exhibit: the minorcan legacy and its influence on florida`s wine culture

EXHIBIT: THE MINORCAN LEGACY AND ITS
INFLUENCE ON FLORIDA’S WINE CULTURE
The tragic tale of the New Smyrna
colony, a failed indigo dye plantation
established in British East Florida in
1768, is a forgotten chapter in our
great nation’s history.
(1566-1767)
THE PREPARATION FOR THE FOUNDING OF
THE NEW SMYRNA COLONY
The original colonists, who endured great hardships, were
comprised mainly of Minorcans (from the island of Menorca, part
of the Balearic Islands and now an autonomous region of Spain).
Their ancestry was mostly Roman and Latin, descending from
the Carthaginians and Phoenicians before them.
Today, the Minorcan descendants of the New Smyrna
colony represent the oldest, most numerous, and most
permanent settlement in North America of people whose
origins can be traced back to southwestern Europe.
More importantly, it constitutes the only community of this nature
that has preserved significant linguistic and cultural elements of its
heritage. One example of this is how the former indentured slaves
and their descendants, who later settled in St. Augustine, set a
course for the appreciation of wine, grape vine cultivation, and
winemaking in present day Florida.
(1513-1565)
THE BEGINNING OF WINE CULTURE IN THE
AMERICAS
Juan Ponce de León, who sailed on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the
Americas in 1493, landed on Florida’s East coast in 1513 and claimed the land he
called La Florida or “place of flowers” for Spain. Exploration of the region by the
Spanish continued through 1565 with the founding of the St. Augustine settlement in
response to efforts made by French Huguenot explorer René Goulaine de
Laudonnière who founded Fort Caroline in 1564 in the present-day Jacksonville area.
The winemaking efforts of the French colonists were the earliest
historical accounts in the Americas, and they were the first to use
the native Florida grape vines (likely Vitis rotundifolia, also known
as the Scuppernong), which produced wine that was unique,
compared to European standards.
By all accounts, the winemaking was a success, and twenty barrels
were produced at one time. These moments in history made a small
yet significant step in the appreciation of wine, grape vine
cultivation, and winemaking in present day Florida.
(1566-1767)
THE PREPARATION FOR THE FOUNDING OF
THE NEW SMYRNA COLONY
Although sparsely populated, St. Augustine went on to serve as the
capital of Spanish Florida, and also as an important settlement base
for further colonial ventures across what is now the southeastern
part of the United States.
In 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and
gave Florida including St. Augustine to the British. James Grant was
appointed the first governor of East Florida, a British colony, in
1764 with the purpose of promoting colonization efforts in the name
of England.
There exists recorded evidence to suggest that Grant cultivated grape vines on
his property as an experiment using grape plant stock gathered on the island of
Madeira while en route from England to East Florida. In his daily diaries, Grant
also documented his consumption of imported wine, such as Madeira wine and
Claret of probable French origin. His efforts to promote the development of
“money crop” plantations were based on previous models, which produced
indigo, cotton, or sugar. This led to the first, yet less significant attempt to
cultivate grape vines of probable foreign origin and produce wine in Florida.
In 1766, Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician practicing in London, was
forty-eight years old and prosperous. He decided to abandon his medical
practice in London and establish a colony in East Florida along with his friend
and partner, Sir William Duncan. Turnbull and Duncan were given two separate
township grants of 20,000 acres by the King in Council, and were required to
present the orders from His Majesty to Governor Grant in East Florida. They
also secured funds for encouraging the “culture of cotton, vines, and other silk
articles of commerce” in the fledgling new colony.
In late 1766, Turnbull arrived in St. Augustine and selected a choice
site 70 miles south of St. Augustine on the Hillsborough River. With
the help of Grant and his surveyors, he named the site of his future
colony New Smyrna (also referenced as Smyrnea) out of respect for
the birthplace of his wife who was born in Smyrna in present-day
Greece.
Before returning to England, Turnbull began preliminary preparations
for the arrival of his colonists. He purchased Negro slaves, hired a
skilled planter and an overseer, and began to clear his land with the
initial intent to plant cotton. This included the purchase and delivery of
a large number of cattle from the Georgia and Carolina colonies.
Finally, he hired craftsmen and began the construction of houses near
an area called Mosquettos.
