This state also holds another possible location on the banks of Blackbird Creek. When Jose Gaspar died, he supposedly left an untold fortune in buried treasure somewhere along the Florida coast. JavaScript is disabled. The first written account of Gaspar was written in 1900 when the Charlotte . And indeed there are serious problems with the stories of Gasparilla. He met and married his wife in New York and had 2 daughters. The most famous Florida pirate was Jos Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla. The story was included in a brochure in 1900 for a hotel on Gasparilla Island, where the pirate supposedly stored his vast treasures in a hidden den that had never been found. According to historians, it was a real man named Juan "Panther John" Gomez from Gasparilla Island, or as he was known locally, John, or Panther Key John. (4) The person who gets most of the credit for the Gasparilla myth is John Gomez who drowned around 1900 at the age of 122. Hiding treasure under a well constructed fort is a much more logical thought than those previously mentioned. Treasure Unknown is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. I was totally blown away," said Lopez. This characterization continues through the stories of Gasparilla as a pirate. 1 Review #9 of 11 Shopping in Flagler Beach. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); If anybody wants to start a treasure seach team, WTF Florida? Treasure hunter and researcher Lauren Gattuso sits on the boat as it heads toward an area where her and a small group of treasure hunters believe lies lost treasure. For whatever reason, burial of chests laden with gold and jewels seems to be the norm, but is there any pirate treasure left? Gasparilla, if he existed, wrapped himself in chain and jumped overboard with both hands still attached. When his attempts to capture Joseffa's heart were met with contempt, Gaspar used Useppa Island to imprison the proud princess, and the isle came to be known as "Joseffa's Island." Barron G. Collier The latter two locations being the most logical. Strap yourself in for a wild ride and buy this international bestselling book today! Though that treasure has never been discovered, the story of the swashbuckling Gaspar was unearthed and his memory revived in 1904 when Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla was formed and adopted the pirate as patron rogue of their city . These stories and locations presented are based on our research but should be taken with some skepticism. The Gasparilla Inn was a hotel on the island. They used Barataria Bay in Louisiana as a hub for their enterprise. The rest of the treasure remains hidden, waiting to be found. Finally Pirates Cove, which is on the southern tip of Connecticut may house these valuable chests. The most notorious and successful pirate was Jose Gaspar, better known as Gasparilla. (story from treasurelore.com). 1. The gold coins were too thin and too old to pass as authentic Spanish treasure. The San Jose galleon was believed to have been . The prices seem lower, but not my thing. (386) 439-3061. No contemporaneous mention of his existence or achievements has ever been found in Spanish or American ship logs, court documents, newspapers, or other archives, and no tangible items associated with Gaspar have been unearthed in the area where he is said to have operated. Pirate treasure rumors. link to A Beginners Guide to Magnet Fishing: 15 Sure Fire Tips. How did the legend of Gaspar begin? will support that mission. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. He told where the body would be found and a sketch was prepared under his direction, and in recent years in the exact location as described, the skeleton of a beheaded woman was found.". Who was this figure, and what was he supposed to have done? Jose Gaspar Treasure 2119 N Ocean Shore Blvd Flagler Beach FL 32136 (386) 439-3061 Claim this business (386) 439-3061 Website More Directions Advertisement Photos See More Hours Wed: 11am - 5pm Thu: 11am - 5pm Fri: 11am - 5pm Sat: 11am - 5pm Sun: 12pm - 5pm Website Take me there Jewelers Nice Shell Shop. He eventually retired and settled down on Shell Creek near Lettuce Lake in DeSoto County, where he lived for many years. Gaspar caught wind of his coming doom, and escaped via ship to America. His treasure might have been on the ship with him during this battle. When he was captured and offered the option of going to prison or joining the navy, he chose the latter, serving with distinction for several years before organizing a mutiny against a dictatorial captain and fleeing to Florida with a stolen ship. However there is a salacious twist to this tale, in that when this lovely young girl declined his romantic proposition, he had her executed. There are a few pirates who may have hidden treasure at this spot, including Billy. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Jos Gaspar, also known by his nickname Gasparilla , is an apocryphal Spanish pirate who terrorized the Gulf of Mexico from his base in southwest Florida during Florida's second Spanish period . A fisherman at Stafford Point in Connecticut is rumored to have spotted some pirates burying a heavy looking chest at Stratford Point in Connecticut during the late 1600s. We've been chasing his treasures. Jose Gaspar commandeered the 'Floridablanca', the ship upon which he was serving, to commence his life of piracy. In Polish origin the meaning of name Gaspar is : Treasure keeper Spanish Meaning : The name Gaspar is an Spanish baby name. However, this treasure is also attributed to the infamous pirate Blackbeard. This action helped turn opinion of Lafitte from villain to hero. The treasure: Slave-turned-pirate Henri Caesar stole a ship in Haiti to seek his fortune on the Spanish Main and Florida waters. Spending most of his time here and running a larger business would provide ample opportunity and necessity to hide valuables. He claimed to be one of the few crew members to escape a fateful attack by American pirate hunting schooner USS Enterprise in 1821. The coins are believed to be 18th century Spanish and Portuguese coins and the ring on the hand's is expected to be from around the same time period. Jose Gaspar, the legendary buccaneer who inspired Tampas Gasparilla Pirate Festival, as well as fantastic tales of lost treasure, most likely never really existed. