Sylvania was established as the county seat of Screven County by an act of the General Assembly on December 24, 1847. Moses N. McCall, Willis Young, John A. Cross, John R. Kittles, Solomon Zeagler, William Lovett, and John Roberts were appointed commissioners to locate the new county seat in the center of the county and remove the courthouse and jail from Jacksonboro, which had served as the county seat since 1797. On January 3, 1848, the commissioners purchased 50 acres from Charles Church, and Azzariah Eneis, surveyor, divided the land into streets and lots. The commissioners contracted with Curtis Hunphries to build the new courthouse and with James P. Bazemore to build the new jail at costs of $1575.00 and $400.00 respectively. The buildings were completed and delivered to the county on April 3, 1848. The first post office was established on August 10, 1848, with Edward B. Gross appointed as the first postmaster. The town of Sylvania was incorporated on February 20, 1854, and its first town commissioners were Domonick J. Dillon, Winsley Hobby, Daniel Roberts, William Williams, and Charles Church.