Florida Memory is administered by the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services, Bureau of Archives and Records Management. The digitized records on Florida Memory come from the collections of the State Archives of Florida and the special collections of the State Library of Florida.
State Archives of Florida
- ArchivesFlorida.com
- State Archives Online Catalog
- ArchivesFlorida.com
- ArchivesFlorida.com
State Library of Florida
Related Sites
Listen: The World Program
Click to listen to streaming radio
Search by keyword and/or type
Affilated
Sites
User's Account, Shopping Cart & Change Settings
Navigate through Florida Memory
Open Feedback Form
Scroll down for additional links
Description of previous item
Description of next item
Description
Ordinance signed by delegates from Florida stating that the state was seceding from the United States of America and declaring that Florida is "a Sovereign and Independent Nation." There are 65 signatures on the Ordinance of Secession.
Historical Note
In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency on November 6, 1860, Governor Madison Starke Perry called for Florida to prepare for secession and to join with other southern states in organizing an independent confederacy. The state legislature voted to hold a statewide election on December 22 for the selection of delegates to a convention that would meet in Tallahassee beginning on January 3, 1861, to decide whether Florida should secede. Of the 69 delegates eligible to vote on January 10, 1861, for the adoption of an ordinance of secession, 62 voted yea and seven nay. The convention then voted on April 13, 1861, for Florida to become part of the Confederate States of America.
Date
January 10, 1861
Creator
Signers
Alderman, Sidney Smith, 1835-1922
Allison, A. K. (Abraham Kurkindolle), 1810-1893
Anderson, James Patton, 1822-1872
Baker, James Lawrence George
Baker, Simmons Jones
Barronton, Elza P.
Beard, John, 1797-1876
Bethel, Winer
Chandler, James H.
Collier, Joseph Abialbon
Coon, Isaac S.
Cooper, James Gignilliat, 1801-1879
Daniel, J. M.
Davis, William G. M. (William George Mackey), 1812-1898
Dawkins, James Baird, 1820-1883
Devall, James Otis
Dilworth, William Scott
Finegan, Joseph, 1814-1885
Folsom, Lewis A.
Gary, Summerfield Massilon Glenn, 1826-1896
Gettis, James, 1816-1867
Harris, William S.
Hendricks, Thomas Jefferson
Henry, Thomas Yuille
Hunter, Green H.
Irwin, Freeman B.
Jordan, Richard D.
Kirksey, James M.
Ladd, Daniel, 1817-1872
Lamar, Thompson Bird, 1828-1864
Lamb, John Josiah
Lea, Andrew J.
Leigh, David G.
Lewis, David
Love, Edward Curry
Mays, Rhydon Grigsby
McCaskill, Alexander L., 1829-1886
McGahagin, William
McGehee, John Charles
McIntosh, McQueen
McLean, Daniel H.
McNeally, Adam
Morrison, John
Morton, Jackson, 1794-1874
Newman, James A.
Nicholson, Andrew William
Owens, James Byeram, ca. 1816-1889
Palmer, Thomas Martin
Parkhill, George Washington, 1822-1862
Pelot, John Cooper
Pinkney, William
Rutland, Isaac N.
Sanderson, John Pease, 1816-1871
Sever, William H.
Simpson, Ewing Ezekiel, 1803-1875
Solana, Mathew
Spencer, Samuel W.
Stephens, Samuel B.
Thomas, Joseph
Tift, Asa Forsyth
Ward, George Taliaferro, 1810-1862
Woodruff, William Washington, 1831-1872
Wright, Arthur Jones Troup
Wright, Samuel H.
Yates, William Burrell
Allison, A. K. (Abraham Kurkindolle), 1810-1893
Anderson, James Patton, 1822-1872
Baker, James Lawrence George
Baker, Simmons Jones
Barronton, Elza P.
Beard, John, 1797-1876
Bethel, Winer
Chandler, James H.
Collier, Joseph Abialbon
Coon, Isaac S.
Cooper, James Gignilliat, 1801-1879
Daniel, J. M.
