Year
1740 1763 1768 June 1775 1776 1777 1783 1784 1787 1789 1802 1802 1803 1803 1803 1811 1819 |
Age
NA 23 28 35 36 37 43 44 47 49 62 62 63 63 63 71 NA |
Event
Josef Bonelly born in Livorna, Italy Son of Tomas Bonelly and Maria Mariani British assume rule of East Florida. Josef Bonelly recruited for Dr Andrew Turnbull's colony to colonize East Florida. After several months gathering in Mahon, Minorca, and several more at sea, the expedition arrives in Les Mosquitos in June, 1768. Josef Bonelly marries Maria Moll at New Smyrna, Florida. Son Tomas Bonelly born in New Smyrna. Nine additional documented births between 1776-1800 (every even year through 1792, and 1800); all in Saint Augustine. Six or fewer survive to adulthood. After nine years of abuse and neglect, the Turnbull colony disbands. 700 of the original 1400 immigrants survie, and walk 70 miles north on the Kings Road Nine to Saint Augustine where they are accepted by the British governor. Spanish return to rule in East Florida. Saint Augustine census lists Bonelly as a farmer with fourteen acres and a house in front of Buchantini house. He has a wife, three children, and slave who has escaped. Bonelly family is living at the hacienda of Don Francisco Felipe Fatio. Josef Bonelly is granted 600 acres at Matanzas inlet. Miccosukee Indians raid the Josef Bonelly plantation at Matanzas. Tomas Bonelly (26) is murdered, and six members of the family are kidnapped and held hostage in the interior of the country. After seven months of captivity, trader John Forrester is sent with $300 ransom and rescues Maria Moll and three young children. Young Josef Bonelly (14) escapes the Miccosukee village and gains safe passage to Saint Augustine through several gulf ports, aided by his godfather, Captain Steven Benet, who he happens to meet in Havana. Catharina Bonelly (11), one of the kidnapped children who was rescued, dies in Saint Augustine Nov-1803. Twenty-two months after the attack, Antonia Paula Bonnely is ransomed for $200 and brought home by her brother-in-law Tomas Pacetti and the Seminole Chief Payne. Antonia Paula is pregnant upon her arrival and gives birth to Maria Antonia Bonelly in Dec-1803. Josef Bonelly dies in Saint Augustine. Maria Moll dies in Saint Augustine. |
Notes
The 1811 burial record has Josef Bonelly as 54 years old--suggesting he was born in 1757. This later date makes Bonelly 11 years old at immigration, and there is no evidence that Turnbull recruited children. 1. Tomas, 1776 2 Maria Catherine, 1778 3. Antonia Francisca, 1780 4. Antonia Teresa, 1782 5. Maria Catarina, 1784 6. Antonia Paula, 1786 7. Josef, 1788 8. Theresa, 1790 9. Catarina, 1792 10. Juan, 1800 Don Francisco Felipe Fatio was a prominent plantation owner who owned the largest number of slaves in the 1787 census. |