In 1970, fishing guide Lancelot Jones and his sister-in-law sold more than 277 Florida island acres to the National Park Service for $1.2 million; Jones kept the right to live in his family home

Stories of historic places often reveal how families built lives, businesses, and communities over generations. The history of the Jones family in the islands that are now part of Biscayne National Park offers an especially notable example of perseverance, entrepreneurship, family heritage, and preservation.

The Jones Family and Porgy Key

For almost a century, the Jones family lived and prospered on Porgy Key and other islands at the southern end of what is currently Biscayne National Park. Israel Lafayette Jones, also called as Israel “Parson” Jones, purchased Porgy Key in 1897 for $300.

Porgy Key became both the family's home and the center of its agricultural activities. Israel Jones grew fruits and vegetables for his family while also cultivating pineapples and key limes as commercial crops.


His family's success was especially remarkable given the challenges African-Americans in the South experienced during the early 20th century. What started as a $300 investment eventually became part of a property transaction worth over million dollars almost a century after the family initially established itself there.

Expansion to Totten Key

A deadly storm forced several pineapple farmers to leave their properties. Following this disruption, Israel Jones bought Totten Key and expanded his key lime production with assistance from his sons.

The family's activities eventually extended across the two keys that are now connected with the Jones Family Historic District: Porgy Key and Totten Key. Porgy Key contained the family home and agricultural enterprises, while the family's work also expanded onto Totten Key.

Lancelot Jones and His Life as a Fishing Guide

A later generation of the family included Lancelot Jones, who became a fishing guide in the area. During the 1940s and 1950s, he fished with many notable figures, including Herbert Hoover, Lyndon Johnson, Bebe Rebozo, and Richard Nixon.

Lancelot was also hired as a guide by several of the wealthy and influential friends who visited the place before it became a national park. His work associated him with prominent visitors while he continued his family's long connection with the islands.

The 1970 Sale to the National Park Service

In 1970, descendants of Israel Jones, including Lancelot Jones and his sister-in-law Kathleen, sold their share of the island to the National Park Service. The decision was motivated in part by their belief that the area should be preserved.

The property involved over 277 acres, and the National Park Service paid $1.2 million for the land. Despite the sale, Lancelot Jones retained the right to live out his remaining years in the family's home.

The transaction marked a significant transition in the history of the Jones family property, connecting a family's generations-long presence on the islands with the preservation of the region as part of the national park.

The Jones Family Historic District

The Jones family's history later received formal recognition. The Jones Family Historic District, which includes the former home and farm of Israel Lafayette Jones and his family, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 2013.

The district includes historic resources located on two separate keys, Porgy Key and Totten Key. Its designation positioned the area on the official national list of historic places considered worthy of preservation.

Park Superintendent Brian Carlstrom highlighted the significance of the family's story, stating, “The inspiring story of the Jones family is the impetus behind this historic district and partly why Biscayne National Park was featured in the 'America's Best Idea' series by Ken Burns.”

Carlstrom also explained the designation as “a very significant accomplishment and great news for the park and its neighbors.”

A Legacy of Preservation

The history of the Jones family combines family settlement, agriculture, fishing, property ownership, and preservation. From Israel Jones's original $300 purchase of Porgy Key to the later $1.2 million sale of more than 277 acres, the family's connection to the islands continued across generations.

The National Register of Historic Places, established under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, forms part of a national program intended to coordinate and support public and private attempts to identify,analyze , and protect America's historic and archaeological resources.

The Jones Family Historic District therefore preserves more than a physical location. Its designation recognizes the history of a family whose life and work became an enduring part of the islands now associated with Biscayne National Park.

Source: National Park Service

FAQs:

Q1. Who was Israel Lafayette Jones?

Israel Lafayette Jones, also known as Israel “Parson” Jones, was an early member of the Jones family associated with Porgy Key. He purchased the island in 1897.

Q2. What did the Jones family do on Porgy Key?

The family maintained a home and agricultural enterprises on Porgy Key. Israel Jones grew fruits and vegetables for his family and cultivated pineapples and key limes as businesses.