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". When Maria and Mike were children, their grandfather would tell them stories about his father, Ernesto Lopez, finding Jose Gaspar's pirate treasure. When Gasparilla requested that they accompany him and his crew on a raid, the two young lovers assumed they would be slaughtered. Jose Gaspar Treasure Company | Flagler Beach FL Photos show a centuries-old shipwreck found off Colombia's coast carrying lost treasure worth billions of dollars, including gold coins and emeralds. He relocated to Galveston Island around 1817 where he set up a pirate empire. This endeavor lasted only about 5 years when the us army came to visit Lafitte, asking him to leave. The Search for Florida's Lost Pirate: With Josh Gates, Shamus Warren, Rodney Kite-Powell, Michael Gattuso. If the legend is true, Gasparilla was extremely successful and plundered more than 400 ships. Born in 1756 in Spain, Gaspar served in the Spanish Navy until a mutiny in 1783. And that's what we've been chasing. Gasparilla not only granted Lopez permission but also bestowed his blessing on his long-time friend, providing a ship and several men to accompany him back to Spain. He was sentenced to prison and eventually released. Useppa Island was a military outpost, resort, Confederate stronghold, and CIA site to train Cuban exiles for the Bay of Pigs invasion and was continuously inhabited for 10,000 years by the Calusa Indians. This activity is a great way to enjoy some peaceful quite time outdoors or can be a unique experience for 8 Super Fun Family Treasure Hunt Ideas: With Real Treasure. Supposedly a group of pirates traveled from the gulf inland via river to a spot in Indiana where they hid a bunch of gold coins east of the town of Freedom. Gasparilla had decided to retire following the sale of Florida to the United States, and was dividing his treasure (valued at six times the purchase price of the entire state of Florida) between his crew. To add more to the story, the treasure map contained the name of the infamous mythical pirate Gaspar. He stated that it was buried beside 2 wind damaged trees and a large rock (one would think that with treasure this valuable one would choose landmarks a little more cautiously, but I guess trees and a rock is all we have to go on here). Box allegedly containing Gaspars hand and related items Photo Credit. The Search For The Real Captain Morgan. Though he is a popular figure in Florida folklore, no evidence of his existence appears in writing before the early 20th century. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. While in Florida, Caesar palled up with Jose Gaspar, better known as "Gasparilla.". jose gaspar, coins, and treasuremap found. Similar Names. Despite its long history, there is no definitive origin of the name. But the idea of a pirate named Gasparilla (or some variant) goes way back. The poem, maps, comments from other searchers, and other guides to finding the treasure are online and easy to find. RECOMMENDED: The legend of Jose Gaspar and the history of Gasparilla. ", According to the railroad brochure, the "narrative was compiled by the writer from incidents told by John Gomez, better known as Panther Key John, a brother-in-law of Gasparilla and a member of his crew, who died at the age of 120 years, at Panther Key, Florida, 12 miles below Marco, in the year 1900; also from records left by John Gomez, Jr., the cabin-boy on Gasparilla's ship, who was kidnapped by Gasparilla and who witnessed the death of this pirate and all on board his vessel. Oak Island the Strange, the Bizarre, and Maybe the "Truth! Whether the coins are authentic or not, Mike thinks the hand is real, and may belong to Jose Gaspar himself. After sustaining heavy damage, the famed Spanish pirate tied himself to his anchor and leaped to his watery death apparently not wanting to be killed at the hands of the enemy. 2 chests are also rumored to be buried on Clarkes Island on the Connecticut River. Definitely try, Find our recommended Caribbean hotels, restaurants, charters, & tours. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He spoke to local TV news network WFLA about the discovery, and the story kept getting stranger. There is a new book out "Pirates of Southwest Florida, Fact and Legend" by James F. and Sarah Jane Kaserman that debunks some of the stories of Gasparilla. Josh joins marine archaeologists and treasure hunters working to crack the mysteries of the pirate's life so they can find the riches he left behind. It is said that Captain Kidd came ashore here. Many believe it is Edward Teach, but some claim it is Edward Thatch. Answer: True This is an area where the stories of Gaspar are for once consistent. 128 were here. The family thinks the hand belongs to famous Tampa Bay pirate Jose Gaspar. He enjoyed telling stories about his adventures on the high seas and a large amount of Gasparillas treasure that was never discovered. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The story states that Rogers discovered these lost tunnels and used them to store his treasure. They gave him a first name, Jose Gaspar, and they really gave him the full backstory to create that in 1904. Though details about his early life, motivations, and piratical exploits differ in various tellings, they agree that the 'Last of the Buccaneers" was a remarkably active pirate who amassed a huge . During this time a woman of the royal family, rumored to be the kings daughter-in-law sought the attention of this young naval officer. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The brochure relied heavily on the stories told by John Gomez. This is extremely suspect as this is the same location rumored to hide the treasure of Billy Bowlegs Rogers. The city of Tampa hosts a Gasparilla Day each year. Some records give him the honor of being what we would call an admiral. Millions of dollars have been found literally lying in front of people's feet, the world's beaches. Also check state and local regulations before you begin any activities such as digging or metal detecting. Santa Rosa Island has been sort of a local hotspot for finding bags of gold and silver coins. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Gaspar, Sachs, S, 2022. He has written for 8 years in a variety of fields including history, health and politics.