Anyone know anything about this Florida land purchase, where it was located, or how to research it?

Question

A newspaper article appeared in the Miami News (Miami, Florida), 29 Jul 1913, Tue, Page 3, entitled "Heirs of William Carey sold acreage to E F Holmes for $1000," stating that: "Margaret Carey, Gertrude Higgs, Emma Albury, Ida Lones, Nettie Boll, and William H Carey, sole heirs of William H Carey, of Monroe County, Florida, to E. F. Holmes for a consideration of $1000: lot 1 of section 35, and lots 3 and 4 of section 36, township 57, south of range 41 east and containing 129.13 acres."

The widow Margaret and her husband, William Carey, were born in the Bahamas and immigrated about 1876 to Key West.  I am very intrigued by this large amount of land and where it is.  After trying to research it appears to be somewhere in Miami-Dade County, possibly around Cutler and/or the Miami airport.  Had no idea my ancestors owned this much land. The son, William H Carey, is my great grandfather, who married his cousin Elizabeth Carey (maiden name).

Anyone know anything about this land deal or where it was or how to research it?

Carolyn Martin
Researching Bahamian lines: Carey, Morton, Knowles, Thompson, Culmer

Answer 1

You are lucky in that you have section and lot information, which means that the parcels can be identified.

The real estate records for Monroe County, Florida are apparently available through the court of the circuit court:

https://www.clerk-of-the-court.com/other/officialrecords.html

The website talks about online access, but I got an error message when I hit the link.  Also, older records are often not online in many places.

We occasionally need access to records in counties to which we can't physically go (albeit not in Florida) and, when we do, we'll either call the government office or call a local title company.  We've had good luck over the years - most people are nice and, if you call and ask for help, you'll sometimes get the help, If they have to do research or you want copies, they'll sometimes ask for fee but you can ask them about that when you call them.

Hope it helps.

P.S.  I looked to see if I could find a map that showed sections and lots in Monroe County, but did not have luck online. 

Answer 2

I’m not sure how to research land purchases, but Monroe County, FL, section 36 appears to be on Stock Island, Key West, Florida. A Monroe County Plat Book would show you exactly where the lots are.

Answer 3

Thanks, everyone, for your input.  A  Carl-Henry Geschwind  messaged me privately and told me the land parcel was on Elliott Island, which is now uninhabited and part of the Biscayne National Park.

Interestingly, I found another newspaper article that stated a tidal wave hit Elliott Key in 1906.  It mentions a William Carey, along with his wife and 5 children, who escaped by a small boat to the mainland when his house was overturned.  Not sure if it is the same William but quite coincidental, if not. All records I have found indicated my family lived on Key West.  But perhaps for a time they were on Elliott Key.

Update:  Someone from my Bahamas Geneology Group sent me an article on the Sweeting Homestead on Elliott Key.  In that article it mentioned the school house and who the kids were that attended there in 1896.  William and Margaret's two grandchildren, Flossie and Roland Albury, were among the names listed!!!  So I guess the family was living there at least for a while.