The Historical Society of Avon ParkAVON PARK, FL · EST. 1886
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Inaugural Officers of Highlands County and the First County Judge (1921)

When Highlands County was created from DeSoto County under Chapter 8513, Laws of Florida, approved by Governor Cary A. Hardee on April 23, 1921, Section 4 of the organic act directed the Governor to appoint a full slate of inaugural county officers to serve until the general election in November 1922.[lof-1921-8513]

Resolution of the first county judge discrepancy

Later historical accounts, notably the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Historical Records Survey sketch of Highlands County compiled in 1939, introduced an administrative conflict by naming D. V. Rouse as county judge in one narrative section while naming Cyril Baldwin as county judge in another.[wpa-hrs-highlands]

The official executive commission records published in the biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida (1921–1922) definitively resolve this contradiction:[fl-secstate-1921-1922]

  • County Judge: D. V. Rouse of Sebring was commissioned as the first County Judge of Highlands County in April 1921. Following the expiration of his initial appointive term, Rouse was elected and re-commissioned on December 8, 1922.[fl-secstate-1921-1922]
  • County Assessor of Taxes: Cyril Baldwin was commissioned in April 1921 as the inaugural County Assessor of Taxes, not county judge. His term expired in late 1922, and he was re-commissioned following election on December 6, 1922.[fl-secstate-1921-1922]

The WPA survey author conflated the constitutional roles of County Judge and Tax Assessor. D. V. Rouse presided as the judicial head of the county court and probate jurisdiction, while Cyril Baldwin directed the assessment rolls.

Complete inaugural executive and judicial roster

The official register of executive commissions records the complete inaugural administration of Highlands County appointed in 1921:[fl-secstate-1921-1922]

  • County Judge: D. V. Rouse (Sebring; re-commissioned December 8, 1922).
  • Sheriff: W. M. Griffin of Avon Park (resigned February 23, 1922, citing personal operating losses under Florida’s statutory fee system); Deputy Robert H. (R. H.) Hancock was commissioned February 23, 1922, to fill the vacancy and was re-commissioned December 14, 1922.
  • Clerk of the Circuit Court: C. F. Saunders (re-commissioned December 9, 1922).
  • Tax Collector: DeForest Canfield of Avon Park.
  • County Assessor of Taxes: Cyril Baldwin (re-commissioned December 6, 1922).
  • County Surveyor: Worth C. Peacock (re-commissioned December 8, 1922).
  • Supervisor of Registration: Leonardi Lucas (L. L.) Henderson of Lake Stearns (resigned June 28, 1922, ahead of the county-seat referendum; later appointed County Commissioner for District 4 in June 1923); James Carlton of Sebring commissioned July 17, 1922, for a two-year term.
  • Superintendent of Public Instruction: Professor Isaac C. M. Ellenberger, principal of Avon Park High School, was appointed in April 1921. Due to constitutional dual-officeholding limits (Article XVI, Section 15 of the Florida Constitution of 1885), Ellenberger formally resigned the superintendency on September 9, 1921, to retain the high school principalship. William A. Marshall of Avon Park was commissioned county superintendent on September 23, 1921, and re-commissioned on December 6, 1922.

Board of County Commissioners

The inaugural Board of County Commissioners represented five geographic districts, first convening in formal session on May 23, 1921:[fl-secstate-1921-1922][wpa-hrs-highlands]

  • District 1 (Avon Park): William King, pioneer resident, civic leader, and co-founder of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer (re-commissioned December 8, 1922).
  • District 2 (Sebring): John E. Graham (term expired; G. G. Albritton commissioned December 6, 1922).
  • District 3 (DeSoto City): Perry Etheredge (term expired; L. C. Pearce of Okeechobee commissioned December 6, 1922).
  • District 4 (Lake Stearns / Lake Placid): A. M. McAulay (term expired; Harvey L. Waters commissioned December 6, 1922).
  • District 5 (Venus): W. W. Williams (re-commissioned December 9, 1922).

Board of Public Instruction

The school board was organized across three districts:[fl-secstate-1921-1922]

  • District 1 (Avon Park): William A. Marshall was commissioned in April 1921. When Marshall was appointed County Superintendent of Public Instruction, he resigned from the school board on September 18, 1921. Edwin O. Williams of Avon Park was commissioned to the board on November 7, 1921, serving until T. H. Lander was commissioned on December 14, 1922.
  • District 2 (Sebring): Ira Rigdon (term expired; Frank Manley commissioned December 14, 1922).
  • District 3 (Venus / Lake Stearns): M. A. Millar of Venus (term expired; J. L. Moore of Lake Stearns commissioned December 22, 1922).

Local justice and law enforcement in Avon Park

For District 1, encompassing Avon Park, Governor Hardee commissioned local magistrate and constabulary officers:[fl-secstate-1921-1922]

  • Justice of the Peace, District 1: S. F. Tucker of Avon Park (re-commissioned December 15, 1922).
  • Constable, District 1: Curtis Mathews of Avon Park (commissioned July 1921; resigned September 22, 1921; post remained vacant thereafter due to municipal police coverage and lack of fee revenue).

References

  • fl-secstate-1921-1922 — State of Florida, Office of the Secretary of State. Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida for the Period Beginning January 1, 1921, and Ending December 31, 1922. 1923. https://archive.org/details/reportofsecr19211922flor
  • lof-1921-8513 — Legislature of the State of Florida. Chapter 8513, Laws of Florida 1921: An Act Creating the County of Highlands. 23 April 1921. laws-of-florida-chapter-8513-1921.md
  • wpa-hrs-highlands — Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey. Historical Sketch of Highlands County / A Brief Sketch of the Creation and History of Highlands County. 1939. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/343160

Where this comes from

Evidence
corroborated — More than one independent source agrees.
Review
unverified — Drafted from sources but not yet checked by a volunteer.
Rights
society

Sources

  1. State of Florida, Office of the Secretary of State, Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida for the Period Beginning January 1, 1921, and Ending December 31, 1922 (1923)
  2. Legislature of the State of Florida, Chapter 8513, Laws of Florida 1921: An Act Creating the County of Highlands (references/laws-of-florida-chapter-8513-1921.md) (1921)
  3. Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey, Historical Sketch of Highlands County / A Brief Sketch of the Creation and History of Highlands County (1939)

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