(1768)
THE HISTORICAL TIES BETWEEN MENORCA
AND THE BRITISH COLONY OF EAST
FLORIDA
Turnbull originally planned to begin his settlement with 500 Greeks, whom he
was familiar with based on his travels. He observed that they were skilled at the
production of cotton and silk. Later, Turnbull learned that he might be able to
procure settlers from Leghorn, Italy, who were skilled at silk manufacturing.
After encountering trouble with the Italian government during his recruitment
activities, Turnbull left his agent Edward Pumel to make logistical arrangements
in the nearby British port city of Mahón, Menorca.
This port was used as a staging point from which Turnbull planned to
organize Italian and Greek settlers. Both Turnbull and Pumel succeeded
in recruiting settlers and bringing them to Menorca. However, Turnbull
returned several months later to find that nearly all of his young
recruits had married or were engaged to the lovely Minorcan women.
Soon the Minorcans largely outnumbered the other linguistic groups of
settlers.
As part of the preparations, Turnbull purchased cuttings for grapes, olives,
mulberries, and in addition, seeds, agricultural equipment, and silk worms. All
of the cuttings, seeds, and silkworm eggs had to be processed for shipment.
Plants required water, and the due to the limited supply of water on the ships,
the roots, vines, and suckers were packed in a strong, iron-clasped cask, and
filled with oil. Seeds and silkworm eggs were put in bottles filled with oil. It is
presumed that the grape plant stock originated from Menorca’s indigenous
vines, which were quite different to the native vines in Florida.
The future colonists of New Smyrna, whose numbers swelled beyond the initial
plans, were offered indentured service primarily to cultivate and produce indigo
dye, as part of a contract that ranged up to ten years, which upon expiration
would lead to their freedom and acquisition of a plot of land. Indigo flowering
plants, especially Indigofera tinctoria, which are not native to Florida but have
been cultivated worldwide for many centuries, were used to produce indigo dye
for export to England. This dye was used to give blue color to fabrics.
Various legal documents prepared prior to the embarkation to New Smyrna,
indicate that more than two or three Minorcan families on their home island
possessed properties that included vineyards. For example, on March 12, 1768,
Francesc Mercadal donated a vineyard in the district of Ciudadela, Menorca to
his sister who stayed behind. This is important, because it shows that several
colonists had experience in grape wine cultivation and winemaking prior to their
arrival at New Smyrna.
The first of four vessels of Turnbull’s convoy reached St. Augustine
on June 26, 1768. Of the 1,403 colonists who sailed, only 1,255
arrived safely in East Florida, which caused alarm right from the
onset as many died from poor conditions and disease.
Governor Grant in a letter to the
Count of Shelburne in England on
July 2, 1768, wrote,
“This my Lord, I believe is the
largest importation of white
inhabitants that ever was brought
into America at a time.”
(1769-1777)
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE NEW
SMYRNA COLONY
The beginnings of the colony were marked with periods of hardship, cruelty,
and unrest. Uprisings primarily by the Italian and Greek factions made the
already mosquito-ridden and harsh terrain even more difficult. Although the
colonists attempted to cultivate food plants, including grape vines, these efforts
were limited due to the prioritization of the production of indigo even in the
face of starvation. In a letter to the Count of Shelburne, Turnbull expressed
optimism for the early progress in the cultivation of indigo, and “some other
light cultures, till our vines, olive and mulberry trees come on.”
About a year later in a letter dated July 20, 1769, Governor Grant wrote to Shelburne, “wine is of
slow progress, but vines have been planted by the Greeks and Mahonese [Minorcans], and ‘tis to
be hoped Mr. Turnbull may succeed in the attempt but wine cannot be immediately be look’t
for...We have wild grapes in plenty, but those grapes won’t answer for raisins, and of course
vines must be raised before that can become an article of produce, but ‘tis right to encourage
planting vines.” Soon after, Governor Grant went as far as to request an application of a bounty
of 50 pounds from the British monarchy for “[e]ncouraging the production of the first hogshead
[a large barrel] of sound wine” in East Florida. Sadly, plantings failed, and under extreme
drought conditions, many colonists perished.
The future of New Smyrna
was in doubt.
