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Source
State Library of Florida, WPA - Historical Records Survey, County Histories
Description
County Commissioners' Minutes describing the establishment of a courthouse in Marion County, Florida transcribed by the Works Progress Administration's Historical Records Survey.
Date
ca. 1939
Format
Coverage
Personal Subjects
Corporate Subjects
Subjects
Geographic Term
Note to Researchers:
Though the WPA field workers included extensive citations for the factual information contained in these county histories, it should be noted that these historical narratives were produced in the 1930s by federal government employees, and might reflect the inherent social biases of the era.
MARION COUNTY
County Commissioners' Minutes -
April 27, 1846 - Resolved, "that Block 67 be reserved from sale for the purpose of erecting a temporary courthouse thereon and for other county purposes. Further resolved that A. Geiger and Thomas Barnes be and are hereby appointed a committee to receive proposals and to contract with the persons who may offer to do the work cheapest, provided the bidder be considered a responsible person. Sealed bids to be received until 10:00 A. M. on the 30th day of May next at Fort King on which day they will be opened. Said courthouse to be completed by the first day of September next.
Dimensions as follows: (viz)
To be 20 feet by 28 feet in the clair the top of the top [sic] plate above the floor raftered and shingled with three-feet wide cypress boards nailed on, gabled and is to be weather-boarded with planks. Sills to be hewn 12 inches square out of good pine and a girder on center sill the same size to run across the center of the house for the sleepers to rest upon, supported by three blocks and four lightwood or live oak blocks, 2 feet long to support each sill in floor to be one and one quarter [inches] (1 1/4) plank laid on good hewn sleepers laid 2 feet and a half apart. A door in the center of each side and a window 2 1/2 feet wide and 4 feet long on each side of each door. One door in one end and a window in the center of the other, the sill of which shall be four feet above the floor.
Door and window shutters to be of inch plank made with battens and hung with iron hinges, put on with wood screws or wrought nails. Logs of body of house to be peeled and cracks lined outside with boards nailed on [corner] to be sawed down and steps of good heart pine hewn 12 inches square to be put in each door. Doors and windows to be fastened and cased up in workmanlike manner with a hook to fasten each window and a stock lock on each door. Nails and all other materials to be furnished by the contractor.
Further resolved, that there be a committee of two disinterested persons, one chosen by the committee contracting, and the other by the contractor with the power to call in a third person in case of disagreement of the first two examining said building and see if it is built according to contract before it will be received by said contracting committee and as soon as the said house is so inspected and received the contractor shall receive a draft on the County Treasurer for the amount contracted.
Further resolved, that the Clerk of this Board furnish to the above committee a copy of the proceedings of this Board in relation to said Courthouse, etc.
September 7, 1846 - The committee to contract for the building of courthouse having performed their duty, Mr. James Carruthers, the Contractor, for building said Courthouse having the House completed agreeable to contract was received and an order passed for the Judge of Probates to give a certificate of the amount due to said Contractor to be paid by the County Treasurer, which receipt will be a voucher for him in his next annual settlement with this Board.
Title
Marion County Commissioners' Minutes
Subject
Cities and towns--History
Florida--Marion County
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey
Description
County Commissioners' Minutes describing the establishment of a courthouse in Marion County, Florida transcribed by the Works Progress Administration's Historical Records Survey.
Creator
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey
Source
State Library of Florida, WPA - Historical Records Survey, County Histories
Date
1939 (circa)
Format
local histories
Language
eng-US
Type
Text
Identifier
wpa_county_history_marion_02
Coverage
Depression Era Florida (1926-1939)
Thumbnail
/fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/wpa_county_histories.jpg
Geographic Term
Marion County (Fla.)
Display Date
ca. 1939
ImageID
wpa_county_history_marion_02_01
wpa_county_history_marion_02_02
Subject - Corporate
Fort King Site
Subject - Person
Geiger, A.
