Page 51 - John Anderson

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Other planters soon followed Grant's example as a number of
influential Englishmen received large tracts of coastal lands to
convert into plantations. Dr. Andrew Turnbull and the well-connected
aristocrat, Richard Oswald, established vast plantation systems to
profit from agriculture rather than land speculation.

England didn't have Florida for very long and in 1783, Spain regained
both provinces causing most British settlers to seek fortunes
elsewhere. In 1812, parts of West Florida were annexed to Louisiana
and the Mississippi Territory. Several years later (1821,) Spain ceded
the remainder of West Florida and all of East Florida to the United
States.

During this Second Spanish Period (1783 to 1821) the Spanish
reclaimed Florida even though their world power had weakened
considerably. Spain was faced with the dilemma of too few colonists,
forcing it to give up its policy of requiring settlers to convert to
Catholicism. This change in policy encouraged many British planters
to return to Florida in the early 1800s. Generous land grants were
again awarded to well-placed Caucasians willing to continue
developing Northeast Florida lands into productive plantations.

In the early 19th century, armed incursions across the Spanish
borderlands of Florida by U.S. forces pursuing runaway slaves and
Creek Indians created an undeclared invasion of Spanish territory.
Years of military challenges to dwindling Spanish defenses lessened
the already weak grip of the Spanish government on Florida. Spain
had no choice but to cede Florida to the United States in 1821. It was
during this unstable period in Florida that many large plantations
changed hands and were subdivided into smaller plantations along
the Tomoka and Halifax Rivers. Still, the plantation economy in
Northeast Florida continued to flourish. The latest industrial and
steam power technology was used in its large sugar factories.

Between 1790 and 1830 the population of Georgia increased six-
fold. The western push of early settlers created a problem throughout
the colonies. Georgian settlers continued to take Native American
lands and force them into the western frontier. By 1825 the Lower
Creek natives had been completely removed from Georgia under
provisions of the Treaty of Indian Springs. By 1827 the Creek Indians

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