Community Sunday Favorites: Settling Spanish Point, Part 1

Webb's Point is pictured in Osprey, Fla.  Photo: Manatee County Historical Archives

OSPREY — Spanish Point has a rich history dating back thousands of years. Today it is a 30-arce archaeological, historical and environmental site that features the only Native American mound you can actually walk through.

While the park is now owned and operated by the Gulf Coast Heritage Association and is a must-see for any local, it is the early Spanish Point Pioneers whose legacy was left and preserved there.

Like many people living in New York during the mid 19^th century, Eliza Webb suffered from severe asthma. A century-long industrial revolution had taken its toll on the well being of many residents. Can you imagine inhaling unfiltered pollution every day of your life? There is no question that it would likely take a toll on anyone’s health.

As was common during that time, Eliza’s doctor prescribed fresh air and Florida, with its temperate weather and beautiful fauna, was the preferred destination for healing back then. In addition, the government was trying to entice people to move to the state so they offered a homestead act that granted any able-bodied man 160 acres as long as he built and home and lived there for five years. (I have mentioned the Armed Occupation Act in multiple other articles).

So moving to Florida was a win-win, the Webb’s figured they would solve Eliza’s health issues and gain free land in the process.

Eliza and her husband John packed up their belongings in February of 1867 and headed south with their five children and Eliza’s father and sister, Samuel and Emily Graves.

The Webbs and Graves took a train to New York City before booking passage on   a schooner called the Sarah Helen. The schooner was a cargo ship that carried cedar from Cedar Key, Fla. to Faber Pencil Co. in New York City. On the return trip, the ship had plenty of space to carry passengers bound for Florida.

The Webb sugar house is pictured on the Webb property in Osprey. Photo: MCHA

According to A Homestead Journal: Historic Spanish Point Pioneers 1867-1910 published by the GCHA, the captain of the Sarah Helen was nice enough to allow the women to sleep in his cabin, instead of bunking with the boys.

During a provisioning stop in Key West, the family met a stranger who explained one of his favorite places along Sarasota Bay. The family described the man as an old “Spanish trader,” according to the GCHA.

Unfortunately, the Sarah Helen did not travel to the spot described by the Key West seaman, The family was dropped off on Snead Island, where they boarded a river boat to the Village of Manatee.

Once in town, they stayed at a boarding house until they could find a place to call home.

At the time, there were no roads to take them around the area. All traveling was done via sailing vessel, so the family bought a sailboat and began exploring the area by water.

In August of 1867, they finally found the plot they were looking for, the one described by the Key West Spainiard. It had everything they needed to survive, high land, fresh water and plenty of animal and plant life to live off of until they could plant crops. After camping there for several weeks, they began construction of a house.

Lumber was floated down from the village of Manatee. They covered the windows with oilcloth to prevent mosquitos from entering and they cemented in a grand fireplace out of coquina. At first, thatched palm fronds served as a roof while a cistern provided water for the residence.

The kitchen was separate from the living quarters as was the style back the, this prevented many fires from occuring.

At that time, farmers planted gardens for their family’s needs, but usually had a “cash crop” that would earn a living. John decided sugar cane was the best fit for the area. Once land was cleared and irrigated, the cane seed was planted.

Two of the best attributes on the property were a shell midden, left by the aborigines that inhabited the area long ago and a fresh-water spring adjacent to the mound. The family garden was tucked in between the two. Before long tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and watermelon were budding from the succulent soil.

However, the fruits and veggies attracted animals like deer, rabbits, raccoons and piney-wood cattle left over from Spanish explorers. The family constructed a fence around their garden, calling it “the dewberry patch,” according to the GCHA.

The deer learned to jump the fence, so Webb brothers Jack and Will took turns standing guard during the night. Any time a deer tried to enter, they were shot by one of the boys and the family usually feasted on venison the next evening.

While the meat was welcomed at the dinner table, seafood was more prevalent at mealtime. The families ate an abundance of shellfish, turtle eggs, and fish. According to the GCHA, the Webb sisters Ginnie, Lizzie and Anna gathered turtle eggs (sea turtle eggs are illegal to eat today but were acceptable sustenance at the time), while the boys fished and hunted.

Next week, I will take a longer look into the future of the farming family.

This article is based on a homestead journal published by the Gulf Coast Heritage Association. The organization took the information from actual journal entries created by the Webb family.