Hillsborough County, Florida History

                 Hillsborough County is located in West Central Florida and is a growing
                 metropolis with sunny beaches, amusement parks and nature at its best.
                 Florida was granted statehood in 1845 and on the 25 Jan 1834, the U.S.
                 Legislative Council for the Territory of Florida approved organizing
                 Hillsborough as it's 19th county, being created from Alachua and Monroe
                 counties.



                  "An Act to organize a county to be called Hillsborough, and
                  for other purposes; approved 25th day of January, 1834.
                  Section 1. Be it enacted by the governor and Legislative Council
                  of the Territory of Florida, that the district of country bounded as
                  follows, to-wit, on the north by Alachua County, a line running east 
                  and west from the Indian village of Toachatka, 40 miles from Tampa, 
                  east by Mosquito County, south by Monroe County, and west by the Gulf of 
                  Mexico, shall constitute a county to be called Hillsborough."


                  Hillsborough County takes its name from British Colonial Secretary
                  of 1772, Lord Hillsborough. Between 1559 and 1819, Florida was under  
                  the rule of four nations; Spain, France, Great Britain and the United States.
                  In 1821 the United States purchased Florida from Spain for $5 million.

         
         Tampa, Florida Circa. 1908


                  Source:Florida Photographic Collection/Florida Archives
                  Tampa, Florida circa 1908 Franklin Street


              
    Tampa 1898 and 1930


                  This web site is dedicated to the History and the Ancestry of its past,
                  present and future inhabitants. Some of the first Pioneer families were
                  the Collier, Haskins, Ferris, Jackson and Givens families. After the 
                  Civil War, families settled here from Alabama, Georgia and other southern, 
                  as well as Northern states. Families such as the Buzbees, Burnhams, Simmons,
                  Hewett were also prominent in the area.



                 I have been researching the following families for the past few years
                  and would welcome any information or correction to what I have on this
                  site; Buzbee, Hewett, Swilley, Coker and Pitts.  All of these families
                  came to Hillsborough County after 1870, but were widespread and well known.  

My Memory Page

Hillsborough County, Florida Census Records

Hillsborough County Historical Links

Hillsborough County Current Day Links

Hillsborough County Researchers

Surnames That I Am Researching

Birth Announcements

Obituaries and Funeral Notices

News Stories

Research Links

My Family Obituaries

Historical Photographs

Hillsborough County Events

       I have added a guest book, I would very much like to know who is visiting my 
       site and who you are researching.  Any and all comments are welcome.

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This Website was last updated 12 March 2009 Email Sheila with any questions or suggestions at countrys_grits@yahoo.com This page belongs to Sheila D. Massie