The Faircloth Papers
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- In what year did Spain cede to Great Britain the province of Florida?
- In 1763, Spain ceded to Great Britain the province of Florida. The King of England decreed that Florida be divided into two governments, East Florida and West Florida.
- What area did the province of Florida originally cover (description)?
- The description of the whole of West Florida was: “Begin at the mouth of the Yazoo River at the Mississippi River thence East to the Chattahoochie River; thence down the Chattahoochie to the mouth of the Apalachicola River; thence westward along the Gulf of Mexico coast through Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas; up the Arnita River; thence along Bayou Iberville to the Mississippi River; then up the Mississippi River to the beginning.” This territory of West Florida embraced much of the present states of Alabama and Mississippi.
- What province did the northern boundary of British West Florida border?
- The northern boundary of British West Florida (latitude 320 28') was the southern boundary of the British province of Illinois.
- What area did the province of Illinois encompass?
- This province of Illinois not only included more than half of Alabama and Mississippi but also included western portions of Tennessee, Kentucky and the country from there to Lake Michigan.
- What area did East Florida encompass?
- East Florida at this time (1763) comprised most of the present State of Florida.
- When did Great Britain return the Floridas and Louisiana to Spain?
- As a result of the Revolutionary War, Great Britain was forced in 1783 to return the Floridas and Louisiana to Spain. The American colonists, of course were freed and took over the British province of Illinois and much of the land previously claimed by Britain.
- In 1783, the original thirteen colonies ceded the land west of their borders, along with the British claims, to the new U.S. Government to set up the public domain. What states were then formed?
- The States of Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee were formed. These areas were surveyed and largely settled quickly.
- From what provinces was the Mississippi Territory formed?
- The Mississippi Territory was formed from part of the old Illinois province and part of old West Florida. People began immediately to settle into this Mississippi Territory, mostly by way of the larger rivers.
- How did the original settlers of the Mississippi Territory obtain title to land?
- These settlers obtained title to lands through Indian grants, American grants, or Spanish grants. Prior to the Revolutionary War many British grants were obtained.
- Who was the first governor of the Mississippi territory?
- A constitution was adopted for the Mississippi Territory and the first governor, Sargent, was appointed over it. The desire for land in this new Territory increased very rapidly and the need for surveying became great.
- These settlers immediately set up problems of boundary between the Americans in the Mississippi Territory and the Spanish in West Florida. What surveyor established this boundary?
- An agreement was finally reached on a boundary between America and Spain (the 310 of latitude) and a surveyor by name of Andrew Ellicott was agreed upon to establish this boundary line or line of demarkation between the two.
- In what year did Ellicott begin the survey of the misssippi territory boundary?
- In 1798, Ellicott along with observers from both America and Spain set out for Clarkville on the Mississippi River to begin the survey.
- Where was the "Ellicott Stone" set?
- When this Ellicott “Line of Demarkation” was run past the St. Stephens Principal Meridian, a stone was set, known as the “Ellicott Stone”. This stone still stands on Alabama Power Company land near Barry Steam Plant.
- In what year did Coffee re-establish many ot the original Ellicott mounds?
- Coffee, in 1829, reestablished many of the original Ellicott mounds when he was making the original land surveys of Alabama land just north of the Ellicott or original state line. The lands were patented originally by the Coffee survey. This Coffee and/or Ellicott line ran just north of Lake Jackson at what is now the town of Florida.
- In what year did the governors of alabama and florida move the state line south?
- The governors of Alabama and Florida decided to move the state line south. In 1853, B. F. Whitner, Jr. made a new state line survey which ran through Lake Jackson at Florala.
- What was one of Coffee's most difficult tasks?
- One of CoffeeÂ’s most difficult tasks was the directing of the running of the Alabama-Mississippi state line, which created the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory. By Act of Congress March 3, 1817, the line was extended from the point where the southern boundary of Tennessee intersects the Tennessee River; thence up the same river to the mouth of Bear Creek, thence by direct line to the northwest corner of Washington County (Mississippi Territory), thence due south to the Gulf of Mexico
- As Brigadier General Coffee was very effective against the Creeks in Southern Alabama, especially in possibly the greatest pioneer conflict with Indians which occurred at which conflict?
- Horseshoe Bend in 1814. Coffee was widely honored and praised by the Tennessee legislature for his heroic work finally in routing the British from South Alabama and New Orleans in 1814-15. He was mentioned for decoration by the U.S. Congress.
- When was John Coffee born?
- John Coffee was born in Virginia in 1772;