This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

The earliest years covered in the two newly discovered books is the same as that of Deed Books A and B, specifically 1853. This is not by coincidence. A reader may need to know that a courthouse fire in Gainesville occurred in 1853, destroying many county records. A serious attempt was made afterwards to record both deeds and probate records from that date.
It is clear that in the case of the deed records, many documents were re-recordings of earlier transactions, allowed by a special act of the legislature.
This is not so for the probate records. Most of the first 300 pages of the total 767 in the second book are dated 1853. They do not include any wording indicating they are “re-recordings” as in the case of deed re-entries. Still, that may be a reasonable assumption in that there were so many dated 1853. As the next 400 pages span the years 1854 through 1859, it is evident that the average entries per year would have been much lower
It should be noted that where there are large gaps in page numbers it indicates that several records in succession bear upon the same matter.
Contents of the first described book:
First 31 pages:
Treasurer’s report, Sept. 1853, County Bd. of Police Includes school fund
School fund report, March 1854
This seems to show financing done by promissory notes from prominent people. Some were owed interest going back to 1846.
Treasurer report - Sept. 1855 School fund - Sept. 1855
Report of 16th section fund
Report of Hancock/Harrison “Three percent fund” - Sept 1855
Includes cash in finances of $1,655. 58 as “amount of judgment, estate of Isaac Graves”
List of Insolvent taxpayers