Florida Crackers: The Pioneers
Families Who Have Been In Florida A Long Time
Most Florida Pioneers are descended from Southerners who moved down from South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama shortly before and after the U.S. Civil War ended in 1865. They are often called “Florida Crackers.”
Some of these pioneers came down by horse or mule drawn wagons. Many rode their mules or horses. An amazing number of them walked. Florida was a new chance for them after the devastation of the Civil War.
We have a feature on our website that gives the descendants of these pioneers a chance to tell us about their ancestors.