodge room.
JUL 6-1937
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In 1932 the Court House was rebuilt of brick and concrete, the contract going to Bland and Foster for $14,485. The lower floor is built on the same plan and three small offices were added to the upper floor. Now the entire office as well as the vault of the Clerk of the Circuit Court is fireproof. This fireproof office and vault and the fireproof vault adjoining the County Judge's office contain about 95% of the county records. The Court House presents an attractive appearance and is well equipped and well kept.
JUL 6-1937
SOURCES OF INFORMATION USED IN SKETCH OF HAMILTON COUNTY COURT HOUSES
1. County Commissioners' Minute Book, not numbered or lettered.
2. County Commissioners' Minute Book "B"
3. County Commissioners' Minute Book, 1928-1929
4. Judge B. B. Johnson, a life long resident of Jasper, Florida.
5. Private papers of Mrs. William Humter
JUL 6-1937
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