Davis, William G. M. (William George Mackey), 1812-1898
Dawkins, James Baird, 1820-1883
Devall, James Otis
Dilworth, William Scott
Finegan, Joseph, 1814-1885
Folsom, Lewis A.
Gary, Summerfield Massilon Glenn, 1826-1896
Gettis, James, 1816-1867
Harris, William S.
Hendricks, Thomas Jefferson
Henry, Thomas Yuille
Hunter, Green H.
Irwin, Freeman B.
Jordan, Richard D.
Kirksey, James M.
Ladd, Daniel, 1817-1872
Lamar, Thompson Bird, 1828-1864
Lamb, John Josiah
Lea, Andrew J.
Leigh, David G.
Lewis, David
Love, Edward Curry
Mays, Rhydon Grigsby
McCaskill, Alexander L., 1829-1886
McGahagin, William
McGehee, John Charles
McIntosh, McQueen
McLean, Daniel H.
McNeally, Adam
Morrison, John
Morton, Jackson, 1794-1874
Newman, James A.
Nicholson, Andrew William
Owens, James Byeram, ca. 1816-1889
Palmer, Thomas Martin
Parkhill, George Washington, 1822-1862
Pelot, John Cooper
Pinkney, William
Rutland, Isaac N.
Sanderson, John Pease, 1816-1871
Sever, William H.
Simpson, Ewing Ezekiel, 1803-1875
Solana, Mathew
Spencer, Samuel W.
Stephens, Samuel B.
Thomas, Joseph
Tift, Asa Forsyth
Ward, George Taliaferro, 1810-1862
Woodruff, William Washington, 1831-1872
Wright, Arthur Jones Troup
Wright, Samuel H.
Yates, William Burrell
Subjects
Geographic Term
Coverage
Topic
We, the people of the State of Florida in Convention assembled, do solemnly ordain, publish and declare: That the State of Florida hereby withdraws herself from the Confederacy of States existing under the name of the United States of America, and from the existing Government of said States: and that all political connection between her and the Government of said States ought to be and the same is hereby totally annulled, and said union of States dissolved: and the State of Florida is hereby declared a Sovereign and Independent Nation: and that all ordinances heretofore adopted in so far as they create or recognize said Union, are rescinded: and all laws or parts of laws in force in this State, in so far as they recognize or assent to said Union be and they are hereby repealed.
Done in open Convention, January 10th, A. D. 1861.
John C. McGehee President.
[column 1]
A.W. Nicholson [of Escambia County]
S. H. Wright [of Escambia County]
R. D. Jordan [of Holmes County]
Adam McNealy [of Jackson County]
Thomas Y. Henry [of Gadsden County]
E. C. Love [of Gadsden County]
A. J. Lea [of Madison County]
W. H. Sever [of Taylor County]
E. P. Barronton [of Lafayette County]
Joseph Finegan [of Nassau County]
James G. Cooper [of Nassau County]
Jas. H. Chandler [of Volusia County]
David G. Leigh [of Sumter County]
James Gettis [of the 20th Senatorial District]
S. S. Alderman [of Jackson County]
Alexander L. McCaskill [of Walton County]
[column 2]
S. J. Baker [of Calhoun County]
S. B. Stephens [of the 7th Senatorial District]
Freeman B. Irwin [of Washington County]
McQueen McIntosh [of the 5th Senatorial District]
Saml W. Spencer [of Franklin County]
D. D. McLean [of the 4th Senatorial District]
Lewis A. Folsom [of Hamilton County]
Green H. Hunter [of Columbia County]
Jas. A. Newman [of Suwannee County]
Arthur J. T. Wright [of Columbia County]
Isaac S. Coon [of New River County]
John J. Lamb [of Clay County]
Isaac N. Rutland [of the 19th Senatorial District]
Wm. Pinkney [of Monroe County]
Winer Bethel [of Monroe County]
Joseph A. Collier of Jacksonville [of Jackson County. William Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
John C. McGehee [of Madison County]
[column 3]
Jackson Morton [of Santa Rosa County]
E. E. Simpson [of Santa Rosa County]
Danl Ladd [of Wakulla County]
David Lewis [of Wakulla County]
Thompson B. Lamar [of Jefferson County]
J. Patton Anderson [of Jefferson County]
Thomas M. Palmer [of Jefferson County]
William S. Dilworth [of Jefferson County]
J. M. Daniel [of Duval County]
T. J. Hendricks [of Clay County]
J. P. Sanderson [of the 16th Senatorial District]
Jas. B. Owens [of Marion County]
Summerfield M. G. Gary [of Marion County]
W. McGahagin [of Marion County]
Asa F. Tift [of Monroe County. Tift's signature looks like "Taft" on the Ordinance, but he is listed as Asa F. Tift on the 1860 Census and in the 1863 Journal of the House of Representatives.]
