The whole east coast of
central Florida was known as "Los Musquitos" starting from the 1500s until 1844. In January 1835, the county seat was moved to
New Smyrna on Bunch's forced-labor farm. However, the
Second Seminole War had largely depopulated Mosquito County of white settlers by the end of that year. In 1838, there was so little activity in the county that the St. Johns County Clerk was designated to keep the records of the county. However, by 1840, although the census listed no white inhabitants other than the military personnel based at Fort Pierce and New Smyrna, the county had its own officials. In 1841, legislation was introduced and passed to rename the county "
Leigh Read County". However the
governor did not sign the bill within the legal time, so the renaming did not take place. In 1842, the
Armed Occupation Act was passed, providing a quarter section () to any head of family who settled on property south of
Ocala/
Ormond. In 1843, the county seat had moved again to
Enterprise. In 1844, the expansive area of Mosquito County was cut in half with the southern half being named
St. Lucie County, and the northern half being renamed Orange County. St. Lucie County was renamed Brevard County in 1855. == See also ==