Joseph Marion Hernández

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joseph Marion Hernández (August 4, 1793-June 8, 1857) was the first Hispanic American to serve in the United States Congress and was the first Delegate from the Florida Territory. He served from September 1822 to March 1823.

Hernández was born in St. Augustine, Florida when it was still a Spanish colony. After his Congressional service, he joined the U.S. Army and fought against the Seminoles in Florida, aiding in the capture of Chief Osceola. He retired with the rank of Brigadier General.

He was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for the United States Senate in 1845. He later moved to Cuba and engaged as a planter in the District of Coliseo, near Matanzas and died at the family’s sugar estate, "Audaz", in the District of Coliseo, Matanzas Province, Cuba. He's interred in the Junco family vault in San Carlos Cemetery, Matanzas, Cuba.

[edit] Hernandez-Capron Trail

In 1837, while with the U.S. Army, he was ordered to build a road between St. Augustine, Florida and Fort Capron, located near present day Fort Pierce, Florida, on the St. Lucie River. Hernandez cleared and blazed the route that, 12 years earlier, Col. James Gadsen had cleared along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge to the St. Lucie River. It passed from Fort Capron through Fort Vinton, Fort Drum, Fort Kissimmee, Fort Clinch, Fort Meade to Fort Brooke (Tampa).

Remnants of the trail remain in a very small number of places, including the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary near Titusville, Florida in Brevard County, Florida. Some theorize that Interstate 95 follows the route in some places.

[edit] References

This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

This article about a Florida politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Preceded by none	Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida Territory's At-large congressional district 1822 – 1823	Succeeded by Richard Keith Call