Jose Joaneda Floyd (Floid) was my 4th great
grandfather. He was born in Ciudadella,
Menorca, Spain in 1761. Minorca is a
beautiful Island just off the coast of the Spanish mainland. I am less than 3 percent Spanish.
In 1767, Jose was six years old and with his parents they made their way to the northern part of Florida with as many as 1400 others that left their homeland to tame this wilderness. It took two ships and two months to arrive at their destination. Their hopes were high.
They found the conditions were harsh and after much hardship and starvation they lost about half of their population. It was in 1777, Jose, now 16-years-old and with those that remained walked to St. Augustine, Florida for a better life.
They found the conditions were harsh and after much hardship and starvation they lost about half of their population. It was in 1777, Jose, now 16-years-old and with those that remained walked to St. Augustine, Florida for a better life.
Popular legend tells us that in 1513, Ponce
de León, a Spanish explorer discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain
of Youth and he named the region La Florida which means "flowery land".
In 1794 Jose married Elizabeth Maria Deweese. They had six children. He died in St. Augustine in 1818 at the age of 58.
Florida didn't become part of the United
States until 1845, after the Spanish American War.In 1794 Jose married Elizabeth Maria Deweese. They had six children. He died in St. Augustine in 1818 at the age of 58.
In 1980, the Menorcan Society was formed to promote the culture and heritage who left their home to make a new life.
St. Augustine celebrates every year the arrival of the Menorcan people with traditional tasty food, music, and
dancing. People dress in
period costume and have a parade of men and women riding on pure Spanish horses the breed known as Andalusion.
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