Jackson County Alabama Genealogy and History County History Jackson County was created by an Act of the State Legislature on December 13, 1819, then in session in Huntsville, Alabama, and was named in honor of General Andrew Jackson. He was then visiting in Huntsville and racing "his mettled steeds" at the Old Green Bottom Race Track, four miles north of the city—an amusement indulged in by the highest classes. On March 3, 1817—two days after Congres had admitted Mississippi as a State in the Union,-the Territory of Alabama was organized. All that part north of the Tennessee River, east of Madison County as then existed was ceded to the national government by the Cherokee Indians on February 27, 1819. Congress by resolution on March 2,1819, authorized the Alabama Territory to form a State, and a Constitution convention met in July in Huntsville and made our first organic law in record time. A Governor, William Wyatt Bibb, and a Legislature were elected and met in Huntsville on the 25th day of October, 1819—this being the fourth Monday—proceeded to organize a State government. On December 13,1819, just four days before the Legislature adjourned, seven new counties were added to the twenty-two counties represented in this Legislature. One of these seven counties was Jackson. The next day, December 14, 1819, Alabama was admitted as a State in the Union. Boundaries. The original boundaries of Jackson County as given in the statutes are as follows: "All that tract of country lately obtained from the Cherokee nation of Indians, lying on the north side of the Tennessee River, south of the Tennessee State line, and east of the present Madison County line, and of the Flint River, after it has left Madison County." The boundaries of this county have been changed six times since its organization. The temporary seat of Justice was Sauta, which was some four miles south of Larkinsville, near the old Birdsong Spring or House of Happiness. The Acts of 1821, Legislature that created Decatur County sets out in Section 5, "That Joseph Kirby, Benjamin Cloud, Thomas Russell, John Handcock, James Scruggs, John McVary, and McLand Cross be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to fix on a site for the temporary seat of Justice for the County of Jackson, in the same manner and under the same regulations, pointed out for fixing the temporary seat of Justice in the County of Decatur." The commission selected Old Bellefonte to serve as temporary seat of Justice, until the Government lands within its limits should be surveyed and sold. Section 4, of this same Act: "And be it further enacted, That there shall an election be held in the aforesaid county, on the second Monday in February, in the different precincts. The Legislature established the voting places as follows: Sauta Cave, Honey-Comb Springs, and Riley's on Mud Creek, for the election of a Clerk of the Circuit Court, and a Clerk of the County Court, and a Sheriff." After the lands had been surveyed, on December seventeenth, 1827, the Southwest quarter, Section 17, Four, South Five, East was purchased for a county seat of Justice for Jackson County. Patent was given August 25, 1828. For some reason the county seat was not moved to this place. This land is just west of the Town of Larkinsville, beginning near the Missionary Baptist Church house and runs west on that fine tract of land owned by the late Judge A. H. Moody. The commissioners appointed to purchase this county seat land were W. A. Davis, N. Hudson, C. L. Roach, R. B. Clayton and Joseph Kirby. An Act was passed in the Legislature to vote on moving county seat from Bellefonte, approved December 17, 1859, and for nine years the question was before the people. Scottsboro became the county seat, the county records were moved from Bellefonte on Friday, November 13, 1868. The northern part of Marshall County was a part of Jackson County until January 9, 1836, except for the brief time it was a part of Decatur County (1821-1825). All that portion of the present county of Jackson, south and east of the Tennessee River, was not added to this county until 1836; it being lately acquired from the Cherokee Indians by treaty signed at New Eschota on December 29,1835. [Source: History of Jackson County, By John Robert Kennamer, 1935 - Transcribed by C. Anthony] HOME ©2009 Genealogy Trails