James L. G. Baker [of Jackson County]
[column 4]
Abraham Kurkindolle Allison [of Gadsden County]
John Beard [of Leon County]
James Kirksey [of Leon County]
G. W. Parkhill [of Leon County]
Geo. T. Ward [of Leon County]
W. G. M. Davis [of Leon County]
Joseph Thomas [of Hamilton County]
Mathew Solana [of St. Johns County]
Jas. O. Devall [of Putnam County]
R. G. Mays [of the 17th Senatorial District]
John C. Pelot [of Alachua County]
James B. Dawkins [of Alachua County]
William W. Woodruff [of Orange County]
W. B. Yates [of Brevard County]
John Morrison [of Walton County]
Attest William S. Harris, Secretary [of Duval County. Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
Done in open Convention, January 10th, A. D. 1861.
John C. McGehee President.
[column 1]
A.W. Nicholson [of Escambia County]
S. H. Wright [of Escambia County]
R. D. Jordan [of Holmes County]
Adam McNealy [of Jackson County]
Thomas Y. Henry [of Gadsden County]
E. C. Love [of Gadsden County]
A. J. Lea [of Madison County]
W. H. Sever [of Taylor County]
E. P. Barronton [of Lafayette County]
Joseph Finegan [of Nassau County]
James G. Cooper [of Nassau County]
Jas. H. Chandler [of Volusia County]
David G. Leigh [of Sumter County]
James Gettis [of the 20th Senatorial District]
S. S. Alderman [of Jackson County]
Alexander L. McCaskill [of Walton County]
[column 2]
S. J. Baker [of Calhoun County]
S. B. Stephens [of the 7th Senatorial District]
Freeman B. Irwin [of Washington County]
McQueen McIntosh [of the 5th Senatorial District]
Saml W. Spencer [of Franklin County]
D. D. McLean [of the 4th Senatorial District]
Lewis A. Folsom [of Hamilton County]
Green H. Hunter [of Columbia County]
Jas. A. Newman [of Suwannee County]
Arthur J. T. Wright [of Columbia County]
Isaac S. Coon [of New River County]
John J. Lamb [of Clay County]
Isaac N. Rutland [of the 19th Senatorial District]
Wm. Pinkney [of Monroe County]
Winer Bethel [of Monroe County]
Joseph A. Collier of Jacksonville [of Jackson County. William Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
John C. McGehee [of Madison County]
[column 3]
Jackson Morton [of Santa Rosa County]
E. E. Simpson [of Santa Rosa County]
Danl Ladd [of Wakulla County]
David Lewis [of Wakulla County]
Thompson B. Lamar [of Jefferson County]
J. Patton Anderson [of Jefferson County]
Thomas M. Palmer [of Jefferson County]
William S. Dilworth [of Jefferson County]
J. M. Daniel [of Duval County]
T. J. Hendricks [of Clay County]
J. P. Sanderson [of the 16th Senatorial District]
Jas. B. Owens [of Marion County]
Summerfield M. G. Gary [of Marion County]
W. McGahagin [of Marion County]
Asa F. Tift [of Monroe County. Tift's signature looks like "Taft" on the Ordinance, but he is listed as Asa F. Tift on the 1860 Census and in the 1863 Journal of the House of Representatives.]
