florida crackers gold coins

[cpt scuba]

ok here are what facts i know between 1845 and 1860 ..and after the civil war florida cow hunters as they were called rounded up cattle and drove them to punta rassa and tampa for shipment to cuba then a colony of spain .. they were paid in spanish gold and silver coin .. when i was a child of ten my great uncle showed me several coins given to him by his father he was 82 at the time and i was 10 ..it was 1970 .. i spent summers at my grandmothers farm in ft meade .. so what are the chances a least a few of these coins were lost ... or buried as was common practice with florida crackers .. is there any other florida locals out there how would like to get together this fall and do some looking ... or am i wrong about my facts

[ivan salis]

facts are right

[sphillips]

Facts are definitely correct. A good book on the history of cattle ranching thru-out the 1800's is, "Florida Cowman", by Joe A. Ackerman, jr. There were few banks in those days, and most cattlemaen didnt trust them anyway. Most hid there dold coins right on the ranch.

Good hunting!

[truckinbutch]

Another story you may run across is the one about Bone Misel (sp) . He couldn't stand prosperity ,but
it is an interesting read .

[Shortstack]

This history would spawn a lot of cache hunts, but I want to ask.............WHY do you refer to them as "crackers?"

[ivan salis]

THEY CARRIED LONG RAWHIDE WHIPS TO HERD THEIR CATTLE WITH -- and cracked them over the cows heads to steer em --if the cow moved the wrong way they "whipped" em till they turned -- they were known as "whip crackers" or just "crackers" for short

[Shortstack]

O.K. That sounds good. I wonder why muletrain operators were call Muleskinners out west. Maybe city folks thought they were skinning the mules with THEIR bullwhips.

[BuckleBoy]

This history would spawn a lot of cache hunts, but I want to ask.............WHY do you refer to them as "crackers?"

Looking for a controversy?

[ivan salis]

there is a valid historical reason why florida cattlemen were called "crackers " aka "whip crackers" --- there is also a historically valid reason -- why farmers were called "red necks" ---farmers were out in the sun all day--- since the plow's reins were draped around their necks ---their collars were often pushed down exposing their necks --and their necks were often red from being sun burnt to a crisp --thus the term "red neck"

[Shortstack]

We folks also got our necks red by just working outside, in the fields bending over chopping cotton, suckering tomatoes, hoeing peas, etc. That sun can play h... with the exposed skin.

The alternate reference to "crackers" stemmed from a very distasteful thing done with a piece of rope with a large knot tied in the end. Set fire to that knot, let it burn for a minute, then extinguish it and you had a poorman's (read that dumba$$'s) mace. Swing that thing at someone's head and....................well, that's another version of who and what a "cracker" was.

[chipveres]

Another good man to look up is Jake Summerlin. I think there is a book about his life and times.
Chip V.

[GrayCloud]

Hey Cap, contact Old Bridgendfarms. (Sorry Bridge, spelling is not my strong point) He is in your area and is one heck of a metal detector. Just be ready to work if you are going to stay up with him.

Shortstack posed a good and honest question, the only conflict was the response from buckleboy.

[BuckleBoy]

Hey Cap, contact Old Bridgendfarms. (Sorry Bridge, spelling is not my strong point) He is in your area and is one heck of a metal detector. Just be ready to work if you are going to stay up with him.

Shortstack posed a good and honest question, the only conflict was the response from buckleboy.

Stirring the pot, GrayCloud?

[Smudge]

I looked at numerous sources and there is no definite agreement on the origin of the word "cracker", though the bullwhip story is among the most popular. I guess we'll never really know.

As to the poster's original question, there is chance you might find the odd coin along the cattle trail, but the said truth is most of those cowboys entered town with empty pockets, got paid, blew it all on booze and hookers, and left town with few if any coins in their pockets.

But if you can find those old cattle trails, I say search them! Who knows what you could find.

[Mackaydon]

Muletrain operators were called muleskinners since the term “skinner” was slang for someone who might “skin” or outsmart a mule. As everyone knows, mules have a characteristic of being very stubborn so outsmarting them to make them move used skill, wit, and a type of determination.

[cpt scuba]

i am a 6 th generation fla cracker .. in my part of florida a cracker is any old time native .. and there are fewer of us every year .. as for the cracker cowboys your right they spent there hard earned money and booze and women .. and yes you might find a coin or 2 along the trail .. but i was thinking more of old homesteads ..... and cattle loading docks .. old train stations ... i know many of these have been developed .. but some are just like they were a 100 years ago

[sphillips]

Chipveres,

There is lots of info on Jake Summerlin and many of the other original Florida cowmen in the book I referenced above. Read it if you get the chance.

[GrayCloud]

Nope, I am not stirring the pot. Just wondering why you were.

[BuckleBoy]

Nope, I am not stirring the pot. Just wondering why you were.

I didn't say a word to you. You started up with the comments. Buzz off.

[GrayCloud]

Shortstack did not say a word to you either.

Don't get your pantie's in a wad. It will be okay, maybe.

Apologies to others here.