History of the Clerk’s Office

Union County is Florida’s 61st County.  The bill, which created the county, was signed on May 20, 1921, at 12:30 in the afternoon, by Governor Cary Augustus Hardee.  The bill stated that Union County would begin to function and exist on October 1, 1921, and was created from the western half of Bradford County, using the boundary of the New River.  Representative Johns of Bradford County was one of the local Legislators who supported the bill, and the day the bill passed, he wired a friend: “Little Union arrived about 11:20.  Father doing well.” 

The pen with which the governor signed to bill was furnished by the Honorable T.G. Futch of Lake County, who then presented it to the Honorable C.H. Register, who represents that part of Bradford County out of which Union was created.  He stated he didn’t know if he would keep the pen or if he would give it to the first Clerk of the county.  On May 21, 1921, the Tampa Tribune states, “Some of his friends accuse him of quibbling, however.  They say he will eventually take the clerkship himself and keep the pen, thereby grabbing both horns of the dilemma which he claims to be in.”  However, on July 13, 1921, Governor Hardee appointed S.T. Dowling as Clerk of the Circuit Court, along with other officers of the newly created county.

Lake Butler was the original County Seat of Bradford County and was made the County Seat of Union County upon its creation.