John L. McLellan

Term of Office, 1863-1865

John L. McLellan was born in 1825 in Scotland. As a young man, he married a woman named Sparta and together they had three sons. The McLellan family resided in the upper northern area of Santa Rosa County. The McLellan family endeavored into land ownership, farming, and work as millwrights, building sawmills and gristmills. The McLellan Post Office bears the family name as does the community of McLellan.

In 1842, McLellan expressed interest in the political arena and became one of the signers of the 1842 petition to create Santa Rosa County. On May 6, 1845, McLellan voted in the first statewide election. His name is listed on the voting roster at precinct #4, along with that of James C. McArthur, another of Santa Rosa County’s sheriffs. At that time, voting prerequisites included membership in the state militia, Caucasian origin, U.S. citizenship, county residency for at least six months, state residency for at least two years, and being over the age of twenty-one. Records show that the average Florida citizen of 1845 spoke English, favored state’s rights, had some belief in the bible, opposed total abstinence, and had faith in the future of Florida.

In 1863, the government appointed McLellan as sheriff for Santa Rosa County. This appointment came during a time of great strife and turmoil that evolved out of the Civil War. One of the main duties charged to the sheriff’s office, at that time, was to confiscate all available liquor for hospital usage in treating the wounded. McLellan’s term of office only lasted for two years. Following his time as sheriff, McLellan focused his political energies into serving in the Florida House of Representatives. He served from 1865-1866 and again in 1881 and 1883.

McLellan died in 1893 and is buried at the McLellan Cemetery located on his original estate.