The United States acquired the Florida Territory from Spain in 1821, and with that event settlers began pouring over the border. However, most of them didn't venture very far. The Florida Armed Occupation Act of 1842 provided settlers willing to move further south down the peninsula 160 acres in exchange for their armed defense and cultivation of the area. The AOA was instrumental in helping Florida achieve statehood just three years later in 1845. In today's episode, we examine a group of pioneers who applied for land under the act and moved into the present day Ft. Pierce area where they found early success followed by betrayal and bloodshed on the banks of the Indian River.
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