Seminoles and Pioneers

Seminoles and Pioneers. , For centuries, the Native Americans who became Seminoles enjoyed this area. Once a peaceful wilderness, they named the river we now call Loxahatchee the "Locha Hatchee or Turtle River. During the Seminole Wars (1818-1858), the brilliant Seminole war leader Abiaka – also known as Sam Jones - frequently retreated to the river to strategize and resupply his followers. , After the wars, many Seminoles returned from their hidden camps in the Everglades to the headwaters of the Loxahatchee, where two battles of the Second Seminole War had been fought in 1838. From these villages, the Seminoles poled their dug-out canoes down the Loxahatchee River to the inlet. There they established friendly relations with the Jupiter Lighthouse Keepers and other white pioneers, such as George Tindall that lasted for decades., Assistant Lighthouse Keeper and noted photographer Melville Spencer recorded some of the Seminole visits in a series of stereo-view photographs in the early 1880s. Pictured here are Doctor Billy Charlie Tiger Tommy Tiger and Jonny Parker. ,

“These were the first Seminole Indians we had ever seen and we gathered around in wonder and delight. The men were barefooted and wore the colorful Indian shirt that came to their knees but no trousers. The women's colorful garments came to their bare feet and their heavy collar and their Jupiter det Lighthouse 1750 1930 heavy collar of beads from chin to chest. The children ran happily about their clothing miniature copies of their parent's garments.” , Bessie Dubois, Pioneer Memories from 1914