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History of Terra's Key (also known as Tea Table Key)
By Jerry Wilkinson

The author has very little documented information of Tea Table Key and solicits additional input from readers. To provide assistance, please contact us. First to assist readers not certain of the location of Tea Table Key, the above is excerpted from a 1968 navigation chart. Much of the island's documented history was its role in the Second Seminole War (1835-1842); therefore, a review of this war.

The war began in December 1835 with an attack of troops being led from Tampa to Ocala by Major Francis Dade, the namesake of Dade County. The first recorded action for South Florida in January 1816 was the slaughter of the William Cooley family in the Fort Lauderdale area. The reaction was an estimated 200 people fled the area to Indian Key and Key West. The next incident was the attack on the Cape Florida Lighthouse in July 1836 resulting in the killing of the assistant lightkeeper and the burning of inside of the lighthouse. Captain Jacob Housman then organized a unit of the volunteer Florida Militia on Indian Key. The following year, the third major incident was the killing of Captain John Whalton, the lightship keeper at Carysfort Reef, and one crewman on Key Largo in June 1937. One could conclude that the war was now in the Keys.

General Zachary Taylor, the commanding General of the Florida War, assigned two navy ships, the Madison and the Campbell to cruise the Keys in June 1838. In December 1838 Lt. Coste, the commander of the Campbell, wrote the Secretary of the Navy, James Paulding, that he had established his headquarters at Tea Table Key and had named if Fort Paulding. No one knows how pleased the Secretary would have been had he known that the fort bearing his name was a 3.55 acre mangrove island with two post coconut thatch-roof structures; however, that's the way it was. By far the majority of future log book entries referred to it as Tea Table Key and only a few as Fort Paulding.

Before I continue, new information has shown up that Tea Table Key was already owned by Indian Key personnel and being farmed by Lemuel Otis. Copies of the legal confrontation that ensued has been requested and will be posted as revisions to this page as soon as received.

The fort evidently expanded to more than two structures. Not much is known of these; however, Lt. Coste was accused of using military personnel to build him a personal home. The following is a transcription of a letter from the Office of the Revenue Cutters: "Key West, November 10, 1839 — I certify that Lt. Coste while in command of the USRC [United States Revenue Cutter] Campbell, I being acting 1st Lt. under his command and at all times present whenever any men were employed on Tea Table Key and no men were ordered by me or Lt. Coste to work on his house, or the contrary he frequently instructed me not to permit any of the crew to assist at his individual property but that at several times part of the crew belong to the vessels were employed constructing a palmetto house, the frame of which was brought from Cape Florida to Tea Table Key (the fact of which the Department was advised) which houses was intended for boat and store houses where provisions were stored when brought up and boats stored for repairs — Nor were the carpenter of the crew of the USRC Campbell employed.

"VR
"John Faunce"

Other letters exist from Key West civilians attesting to the purchasing of materials, hiring and payment from a private account of Lt. Coste of civilian personnel to work on Lt. Coste's house.

When Lt. McLaughlin was made commander of the military forces in the Keys he made Tea Table Key his headquarters. After the Indian Key raid of August 7, 1840, McLaughlin leased the remains of Indian Key for his headquarters. Many believe that Tea Table Key was vacated and everyone moved to Indian Key. Documentation reveals that this is not totally true. From the log of the Flirt commanded by Lt. McLaughlin: "November 17 [1841] — Drilled men at small arms at Tea Table Key." Perhaps, just the drill field and flagstaff remained.

During the attack of Indian Key in August 1840, Midshipman Murray attempted to attack the maundering Indians using some ill servicemen and a cannon that failed. Below is a letter he sent to his boss, Lt. McLaughlin.

"Lieut. Comd.
J.T. McLaughlin
Key Biscayno
; Tea Table Key
; August 7th 1840

"Sir,
I have the honor to report that Indian Key was last night taken by the Indians, — of which fact I was appraised from the Medium at daylight this morning, our force here consisted of five men, with whom joined to seven or eight of the sick, who volunteered readily, but were too weak to be of much service, I started for the key; — at first, with the intention of landing, which however was opposed by the enemy who had taken refuge in every house, and opened a heavy fire which fell thick around us, striking our boats, & wounding one man severely and dangerously in the thigh. They appeared also in great numbers on the beach, yelling and firing, which firing we returned with three discharges of our four pounders, in the Barges. At the third discharge, being obliged to fire them athwart ships, our guns rebounded overboard; being deprived of the means of cutting off their retreat, I returned to Tea Table Key, to make preparations for the attack which I think more than probable it is their intention to make upon us; being assured, that our amount of force, and means, rendered us of no assistance to the inhabitants of Indian Key, if any survived, which is not to be supposed.

"The families of Messrs Housman and Howe & two Seamen have alone escaped. I have the honor to be — Sir, Very Respectfully,

(Signed) Francis Key Murray
Mid, U.S.N.

"P. S. The Indian force at the lowest estimate judging from the number of Canoes is fifty or sixty, I am obliged to write in great haste. The Indians used the long guns on the Key firing them at us repeatedly with good aim."

To read more military letters of the time period, CLICK HERE

At the present the island is a private residence connected by a causeway from highway US-1 at about MM 79.3.



