Minorcans in Florida
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In response to the criticism of the British government for their exchanging Cuba for Florida in The Treaty of Paris, 1763, Governor James Grant of St. Augustine promised land to anyone will to settle and colonize the colony. A group of Scotsmen formed The East Florida Society. With their two main members, Dr. Andrew Turnbull, M.D. and Sir William Duncan, a stretch of land 60 miles south of St. Augustine was given and Turnbull, after surveying the land went to the Mediterranean and the Aegean to find its inhabitants.
The majority of these colonists came from Minorcan, whose major sea port, Mahón (See Also: Mao), was their rendezvous place for all of Turnbull's Colonists. In March of 1768, 1403 colonists (of which 1093 were from the island of Minorca) left the port of Mahón for their designated land in Los Mosquitoes. The area was renamed New Smyrna after the birthplace of Dr. Andrew Turnbull's Wife. After years of much hardship, slave type treatment, and neglect from their overseers, The Minorcans left the settlement for St. Augustine where Governor Patrick Tonyn granted them new homes and safety. Dr. Andrew Turnbull was later indicted and found guilty on the grounds of neglect and the Minorcans became the first full-time inhabitants of St. Augustine Florida where their influence is still seen today.
