Compiled from notes made by Mr. Chaffer

March 24, 1937

Polk County Court Houses

In 1860 or 1861, a plot of land four miles south of Bartow, was chosen by vote as the County seat. James Hamilton and Zackariah Seward owned the land selected. They built a hewn log building on this land, stocked it with merchandise, and tried to persuade the county to buy it. Jealousy defeated the trade, and Mud Lake became the County seat for about a year, but no court house was built there.

A new site, located about 1 1/4 miles south of the present court house was chosen and named Jefferson, which was the legal county seat for four years thereafter. This 160 acre plot of ground was to be auctioned off in lots to raise money for a court house, but the war came on and this land was reserved for internal revenue purposes. The affairs of the county were carried on in a log store house and a Baptist Church of the same construction. Circuit Court was held in these buildings by Judge Bush and Judge Gettis for two years after the war. Court was sometimes held in the Summerlin Institute, which was completed before the new court house was begun June 15, 1867.

Building of the first court house.

After the war "Uncle" Jake Summerlin offered 120 acres of land for County Church and School purposes. It was accepted by the County Commissioners and the Board named it "Bartow" for General Bartow killed in the second battle of Manassas.

Built on this site by John McCauley, at a cost of $3800.00 a new court house was erected. It was heavily framed and strongly braced, and every brace tenoned and drawpinned into the timbers at each end, and all studding tenoned and drawpinned into the sills above and below. It was finished in twelve months and paid for in County bonds at 25% discount.

A jail on the same terms was built for $1600.00 by U. R. Durrance, of hewn timbers 8" square. It was 16' square and two stories high. It failed to detain prisoners and was soon condemned, and burned. After a few years a second jail was built, similarly inadequate. It was relegated to be the Bartow calaboose.

There was yet no secure jail in Bartow in 1882. The court house was delapidated. The County Commissioners invited bids in November 1882 for a new jail, and a ford on the Tampa road. The old jail had been burned that summer for its iron gratings which were wanted for the new city bastile.

The grand jury of 1883 (spring) urged building a new court house and jail, Sheriff C. C. Gresham was criticised for letting miscreants run at large, and had resigned as the Tampa Judge refused longer to extend hospitality to Polk prisoners. In October 1883, the building of a new court house was contracted by J. H. Thompson for $9000.00. The old court house was sold for $100.00.

New court house plans were adopted and the contract let, in March 1908, to E. C. Hosford & Co., Architects, and the contract for the building to the Mutual Construction Co., of Louisville, Ky., for $83,890.00. L. Z. Tate contracted moving the old court house. The cornerstone of the new building was laid December 17, 1908. After the equipment was added to the new court house the cost was about $100,000.00

The first County Commissioners were; Reading Blount, Jas. Hamilton, Isaac Walters, and Joseph Mizelle. The county judge was L. W. Cornelius.

On June 17, 1861, the first commissioners meeting was held. The county was laid off into Comr's districts, and road districts.

1861.

Commencing at the point where the range line that divides range 22 and 23 strikes the line that divides townships 32 and 33; thence east along said line to where it strikes the Kissimmee river: thence up said river along the western banks to Lake Kissimmee; thence meandering the southern and western banks of said lake to Lake Cypress, and meandering said Lake Cypress to the township line dividing townships 27 and 28; thence west along said line to range line dividing ranges 28 and 29; thence a direct line to a point where the range line divides ranges 27 and 28 intersects the line dividing townships 25, and 26; thence west along said township's line to the point where the line dividing ranges 26 and 27 intersects the line to the lines dividing townships 24 and 25; thence west to section line dividing sections 34 and 35, township 24, range 25; thence north on said section line to the lines dividing sections 27 and 34--same townships and range; thence west to range line dividing ranges 24 and 25; thence south on said range lines to the line dividing townships 24 and 25; thence west to the line dividing ranges 23 and 24; thence south to the point where said line crosses the Withlacoochee river; thence meandering to the north bank of said river to the line dividing ranges 22 and 23 crosses the same; thence south along said range line to township line dividing township dividing township 25 and 26; thence west along said line dividing townships 25 and 26 to section line dividing sections 3 and 4, in township 26 range 22; thence south to said section line to sections 33 and 34, on township line dividing townships 27 and 26, range 22; thence east along said township line to range line dividing ranges 22 and 23; thence south to point of beginning. (Ch. 1201, S 2, Feb. 8, 1861; Ch. 1848, Jan. 30, 1871; Ch. 1998, Feb. 19, 1874: SS 3, 6; Ch. 3177, March 5, 1883; Ch. 3932, 1889, May 31; Ch. 4066, Acts 1891, S 1.")

