Davis Floyd
Encyclopedia
Davis Floyd was an Indiana
Jeffersonian Republican politician who was convicted of aiding American
Vice President
Aaron Burr
in the Burr conspiracy
. Floyd was not convicted of treason however and returned to public life after several years working to redeem his reputation. He lost his wealth in the Panic of 1819
and died in obscurity in Florida
1834.
. In 1779, the family moved to Jefferson County, Kentucky
. Floyd had three siblings, Elizabeth, Charles
, and Mary Lee.
As a boy in Kentucky
, Floyd came to befriend William Clark, younger brother of George Rogers Clark
. The Floyd family became political allies of Clark. Floyd would briefly be 2nd Lieutenant of the Jefferson County militia. Floyd married his first wife Susanna Johnston Lewis in Jefferson County in 1794. Floyd had three children by Susannah, Gabriel Jones, Charles, and Elizabeth. Susanna died about 1807.
. In the same year Floyd became Deputy Sheriff of Clark County and the Clark County Recorder. Floyd, along with his father, was appointed to the Clarksville Board of Trustees. Floyd would ferry boats through the Falls of the Ohio rapids until 1808. Floyd was elected as a Clark County delegate to the territory's slavery convention in 1802, the convention would set in motion the events that would legalize slavery
and indentured servitude in the Indiana Territory
. Floyd would become the Sheriff of Clark County in 1803 and served until 1806.
Floyd was elected to the Indiana Territorial Legislature
in an 1805 special election; the legislature had been reduced to five members when the Michigan Territory
was detached. Floyd was generally at odds with the rest of the legislature, he was the only anti-slavery representative during his term. By the end of his term he had become too involved in the Aaron Burr Conspiracy
to run for re-election and was succeeded by James Beggs as Clark County's representative.
. Floyd and Burr had both become members of the board of directors of the Indiana Canal Company
. The company, believed to have had something to do with the conspiracy, was to build a canal around the Falls of the Ohio on the Indiana side of the river. The company failed and the investors lost their money, which was believed to have been used to help finance Burr's plot. It was never proven that the money was stolen. The company had an initial investment of $120,000 and handled over one million dollars during its duration.
Floyd had also committed to Aaron Burr that he would raise a regiment of soldiers to support his cause of illegally invading Mexico. It is unknown if Floyd was aware of how the regiment was planned to be used. The regiment of 30 men and boats assembled on Silver Creek
in Clark County
and left from the Falls of the Ohio to sail downriver to Natchez, Louisiana
. They expected to join army troops there but were betrayed by General James Wilkinson
. They were unable to meet up with the rest of assembling regiments because President Thomas Jefferson
, already aware of the plot, decided the men were guilty of treason and ordered them all arrested. Floyd fled Louisiana and returned to Indiana were he was captured.
In 1807, with Floyd in custody and the plot exposed, Davis along with Burr and his other conspirators, were charged with treason. The treason could not be proved against Burr and the treason charges were dropped against Floyd. He was however charged a $20 fine and imprisoned for 3 hours. Some believe that Floyd was unaware of Burr's larger plot but much of the public at the time considered him a "conscientious traitor".
Just days after his sentencing in the conspiracy with Burr, the Indiana Territorial Legislature elected him as Treasurer of the lower house. It was unknown to them at the time that Burr had been acquitted. After learning of those events, and President Thomas Jefferson
's unhappiness with the outcome, the legislature decided to take action. On July 6, 1808, legislature passed resolutions condemning Burr's plot and stating that "Indiana had no sympathy for Burr." Gov. Thomas Posey
revoked Floyd's military commission in the militia, probably at the request of President Jefferson.
, the same site as the convention that started the territory's anti-slavery movement. Floyd served as secretary of the convention which issued a resolution to oppose the new laws passed by the pro-slavery legislature. Floyd left Clark County that year and moved into Harrison County
After the death of his first wife, Davis remarried to Elizabeth Robards Davis March 20, 1809. She was the widow of Thomas Terry Davis
, the judge of Davis's treason trial. He would have one son, Robert, and a step daughter, Elizabeth, by his second wife.
When hostilities broke out with the Indians in 1811 Floyd was reinstated in the militia to the rank of lieutenant. After the 1809 Treaty of Fort Wayne, Floyd served with William Henry Harrison
during Tecumseh's War
and was present at the Battle of Tippecanoe
. Floyd was part of a company of dragoons under the command of Major Parkes. Floyd was also instrumental in conducting negotiations to prevent the Delaware Tribe
from joining the Shawnee
's war.
