John Innerarity Jr The brothers, James and John Innerarity, shared an extraordinary life as merchants on the Gulf Coast of America. Although James lived in Mobile, and John lived in Pensacola, they shared a life long devotion to each other as evidenced by their many letters which are now collected in the Pace Library of the University of West Florida. The letters show the business ventures and failures; family joys and strains; personal, financial and medical problems; and the enduring affection between the two. John Innerarity, Jr. was born on November 11, 1783 in Aberdeen, Scotland. John Inverarity, Tanner, & Henrietta Panton, his Wife had a Son born, named John; baptized by the Revd. Mr. James Sheriffs, Robert Duncan, Senr .& John Ross, Merchants here, Witnesses. The family probably moved to England a short time after his birth. James Innerarity wrote a letter to his brother in 1841 in which he described the differences between them. He said that while he had been born and raised in Scotland, John had been raised and educated in the Capital of England. (2) John's obituary in the New Orleans Bee refers to his being born in Scotland and educated in Great Britain. (3) One could speculate that the family moved to London because their father, John Innerarity, Sr. I was working there as a merchant. By June of 1792 when John Jr. was 11 years old, his father John Sr. was working for his brother-in-law's firm, Panton, Leslie and Company, in Florida. When he was eighteen years old, as his father and brother before him, he travelled to Pensacola, Florida to join Panton, Leslie and Company which was the firm of his recently deceased uncle William Panton. When John Forbes and Company succeeded Panton, Leslie and Company, John assumed control of the Pensacola office. In the midst of the political uncertainty of the War of 1812, John and his brother James sought Spanish citizenship. In his application John gave information about arrival in Florida and his marriage. (5) May it please Your Excellency John Innerarity, a native of Scotland, resident and merchant of this Town respectfully represents to Your Excellency, that in the month of January 1802 he arrived here at the solicitation of his maternal uncle Mr. William Panton for the purpose of serving him to the Commercial House which he established in this Province under the Royal Sanction for the Indian Trade, and which is now carried on under the firm of Mister Forbes and Company, and that in October 1806 he was married to Dona Victoria De Villiers the lawful daughter of Don Marcos De Villiers, Captain of the Regiment of Louisiana by which marriage he has three children baptized in this parish, and it was ever his desire to become a naturalized Spanish, which the occurrences in Spain since the commencement of the year 1808 rendered very difficult, but now that the political Constitution of the Monarchy has been established, and that this privilege is now within his reach . John married into the distinguished De Villiers family. The Pace Library has letters that John wrote to Victoria in French. Their children were Maria Henrietta Innerarity who married Henry Wilson, Melanie Innerarity who married Dr. Isaac Hulse, Victoria Innerarity who married her cousin William Panton Innerarity, Henry Innerarity and Albert Innerarity. In 1821 Andrew Jackson appointed John as an alderman of Pensacola also served as the French consul. Sometime after the death of his uncle, William Panton, John moved into the elaborate Panton house. On September 24, 1848 a fire destroyed the house. Johns son-in-Iaw, Dr. Isaac Hulse, supervised the conversion of the company warehouse into a new house. It was 3 stories in height. A picture of the house survives, (See Picture Panton House) although it was destroyed in 1915. (6) The structure in the foreground is the kitchen from the Panton house. This large house was not just for John and Victoria Inneraity. It was also the home of their children and grandchildren. John's daughter Victorine was married to his nephew William Panton Innerarity They had lived in Cuba on the sugar plantation La Heloisa, but William's brother, Santiago Innerarity, had taken over the operations of the estate and William and Victorine moved back to Pensacola. William's notebook shows that they were living in Pensacola in 1843. (7) The 1850 U.S. census of Escambia County shows three families living in the new house; John and Victoria, the William Panton Innerarity family, and the Henry wilson family. John's daughter Henrietta was married to Henry Wilson and they had seven children. William and Victorine had five children. Thus, seven adults and twelve children were living in the house in 1850. The census also indicated that John's profession was Consul, he had real estate valued at $10,000, and John and Victoria were both 68 years old. (8) When John Innerarity died he was 70 years old. The appraisal of his personal estate gives evidence of his life at the end. (9) His possessions seem modest but comfortable. I will speculate on the furnishings of his house using the appraisal of his personal estate as a source. In the living and dining rooms were an old sofa, 3 folding tables with an extension table, 8 chairs, and a side board. On the side board were 2 white pitchers, 3 empty decanters, a soda fount, a large tray and three small ones, and a silver liquor stand with 3 blue bottles. A complete liquor stand stood by. The downstairs was lit by 5 chandeliers, one lamp, a lamp with a shade, and 2 candle sticks. There were 2 fireplaces as there were 2 stands with tongs, shovels and pokers as well as 2 spittoons. He had both a clock and an hourglass. The walls were decorated with 7 engravings. One bureau and bookcase contained his extensive library. One's books might tell all. He owned 19 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britanica. There were dictionaries and grammars in English, French, and Spanish. He had histories and travel books of England, Scotland, New Spain, Switzerland, Malta, and the East Indies. There were several medical books including Day on the Diseases of Old Age. He enjoyed