1665-24 Pre-1915 OW K5
John Egan bothered to file a claim with the Spanish government.
Before the second Spanish period ended,the Nassau Royal
The Good Samaritan of Gazette referred to the Miami area as The Cape Florida Settlement.
Cape Florida Settlement The Bahamians,in fact,considered South Florida almost part of
the Bahamas.Bahamian merchant ships did a thriving business in
In 1819,a Cape Florida resident put the following notice in South Florida.People from the Cape Florida Settlement went to
!the Bahamas Royal Gazette to assist the mariners that Nassau to sell their venison hams and alligator skins.Occasionally,
wrecked on the reef. people from Cape Florida helped Bahamians wrecked on the Florida
"Having observed in the course of long experience that sev- reefs,prompting one ship captain to publicly express his gratitude
azette
eral masters of vessels,who had the misfortune to be cast away in the Royal s also c.
on the Martyrs and the Coasts of Florida,ignorant of the Bahamians also came to South Florida to salvage the ever increas-
ing number of ships wrecked on the reef.Every visitor commented
existance[sic]of any settlement at Cape Florida,have at- on the numerous wrecking vessels always on the scene.When a
tempted to proceed to the Northward in their boats,deprived of wreck hit the reef,the"wreckers"were quickly dispatched to aid
every sustenance,we feel it incumbent upon me to inform such the distressed,salvage the remains of the ship and its cargo and
as may hereafter experience a like misfortune,that if they pass return to Nassau with their prize.Between wrecks,the seamen
to the North of Key Biscayne, they will find the entrance to busied themselves by fishing,turtling and cutting the hardwood on
Boca Ratones[Norris Cut],through which they can safely go the Keys.
with their boats and they will see the Houses in front on the The Spanish were unable to stop the Bahamian interlopers.But
mainland' they were a minor problem compared to the American encroach-
"In case of Shipwreck, to the northward of Boca Ratones,at ment from the north.Spanish Florida was doomed.American
i the distance of two miles there from,they will perceive man- adventurers harassed the Spanish in Florida and agitated for annex-
groves thickly scattered from where the houses may be seen;
ation.One point of contention between the two was the large
and in this situation on making a signal with fire or otherwise, number of runaway slaves that the Spanish allowed to escape into
they will obtain assistance. Florida and join the Indians.One visitor reported that he met 61
If it should happen to the Southward of New River they runaways living on Key Biscayne with as many Indians.The
may proceed southward along the Beach where they will meet wreckers frequently took both the Indians and the blacks to
every four miles,and posts fixed in the ground,on which there Nassau.The Indians usually returned to Florida after trading with
is an inscription in English,French and Spanish indicating the Bahamians,but the runaway slaves stayed in the Bahamas
where Wells of fresh water have been properly dug." as free men.
American animosity against Spanish Florida even reached the
Cape Florida Settlement.Once,Levi James—an American priva-
teer from Savannah—attacked the settlement under the excuse he
was teaching"the Spanish rascals to keep their place."He was
several of his men decided to stay in South Florida,squatting undis- not concerned that the people whose houses he burned were not
turbed on Spanish land. Spanish—they were living on Spanish territory,and that was
Charles Lewis was one of Bowles'men.Once he arrived in enough.When the residents resisted,James flayed William Lewis
Florida,he decided to stay.He moved his family from Nassau to the with a cat-o-nine tails and"almost deprived him of his life."
banks of New River(now Fort Lauderdale).In the early 1800s,the By 1819,the Spanish were ready to get out of Florida.As far
', family moved to the Miami River,taking up residence on the south as they were concerned,the Americans could have it if they
side.They were joined by several other Bahamian families who wanted it.In 1821,with formalities concluded,Florida joined the
settled on both sides of the river and on Key Biscayne.Of these,only United States.
/h
,C��//VA�a/.0 J�oln,4;41� 241.0), rn'� -4'i v- /411'4-AG,
/ orn, 1N/z, A,Ii -�2 e,�� /77114'4" //)7 /i✓- .
George Johnston filed this
IWO ete,s• e„/ <5;G,/..//;2") £
e� �*n' �' ;n� �a/.a/• receipt of a wrecker in Nassau
/� in 1786.
141Ai0.✓7.1.0-edc,o, 4' y 2p.
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