You're Invited to Join the Florida Project

Question

The Florida Project Seeks Volunteers to Celebrate the Sunshine State

Florida holds a unique place in American history as the only state where five flags have flown: Spain, France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Confederate States. This layered past offers a rich tapestry of stories waiting to be unraveled, making Florida's genealogical landscape as diverse and vibrant as the state itself.

Whether you're a descendant of the original Native American inhabitants, the Spanish Conquistadors, French or British settlers, enslaved people of African descent, Cuban refugees, or a curious onlooker drawn to the allure of the Sunshine State, we invite you to be a part of The Florida Project.

Our mission is to connect profiles, add sources, document notables, survey cemeteries, and research all Floridians. We aim to explore the imprints left by the five flags, shedding light on the lesser-known aspects of Florida's multifaceted past.

We believe that every individual has a story, and these stories weave together to form the larger narrative of Florida's history. Join us as we delve deep into the genealogical tapestry of Florida, illuminating the state's history one story at a time. Let's explore, connect, and share the captivating tales of the only state in America to have had five flags flown over it.

If you are a WikiTree member who would like to help, do the following:

1. Sign WikiTree's Honor Code. 
2. Introduce yourself by answering this post. (Please post an answer, not a comment.) Tell us about your interests in Florida and we will get you a United States badge.
3. Add FLORIDA to your followed tags, as well as tags for any special topics that you are focusing on.

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The Florida Project is under the umbrella of the United States Project.
 

Answer 1

How exciting, I would love to be included in the Florida Project. I do not live there but have many relatives who do. I feel it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the people who lived and worked there.

Comments

We would love to have you join us!

Make sure you follow the Florida tag!

Answer 2

Well, my family don't seem to be Florida Pioneers having moved here during or right after the Civil War from the Carolinas.  Sounds like fun.

Comments

Welcome to the project!

Answer 3

Hello, Charles here and I'd like to join the Florida Project.  My father was born and raised in Winter Haven... my paternal ancestral roots are mainly Polk, Wakulla, Leon, and Duval counties, but all over Florida.

Thanks

Comments

Welcome to the project!

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Thank you Tricia! 

Answer 4

My Florida Pioneer Families include Pittman (Pitman) and Silcox. They are in North Florida and Northwest Florida from the early 1800s. I currently live in Pensacola, Escambia County. Please add me to the project.

Comments

Welcome to the project!

Answer 5

Oooo! Me me me!!! I’m a 5th gen Floridian, on both sides, with roots in the Panhandle. While my paternal GGrandma was a native Floridian her husband was a Swede. They lived in Ferry Pass, Escambia county, and had a dairy farm. My maternal grandmother was from Marietta and she married Willard Lee who ran Lee’s Coach from Apalatchicola to Panama City. That eventually became part of Greyhound. I would love to find connections to Florida Pioneers.

In addition my daughter (6th gen,) just got her BA in history with minors in Fl history and archaeology. She’s currently working for the Space Force digging up Florida’s space history and in finding cemeteries on base that have been swallowed by the swamp. She plans to go for her masters in 2024.

Comments

Welcome to the project!

Answer 6

I would love to be a part of this project. I have been working for a few months to add my husband's maternal ancestors from Florida to WT.

Comments

Welcome to the project.

We love having new team members (and profiles!)

Answer 7

I'm from Florida, born and raised - as was my children, my parents, my grandmother, and her mother. So was my husband, his father and his parents. He is a descendant of Native Americans. What is involved in this project?

Comments

The idea is to build out and improve upon the Florida profiles. There are many ways to contribute to the project. You can work on improving unsourced profiles, you can write bio for profiles that have sources, or you can take on adding profiles.

Some folks like to enter profiles around a topic (cemetery, census area, etc). Others like to help build out the county pages to show others where resources exist or add some history. Learn more at the Florida Project homepage.

Right now we have close to 3,000 unsourced profiles so finding sources for those would be helpful (and its fun to do the research).

Answer 8

I have been added to the United States Project and I'd like to help out on the Florida Project.   Thank you!

Comments

Excellent! We could use your help. Learn more at the Florida Project homepage.

Answer 9

Hi. I’ve got several generations of Floridians on my paternal side; Bauknight, McGahagin. Mostly around Marion and Alachua Counties. Does Micanopy need a mention?

Answer 10

I am descended from several Florida pioneer ancestors. I wish to be part of this project.

Answer 11

Hello, I am 5th generation Floridian. My interest is primarily in Gadsden, Liberty, Leon, & Wakulla counties. Ancestral surnames in Florida: Durrance, Langston, McMillian, Pigott, Revell, Sasser, Strickland, & Whaley. Happy to help with other Florida profiles along the way.

Answer 12

Hello, I am a native Floridian. As well, I have Florida Pioneers in my family. Also, I have an aspiring interest to be included in The Florida Project!

Comments

Welcome!

There's lots of opportunities to make it better - you can add people to cemeteries or even help orphaned Floridians.

Thanks!

Answer 13

Hi, I was born in Florida. One of my 3d great grandfathers moved to Florida before statehood, and his daughter, my great-great grandmother, was born there. I moved away, but my sister's grandchildren are 7th generation Floridians. I'm happy to follow this project.

Answer 14

I would like to be added to the Florida project. Over the last few months I've been helping to organize a project that focuses on creating profiles for community members who were originally buried between 1909 and 1954 in one of the two now erased Black Pinellas County cemeteries (St Matthew and North Greenwood) that were referenced on death certificates with the derogatory term 'Clearwater Colored Cemetery'. By the end of the 3C project we anticipate adding about 900 new US Black Heritage profiles to WikiTree that honor those individuals, hopefully all with links between them as well as to as many of their extended family members as we can identify.

Answer 15

Hello all!  Thanks for the invite.  I am a Florida Native born in Tampa.  My Ancestry roots go back to 1872 with pioneers coming via wagon train from Alabama.  I also have roots back to Cuba, Spain, and Italy around 1890.  I am very excited to join the Florida Project.

Answer 16

Hello everyone,

My Mother Louise Lynch Brosier was born in Winter Haven and my parents were married there.

Both my parents went to Fort Myers High School. My Grandmother (Father’s side) taught elementary school in Fort Myers.

I was born in Virginia but moved to Cocoa Beach when I was two.

I live in Alabama now but Florida will always be home.