Florida Pioneer Biographies

Submitted by Descendants:  Marguerite Jule Pacetty BROWN; Frances Mordina Brown EVANS; David William, Marguerite Marreé Evans, and Robert Thomas MATHEWS Thomas Paxeti was born at New Smyrna, los Mosquitos, San Pedro Parish (Volusia County) Florida on 10 February 1776 – the year of the American Revolution.  His parents were Andres…

Submitted by Descendant:  May Fair Murrell GOWDY John Christopher Pillans was born 18 February 1780 in Charleston, South Carolina.  He lived in Charleston, married Elizabeth Palmer of that city in 1811 and was the owner of a cotton plantation on Edisto Island, South Carolina. Family writing indicates that john Christopher…

Submitted by Descendant:  May Fair GOWDY William Palmer Pillans was born 25 March 1823 in Charleston, South Carolina.  He came to Madison County, Florida with his Father, John Christopher Pillans, in the mid-1830s.  William Palmer married Mary Angelina Perry in Madison 25 October 1849. William Palmer graduated from The Citadel,…

Submitted by Descendant:  William E. PINNEY John Pinney was born May 1813 in Baltimore, Maryland.  He followed the sea from the age of fourteen and ultimately became a sea captain, successful merchant and property owner in Pensacola, Florida. He arrived in Pensacola about 1834 on the U.S. Vandalia, an 18-gun–of-war…

William Augustus Pitcher was born 17 April 1805, in New York State.  Because of poor health he moved to Key West, Florida prior to 1837.  He rented a room in the home of the Munson Family, and on 5 October 1837, he married Hanna Wilhelmina “Minta”, one of the Munson…

Submitted by Descendants:  Beverly MOUNT-DOUDS; Henry Lee and John Gilbert PITTS Benjamin Pitts was born around 1815-1820, in Georgia.  He married Serena Cowart in Henry County, Alabama on the 5th of August 1833.  Serena was the daughter of Henry T. Cowart and Rachel LaFever who were married in Jefferson County, Georgia…

Submitted by Descendants:  Mary Ann (Pitts) FLOWERS Benjamin Pitts was born around 1815, in Georgia.  He served in the Seminole Indian Wars.  He can be found on the muster rolls of Captain Samuel Stephens, Company of the First Brigade of Florida Militia.  This company was mustered in at Marianna, Florida…

Submitted by Descendants:  Antonieta Echenique and Frank S. BERNARDINO; Luis ECHENIQUE JR.; Alejandro José, Ana Maria Bernardino, Cecilia Cristina, Laura Antonieta, Maite Carolina, GARCÍA; Susana C Echenique MATOS; Francis A Echenique, Jack Luis, and Olivia A McCLINTOCK; Erik Frank, Paul Alexander and Rosa Bernardino RAMOS; Andrea C., Paola I., and…

Submitted by Descendants:  Sarah Elizabeth McSWAIN William J. Powell was born in Pike County, Alabama in 1840.  He served at Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War and lost his left arm as the result of a battle injury.  Upon his return to Alabama, he married Sarah Emilie Adams. In 1866,…