After the war Floyd returned to public service serving as auditor of Indiana Territory in 1813. He was responsible for relocating the capitol to Corydon
from Vincennes
. He sought out contractors to build the new capitol building and finally selected Dennis Pennington
, a leading man in the Territorial Legislature. In 1814 he would return to the job of Indiana Territorial Treasurer until 1816. In 1815 he moved to Corydon, Indiana
, along with the capitol.
In 1816 Floyd was elected as a delegate to the Indiana Constitution Convention The same year he was also elected as Harrison County's
representative to the first state legislature. On Nov. 22, 1816, during his term as a legislator, Floyd proposed the official acceptance of the design the state seal. The seal was approved by the legislature. Floyd described the seal as A forest and a woodman felling a tree, a buffalo leaving the forest and fleeing through the plain to a distant forest, and sun in the west with the word Indiana The seal itself had been in use already and was probably designed by William Henry Harrison
.
The same year he remarried to Elizabeth Robards after the death of his first wife. That year Floyd's company was awarded contracts to build the state executive buildings
in Corydon. He built a new home for himself in Corydon in 1817, the home was later occupied by Governor and Vice President William Hendricks
.
On October 13, 1817 he was appointed by Jonathan Jennings
as the first Judge of Floyd County, Indiana
. He served as judge until 1823. It is believed by some that Floyd County was named for him, but omitted from the record because of his involvement with Aaron Burr. According to the Indiana State Library the county was named for John Floyd, an early settler in Floyd County. John Floyd was Davis Floyds' Uncle. However the original statute creating the county does not site a source for the name.
Floyd participated in creating a masonic Grand Lodge in Coryon in 1817. He, along with most every notable man in the state, was a member of Mason.
Floyd built a home in Corydon, Indiana
in 1817 and opened a general store in 1818, but in the Panic of 1819
Floyd lost most of his fortune, his store, and his home. His home was later bought by Governor William Hendricks
and is now apart of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site
. He unsuccessfully tried to re-enter politics in 1822 but was defeated in the congressional election by the popular Jonathan Jennings
. Floyd's life in Indiana is described as "shrewd and crafty" by the Indiana Historical Society.
to be a United States Commissioner and settle land disputes in newly acquired Florida Territory
. He held his first session to settle disputes on August 4, 1823.
Floyd first settled in Alachua County in 1823 but had moved to Leon County by 1830. He served as mayor of St. Augustine, Florida
in 1826 and as treasurer of the Florida Territorial Council from 1826 to 1828. In 1831 Floyd would serve as president of the Education Society which sought to promote public education in Florida
. The society was instrumental in establishing the Florida public school system.
He died in Florida on December 13, 1834. It was believed that his remains were returned to Corydon for burial although his burial location has never been located.
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Jeffersonian Republican politician who was convicted of aiding American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
in the Burr conspiracy
Burr conspiracy
The Burr conspiracy in the beginning of the 19th century was a suspected treasonous cabal of planters, politicians, and army officers led by former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr. According to the accusations against him, Burr’s goal was to create an independent nation in the center of North...
. Floyd was not convicted of treason however and returned to public life after several years working to redeem his reputation. He lost his wealth in the Panic of 1819
Panic of 1819
The Panic of 1819 was the first major financial crisis in the United States, and had occurred during the political calm of the Era of Good Feelings. The new nation previously had faced a depression following the war of independence in the late 1780s and led directly to the establishment of the...
and died in obscurity in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
1834.
Early life
Davis Floyd was born in 1776 to Robert and Lillian Floyd in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. In 1779, the family moved to Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
. Floyd had three siblings, Elizabeth, Charles
Charles Floyd (explorer)
Charles Floyd was a United States explorer, a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, and quartermaster in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A native of Kentucky, he was a relative of William Clark, an uncle to the politician John Floyd, and a brother to James John Floyd...
, and Mary Lee.
As a boy in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Floyd came to befriend William Clark, younger brother of George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
. The Floyd family became political allies of Clark. Floyd would briefly be 2nd Lieutenant of the Jefferson County militia. Floyd married his first wife Susanna Johnston Lewis in Jefferson County in 1794. Floyd had three children by Susannah, Gabriel Jones, Charles, and Elizabeth. Susanna died about 1807.
Political career
In 1801 Floyd moved to Clarksville, IndianaClarksville, Indiana
Clarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River as a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The population was 21,724 at the 2010 census. The town, once a home site to George Rogers Clark, was founded in 1783 and is the oldest American town in the Northwest...
. In the same year Floyd became Deputy Sheriff of Clark County and the Clark County Recorder. Floyd, along with his father, was appointed to the Clarksville Board of Trustees. Floyd would ferry boats through the Falls of the Ohio rapids until 1808. Floyd was elected as a Clark County delegate to the territory's slavery convention in 1802, the convention would set in motion the events that would legalize slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
and indentured servitude in the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
. Floyd would become the Sheriff of Clark County in 1803 and served until 1806.
