1847 – A document verifying the identities and signatures of two prominent Key West citizens signed by a founder of the city who settled there after being shipwrecked and later served as a city counselor, the mayor, and, eventually, a Vice-Consul for both France and Spain.
Key West, Florida. Unbound.
This one-page document from Key West, Florida measures 8” x 12” and is dated 13 April 1847. It is titled “Agent Consulaire de France / Key West” and bears two double-circle “Vice Consulat de France Key West” handstamps. It is signed by F. A. [Fielding Archer] Browne. In nice shape with storage folds. Written in French.
It reads in English,
“Consular Agent of France / Key West
“We, F A Browne, Consular Agent of France at Key West, certify that the Signatures appended hereto are truly those of Messrs. Joseph A. Hroman and Alexander Patterson notaries for this City. . ..
“In testimony whereof, we have hereby signed and affixed thereto the stamp of this agency at Key West on April 13, 1847.”
. Very good. Item #010026Fielding Browne was one of the first settlers of Key West. A Virginia native, Browne was shipwrecked on the near empty island in 1830 while enroute to join his brother in Mexico. Finding it to his liking, Browne decided to remain.
The island’s population grew as fisherman and other mariners realized the nearby treacherous waters provided ample and very profitable shipwreck salvage opportunities. Browne became a prominent citizen and wealthy merchant dealing in salvaged goods. He served on the first city council. After that council’s charter was revised, Browne became the city mayor. During his tenure, Browne encouraged many white Bahamian salvagemen to settle in Key West. At the time of this letter, Browne had accepted offers from both France and Spain to serve as their vice-consuls on the island. Fielding Browne’s grandson, Jefferson B. Browne, became an important public figure, eventually serving as the President of the Florida Senate and Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Like Browne, Alexander Patterson was a wealthy salvage merchant. He, however, intentionally came to Key West from Connecticut in the 1820s and served multiple terms as mayor.
(For more information, see Castellanos García’s Motivos de Cayo Hueso (contributión) a la historia de las emigraciones revolucionarias cubanas en Estados, Werner’s “Wreck Ashore! The History of the Florida Keys and Wrecking”, “Key West Old & New” at the Exploring Florida website, “Browne family of Key West, Florida” at PoliticalGraveyard.com, and Benner’s “Scruffy Florida Made Their Fortunes Salvaging Shipwrecks” at the HistoryNet website.)
At the time of listing, nothing similar is for sale in the trade or listed at the Rare Book Hub or OCLC.
.Price: $500.00