Historic Context Study Israel Lafayette Jones Site Biscayne National Park; Final Report

Finney, Carolyn

From Author: This Final Report concludes research for the Israel Lafayette Jones Historic Context Study. It includes a summary of investigative activities and recommendations for further research, a table of contents, the Historic Context Study, footnotes, additional bibliography (sources not cited in the footnotes) and acknowledgements. In addition, I have included copies of church documents and census data that was not part of the original archival data already on file at Biscayne National Park. ... The Jones Family Home site is significant at the local and state levels under Criterion A in the area of Exploration and Settlement In the early nineteenth century, the U.S. was experiencing tensions that arose from the emancipation of thousands of enslaved Africans. While many northern blacks experienced a circumscribed freedom, blacks still struggled with being enslaved or feared re-enslavement in Southern states. In addition, further barriers were constructed for free blacks determined to build a new life. This included being denied the right to vote, frequenting white business establishments and educational institutions, and being forbidden to hold religious services without the presence of a licensed white minister.1 Aorida was no exception. Blacks who lived in what is now Dade County were largely runaway slaves and Bahamian blacks.2 Few possessed the means to establish a homestead and successful business. It is within this context that Israel Lafayette Jones traveled from North Carolina to Aorida, further developed agricultural and maritime skills, and successfully produced pineapples and limes on his own farm. In addition, he expanded his wealth through real estate, and played an integral role in the development of the black community in Dade County. While the Jones Family site is a significant example of the development of the black community in Dade County and of Dade County itself, it also provides a lens into the strategies undertaking by blacks and whites in Aorida to negotiate a contentious time in American history. The Parson Jones site is also significant under Criterion D. It has the potential to provide information about the daily life of black settlers in Dade County and to explore agricultural techniques and general strategies used to successfully farm and support families in the Keys and other coastal areas.