St. Augustine, Florida
December 6, 1962




Dear Jim:

In line with the recent corrections I have been
sending the Restoration regarding the publication of
the histories of certain houses under planned re-construction,
planned restoration...etc..and following the policy of my
usual outspoken explosions to the Historical Society about
the correction of such things, I want to keep you informed
of this because of your (now) official position in the
present City administration. Also I want you to keep this
in mind at all times, especially you.....because you are
the proud owher of one of rhese early Spanish houses.
Naturally, because of your position, you come into contact
with persons of prominence and could give them either the
right or the wrong impression of all these old homes.

Always use only what is factual in regard to all the
houses. Just in case that future research (translations of
Spanish documents) might re-arrange our files.

You have much to make use of in your case. You have
much more than some of the others and equal of any of the
early Spanish places. But you cannot say(nor can I) that
any one of these places is older than the other until
more information is available.

You have your digest, called "The Owners Of The Lindsley
House", by which you can swear. It is documented.
You have proof that a native family occupied the place in
1763, that the owner of the place transferred it in 1764.
You have documented proof that the owner of 1763 was a
great grandson of a former Governor of Florida. Hence as
we judge political prominence today you have a direct line
member of an official family.

Beyond that you have the reference in the List of
Ruined houses of 1702 showing that the grandfather(documented)
of the 1763 owner was (by inference) just two places from
the Governor's mansion. If in truth your present house
was the property of this Don Lorenzo Horruytiner who suffered
some damage in 1702 and listed it in 1708/09, he was quite
near the Governor's home. And a commonsense analysis of this
list shows that the appraisers were at the Plaza about this
number on the list. Also the repeated co-incidence of name
after name as compared with the persons of 1702 and the
owners of 1763 gives added proof to my words in this regard.








With reference to your genealogical background
on this family you have just about everything
one would want to make a good family basic but
this does not put the earlier members in the
present house until much more research is done.

With regard to the 1650 letter it is important
to the family set-up as it gives a reference to
Don Pedro Benedict Horruytiner and tells how he became
Governor, AND it gives little political, jealous overtones
which goes to show how highly Pedro was regarded to be
appointed Governor here. It is very possible he was
mentioned in other documents and it is very possible
he lived somewhere near if not on the site of your
property. But (now) it is not proof. It may be when
you "little dig" there, when more material comes to
light that you will have something on which to base
all this. It is your hope and certainly mine that
my expectations for this house, and others, can be
substantiated but it is not PROOF enough right now.

Especially in view of the Moore raid of 1702.
And recently my list of "Heads of Families" of 1702
who were NOT ON THE RUINED LIST. Yr-u will remember
that there were two specific mentions of "20 or 30
houses left untouched"....Here are the names of the
men who DID NOT make the list but who were here and
presumably heads of their own houses at the time.
'Ant6nio Amador
Francisco Alverti Josef Giraldo
Simon Arguelles Josef Horruytiner
Alonso de Avila Geromino Josef de Leon
Juan de Andrada Tomas Mora
Antonio de Bustos(or Castro) Diego Nunez
Jacob bantiago Briel Juan Oliva
Juan Chrisostomo Francisco Perez
Patricio Cruz Lucas de los Reyes
Bernardo Nieto de Jarvajal Juan de los Reyes
Diego Clemente Manuel Rodriguez
Antonio Diaz Juan de Rutia
Manuel Escalona Sebastian Rondon
Luis de Entonado Geronimo Regidor
Juan Guevara Nicolas Ramirez
Salvador Garcia Jose Sanchez (not Ortigosa)
Tomas Valdarama
Total...32.
Make your own conclusions. The above Josef Horruytiner
was brother of the Lorenzo in your direct family line.

Jim, you have so much. Use it well but
stress truth in all your expressions about this house
and all others.
Best Wishes,

52'










RE: Explanation of the Lindsley House research.
By: Eleanor Philips Barnes: 10/6/55


In my many years of research I can truthfully say
that nothing I have ever done has given me more
personal satisfaction than my work on the Lindsley
House.

For over 12 years I have participated in jobs of
research, classifications, dramatic presentations
revolving around the old houses and the old families
meeting countless thousands of persons during my
stay at the Historical Library. I have corrected
many legends while establishing facts more romantic
than the legends which preceded them. It has been
a rare privilege to encourage interest in San Agustin's
Historical Heritage.

From a researcher's standpoint the Lindsley House is
a "gem"i It has just about everything. Endowed with
antiquity with every angle of continuity, with proper
documents and surrounded with just the right amount of
legend, occupied by many prominent families it can
also boast an official First Family!

To properly understand the importance of this house one
must understand the various periods of Florida's history.
1st Spanish period extends from 1565-1763.
British Occupancy from 1763-1783.
The third period was called the 2nd Spanish Period to
distinguish it from the 1st. It was from 1783 until
1821 when Florida became a Territory of the United States.

There is every indication that the Lindsley House was built
prior to 1690. But since that date is the one used at the
time that coquina was released to the general public, the
category of the Lindsley house is:
FACTUAL: 1763----PROBABLE:1690----LEGENDARY:1655

The first document family was Horruytiner y Pueyo.
You will find the genealogy of this prominent family with
Coat of Arms in this book.

You will observe a digest of owners as well for quick reference.
There is, also, a list of Governors of Florida. The great
grandson of one of these Governors was the man who sold
the Lindsley House.










2....


The Maps will trace your property and the docurients will
show the change of owners. There are complete lists of
all measurements which are as accurate as the maps allow.

The deeds and abstracts take up where the Spanish Escrituras
leave off giving you a cop.plete chain. It is an established
fact the Lindsley House is a 1st Florida House dating to
the 1st Spanish occupation. Just how far beyond the 1690
date is a subject for speculation. But it has all indications
of being older and it has many good sound reasons to have been
built at a much earlier date. These things will be found as
one proceeds to read your book.

The story is simple. Spain gave Florida to England in 1763.
Juan Elixio de la Puente being comTianded to take charge
of the Spanish properties, disposed of those he could sell
and turned the rest over to one Jesse Fish and others.
By power of attorney Pedro Horruytiner transferred the house
to Puente in 1764 at which time the property was then sold
to James Henderson. Thru a succession of owners it has been
transferred documented to the present Lindsley occupants.

The first documented owner was born in San Agustin'in the
early 1700's. His father, Antonio Lorenzo Horruytiner was
born here in 1672 the year the great Castillo de San Marcos
was begun.

Don Pedro's grandfather was the eldest son of Governor Pedro
Benedict Horruytiner, and was born in San Agustin in 1645,
Governor, Don Pedro Benedict, Captain General of the Province
of Florida served from 1652-1655 and another illustrious
Governor, Luis Horruytiner, was present at his wedding in
1637. Raids, seiges, romance and pathos filled their lives
and thru them the life of the little stone house known today
as the Lindsley House.

This work was a dream, was engineered and wisely supervised
by James S. Lindsley, owner and occupant with his father's
widow, his mother, iArs. Horace Lindsley, It was my pleasure
to make his dream a reality...


Eleanor Philips Barnes.


1955