Secondary factors to the failure of New Smyrna relate to Turnbull’s insensitivity to the unique
way of life the European colonists were accustomed to in their native lands. Although the
colonists made great strides to maintain their cultural traditions, even in the attempted
cultivation of grape vines, factors such as housing and environmental conditions usurped these
efforts. For example, Turnbull boasted in a letter to Shelburne that his colonists lived in farm
houses 210 feet apart, and approximately one acre deep. He specifically mentioned that the
“nearness of the huts to one another gives the whole a resemblance of an Eastern or Chinese
Plantation.” This housing arrangement was in stark contrast to what the colonists were
accustomed to, especially the Minorcans who valued the proximity of family and community
members and places for gathering found in their native land.
After nearly ten years of repeated failures and untold hardships
bordering on being criminal, the colonists asked Turnbull to
terminate their contracts. However, their efforts were rejected. As a
result, three men under the leadership of Minorcan head carpenter
Francisco Pellicer, made a daring journey up the King’s Road to St.
Augustine towards the end of April in 1777.
Upon reaching St. Augustine, the newly appointed governor of East Florida,
Patrick Tonyn listened to their request for sanctuary in his town and on May 5,
1777, retained a few colonists to make depositions against Turnbull. Governor
Tonyn, no friend of Turnbull, expressed shock at the depositions and blamed the
Turnbull overseers for unjustifiable actions of cruelty and tyranny. He ordered
all who had been mistreated and all who signed indentures to be released from
their contracts.
Days later, all of the remaining colonists whose numbers had
dwindled to approximately 600 individuals comprised mostly of
Minorcans, headed north by foot in search of refuge in the city of
St. Augustine.
Their community priest and original Minorcan colonist Father Pedro
Camps, stayed behind to care for the ill and dying but followed
them a few weeks later.
Father Camps is credited with keeping the colonists together and
for his painstaking efforts in recording baptisms, marriages, and
deaths that formed the background for many of the family’s
histories that were later documented and published as “The Golden
Book of the Minorcans.”
As a historical side note, almost simultaneously another religious leader from Menorca’s sister
island of Mallorca, Friar Junípero Serra established missions as part of his missionary work
through what is now the state of California. The first mission settlement, Mission San Diego de
Alcalá, located near present-day San Diego, was founded on July 16, 1769, and interestingly,
was the site of the first sustained vineyard in California. Along his journey north, he introduced
non-native food plants and trees, including grape vines presumably of Spanish and possibly
Mallorcan origin first planted in Mexico prior to his travels. These vines which became known as
the Mission grape adapted and grew under more favorable climate and soil conditions than
Florida, and dominated California wine production until about 1880. Hence, Serra has been called
the "Father of California Wine.”
(1778-1885)
THE GROWTH OF THE MINORCAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY
Under the leadership of Father Camps, the Minorcans in St. Augustine grew in
numbers and stature within the community. They worked well with the English,
but found greater refuge after 1783 when the leaders of the newly independent
United States of America gave back control of the Florida territory to Spain. The
Minorcans intermarried with the Spanish families from other regions and those
of the English who remained in the area. The community maintained important
cultural and linguistic ties to their Minorcan heritage, including the
advancement of wine culture.
An April 22, 1829 article in the East Florida Herald by E.B. Gould noted
evidence of the continued interest in grape vine cultivation in Florida.
The article encouraged St. Augustine residents to purchase grape vine
root stocks brought in from New York State. Another newspaper article
dated December 11, 1884 from the Florida Weekly Times, described
the home of Mr. C.M. Bevan, who had North American native and
Spanish imported grape vines in his personal vineyard.
Further evidence was documented in the 1885 Florida state census
agricultural schedule for St. Johns County when Henry Floyd, greatgrandson of farmer and sawyer Joan Joaneda from Ciudadela
(Menorca) and Magdalena Marín from Mahón (Menorca), reported that
he had a one half acre vineyard and produced 100 gallons of wine in
1884. The enumeration records indicated that he was the only
commercial wine producer in the county.
Another publication, “The Tatler of Society in Florida” indicated in an 1896 article that “[o]ne of
the rapidly-developing industries of this State, one for which the State is particularly adapted, is
grape culture. In addition to the tons of Scuppernong grape that grows wild and is much
improved by a little cultivation, Niagras do remarkably well, and from them and the Scuppernong
a delicious wine, perfectly pure and strengthening, is made and sold at a reasonable price.
Recently Mr. du Bois, owner of the famous San Luis Vineyards of Tallahassee, has opened a shop
on the Cordova Block where they are sold. He also retails a non-alcoholic champagne, that is not
only a delicious drink, but possesses many curative qualities. The wines of the San Luis Vineyard
and of the Ponce de Leon Wine Company are on the wine cards of all the leading hotels of the
State, including the East Coast Hotel System [part of Henry Flagler’s properties].”
