The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-17
HISTORY OF PENSACOLA
BY CAPT. J. c. PATTERSON

as well as the social condition OF -,
place. Pensacola has been incl,
famed for vexatfons and lawsuits :.
is contained in deeds that if a NO.
man owes but five pounds and bas
got so much ready money and is guilt,
of shaking his fists at any rascal tina,
has abused him he is sure to be perso-
cuted, and the costs of every suit ar.
about sevsn pounds. sterling" Stranga
though It be, yet 80 it is, in the new.
of Pensacola's correspondence from
1858 to ITO we find mention made NJ
military officers OF every grade, gov.
errors, secretaries. surveyors, judges
male Indians, ships, boats, bricks, lum.
Der, shingles, wine, swords, muskets
cannons and even fiddles, but Of
woman or any of her belongings, never
with only two exceptions: one was
Mrs. Hugh Wallaee, Of Philadelphia.
friend of General Halderman, the other
q nameless moral wreck of whom the
writer of a letter exclaims, 81 wish
could make the mother of my children
my wife!" forcing upon the imagina-
ton that the shadow of a wronged wife
with the ones heart touched by the
probable sorrows of a blighted lie
which though excluded from mems
letters we do not need correspondence
to inform us that wives, mothers, sis
tiers, nurses formed a considerable part
of the population of Pensacola in the
early days for we know it as certainly
and conftdentially that the town must
have been blessed with air, light, food
and all other vivifying conditions OF
human existence.
= Correspondence in 1867 shows cour-
.tesies exchanged between Pensacola
and Philadelphia. A Pensacolian sends
a sea turtle and the Philadelphia re-
turns a cheese.
ION November 18th, 1853, we were
walking down the east side of George
street from the gardens to the bay.
and after passing two blocks we find
ourselves in the public square and In
front of large building built by the
soldiers and Indians.
1--WE are informed that this building
is the kings storehouse and Mr.. Neel
is the keeper. Leaving the store,
short walk brings US to the shore. aft
erwards to the kings wharf, which We
see covered with troops, some Of them
getting intoJboats, while others are al
ready embarked and are going 10
ship lying at anchor; that ship is the
Pensacola, bound for Charleston s.
C. The troops are the 31st regiment,
lately stationed at Mobile, which have
Just arrived after an overland march
for the purpose of embarking into
Pensacola, where they shall remain at
tn int
Peter Chester having been appointed
governor OF West Florida in 1872, came
to Pensacola, the capital of the prov
ince, and entered upon the administra-
ton of the office. He was recognized
and referred to by General HaIdermaB
as a man of capacity and experience,
a reputation which was not impaired
by his nine years rule of Florida The
first days OF his administration were
marked by a determination to reform
public service and to supersede the old
Star fort by a more staple and eff
cient defense for the town and harbor
and the spirit which animated him was
at once communicated to the military
commander of the province.
Early in his administration, after
much discussion Of engineers of sew
eral plans of the defense of the town,
a fort was built under orders from
General Gage on Gage HILL named Fort
George, for his majesty, King George,
the Third. In the center of this fort
ress was the council chamber of the
province and the ropsitary of the ar
chives, where the office duties Of the
governor and the military commando
were performed; where an audience
was given to the Indian chiefs and del
cgations. and where really centered the
government of west Florida. according
to the English boundaries in that
chamber. On one occasion could have
been seen a man in the prime OF life
partly in Indian dress in earnest con-
with Governor Chester and
William Pantin, the millionaire and
prince of Florida.