Floyd was elected to the Indiana Territorial Legislature
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
in an 1805 special election; the legislature had been reduced to five members when the Michigan Territory
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
was detached. Floyd was generally at odds with the rest of the legislature, he was the only anti-slavery representative during his term. By the end of his term he had become too involved in the Aaron Burr Conspiracy
Burr conspiracy
The Burr conspiracy in the beginning of the 19th century was a suspected treasonous cabal of planters, politicians, and army officers led by former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr. According to the accusations against him, Burr’s goal was to create an independent nation in the center of North...
to run for re-election and was succeeded by James Beggs as Clark County's representative.
Involvement with Aaron Burr
In 1805, while a territorial legislator, Floyd became involved in the plot of Aaron BurrAaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
. Floyd and Burr had both become members of the board of directors of the Indiana Canal Company
Indiana Canal Company
The Indiana Canal Company was a corporation first established in 1805 for the purpose of building a canal around the Falls of the Ohio on the Indiana side of the Ohio River...
. The company, believed to have had something to do with the conspiracy, was to build a canal around the Falls of the Ohio on the Indiana side of the river. The company failed and the investors lost their money, which was believed to have been used to help finance Burr's plot. It was never proven that the money was stolen. The company had an initial investment of $120,000 and handled over one million dollars during its duration.
Floyd had also committed to Aaron Burr that he would raise a regiment of soldiers to support his cause of illegally invading Mexico. It is unknown if Floyd was aware of how the regiment was planned to be used. The regiment of 30 men and boats assembled on Silver Creek
Silver Creek (Indiana)
Silver Creek is a stream in southern Indiana in the United States. It drains a watershed of . The creek rises in Scott County and flows , dropping , before flowing into the Ohio River....
in Clark County
Clark County, Indiana
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana, located directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. At the 2010 Census, the population was 110,232. The county seat is Jeffersonville. Clarksville is also a major city in the county...
and left from the Falls of the Ohio to sail downriver to Natchez, Louisiana
Natchez, Louisiana
Natchez is a village in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 583 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. They expected to join army troops there but were betrayed by General James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign...
. They were unable to meet up with the rest of assembling regiments because President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, already aware of the plot, decided the men were guilty of treason and ordered them all arrested. Floyd fled Louisiana and returned to Indiana were he was captured.
In 1807, with Floyd in custody and the plot exposed, Davis along with Burr and his other conspirators, were charged with treason. The treason could not be proved against Burr and the treason charges were dropped against Floyd. He was however charged a $20 fine and imprisoned for 3 hours. Some believe that Floyd was unaware of Burr's larger plot but much of the public at the time considered him a "conscientious traitor".
Just days after his sentencing in the conspiracy with Burr, the Indiana Territorial Legislature elected him as Treasurer of the lower house. It was unknown to them at the time that Burr had been acquitted. After learning of those events, and President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's unhappiness with the outcome, the legislature decided to take action. On July 6, 1808, legislature passed resolutions condemning Burr's plot and stating that "Indiana had no sympathy for Burr." Gov. Thomas Posey
Thomas Posey
Thomas Posey was an officer in the American Revolution, a general during peacetime, the third Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Governor of the Indiana Territory, and a Louisiana Senator.-Family and background:...
revoked Floyd's military commission in the militia, probably at the request of President Jefferson.
After the conspiracy
On October 10, 1807, the anti-slavery elements of the territory assembled for a convention in SpringvilleSpringville, Indiana
Springville was a small town that existed from 1798-1811 in Charlestown Township, Clark County, Indiana, United States. It was named for the springs in the area that provided a good fresh water supply. A Frenchman had established a trading post at the site in 1799, Indians called it Tullytown...
, the same site as the convention that started the territory's anti-slavery movement. Floyd served as secretary of the convention which issued a resolution to oppose the new laws passed by the pro-slavery legislature. Floyd left Clark County that year and moved into Harrison County
Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
After the death of his first wife, Davis remarried to Elizabeth Robards Davis March 20, 1809. She was the widow of Thomas Terry Davis
Thomas Terry Davis
Thomas Terry Davis was a United States Representative from Kentucky.-Education and early career:Davis studied law and in 1789 was admitted to the Kentucky bar...
, the judge of Davis's treason trial. He would have one son, Robert, and a step daughter, Elizabeth, by his second wife.
When hostilities broke out with the Indians in 1811 Floyd was reinstated in the militia to the rank of lieutenant. After the 1809 Treaty of Fort Wayne, Floyd served with William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
during Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion are terms sometimes used to describe a conflict in the Old Northwest between the United States and an American Indian confederacy led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh...
and was present at the Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
. Floyd was part of a company of dragoons under the command of Major Parkes. Floyd was also instrumental in conducting negotiations to prevent the Delaware Tribe
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
from joining the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
's war.
