Peter George Florida
The first record we have for Peter George Florida is for his baptism in St Mary’s
Church, Radnage, Buckinghamshire on the 22nd October 1769. The record reads:
Peter George Florida negro Child of about eight years of age Oct 22
Two remarkable things are apparent from this, one that no parents are given for the
child and that he was a negro.
The next record that we have for Peter George is for his marriage to Philis Stone
which took place again in St Mary’s Church, Radnage, Buckinghamshire on the 23rd
September 1781. The record also indicates that Peter George was a “negro man of this
parish”.
The question then arises where did Peter George come from and who were his
parents. So far no records of Floridas in the parish records for Radnage prior to 1769
have been found and the fact that no parents are given in the baptismal records
suggests that at the time of his baptism Peter George was alone in the parish.
Several generations later his descendants were given to believe that there was a negro
slave in their ancestry and that the surname Florida derived from the place that the
slave originated.
The following paragraphs attempt to put together a possible scenario explaining Peter
George’s heritage.
Radnage links to Florida
The rector who baptised Peter George and conducted the marriage to Phillis Stone
was Reverend C W Tonyn (Charles William Tonyn A.B. 1767 - 1805). Reverend
Tonyn was a son of Colonel Charles William Tonyn and Jane who served with the 6th
Regiment of the Inniskilling Dragoons and was dead by 1775, however his wife
(Jane) outlived him and was buried in Radnage by her son on 26th May 1794.
The Reverend Charles William Tonyn seems to have been unusual in the family in
that he went into the church rather than following his father into a military career.
There are a number of military connections amongst his siblings. Amongst these are
John Columbine Tonyn a cavalry commandant with the East India Company in
Madras and Captain George Anthony Tonyn who took part in the capture of Quebec
with Wolfe during the seven years war. But most notorious of all was General Patrick
Tonyn who saw service with the 6th dragoons in Germany during the seven years war
and became a general in the 104th regiment. He rose to become Governor of East
Florida between 1775 and 1783 and subsequently supervised the hand over of Florida
to the Spanish before he left in 1785. So here we have a connection with Florida in the
parish of Radnage through the Tonyn family. However Patrick’s time as Governor in
East Florida post dates the baptism of Peter George Florida so there must have been
Florida connection before this.
Reverend Charles William Tonyn also had a least two sisters. There was a Mary
Magdelene Tonyn who married a Captain James Paterson of the 69th Regiment of
Foot (another military connection) and Juliana Tonyn who married Francis Levett the
younger. Francis Levett was a plantation owner in East Florida. Indications from his
will dated 1769 are that he owned plantations of 1000 acres in Julianton Inlet and St
John River as well as houses in St Augustine and 80 slaves. He was still resident in
East Florida in 1783 when plans were being made to hand the land over to the Spanish
and a survey/census at the time indicated that he planned to return to England with his
wife (Juliana nee Tonyn) and son.
Although many of the relations of the Rector (Rev Charles William Tonyn) lived
elsewhere it seems that many visited to the village and had strong connections. There
are a number of Tonyn burials in Radnage including the rector’s mother Jane (26th
May 1794) and his sisters Juliana and Mary Magdelene.
Given the circumstances it is possible that it was through Juliana and Francis Levett
that Peter George Florida came to travel to England perhaps to be taken under the care
of Juliana’s brother, Rev Charles William who later officiated as his baptism and
wedding.
Tonyn links to Peter George
As has already been mentioned the baptism of Peter George in 1769 and his wedding
in 1781 were both conducted by Charles William Tonyn, in addition the witnesses at
his wedding were both Tonyns. There was Jane Margaret Paterson who was the
daughter of his sister Mary Magdelene and Jane Lydia Tonyn who was perhaps his
mother, sister or sister-in-law. A Jane Lydia Tonyn also witnesses a wedding in Oct
1794 six months after the rector’s mother was buried so perhaps there were two Jane
Tonyn’s.
The family of Peter George’s wife to be Philis Stone were however not represented at
the wedding (is this significant? – did they not approve of the marriage?) Philis was
the daughter of John Stone a long term church warden in Radnage and a yeoman
farmer. The Stone family have been traced back many generation in Radnage and
surrounding villages and played a leading role in church affairs as a number were
church wardens. Under the circumstances there must have been a close relationship
between the Tonyns and Stones and it seems odd that they were not witnesses at the
marriage.
The church played a role in the welfare of the Florida family subsequent to the
marriage and after Peter George’s death in 1793 the two daughters of the marriage
(Elizabeth and Ann) received support too. The following table indicates that the
Floridas were frequent beneficiaries of the Radnage Poor charity, administered by the
rector (Tonyn).
Phillis Florida
Phillis Florida
Phillis Florida
Phillis Florida
Peter George Florida
Phillis Florida
Phillis Florida
Elizabeth Florida
Elizabeth Florida
Ann Florida
Ann Florida
? Florida, a spinster
1782
1783
1785
1787
1788
1790
1791
1812
1818
1809
1814
1820
½ load of wood
1 petticoat
½ load of wood
1 petticoat
½ load of wood
a load of wood
1 petticoat
3 yards of red flannel
3 yards of red flannel
3 yards flannel
flannel
a blanket
This suggests that not only were the Floridas poor (although Phillis was the daughter
of a long standing Radnage family) but also that there was a close relationship
between the family and the rector – C W Tonyn. Perhaps this strengthens the theory
that Peter George was connected in some way with the Tonyn family and they were
instrumental in bringing him to the UK.
Post script: I am greatly indebted to Caroline Hands and Bill in Radnage for sharing with me information regarding
both the Florida and Tonyn families in Radnage. I however take full responsibility for the above – mistakes and
assumptions included.
Ivor Clucas