James L. G. Baker [of Jackson County]
[column 4]
Abraham Kurkindolle Allison [of Gadsden County]
John Beard [of Leon County]
James Kirksey [of Leon County]
G. W. Parkhill [of Leon County]
Geo. T. Ward [of Leon County]
W. G. M. Davis [of Leon County]
Joseph Thomas [of Hamilton County]
Mathew Solana [of St. Johns County]
Jas. O. Devall [of Putnam County]
R. G. Mays [of the 17th Senatorial District]
John C. Pelot [of Alachua County]
James B. Dawkins [of Alachua County]
William W. Woodruff [of Orange County]
W. B. Yates [of Brevard County]
John Morrison [of Walton County]
Attest William S. Harris, Secretary [of Duval County. Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
Title
Ordinance of Secession, 1861
Subject
Secession -- Florida
Ordinances
Secession Convention (Tallahassee, Fla. : 1861)
Constitutional Law -- Florida.
Florida -- Politics and government -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Description
Ordinance signed by delegates from Florida stating that the state was seceding from the United States of America and declaring that Florida is "a Sovereign and Independent Nation." There are 65 signatures on the Ordinance of Secession.
Creator
Florida Convention of the People
Source
State Archives of Florida, S972
Date
1861-01-10
Contributor
Alderman, Sidney Smith, 1835-1922
Allison, A. K. (Abraham Kurkindolle), 1810-1893
Anderson, James Patton, 1822-1872
Baker, James Lawrence George
Baker, Simmons Jones
Barronton, Elza P.
Beard, John, 1797-1876
Bethel, Winer
Chandler, James H.
Collier, Joseph Abialbon
Coon, Isaac S.
Cooper, James Gignilliat, 1801-1879
Daniel, J. M.
Davis, William G. M. (William George Mackey), 1812-1898
Dawkins, James Baird, 1820-1883
Devall, James Otis
Dilworth, William Scott
Finegan, Joseph, 1814-1885
Folsom, Lewis A.
Gary, Summerfield Massilon Glenn, 1826-1896
Gettis, James, 1816-1867
Harris, William S.
Hendricks, Thomas Jefferson
Henry, Thomas Yuille
Hunter, Green H.
Irwin, Freeman B.
Jordan, Richard D.
Kirksey, James M.
Ladd, Daniel, 1817-1872
Lamar, Thompson Bird, 1828-1864
Lamb, John Josiah
Lea, Andrew J.
Leigh, David G.
Lewis, David
Love, Edward Curry
Mays, Rhydon Grigsby
McCaskill, Alexander L., 1829-1886
McGahagin, William
McGehee, John Charles
McIntosh, McQueen
McLean, Daniel H.
McNeally, Adam
Morrison, John
Morton, Jackson, 1794-1874
Newman, James A.
Nicholson, Andrew William
Owens, James Byeram, ca. 1816-1889
Palmer, Thomas Martin
Parkhill, George Washington, 1822-1862
Pelot, John Cooper
Pinkney, William
Rutland, Isaac N.
Sanderson, John Pease, 1816-1871
Sever, William H.
Simpson, Ewing Ezekiel, 1803-1875
Solana, Mathew
Spencer, Samuel W.
Stephens, Samuel B.
Thomas, Joseph
Tift, Asa Forsyth
Ward, George Taliaferro, 1810-1862
Woodruff, William Washington, 1831-1872
Wright, Arthur Jones Troup
Wright, Samuel H.
Yates, William Burrell
Format
ordinances
Language
en-US
Type
text
Identifier
s972_b001_01
Coverage
Civil War Florida (1861-1865)
Thumbnail
/fpc/memory/omeka_images/collections/broadsides/thumbnails/s972_b001_01.jpg
Transcript
We, the people of the State of Florida in Convention assembled, do solemnly ordain, publish and declare: That the State of Florida hereby withdraws herself from the Confederacy of States existing under the name of the United States of America, and from the existing Government of said States: and that all political connection between her and the Government of said States ought to be and the same is hereby totally annulled, and said union of States dissolved: and the State of Florida is hereby declared a Sovereign and Independent Nation: and that all ordinances heretofore adopted in so far as they create or recognize said Union, are rescinded: and all laws or parts of laws in force in this State, in so far as they recognize or assent to said Union be and they are hereby repealed.
