A Bit of History
Journey into Wilderness
1837
In 1837 during the second Seminole War the physician Jacob Rhett Motte joined the US Army and kept a detailed diary of his time during the war which included his experience of Newnansville in the spring of 183732. Approaching Newnansville from the west on the Bellamy Road he describes crossing the Santa Fe River and Newnansville…
About eight miles from Newnansville we crossed the Santa-Fee river, over the natural land bridge. Had we not been told by our guide at the moment, we should never have suspected that there was anything like a river in our vicinity. … As we approached Newnansville, the County Town of Alachua were are to be found the most valuable lands in Florida, our road lay though a beautiful country, watered by sparkling streams, and enlivened by the riches verdure.
We here found fields of tasselle’d corn growing as it were “upon their own hook; for the houses to which the fields pertained were all abandoned by their owners through fear of the Savage. … In describing the town Newnansville, before this war, could boast of only one block house, eclypt a court house, and one tavern, built in the same primitive style of architecture. Now it consists of two rival hotels, a fort, shops in abundance, and dwellings, alias shanties, so numerous that for several days after my arrival I could scarcely find my way through the labyrinth of streets and lanes, laid out with a pleasing disregard to all rules of uniformity. The shanties were from farmers from the surrounding area that fled their farms due to Seminole raids. They were mostly small farmers who had emigrated from different States and settled in Alachua County to plant corn, hoe potatoes, and beget ugly little white-headed responsibilities.
The mansions of Newnansville were certainly unique in appearance. Each abode consisted of a shed built of slab-boards enclosing an area about twelve fee square; and were evidently calculated for exercising the rights of hospitality; for the occupants excluded mothering; even the rain always finding ready admittance. In some sheds there were several families living huddled together under the same roof, each occupying a corner of the room, and occasionally a fifth family in the center.
But there was some civilization…
We were frequently invited to attend the balls that were nightly given by this fashionable community; and I always made it my duty to attend; not only to show my respect for the society of this enlightened metropolis; but also because these exhibitions always afforded a fund of amusement after the monotonous routine of a day in camp, on account of the original style of dancing the “double trouble,” and the high tone of refinement which pervaded by the conversation of the polished gentlemen and accomplished ladies.
On the occasion of a dinner given by the inhabitants to Col. Mills, we were invited to attend. At the hour stated in the notes of invitation we presented ourselves at one of the rival hotels, the scene of operation up this festive occasion. We found a long arbor erected in the yard, back of the house, and an equally long table extending under it, with all the appliances of the feast. All the inhabitants of the country, men, women, & children, were present. The ladies dined first; the children next; and after them upon the remnants of the feast the gentlemen and invited guests. This order being observed apparently, for want of a better reason, that the gentlemen might not be interrupted in the patriotic duty of drinking toasts.
The ladies sent in a toast which would have withered Old Hickory[1] into a nonentity had he been present. It was an outpouring of the overflowing bile, which some severe remarks of the General upon the courage of the Florida gentry had caused to be super-abundantly secreted in the livers of these fair Alachua dames.
But it did not last, several weeks later he writes…
I had began to feel very happy and contented in my situation at Newnansville among so many delightful companions; and was looking forward to spending and agreeable summer, when and order arrived from General Jesup, directing me to proceed without delay to Fort Mellon on Lake Monroe.
[1] Old Hickory is a reference to Andrew Jackson