A Bit of History
1830
Indian Removal
Map showing where different Indian tribes were relocated to in the west.
This forced displacement is often called the "Trail
of Tears"
After the election of Andrew Jackson as President of the United States in 1828, the movement to transfer all Indians in the United States to west of the Mississippi River grew, and in May of 1830 the United States Congress passed the Indian Removal Act. The law, as described by Congress, provided "for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for their removal west of the river Mississippi".
The Seminoles in Florida had been recognized as autonomous nation in Florida and had already been given their reservation in Florida and, even with the poor quality of the land, had no desire to be located out west and did not leave peacefully, and they resisted their removal along with fugitive slaves that had joined them.
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The 1830 census listed 392 families living in Alachua County including David Levy and Edward Wanton in Micanopy “near Wantons and Seminole Agency”. About two dozen families were listed as living in the settlement of Alligator (later to become Lake City). The three Dell brothers, Simon Bennet and James were also listed as living in Alachua County near Court House and St Afee River (Santa Fe River). John Fleming was listed as living in near Wantons and Seminole Agency.