Pirates, Pineapples, and People: A History, Tales, and Legends of the Upper Florida Keys

By Nikki Beare

“Nikki Beare came with her family to live on the Keys. Her interest in the Keys and its history made her become a real part of the Conchs, but more in the nature of “grafted on stock”. From the very beginning, she endeared herself to all with whom she came in contact. She enjoyed hearing the Old Timers recount the many tales of the sea, the ships, the islands, and the brave men who spent so much of their lives in the task of island hopping with passengers, freight, and mail.”—C. Marvin Thompson

In her book, Pirates Pineapples and People, which was first published in 1961, Nikki Beare tells of the history of the Upper Florida Keys—the history of a very unique area.

“It is a part of the United States that has very few written records. The Upper Keys have had a tremendous and fabulous history from earliest times.

“Over the centuries, any records that were written (very few) have been lost...washed away in the numerous hurricanes that touched the coral shores. By poking around in old book stores, libraries, reading old newspapers, writing to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., reading letters written by historians, a basis for fact has been established. What cannot be found on paper is in the memories of the old-timers...Some are tales handed down from one generation to another...others are true stories, as close as possible to actual happenstance without actual records to verify.”—Nikki Beare

• Language: English
• Publisher: Papamoa Press
• Release date: Jul 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781789126730

Nikki Beare

Nikki Beare (1928-2014) was an American feminist, journalist, and lobbyist who served as president of Florida’s National Organization for Women (NOW) chapter. Born March 7, 1928 in Detroit to Stanley Brink and Dorothy Welch Brink, she graduated from Cass Technical High in 1946. She married Richard A. Beare of Havana, FL that same year and they moved to Traverse City, Michigan. Their daughter Sandra was born in 1947. Beare became an activist when she found limited library services. She got BookMobile services started and again when they moved to Miami. After moving to Islamorada, FL, Beare began writing for the local paper. She discovered a love of journalism and continued reporting at the South Dade Free Press, the Miami News and Tallahassee Democrat as Gadsden County writer. She wrote three books: Pirates, Pineapples & People, Bottle Bonanza and Plants Poisonous to People. Beare attended the third U.N. World Conference on Women in Nairobi in 1985, and attended the fourth U.N. World Conference on Women with daughter Sandi in Beijing in 1995. Beare earned her Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College in 1980, where she focused on Women in Nineteenth Century American Culture. She was one of the first female lobbyists in Florida in the 1960s and continued her activism until recently. Nikki fought for the ERA, and represented clients such as the Florida Hospital Association, Florida Bicycle Association, and Kodak. Nikki served on the Refuge House board of directors for many years. She co-founded the Havana Learning Center, was a founding member of NOW, National and Florida Women’s Political Caucus and Veteran Feminists of America. Member of the Gadsden County Domestic & Sexual Violence Task Force.

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Text originally published in 1961 under the same title.

© Papamoa Press 2018, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

PIRATES, PINEAPPLES AND PEOPLE

A History, Tales, and Legends of the Upper Florida Keys

by

Nikki Beare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

DEDICATION 4

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8

FOREWORD 10

INDIANS OF THE KEYS 16

WRECK ASHORE!! 18

TONS OF RELICS 27

LIST OF THE MAJOR REEF WRECKS 30

MAP OF APPROXIMATE LOCATIONS OF KNOWN WRECKS AND DATES 33

GUIDING LIGHTS 34

ALLIGATOR LIGHTHOUSE 37

INDIAN KEY 38

RENEGADE WRECKER 39

THE BLOODY MASSACRE OF INDIAN KEY 44

THE FLORIDA SQUADRON 48

BUCCANEERS AND PIRATES 51

A CLUSTER OF DATES 53

KEY LARGO’S TREASURE 56

RELIGION ON THE KEYS 59

EDUCATION COMES TO THE KEYS 64

CONCHS 70

THE SPANISH MAIDENS AND GARBANZOS 96

PAINTERS 97

THE ISLAND HOME 99

PEARL CITY 100

GOIN’ TO TALLAHASSEE 101

PINEYS 104

GOD AMIGHTY WIND 106

FLAGLER’S FOLLY 113

THE EDISON MIRACLE VINE 120

YO! HO! HO! A FORTUNE IN RUM! 123

VISION AND GUTS 126

KEY LARGO BOOM DAZE 127

MINOR PROBLEMS 128

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK 131

THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY 134

DATE WITH DONNA 137

HURRICANES ON UPPER KEYS 143

ANGEL OF THE KEYS 146

USEFUL AND MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS 148

BIRD WATCHERS PARADISE 151

UNDERSEA WONDERLAND 154

BIBLIOGRAPHY 159

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 162

DEDICATION

FOR DICK AND MY FAMILY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is the history of the Upper Florida Keys, the history of a very unique area. It is a part of the United States that has very few written records. The Upper Keys have had a tremendous and fabulous history from earliest times.

Over the centuries, any records that were written (very few) have been lost...washed away in the numerous hurricanes that touched the coral shores. By poking around in old book stores, libraries, reading old newspapers, writing to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., reading letters written by historians, a basis for fact has been established. What cannot be found on paper is in the memories of the old-timers...Some are tales handed down from one generation to another...others are true stories, as close as possible to actual happenstance without actual records to verify.

The Conchs must bear in mind that often the author was told many variations of the same story. Each person claimed it to be true fact. It was necessary to select the one most widely accepted, since often there were no legal records to verify the story.

