The Missing minorcans

964 Souls. Left in the Sands. Never Found.

Before the historic 1777 Minorcans march to freedom from New Smyrna to St. Augustine, 930 Catholic and 34 Greek Orthodox immigrants had perished—the first during the grueling 70-day ocean voyage from Menorca to the Province of British East Florida, and then under the harsh treatment of New Smyrna’s overseers, compounded by inadequate provisions and severe hardship.

The historical James Delaire survey of the New Smyrna Colony shows where the San Pedro chapel was located. The burials after the first year must have been at the chapel cemetery, which could be immediately behind the chapel.

Help bring these forgotten souls home to history by finding the graves where they have laid for nearly 250 years.