literature and poetry anthologies in both English and French including Scott's Poetical Works in 6 volumes. There was 6 volumes of the Works of Homer, Gibbon's Roman Empire, and a History of Charles V. My favorite book of his was Don Ouixote. There was an old pianoforte valued at $1.00. The bed stead was upstairs. There were also worn chairs, a globe lamp, a lantern, and tables. He had one wine safe. He used a silver headed walking cane and a razor and strop. The total amount of Gold, Silver, and Bank Notes was $2,814.12. His total personal estate was valued at $18,360.47. There may have been more real estate. The value of his household goods and library was about $300. Over $15,200 of his estate were slaves who are named here. Nancy aged 55 Nelly aged 25 Cora aged 1 5 Pamela aged 25 Adele aged 18 Phyllis aged 53 Millicent aged 50 Maria aged 30 Eulalia aged 8 Ermantine aged 6 Clara aged 9 Alfred aged 20 Thomas aged 6 Lawrence aged 11 months Richard aged 19 Thomas aged 28 Joseph aged 35 Edward aged 30 Adolphe aged 27 John aged 39 William aged 27 Charles aged 25 Andrew aged 27 Martin aged 21 Henry aged 3 Oscar aged 5 Ezekiel aged 15 It was Nancy and Adolphe who found his grandson, John De Villiers Innerarity, almost drowned in a well and saved his life. John DeV was killed early in the Civil War John Innerarity, Jr. died on July 28, 1954 at the age of 70, printed in the Pensacola Gazette On July 29, 1854. (10) His Obituary was printed in the Pensacola Gazette on July 29, 1854 Death of Mr. John Innerarity Our community was greatly shocked last evening at the intelligence of the sudden death of our venerable fellow citizen, John Innerarity, Esq. His advanced age and growing infirmities had for some time past been regarded by Mr. Innerarity himself as earnest admonitions of the approach of the great destroyer, but his presence among us had become so familiar to all, and was so closely identified with the recollections of many long years, that the intelligence that he was suddenly struck down, was startling in the extreme, and it is difficult to realize that the places that have known him so long, and intimately, shall now know him no more forever. Though he had for some time past experienced in a more marked degree, the natural effects of age, yet a recent visit to New Orleans had, to some extent, served to revive his powers and, up to the hour of his death, he was enjoying comparative comfort, and his friends had reason to hope that he would yet be spared to them for many years, when suddenly without a moments premonition while with his family, the impending summons came and, without any apparent consciousness of the bitterness of the last struggle, he sank to his rest, embalmed in the loving hearts of his family, and leaving his memory to be honored by the whole community in which he lived. Mr. Innerarity was the last surviving partner of the distinguished commercial house of Panton, Leslie & Forbes Company so well known in Florida at the commencement of the present century, and for many years past, had lived in retirement upon the fruits of his arduous and successful habits in early life. He had improved the advantages of an early education by the assiduous cultivation of his mind, and few men in our community could be found more thoroughly imbued with practical and elegant learning. He was well informed in all subjects, both in science and literature, and his exceeding courteousness of manner and benevolence of heart, rendered him the charm of the social circle to which he belonged. But better, far better at consolation to the bleeding hearts of his friends, and as an example, we may add that though our venerable friend was summoned to his account with a suddenness so startling, for the summons he was not found unprepared, nor had he postponed his preparation to his last hour. He was a true and humble son of the church to which he belonged, and had sought, in her ordinances, with care and diligence, a preparation for the great change which he had so long foreseen, with too prophetic an eye, awaiting him. Honor and peace to his beloved and venerated memory. In the.August 26th issue it was reported that the obituary was being repeated since there were not enough of the original papers to supply to Mr. Innerarity's friends. The obituary from the New Orleans Bee was also included in this edition. The Pensacola Gazette announces the death of John Innerarity, one of the most worthy and venerable citizens of Florida. Mr. Innerarity was struck suddenly with death, while seated at the table in the midst of his family. He suffered no fiery pain, nor cold gradation of decay, but was snatched from life without a warning, and seemingly without pain. We knew the deceased well. He was one of the most extraordinary men we have ever encountered. Born in Scotland, and receiving in Great Britain a finished, collegiate education, he came to America nearly sixty years ago and, repairing to Florida, associated himself with the distinguished commercial house of Panton, Leslie & Forbes Company of which he was the last surviving member. (F .W .Hoskins} This account appeared in The News courtesy of F .W .Hoskins. He is buried in Pensacola. A description of the inscription on the tombstone for John Innerarity comes from an unsigned document." Innerarity To the memory of John Innerarity born in Aberdeen Scotland November 11, 1783 died in Pensacola July 28th 1854 The other side of the stone has sentiments in English and Latin On the south side of the grave is the grave of his daughter Mrs Melanie Hulse. 'Genealogical Society of Utah, Church of Scotland Parish Records, St. Nicholas Parish, 2Special Collections, John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida, Papers ~. Company. 3New Orleans, Louisiana, New Orleans Bee. 4Special Collections, John C. Pace Library. 5lbid. 6pensacola Historical Society. 7Special Collections, Innerarity Papers. BUnited States Government, Federal Census of 1850, Escambia County, Florida. 9Escambia County, Florida, Probate Court, Records. 'oPensacola, Florida, Pensacola Gazette, July 29, 1854. "A unsigned transcription in my files.