Jonathan Dickinson

Who was Jonathan Dickinson?

Jonathan Dickinson was a Quaker merchant from Port Royal, Jamaica who was shipwrecked on the southeast coast of Florida in 1696, along with his family and the other passengers and crew members of the ship.

The party was held captive by Jaega Indians for several days, and then was allowed to travel by small boat and on foot the 230 miles up the coast to Saint Augustine. The party was subjected to harassment and physical abuse at almost every step of the journey to Saint Augustine. Five members of the party died from exposure and starvation on the way.

The Spanish authorities in Saint Augustine treated the surviving members of the party well, and sent them by canoe to Charles Town, where they were able to find passage to their original destination, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.