Friday, 20 October 2023

Emigré tales from Florida

According to a post on a local history blog, "folklore claims" that the neighbourhood of Moncrief in Jacksonville, Florida is named after a certain French pawnbroker who fled there during the French Revolution, with Marie-Antoinette's diamonds.

Sadly the story of Eugene Moncrief  and his escapades is pure fiction. The tale first appeared in a Florida newspaper in 1874 and can be confidently attributed to Washington Irving.  [I wonder who the district is actually named after?]

THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s Moncrief neighborhood - Jacksonville Today (jaxtoday.org)

Crackers & Carpetbaggers:  Moments in the History of Jacksonville, Florida  - Google Books

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