Minorcan Voices brings to light one of America's most overlooked chapters: the story of the 1,403 Mediterranean men, women and children who came to British East Florida in 1768 with hopes of land and freedom. Instead, they endured nine years of brutal labor, disease, and loss on Dr. Andrew Turnbull's indigo colony that today is New Smyrna Beach, Florida. 964 of the Minorcans died and were buried there and not a single grave has ever been found. Blending rigorous research with moving historical fiction, Robert P. Jones restores dignity to the Menorcan, Greek, Italian and Corsican families whose resilience shaped Florida's early history. Their journey-from betrayal and suffering to their courageous 1777 seventy mile walk to St. Augustine-reveals a people sustained by faith, family, and hope. Powerful and unforgettable, Minorcan Voices gives life to those silenced by time and honors a community whose legacy still endures today.