Done in open Convention, January 10th, A. D. 1861.
John C. McGehee President.
[column 1]
A.W. Nicholson [of Escambia County]
S. H. Wright [of Escambia County]
R. D. Jordan [of Holmes County]
Adam McNealy [of Jackson County]
Thomas Y. Henry [of Gadsden County]
E. C. Love [of Gadsden County]
A. J. Lea [of Madison County]
W. H. Sever [of Taylor County]
E. P. Barronton [of Lafayette County]
Joseph Finegan [of Nassau County]
James G. Cooper [of Nassau County]
Jas. H. Chandler [of Volusia County]
David G. Leigh [of Sumter County]
James Gettis [of the 20th Senatorial District]
S. S. Alderman [of Jackson County]
Alexander L. McCaskill [of Walton County]
[column 2]
S. J. Baker [of Calhoun County]
S. B. Stephens [of the 7th Senatorial District]
Freeman B. Irwin [of Washington County]
McQueen McIntosh [of the 5th Senatorial District]
Saml W. Spencer [of Franklin County]
D. D. McLean [of the 4th Senatorial District]
Lewis A. Folsom [of Hamilton County]
Green H. Hunter [of Columbia County]
Jas. A. Newman [of Suwannee County]
Arthur J. T. Wright [of Columbia County]
Isaac S. Coon [of New River County]
John J. Lamb [of Clay County]
Isaac N. Rutland [of the 19th Senatorial District]
Wm. Pinkney [of Monroe County]
Winer Bethel [of Monroe County]
Joseph A. Collier of Jacksonville [of Jackson County. William Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
John C. McGehee [of Madison County]
[column 3]
Jackson Morton [of Santa Rosa County]
E. E. Simpson [of Santa Rosa County]
Danl Ladd [of Wakulla County]
David Lewis [of Wakulla County]
Thompson B. Lamar [of Jefferson County]
J. Patton Anderson [of Jefferson County]
Thomas M. Palmer [of Jefferson County]
William S. Dilworth [of Jefferson County]
J. M. Daniel [of Duval County]
T. J. Hendricks [of Clay County]
J. P. Sanderson [of the 16th Senatorial District]
Jas. B. Owens [of Marion County]
Summerfield M. G. Gary [of Marion County]
W. McGahagin [of Marion County]
Asa F. Tift [of Monroe County. Tift's signature looks like "Taft" on the Ordinance, but he is listed as Asa F. Tift on the 1860 Census and in the 1863 Journal of the House of Representatives.]
James L. G. Baker [of Jackson County]
[column 4]
Abraham Kurkindolle Allison [of Gadsden County]
John Beard [of Leon County]
James Kirksey [of Leon County]
G. W. Parkhill [of Leon County]
Geo. T. Ward [of Leon County]
W. G. M. Davis [of Leon County]
Joseph Thomas [of Hamilton County]
Mathew Solana [of St. Johns County]
Jas. O. Devall [of Putnam County]
R. G. Mays [of the 17th Senatorial District]
John C. Pelot [of Alachua County]
James B. Dawkins [of Alachua County]
William W. Woodruff [of Orange County]
W. B. Yates [of Brevard County]
John Morrison [of Walton County]
Attest William S. Harris, Secretary [of Duval County. Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
Done in open Convention, January 10th, A. D. 1861.
John C. McGehee President.
