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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 19/340

Early Settlement
with the other states. On March 30, 1822, Congress passed a law
establishing a civil government of the territory of Florida. Under
this law William P. Duval of Kentucky was appointed as the first
official territorial governor. Duval had earlier been appointed a
judge of East Florida by President Monroe. The governor was the
most influential person in the territorial government. Among his
responsibilities, the governor was commander-in-chief of the
militia and ex-officio superintendent of Indian affairs.
The legislative council consisted of the governor and thirteen
appointed officials. Among its duties the legislative council was
authorized to borrow money and raise troops for defense. Before
the territorial period ended most of the territorial officials were
made elective except that of governor which remained a Presi­
dential appointment subject to Senate confirmation. Initially the
legislative council was to alternate sessions between Pensacola and
St. Augustine, the two centers of population. The first meeting was
held in Pensacola on July 22, 1822. Only nine of the thirteen
members were present since it took fifty-nine days for the St.
Augustine contingent to sail the distance after delays of bad
weather and shipwreck. To make matters worse a yellow fever
epidemic hit Pensacola, driving out most of the population before
the committees had even completed their reports. John Bronough,
council president, and several councilmen were stricken by the
disease, The council moved to a farm outside Pensacola to finish
the business of organizing the territory. It was at this time that two
new counties were created: Duval was detached from St. Johns in
East Florida, while Jackson was carved out of Escambia in West
Florida.2
The long voyage of the St. Augustine delegation demonstrated
that neither St. Augustine nor Pensacola could serve as the seat of
government. Governor Duval appointed John Lee Williams of
2Sidney W. Martin, Florida During Territorial Days (Athens, Georgia, 1944),
pp. 35-36.

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