	History of Terra's Key (also known as Tea Table Key) By Jerry Wilkinson The author has very little documented information of Tea Table Key and solicits additional input from readers. To provide assistance, please contact us. First to assist readers not certain of the location of Tea Table Key, the above is excerpted from a 1968 navigation chart. Much of the island's documented history was its role in the Second Seminole War (1835-1842); therefore, a review of this war. The war began in December 1835 with an attack of troops being led from Tampa to Ocala by Major Francis Dade, the namesake of Dade County. The first recorded action for South Florida in January 1816 was the slaughter of the William Cooley family in the Fort Lauderdale area. The reaction was an estimated 200 people fled the area to Indian Key and Key West. The next incident was the attack on the Cape Florida Lighthouse in July 1836 resulting in the killing of the assistant lightkeeper and the burning of inside of the lighthouse. Captain Jacob Housman then organized a unit of the volunteer Florida Militia on Indian Key. The following year, the third major incident was the killing of Captain John Whalton, the lightship keeper at Carysfort Reef, and one crewman on Key Largo in June 1937. One could conclude that the war was now in the Keys. General Zachary Taylor, the commanding General of the Florida War, assigned two navy ships, the Madison and the Campbell to cruise the Keys in June 1838. In December 1838 Lt. Coste, the commander of the Campbell, wrote the Secretary of the Navy, James Paulding, that he had established his headquarters at Tea Table Key and had named if Fort Paulding. No one knows how pleased the Secretary would have been had he known that the fort bearing his name was a 3.55 acre mangrove island with two post coconut thatch-roof structures; however, that's the way it was. By far the majority of future log book entries referred to it as Tea Table Key and only a few as Fort Paulding. Before I continue, new information has shown up that Tea Table Key was already owned by Indian Key personnel and being farmed by Lemuel Otis. Copies of the legal confrontation that ensued has been requested and will be posted as revisions to this page as soon as received. The fort evidently expanded to more than two structures. Not much is known of these; however, Lt. Coste was accused of using military personnel to build him a personal home. The following is a transcription of a letter from the Office of the Revenue Cutters: "Key West, November 10, 1839 — I certify that Lt. Coste while in command of the USRC [United States Revenue Cutter] Campbell, I being acting 1st Lt. under his command and at all times present whenever any men were employed on Tea Table Key and no men were ordered by me or Lt. Coste to work on his house, or the contrary he frequently instructed me not to permit any of the crew to assist at his individual property but that at several times part of the crew belong to the vessels were employed constructing a palmetto house, the frame of which was brought from Cape Florida to Tea Table Key (the fact of which the Department was advised) which houses was intended for boat and store houses where provisions were stored when brought up and boats stored for repairs — Nor were the carpenter of the crew of the USRC Campbell employed. "VR "John Faunce" Other letters exist from Key West civilians attesting to the purchasing of materials, hiring and payment from a private account of Lt. Coste of civilian personnel to work on Lt. Coste's house. When Lt. McLaughlin was made commander of the military forces in the Keys he made Tea Table Key his headquarters. After the Indian Key raid of August 7, 1840, McLaughlin leased the remains of Indian Key for his headquarters. Many believe that Tea Table Key was vacated and everyone moved to Indian Key. Documentation reveals that this is not totally true. From the log of the Flirt commanded by Lt. McLaughlin: "November 17 [1841] — Drilled men at small arms at Tea Table Key." Perhaps, just the drill field and flagstaff remained. During the attack of Indian Key in August 1840, Midshipman Murray attempted to attack the maundering Indians using some ill servicemen and a cannon that failed. Below is a letter he sent to his boss, Lt. McLaughlin. "Lieut. Comd. J.T. McLaughlin Key Biscayno ; Tea Table Key ; August 7th 1840 "Sir, I have the honor to report that Indian Key was last night taken by the Indians, — of which fact I was appraised from the Medium at daylight this morning, our force here consisted of five men, with whom joined to seven or eight of the sick, who volunteered readily, but were too weak to be of much service, I started for the key; — at first, with the intention of landing, which however was opposed by the enemy who had taken refuge in every house, and opened a heavy fire which fell thick around us, striking our boats, & wounding one man severely and dangerously in the thigh. They appeared also in great numbers on the beach, yelling and firing, which firing we returned with three discharges of our four pounders, in the Barges. At the third discharge, being obliged to fire them athwart ships, our guns rebounded overboard; being deprived of the means of cutting off their retreat, I returned to Tea Table Key, to make preparations for the attack which I think more than probable it is their intention to make upon us; being assured, that our amount of force, and means, rendered us of no assistance to the inhabitants of Indian Key, if any survived, which is not to be supposed. "The families of Messrs Housman and Howe & two Seamen have alone escaped. I have the honor to be — Sir, Very Respectfully, (Signed) Francis Key Murray Mid, U.S.N. "P. S. The Indian force at the lowest estimate judging from the number of Canoes is fifty or sixty, I am obliged to write in great haste. The Indians used the long guns on the Key firing them at us repeatedly with good aim." To read more military letters of the time period, CLICK HERE At the present the island is a private residence connected by a causeway from highway US-1 at about MM 79.3.
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