After the war Floyd returned to public service serving as auditor of Indiana Territory in 1813. He was responsible for relocating the capitol to Corydon
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
from Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
. He sought out contractors to build the new capitol building and finally selected Dennis Pennington
Dennis Pennington
Dennis Pennington was an early legislator in Indiana and the Indiana Territory, speaker of the first Indiana State Senate, speaker of the territorial legislature, a member of the Whig Party serving over 37 years in public office, and one of the founders of Indiana. He was also a stonemason and...
, a leading man in the Territorial Legislature. In 1814 he would return to the job of Indiana Territorial Treasurer until 1816. In 1815 he moved to Corydon, Indiana
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
, along with the capitol.
Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
representative to the first state legislature. On Nov. 22, 1816, during his term as a legislator, Floyd proposed the official acceptance of the design the state seal. The seal was approved by the legislature. Floyd described the seal as A forest and a woodman felling a tree, a buffalo leaving the forest and fleeing through the plain to a distant forest, and sun in the west with the word Indiana The seal itself had been in use already and was probably designed by William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
.
The same year he remarried to Elizabeth Robards after the death of his first wife. That year Floyd's company was awarded contracts to build the state executive buildings
Corydon Historic District
The Corydon Historic District of Corydon, Indiana, United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known as Indiana's First State Capital and as Historic Corydon...
in Corydon. He built a new home for himself in Corydon in 1817, the home was later occupied by Governor and Vice President William Hendricks
William Hendricks
William Hendricks was a Democratic-Republican member of the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1822, the third Governor of Indiana from 1822 to 1825, and an Anti-Jacksonian member of the U.S. Senate from 1825 to 1837. He led much of his family into politics and founded one of the largest...
.
On October 13, 1817 he was appointed by Jonathan Jennings
Jonathan Jennings
Jonathan Jennings was the first Governor of Indiana and a nine-term congressman from Indiana. Born in Readington, New Jersey, he studied law with his brother before immigrating to Indiana in 1806 where he took part in land speculation...
as the first Judge of Floyd County, Indiana
Floyd County, Indiana
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 74,578. The county seat is New Albany. Floyd County is the county with the second smallest land area in the entire state...
. He served as judge until 1823. It is believed by some that Floyd County was named for him, but omitted from the record because of his involvement with Aaron Burr. According to the Indiana State Library the county was named for John Floyd, an early settler in Floyd County. John Floyd was Davis Floyds' Uncle. However the original statute creating the county does not site a source for the name.
Floyd participated in creating a masonic Grand Lodge in Coryon in 1817. He, along with most every notable man in the state, was a member of Mason.
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
in 1817 and opened a general store in 1818, but in the Panic of 1819
Panic of 1819
The Panic of 1819 was the first major financial crisis in the United States, and had occurred during the political calm of the Era of Good Feelings. The new nation previously had faced a depression following the war of independence in the late 1780s and led directly to the establishment of the...
Floyd lost most of his fortune, his store, and his home. His home was later bought by Governor William Hendricks
William Hendricks
William Hendricks was a Democratic-Republican member of the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1822, the third Governor of Indiana from 1822 to 1825, and an Anti-Jacksonian member of the U.S. Senate from 1825 to 1837. He led much of his family into politics and founded one of the largest...
and is now apart of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site
Corydon Historic District
The Corydon Historic District of Corydon, Indiana, United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known as Indiana's First State Capital and as Historic Corydon...
. He unsuccessfully tried to re-enter politics in 1822 but was defeated in the congressional election by the popular Jonathan Jennings
Jonathan Jennings
Jonathan Jennings was the first Governor of Indiana and a nine-term congressman from Indiana. Born in Readington, New Jersey, he studied law with his brother before immigrating to Indiana in 1806 where he took part in land speculation...
. Floyd's life in Indiana is described as "shrewd and crafty" by the Indiana Historical Society.
Life in Florida
With his political career seemingly at an end and his fortune gone, Floyd eventually accepted an appointment from Secretary of State John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
to be a United States Commissioner and settle land disputes in newly acquired Florida Territory
Florida Territory
The Territory of Florida was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 30, 1822, until March 3, 1845, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Florida...
. He held his first session to settle disputes on August 4, 1823.
Floyd first settled in Alachua County in 1823 but had moved to Leon County by 1830. He served as mayor of St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
in 1826 and as treasurer of the Florida Territorial Council from 1826 to 1828. In 1831 Floyd would serve as president of the Education Society which sought to promote public education in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The society was instrumental in establishing the Florida public school system.
He died in Florida on December 13, 1834. It was believed that his remains were returned to Corydon for burial although his burial location has never been located.