The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-05-08
PRETTY MINoRoAN GIRLS.
Transplanted from the Mediterra-
mean They Flourish on the East
Coast Of Florida.
From the Detroit Free Press.

DOWN on the dlllsDofougn hlVer IN
Volusia county, Florida, there are the
ruins Of one of the oldest settlements in
this country, and its history forms one of
the most tragic episodes ever recorded of
any place in the United States The place
is called New Smyrna, but there is moth
ing new or attractive about it except the
orange trees, the palmettos and green vines
which nature distributes lavishly around
There is one class of people in the South
who can never be induced to visit New
Smyrna, and the very sound of the name
makes them turn their heads aside in shame
or anger
In the streets of St. Augustine today
one occasionally catches a glimpse of a
type Of American beauty that fairly takes
the breath away, and again he sees traces
of that type in so many other faces that he
unhesitatingly attributes them all to the
same source. There are only few pure
blooded Minorcan women left in this coun-
try, but the blood of these ancient slaves
has mingled with that of our noblest South
ern families and perpetuated in a degree
beauty that is now rarely seen. What
the creole blood has done for so many
women of New Orleans, the Minorcan
blood has accomplished for the inhabitants
of Florida The wondrous eyes, the regu-
lar classic features, and the beautiful hair
are all worthy of the Greek slave-their
real prototype.
The story of the Florida Minorcans is
interesting, dramatic, tragic. They were
the first slaves brought to this country
and white slaves at that
The coming of the Minorcans, and their
subsequent slavery, was in this wise: In
1867 certain Capt. Andrew Turnbull
obtained grant of so, 600 acres in Vol
usia county, Florida, and named it New
Smyrna. Florida had just been ceded to
Great Britain, but it was so thinly settled
that small empire might have been built
up in the middle counties without attract
ing any attention from the English.
Capt. Turnbull sailed for the Mediter-
ranean after securing title to his land, and
proceeded to dazzle the people of the Gre
clan isles with his fair descriptions and
promises of his New Smyrna. He was
not the first exploiter or adventurer to
misrepresent the wonderful climate and
products of sunny Florida. He was so
successful in his persuasions that a colony
of 800 men, women, and children,
chiefly Minorcans, was induced to embark
with him for the new land. To make the
promises seem more real, Capt Turnbull
offered to carry the colonists to their new
home free of cost, and clothe and feed
them for six months. If at the end of
that period any were dissatisfied with the
conditions of their new home he would
transport them back to Europe. But to
those who desired to stay he would present
fifty acres of land and twenty-five acres
thereafter to every child born.
What inducements could be fairer than
these, fully set forth in the contract.
Men and women of noble-famiFes joined
the expedition and left pleasant homes be-
hind them. But the prospects of the
future home were more alluring than those
at home. and the innocent Grecians and
Minorcans cast in their lots together and
started for the new Smyrna.
They had rough passage across the
seas. and some of the old and feeble ones
died, but the rest took heart, when they
were actually landed on the coast of
Florida. Everything seemed to be as rep
resented, and the new colonists started in
to make New Smyrna one Of the finest
homes in the world They erected pal
metto huts, and labored diligently in the
fields for their master. Itwas not long be-
fore they found that they were in the
hands of crafty man, whose sole purpose
in bringing them over was to force them
to create wealth for him. They were in
strange land, far, far away from any
civilized town or village and thousands of
miles away from their own countrymen.
They were soon reduced to the level Of the
negro slave, and forced to labor in the fields
from early morning until night under the
control of heartless white oveTseers. The
immense plantation was soon brought
under cultivation, and Turnbull realized
| princely income from it. The Minorcans
realized nothing but pitiable living. No
land was ceded to them, no profits we're
given to them-not even wages. A small
quantity of food was doled out to them,
and they were forced to eat out Of COM
mon bowl. For nine years they toiled hope
lessly for their cruel master, but, in spite
of it all, their spirit was never actually
broken.
They were subjected to the lash on the
slightest provocation The women were
whipped publicly while in nude condition,
and no indecency was too great or horrible
for them to endure They were half
starved, and many of them actually died
for lack of proper food. No Greek slave
of classic history ever appealed more strong
" to the sympathies of a world than these
beautiful Minorcan women lashed to the
stake, while the executioners whip was
laid upon their bare bodies
But there was to be an end to all this.
One night the whole colony escaped from
the plantation, and wandered through the
almost impossible swamps of Florida to St
Augustine. They arrived there in time
600 strong, all that remained of the oigi-
nal / 500-and, throwing themselves upon
the mercy Of GOV. Tonyn, they were pro-
tected from their former master. Turn
bull sued for his alleged rights, and a
special court was organized for the trial.
Attorney Genera. Younge appeared in be
half of the Minorcans, and they were made
legally and morally free Since then their
descendants have lived in st. Augustine
or the vicinity, and it is almost impossible
to induce any of them to return to the
scene Of the former slavery. Today their
strikingly handsome faces attract the at
tention of visitors to Florida for their
beauty. while fresh and new to America,
is as old as history.