Mayorasgo de Koka
Encyclopedia
Mayorasgo de Koka was a 35000 acres (141.6 km²) tract of land purchased by Zephaniah Kingsley
in 1837 as part of his "colonization experiment" in Haiti
. It is located in the province of Puerto Plata, in the north coast of the Dominican Republic
.
Beginning in 1828, the United States Territory of Florida's newly established legislature began passing a series of laws that progressively reduced the rights that free persons of color enjoyed under Spanish Florida
. After failed attempts at stopping these laws through politics and advocacy, Kingsley moved his mixed-race family—as well as a total of 53 former slaves which he freed from his plantations in Florida—to the estate. There they were guaranteed equality by the laws of the Republic of Haiti, the first independent country in the world established by former African slaves. Anna Kingsley
lived here from 1838 to 1846, when she returned to Florida.
The economy of the estate was mostly agricultural and included some mahogany logging. However, as the number of Kingsley descendants grew, they turned to cattle grazing and further divided the property into smaller tracts of land. Some descendants moved to urban areas and gradually lost control of the land to peasant farmers. Today, some descendants of Zephaniah Kingsley as well as of his former Florida slaves still live in the area. The village of Cabaret is today the windsurfing tourist town of Cabarete
.
Zephaniah Kingsley
Zephaniah Kingsley, Jr. was a plantation owner, slave trader, and merchant who built several plantations in the Spanish colony of Florida in what is now Jacksonville...
in 1837 as part of his "colonization experiment" in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. It is located in the province of Puerto Plata, in the north coast of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Beginning in 1828, the United States Territory of Florida's newly established legislature began passing a series of laws that progressively reduced the rights that free persons of color enjoyed under Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
. After failed attempts at stopping these laws through politics and advocacy, Kingsley moved his mixed-race family—as well as a total of 53 former slaves which he freed from his plantations in Florida—to the estate. There they were guaranteed equality by the laws of the Republic of Haiti, the first independent country in the world established by former African slaves. Anna Kingsley
Anna Kingsley
Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley was a West African slave turned slaveholder and plantation owner in early 19th century Florida. At 13 years old, she was captured and sent to Cuba where she was purchased by and married to Zephaniah Kingsley, a slave trader and plantation owner. They had four children...
lived here from 1838 to 1846, when she returned to Florida.
The economy of the estate was mostly agricultural and included some mahogany logging. However, as the number of Kingsley descendants grew, they turned to cattle grazing and further divided the property into smaller tracts of land. Some descendants moved to urban areas and gradually lost control of the land to peasant farmers. Today, some descendants of Zephaniah Kingsley as well as of his former Florida slaves still live in the area. The village of Cabaret is today the windsurfing tourist town of Cabarete
Cabarete
Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic, noted for its tourism and beaches. It was founded in 1835 by Zephaniah Kingsley along with his mixed-race family, and 53 slaves he freed from his Florida plantations and brought here while the island was under Haitian...
.