Barnes, Thomas
Carruthers, James
Transcript
MARION COUNTY
County Commissioners' Minutes -
April 27, 1846 - Resolved, "that Block 67 be reserved from sale for the purpose of erecting a temporary courthouse thereon and for other county purposes. Further resolved that A. Geiger and Thomas Barnes be and are hereby appointed a committee to receive proposals and to contract with the persons who may offer to do the work cheapest, provided the bidder be considered a responsible person. Sealed bids to be received until 10:00 A. M. on the 30th day of May next at Fort King on which day they will be opened. Said courthouse to be completed by the first day of September next.
Dimensions as follows: (viz)
To be 20 feet by 28 feet in the clair the top of the top [sic] plate above the floor raftered and shingled with three-feet wide cypress boards nailed on, gabled and is to be weather-boarded with planks. Sills to be hewn 12 inches square out of good pine and a girder on center sill the same size to run across the center of the house for the sleepers to rest upon, supported by three blocks and four lightwood or live oak blocks, 2 feet long to support each sill in floor to be one and one quarter [inches] (1 1/4) plank laid on good hewn sleepers laid 2 feet and a half apart. A door in the center of each side and a window 2 1/2 feet wide and 4 feet long on each side of each door. One door in one end and a window in the center of the other, the sill of which shall be four feet above the floor.
Door and window shutters to be of inch plank made with battens and hung with iron hinges, put on with wood screws or wrought nails. Logs of body of house to be peeled and cracks lined outside with boards nailed on [corner] to be sawed down and steps of good heart pine hewn 12 inches square to be put in each door. Doors and windows to be fastened and cased up in workmanlike manner with a hook to fasten each window and a stock lock on each door. Nails and all other materials to be furnished by the contractor.
Further resolved, that there be a committee of two disinterested persons, one chosen by the committee contracting, and the other by the contractor with the power to call in a third person in case of disagreement of the first two examining said building and see if it is built according to contract before it will be received by said contracting committee and as soon as the said house is so inspected and received the contractor shall receive a draft on the County Treasurer for the amount contracted.
Further resolved, that the Clerk of this Board furnish to the above committee a copy of the proceedings of this Board in relation to said Courthouse, etc.
September 7, 1846 - The committee to contract for the building of courthouse having performed their duty, Mr. James Carruthers, the Contractor, for building said Courthouse having the House completed agreeable to contract was received and an order passed for the Judge of Probates to give a certificate of the amount due to said Contractor to be paid by the County Treasurer, which receipt will be a voucher for him in his next annual settlement with this Board.
-2-
Resolved, that the Judge of Probates and President of this Board give a certificate to James Carruthers for the amount of $225.00 due to him from the County for building a Courthouse in Ocala, the County Site and order that the Treasurer pay the same.
Resolved, that a contract be let out to the lowest bidder for doing the inside work of the Courthouse, erecting judge's stand, tables, jury benches, and notice of the same be given until 12 o'clock Tuesday, the 6th day of October next.
Further resolved, that Contract be let out to the lowest bidder at our next meeting for building a house for jury rooms 24 feet by 14 feet in clair with rough laid plank floor and a door in each end. Plank shutters to be hung with iron hinges, locks on each and window opposite each door hung with iron hinges and hooked, covered with 3 feet boards. To be built on the same lot Courthouse stands on.
Further resolved, that public notice be given at two or more places in this county for proposals to do said work to be received by this Board at this place on Tuesday, the 6th day of October next, 12 o'clock A. M.
copy to here
December 12, 1851 - Sold the Courthouse and Jury [rooms]. Purchaser to remove from the lot.
--------------------------------------------------------
December 13, 1851 - Permanent Courthouse erected. (Block 56) Present site of Courthouse.
This courthouse was torn down in order to build the present Courthouse - October 17, 1906.
Chicago Manual of Style
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey. Marion County Commissioners' Minutes. 1939 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321137>, accessed 22 March 2023.
MLA
Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey. Marion County Commissioners' Minutes. 1939 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/321137>
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Works Progress Administration)