Bradford and Clay County

Bradford County

Not much has been examined in this county in the way of Indians sites.

There is evidence of early Timuquan and later Seminole Indian villages along the Santa Fe River.

There was the small Second Seminole War outpost of Fort Call south of Hampton. Also a mention of a Fort Crabbe.

HISTORICAL QUOTE: COACOOCHEE AS A HOUSE GUEST

"Wild Cat frequently visited the residence of General Hernandez, who lived on Charlotte street [St. Augustine]. He also very much admired one of his beautiful daughters, and, like lovers at the present day, wanted an excuse for returning; consequently, on going away he would leave one of his silver crescents--which he wore on his breast as a defense and for ornament, to be polished, and, when he returned, taking the one he left before and leaving another. He delighted to stand in front of a large mirror which General Hernandez had in his parlor and admire his person. He said if Miss Kitty Hernandez would be his wife she should never work any more, but always ride on a pony wherever she went; that Sukey, his present wife, should wait on her; but Miss Kitty would be queen. He frequently made assertions of his friendship for the family. When on one occasion some of them remarked that he would kill them as quick as anybody if he should find them in the Indian nation, he replied: "Yes, I would; for you had better die by the hand of a friend than an enemy."

Coacoochee (Wildcat) by John T. Sprague.

From "Ponce de Leon Land and Florida War Record by G.M. Brown, Ord. Sergt. U.S.A.," printed in St. Augustine, 1902.

Clay County

The Spanish built Fort Pupo on the west bank of the St. Johns River, near White Sulfur Springs. It served to guard the river crossing and the road on the mission trail.

Fort Heilman was built in the Second Seminole War at Garey's Ferry. (Today known as Middleburg.) Because of the location as a gateway into the central part of the state, it soon became a major post. Both generals Scott and Jesup had their headquarters here. Many of the settlers from the interior of the state came here to seek protection from the Indians. The area around the post became so crowded with settlers and squalor, that sickness became rampant. Over 90 percent of the deaths around the post were from sickness. One soldier remarked how they would all die of sickness before they would fight a single Indian in battle. The Seminoles harassed the fort throughout the entire duration of the war.

Other Second Seminole War Forts: Fort Sanderson, a temporary supply depot near Garey's Ferry.

Old postcard of Kingsley's Lake around 1900.
From State of Florida Archives

Fort VanCourtland was at Kingsley's pond, which is on the modern Florida National Guard base of Camp Blanding. It was on the military road that went from Black Creek to Newnansville. Looking at the old maps, it appears to have been on the east side of the lake where a creek comes out. Old descriptions say that it is at "the head of Kingsley Pond". In fact, the main headquarters command building at Camp Blanding is not far from where I would guess that the fort was. Since the main Blanding facilities are around the same site that Fort VanCourtland was, then this could be considered one of very few places in Florida that has an active military installation at the same site as a Second Seminole War fort. Camp Blanding has a small museum dedicated to the area as a training site during World War II. I once called them up and asked if they knew anything about Fort VanCourtland, and they didn't know what I was talking about.

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