Changes in boundary line  

Ch. 1848, January 20, 1871----Not available  

Ch. 1998, February 19, 1874---Not available  

Ch. 3177, March 5, 1879-------An act defining the boundaries between the County of Polk and the counties of Sumter and Orange. The people of the State of Florida, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. The boundary line between the counties of Polk and Sumter shall commence in the main channel of the Withlacoochie river where the line dividing ranges twenty-two and twenty-three crosses the same, running thence up the main channel of said river to the line dividing sections six and seven in township twenty-five, south, of range twenty-four, east, and thence east along the section lines to the line dividing ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven, east.

Section 2. The boundary line between the counties of Polk and Orange shall commence at the line dividing ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven, east, at the southeast corner of Sumter county as defined in the foregoing section, running thence south along the range line to the line dividing townships twenty-five and twenty-six, south; thence east along the township line to the line dividing ranges twenty-seven and twenty-eight, east; thence in a direct line to the point where the line dividing township twenty-seven and twenty-eight, south intersects the line dividing range twenty-eight and

twenty-nine, east; thence east along the township line to the western boundary of Brevard county.

Section 3. All laws and parts of laws conflicting with this act are hereby repealed. Approved March 5, 1879.

Ch. 3471, March 5, 1883----Not available

Ch. 3932, May 31, 1899-----Not available

Ch. 4066, Acts of 1891-----Not available

County History from: "History of Polk County by M. F. Hetherington, 1928  

Captain Ben F. Blount's article in "Courier-Informant", 1908  

Boundary lines from Florida statutes.  

Note: Commissioner's Minutes from 1861 to 1887 are missing and no further information as to county organization is available at this time.

Helen S. Wells

The first County Commissioners were; Reading Blount, Jas. Hamilton, Isaac Walters, and Joseph Mizelle. The county judge was L. W. Cornelius.

On June 17, 1861, the first commissioners meeting was held, The County was laid off into Comr's districts, and roads districts.

1861.

Commencing at the point where the range line that divides range 22 and 23 strikes the line that divides townships 32 and 33; thence east along said line to where it strikes the Kissimmee river; thence up said river along the western banks to Lake Kissimmee; thence meandering the southern and western banks of said Lake Cypress, and meandering said Lake Cypress to the township line dividing townships 27 and 28; thence west along said line to range line dividing ranges 28 and 29; thence a direct line to a point where the range line divides ranges 27 and 28 intersects the line dividing townships 25, and 26; thence west along said township's line to the point where the line dividing ranges 26, and 27 intersects the line to the lines dividing townships 24 and 25; thence west to section line dividing sections 34 and 35, township 24, range 25; thence north on said section line to the lines dividing sections 27 and 34--same townships and range; thence west to range line dividing ranges 24 and 25; thence south on said range lines to the line dividing townships 24 and 25; thence west to the line dividing ranges 23 and 24; thence south to the point where said line crosses the Withlacoochee river; thence meandering to the north bank of said river to the line dividing ranges 22 and 23 crosses the same; thence south along said range line to township line dividing township line dividing township 25 and 26; thence west along said line dividing townships 25 and 26 to section line dividing sections 3 and 4, in township 26 range 22; thence south to said section line to sections 33 and 34, on township line dividing townships 27 and 26, range 22; thence east along said township line to range line to range line [sic] dividing ranges 22 and 23; thence south to point of beginning. (Ch. 1201, S 2, Feb. 8, 1861;