1821 Ossian Bingley Hart, the first Florida-born governor of the state, was born today in Jacksonville. Hart's father, Isaiah David Hart, was a founder of Jacksonville. Ossian B. Hart was an attorney who initially practiced law in Jacksonville, but eventually moved to Fort Pierce to become a farmer. In 1845, he represented St. Lucie County in the Florida House of Representatives. In 1846, he moved to Key West and resumed the practice of law. In 1856, he moved to Tampa. Although the son of a slave-owner, Hart was opposed to Florida's secession and actively opposed it. His opposition earned him a great deal of trouble during the Civil War. In 1868, Hart was appointed an Associate Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. In 1870, he was defeated in a bid for Congress. He was elected governor as a Republican in 1872, but died of pneumonia in 1874.
1861 Jackson Morton of Santa Rosa County, Patton Anderson of Jefferson County, and James B. Owens of Marion County were appointed as Florida's delegates to the Southern Convention scheduled to meet in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 4.
1862 The U.S.S. Connecticut captured the British blockade-runner, Emma, off the Florida Keys.
1863 A Federal naval officer reports that he has found 45 bags of salt on a conch bar near Jupiter Inlet. It is also reported that a small boat with two Confederates has been captured near the St. Lucie River.
1866 John Beard assumed office today as Florida's Comptroller.
1873 S. B. McLin is installed as Florida's Secretary of State today.
1884 The first issue of the Florida Baptist Witness was published today.
1919 Florida's first Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #30, was chartered today in St. Petersburg.
1964 James W. Kynes took the oath of office today as Florida's Attorney General.
Courtesy of Florida History.