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Re: Treasure Trove - Genealogy... Ancestry.com? Posted by neil dale [Email] (#2111) [Profile/Gallery] (more from neil dale) on Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:21:40 In Reply to: Treasure Trove - Genealogy... Ancestry.com?, Scott Paterson [Profile/Gallery] , Sat, 20 Jul 2019 15:35:10 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
one of my uncles , I was TOLD a mr Simonton actually owned the island oF key west Florida and bought it fr the Spanish in 1822 !
From a historian's point of view, Key West has an interesting beginning. To be considered is the island's ownership as private property, ownership by the Territory of Florida, ownership by the U.S. Government and finally as a local incorporated entity. John W. Simonton purchased the island on January 19, 1822 from Juan Pablo Salas, who had acquired it as a Spanish Land Grant in 1815 from Don Juan de Estrata, but as a new U.S. Territory the original Don Juan de Estrata Land Grant to Salas had to the confirmed - no U.S. deed could be granted. In reality it went round and round with claims and counter claims. Attempts to follow these look like a spider web. John Simonton soon took on three northern partners: John Whitehead, John Fleeming and Pardon Greene. On the scene arrived General John Geddes of Charleston who had also purchased Key West. It was discovered that Don Juan Salas had sold it twice, first to John Strong, a lawyer no less, and then to Simonton. As if this were not bad enough, Strong had also previously sold Key West to George Murray before John Geddes. In summary, Salas sold it twice, Strong and Simonton, and Strong twice, Murray and Geddes. Simonton had already divided it up amongst three others: Whitehead, Fleeming and Greene. Greene made several strategic moves by buying up claims in his name. On May 23, 1828, Congress acknowledged the land grant of Salas was confirmed. Simonton as the legal owner. We might surmise that this was Florida's first land scam.
->Posting last edited on Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:23:11.
_______________________________________ viggen02
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