THE OLDEST CITY'S HISTORY

Territorial period: 1821 to 1845

U.S.A. takes over during this pre-statehood period

"Florida, sir, is not worth buying. It is a land of swamps, of quagmires, of frogs and alligators and mosquitoes!

A man, sir, would not immigrate into Florida. No, sir! No man would immigrate into Florida - no not from Hell itself!"

So spoke John Randolph (details) in the House of Representatives sharing the opinion of many.

President James Monroe, (details) (video)did not agree. Florida, he said, as a part of the United States would provide

neighboring states access to the ocean, berth warships and bring security against warring Indians.

In 1821 after the Adams/Onis (details) treaty resulted in Florida's American takeover he appointed

General Andrew Jackson as the military governor of the new territory uniting under one rule the

long separated East and West provinces.

A new central location was needed for it's capital and a newly appointed site selection

committee selected Old Tallahassee, (details) a former Indian campground.

On November 8, 1824, the Legislative Council, with Joseph M. Hernandez as elected president,

met in a crude log hut for the first time, making the changeover official.

After two and a half centuries, St. Augustine was no longer the seat of government.

With Talahassee as the new capital of Florida, more travellers, especially people suffering from

tubercolosis and similar afflictions, started to come to the state adding to St. Augustine's economy.

Some famous visitors were Ralph Waldo Emerson and in 1824 Achile Murat, Napoleon's nephew.

After the Stars and Stripes rose over the Castillo, now renamed Fort Marion after general

Francis Marion, on July 10, 1821, St. Augustine officially joined the U.S.A. (summary)

Unlike after previous transfer of power many Spanish subjects, such as Alvarez, Hernandez,

Sanches and Xinenez remained. Manual Solana survived many of the transfers, dying in November 1821.

Changes did not come easily.

Spanish, French and English were spoken until eventually the English language became dominant.

The city would no longer be wholly Catholic, for most incoming Americans were Protestants of

one sect or another. The northern Protestants did not like many Catholic customs such as

Carnival preceding Lent and that the market stayed open on Sundays.

Eventually a compromise was reached where the market opened after noon on Sunday.

Adding to the city's troubles was the arrival of yellow fever, (details) taking many lives. There were so

many fatalities that a new cemetery, called the Hugeunot, was opened just outside the city gate.

Also, president Monroe proved to be wrong about the security against warring Indians. (video)

The second Seminole War dominated the territorial period, proving how wrong he was. (summary)

The first Seminole War (1817-1818) (details) had not resolved the continued hostilities between Indians and Florida settlers.

An attempt was made to do so in September 1823 with the Treaty of Moultrie Creek. (details)

The Seminoles agreed to exchange all claims to Florida for a reservation of four million acres in

the center of Florida. The Americans to provide cash, livestock, transportation, food and a school.

However, when the U.S. did not live up to their part of the deal the Seminoles returned to

raiding and stealing beyond the agreed boundaries.

After years of unrest the government determined to rid Florida of Indians by moving them to

Western Reservations, activities to be led by Major General Thomas S. Jesup assisted by Joseph

Hernandez, now a militia brigadier general.

The Indians resisted more and more and finally on Christmas Day 1835 Chief Philip led his

Miccosukee warriers to destroy five plantations south of St. Augustine, starting the second Seminole War.

In September 1837 Chief Philip was arrested. Philip agreed to send for his son, Coacoochee (details) and

fellow warrior, Blue Snake, to come to start peace negotiations. General Jesup ignored the

white flag of truce and detained both men.

Despite this treacherous act two important leaders, Osceola (details) (video) and Coa Hadjo, agreed to meet at

Moultrie Creek. They too were captured and brought to Fort Marion, again ignoring the flag of truce.

These events constitute some of the most shameful U.S. military acts in history.

Osceola was moved to Fort Moultrie at Charleston, South Carolina, where he died on January 31, 1838.

Coacoochee escaped from Fort Marion to fight on until his final capture in 1842, marking the

end of the second Seminole War.

Florida finally achieved statehood on March 3, 1845.

One of the champions of statehood, the city's own David Levy, was elected one of Florida's first

U.S. senators, and the nation's first Jewish senator.

He is known in history as David L. Yulee, adopting the Old World family name of his paternal grandfather.