[column 1]
A.W. Nicholson [of Escambia County]
S. H. Wright [of Escambia County]
R. D. Jordan [of Holmes County]
Adam McNealy [of Jackson County]
Thomas Y. Henry [of Gadsden County]
E. C. Love [of Gadsden County]
A. J. Lea [of Madison County]
W. H. Sever [of Taylor County]
E. P. Barronton [of Lafayette County]
Joseph Finegan [of Nassau County]
James G. Cooper [of Nassau County]
Jas. H. Chandler [of Volusia County]
David G. Leigh [of Sumter County]
James Gettis [of the 20th Senatorial District]
S. S. Alderman [of Jackson County]
Alexander L. McCaskill [of Walton County]
[column 2]
S. J. Baker [of Calhoun County]
S. B. Stephens [of the 7th Senatorial District]
Freeman B. Irwin [of Washington County]
McQueen McIntosh [of the 5th Senatorial District]
Saml W. Spencer [of Franklin County]
D. D. McLean [of the 4th Senatorial District]
Lewis A. Folsom [of Hamilton County]
Green H. Hunter [of Columbia County]
Jas. A. Newman [of Suwannee County]
Arthur J. T. Wright [of Columbia County]
Isaac S. Coon [of New River County]
John J. Lamb [of Clay County]
Isaac N. Rutland [of the 19th Senatorial District]
Wm. Pinkney [of Monroe County]
Winer Bethel [of Monroe County]
Joseph A. Collier of Jacksonville [of Jackson County. William Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
John C. McGehee [of Madison County]
[column 3]
Jackson Morton [of Santa Rosa County]
E. E. Simpson [of Santa Rosa County]
Danl Ladd [of Wakulla County]
David Lewis [of Wakulla County]
Thompson B. Lamar [of Jefferson County]
J. Patton Anderson [of Jefferson County]
Thomas M. Palmer [of Jefferson County]
William S. Dilworth [of Jefferson County]
J. M. Daniel [of Duval County]
T. J. Hendricks [of Clay County]
J. P. Sanderson [of the 16th Senatorial District]
Jas. B. Owens [of Marion County]
Summerfield M. G. Gary [of Marion County]
W. McGahagin [of Marion County]
Asa F. Tift [of Monroe County. Tift's signature looks like "Taft" on the Ordinance, but he is listed as Asa F. Tift on the 1860 Census and in the 1863 Journal of the House of Representatives.]
James L. G. Baker [of Jackson County]
[column 4]
Abraham Kurkindolle Allison [of Gadsden County]
John Beard [of Leon County]
James Kirksey [of Leon County]
G. W. Parkhill [of Leon County]
Geo. T. Ward [of Leon County]
W. G. M. Davis [of Leon County]
Joseph Thomas [of Hamilton County]
Mathew Solana [of St. Johns County]
Jas. O. Devall [of Putnam County]
R. G. Mays [of the 17th Senatorial District]
John C. Pelot [of Alachua County]
James B. Dawkins [of Alachua County]
William W. Woodruff [of Orange County]
W. B. Yates [of Brevard County]
John Morrison [of Walton County]
Attest William S. Harris, Secretary [of Duval County. Harris may have written "of Jacksonville" after his name, not Joseph A. Collier, who was from Jackson County.]
ImageID
s972_b001_01_01
General Note
In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency on November 6, 1860, Governor Madison Starke Perry called for Florida to prepare for secession and to join with other southern states in organizing an independent confederacy. The state legislature voted to hold a statewide election on December 22 for the selection of delegates to a convention that would meet in Tallahassee beginning on January 3, 1861, to decide whether Florida should secede. Of the 69 delegates eligible to vote on January 10, 1861, for the adoption of an ordinance of secession, 62 voted yea and seven nay. The convention then voted on April 13, 1861, for Florida to become part of the Confederate States of America.
Geographic Term
Florida
topic
Politics And Government
Chicago Manual of Style
Florida Convention of the People. Ordinance of Secession, 1861. 1861-01-10. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/339353>, accessed 13 May 2021.
MLA
Florida Convention of the People. Ordinance of Secession, 1861. 1861-01-10. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 13 May. 2021.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/339353>.
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Florida Convention of the People)
See an error? Suggest a correction
Please note
Under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.