One prominent individual of the Minorcan community at the time
was Isabel F. Benet (1835-1915), a descendent of the original New
Smyrna colonists and highly regarded by developer, Henry Flagler.
(1885-Present)
SUMMARY
Today, there are continued efforts to cultivate grape vines and
produce wine in the state of Florida. In spite of the difficulties, there
are currently more than 20 wineries that are members of the
Florida Grape Growers Association.
The University of Florida continues its efforts to create hybrid grape
vines that are more suited for Florida’s climate and soil conditions.
Most important, the appreciation of wine in the state is widespread
and today, the total volume of consumption by Florida’s consumers
is third in the nation following California and New York.
These types of accounts shed light on the Minorcan legacy and its
influence on Florida’s wine culture. Currently, an estimated 30,000
individuals spread throughout the nation claim familial ties to the
original colonists of New Smyrna.
Traditions related to cuisine and music are also still maintained, as
is the case with the recipe for traditional Minorcan Easter cheese
cakes called “fromajardis” or “fromajadas,” and the related ritual
and song (click on link below to play) that is still sung by the
community called “Fromajadas.”
http://www.loc.gov/item/afcflwpa.3545b1
The recipe and song, just like the
appreciation of wine, are
elements of culture that could
have been lost in history were it
not for the brave souls who
endured the hardships of New
Smyrna and walked along the
King’s Road towards sanctuary
within the historic walls of
St. Augustine.
works cited
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Leahey, Robert R. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/105974
Photo of Minorcans walking from Minorcan Cultural Society in St. Augustine, FL. http://menorcansociety.net/
Pinney, Thomas. A History of Wine in America. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 2007.
Bennett, Charles E. Laudonnière & Fort Caroline: History and Documents. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama, 2001. Print.
Schafer, Daniel L. Governor James Grant's Villa: A British East Florida Indigo Plantation. 2000 ed. Vol. 27. St. Augustine, FL: St. Augustine Historical
Society, 2000. Print. El Escribano.
Schafer, Governor James Grant's Villa.
Ibid.
A letter from the Count of Shelburne to Lords of Trade dated April 9, 1767. From the Public Records Office Colonial Office, British Transcript Box No.252,
from the Shelburne Papers.
Beeson, Kenneth H., Jr. Fromajadas and Indigo: The Minorcan Colony in Florida. Charleston, SC: History, 2008. Print.
Beeson, Fromajadas and Indigo.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
A letter from Governor Grant to the Count of Shelburne dated July 2, 1768. From the Public Records Office Colonial Office.
A letter from Andrew Turnbull to the Count of Shelburne on September 24, 1769. Kings Mess – 221 British Museum.
A letter from Governor Grant to the Count of Shelburne on July 20, 1769. From the Public Records Office - KEW Colonial Office 5, #551.
A letter from Governor Grant to the Count of Shelburne on July 21, 1769. From the Public Records Office - KEW Colonial Office 5, #551.
A letter from Andrew Turnbull to the Count of Shelburne on September 24, 1769. Kings Mess – 221 British Museum.
Quinn, Jane. Minorcans in Florida: Their History and Heritage. St. Augustine: Mission, 1975. Print.
Gould, E.B. East Florida Herald on April 22, 1829.
Florida Weekly Times on December 11, 1884.
1885 Florida State Census. St. Johns County. Agricultural Schedule. Conducted on June 20, 1885.
“The Tatler of Society in Florida,” 1896. Vol. 5 #4, p. 4.
Quinn, Jane. Minorcans in Florida: Their History and Heritage. St. Augustine: Mission, 1975. Print.
"APPARENT PER CAPITA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: NATIONAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL TRENDS, 1977-2010." Publications. N.p., n.d. Web. 29
June 2013. <http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Surveillance95/CONS10.htm>.
Burke, Stella. Fromajadas. Perf. Alton C. Morris. Rec. 25 Sept. 1939. Carita Doggett Corse, 1939. The Library of Congress. The Library of Congress.
Web. 29 June 213. <http://www.loc.gov/item/afcflwpa.3545b1>.
Rasico, Philip D. The Minorcans of Florida: Their History, Language, and Culture. New Smyrna Beach, FL: Luthers, 1990. Print.