I received an E-mail from Ken Clark of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper concerning our organization. Below is a copy of the message he sent:

Hello,
This is Ken Clarke at the Orlando Sentinel. I left a phone mail message but I thought I'd try this too, just to cover all my bases.

I would love to talk to someone about Los Floridanos, possibly for a newspaper story. Three or four years ago, I heard about the Solanos and Sanchezes, and thought their story of longevity sounded intriguing.

I was delighted to find that they had a web site. Send me an e-mail with a phone number and the best time to call that would be great.

Sincerely,

Ken Clarke

My response to Ken:

Ken,

Solana
The first Solana was Alonso Solana, a native of the village of San Martinde de Valde Iglesias near the city of Toledo, Spain. He moved to Florida early in his life, and during his seventy-five years stationed at the presidio of St. Augustine, had worked his way up from basic soldier to sergeant major, all the while establishing one of St. Augustine's most prolific and widely connected family.

A Solana served as governmental escribano for a large part of Spanish Florida's history. The Solana family was considered if not the most prestigious in St. Augustine, they certainly ranked among the town's elite. (Per R. L. Kapitzke, Religion, Power, and, Politics in Colonial St. Augustine).

The first Cathedral record that mentions Alonso is a marriage record on 5/20/1619 to Francisca Perez, who was born in St. Augustine on 10/04/1601. The parish records from 1565 to 1594 are not available.

Alonso's direct descendant, Manuel Lorenzo Solana, born in 1740, was one of the eight Floridanos left to handle transactions with the incoming British in 1764. He is the Solana's claim to "Oldest European Family in North America" and "Florida's Oldest European Family". His house on Charlotte Street is the 7th Oldest house in the state and is now a bed and breakfast.

Solana descendents also helped supervise the building of the mighty Castillo de San Marco. The first Manual Solana was Deputy Governor of Apalachee and fought the English there in 1704. Juan Joseph Solana served as parish priest.

Alonso de Leturiondo (mother was Maria Solana) was a parish priest from 1686 - 1702. His brother also served as joint parish priest during the last 3 years of this period.

Sanchez
The first Sanchez was Joseph Ortigosa Sanchez, another Spanish soldier (1713). He came from Rhonda, Spain and married another local Perez girl who had deep family roots in Florida, like the Solana's.

Francisco Xavier Sanchez was the Sanchez descendant that remained behind in 1764. He became a very wealthy and influential man during the British Period and later during the Second Spanish Period. He owned vast lands in the Palm Valley area and St. Johns county which included Duval county at that time.

He supplied St. Augustine with beef and firewood, as well as trading with the English-Americans in Savannah and Charleston and with the Seminole Indians in the interior. His escapades kept the British Governor in an uproar and at times was outlawed. He was quite a character.

This branch of the family boasts a Spanish Governor, the first Sheriff of St. Johns County, and a St. Augustine Mayor.

I'm attaching other stories so that you can get an idea of the information we have. There's still a lot that isn't here but we'll be glad to furnish anything you need.

Thanks for your interest.
Linda B. Brown