So many people were generous enough to give their time and assistance in making this book come into being. They can’t possibly all be included. I only wish it were possible to name them all. This book is a visible testimonial to their contributions.

Some of the people must be especially acknowledged though, for without their co-operation and contributions in the form of old newspapers, books, photographs and recollections, the following information could never have been printed.

Mrs. Francis Tracy, of Tavernier, must be placed at the top of the list for this reason. At a social gathering, Mrs. Tracy began reminiscing about the good old days. She sparked my interest that soon became nearly fanatical as one by one the pioneers died without telling their history. She encouraged me from the very beginning.

Marvin Thompson of Tavernier has been a bottomless source of information on the history of these Keys. He was very generous of his time and knowledge. He held open many doors through which I, a stranger, could never have opened alone.

Mary Frances Dressing, of Tavernier, whose tales of the Keys kept my interest at a high peak. She also gave me the incentive to continue my work when I became bogged down in historical data.

Dr. Charlton Tebeau of the University of Miami has been a great source of historical data.

The Alburys, Careys, Currys, Lowes, Parkers, Pinders, Russells, Sawyers...so many more I can’t even mention them all.

My parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Brink (Mr. Stan and Miss Dottie) who encouraged me all along the way.

And last, but not least, my very own family. My husband, Richard, and daughter, Sandra, both of whom humorously adjusted to piles of old newspapers, old photographs, sudden trips to visit or interview another old timer, and the clickety-clack of the typewriter at odd hours of the day and night.

To YOU ALL, I say, Thank You.

Nikki Beare

FOREWORD

"Betwixt these covers will be found some real stories, true stories. Some are gems, and add fun and laughter to an existence that, for the most part, spelled a small and limited world. The only contact these Conchs had with the outside world was the coming of the freight and mail schooners that also gave passage and transportation to and from the various islands. These schooners were the connecting link in the 165 mile passage between Key West and Miami.

Mrs. Richard (Nikki) Beare came with her family to live on the Keys. Her interest in the Keys and its history made her become a real part of the Conchs, but more in the nature of grafted on stock. From the very beginning, she endeared herself to all with whom she came in contact. She enjoyed hearing the Old Timers recount the many tales of the sea, the ships, the islands, and the brave men who spent so much of their lives in the task of island hopping with passengers, freight, and mail.

The first settlers were a motley mixture, who came from many directions, some from very faraway places: the Carolinas, from the rock bound coasts of New England, from the islands of the British West Indies, from Ireland, England, Scotland, and the Bahamas.

These people were brave, strong, venturesome, willing to suffer privations and sacrifices. They fought the insects of the wilderness, and suffered over the danger of surprise attacks from the Indians. The strong and courageous souls came first and later, following in their wake, were the flotsam and jetsam. The virtues of these Conchs we carry in our hearts and memories. Their faults we write in the sands at ebb tide, so that they can be erased with the incoming sea.

It is with sincere appreciation that I say to Nikki Beare, Thank you on behalf of these Conchs—this generation and those that have passed on before—for the many long, hard days and nights of ceaseless effort that has made this history possible for posterity.

C. Marvin Thompson.

INDIANS OF THE KEYS

Indian mounds, discovered on several of the Upper Keys during the development of subdivisions, led to important archaeological finds, adding to the rather skimpy historical data of the Keys.

Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys and the nearby Indian, Teatable, and Lignumvitae Keys were sites of two Indian tribes—the Vescaynos and Matecumbeses. The islands’ name, Matecumbe has been carried through many centuries with little variation, still designating the same two islands.

These two Indian tribes were very savage. Having no permanent abodes, they moved about living on fish, turtles, and the islands’ vegetation. When the Spanish occupied Florida in the late 1560’s, these tribes had succumbed to the Carlos (or Caloosa) Indians, (The Caloosa tribe lived on the lower Gulf coast and the Keys), and the Tequestas (located on Biscayne Bay).

There were two towns (or villages) on the Keys, where the Carlos (Caloosa) lived—Guarungunbe and Cuchiyaga. These Caloosa Indians were large-boned, almost giants and very strong. Bones of 6 to 7 foot natives have been unearthed on Lignumvitae Key. The Indians utilized the palm, grasses and vegetation for their clothing. The sea provided food and utensils. Deer, bear, and raccoon were important in their diet. Turtle and sea wolves (manatee) were a delicacy. Being great archers and dart throwers, they could hunt on land and sea, equally well. They crossed large bodies of water in pirogues or dugouts. In later years, these Indians carried on trade with Havana, using this same method of transportation.

Hernando d’Escalente Fontaneda, 13, was enroute from his home in the New World to attend school in Spain when his ship was wrecked on the Florida Keys in 1545. After his rescue, Fontaneda wrote his memoirs, recording the first accurate account of tribal life. He stated that the copper-hued natives were very rich from the many wrecks that occurred on the reefs. They were a fierce and brave, but ruthless people.

Ships headed for the Matecumbe Keys, since the only fresh water holes between the mainland and Key West were located here. In 1605, the frigate, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, carrying as passengers Catholic missionaries to St. Augustine, ran aground on the reef. They were rescued by the Indians. It was this first contact with Christian religion that sustained the Indians for several centuries. In 1743, the Indians petitioned Havana, requesting missionaries. Two Jesuits, Father Alona and