The Scots of Merritt's Island - Part 1: Scots coming to MI, the Mitchell bros.

Indianola, Merritt’s Island, was founded by brothers JR and Sam Field in 1868. Like themselves, many of their confederate brothers from Georgia and South Carolina soon followed.1868 was the year when those who had taken up arms against the United States were allowed to own land again. This portion of Merritt Island was also known for its Scottish population, who began arriving in the 1880s.

The Mitchell brothers arrived in Florida from Glasgow in 1883 at the request of their sister. She had married and moved to Palatka, FL, where her husband passed away. Desperate to return home, she asked her brothers, James and Thomas, for their assistance. The brothers liked Florida so much, they stayed and settled in Indianola. In an article written by, no really, Woden, God of Saxon, in 1888, entitled, Beautiful Merritt’s Island, the Mitchell brothers are mentioned, ‘they have between three hundred and four hundred orange trees set out, and expect to locate a small settlement of Scotch friends in their immediate neighborhood in the near future.’ The Scotch colony was soon founded. Following the Mitchells to Florida were friends from home, the Nisbets and the Grants, among others.

We are pleased to have in our collection a copy of the letter James wrote to David St. Clair Nisbet in 1886, encouraging him and his cousin, RSS Grant (Robert Simson Stevenson) to pack their tools and clothes and head to Indianola, Merritt’s Island, Florida.

RSS Grant (Robert Simson Stevenson), son-in-law of JR Field. Photo courtesy of Field Manor Foundation.