Juan Gomez

One of the first reported hermits in the Ten Thousand Islands was JuanGomez, whoitissaid,wasbornontheislandofMaderia, Southwest of Spain, in 1778. Gomez said that he sailed with the infamous pirate GaspasrillabutwasashoreatBoca GrandewhenGasparillasailedoutto his finaldefeatin1821. Gomez sawthepirateshipsinkunderthe waters of the Gulfand not wanting tobecaptured by the United States government,heescapedsouthwardinayawlandhidforawhileonPantherKey. But in 1925 he was picked up by a coasting schooner and taken to Havana.

After several years in Cuba, he came back into American territory whereheclaimed thatonChristmas Day, in1837, hefoughtinthebattle of Lake Okeechobee in the Seminole War. After this battle he went to Cedar Key where he herded cattle until 1855. At the age of 77, Gomez returned to Panther Key in the Ten Thousand Islands.

W. T. Collier, whoownedthe General StoreatMarco, andlivedthere with his family, mentioned around the year of 1870 that he had noticed that Gomez, while living on Panther Key, wasoften gonefrom his island for weeks at a time. Gomez had a small sailing sharpie (boat) and hinted that he had gone to locate buried treasure. He also told Collier he had been away to hunt a wife.

In 1884 Gomez returned from a trip and had a woman with him. He saidheandthe78 yearoldladyhadbeenmarriedinTampa. Nothingwas ever learned about his wife's background.

The fame of the old man of Panther Key increased duringthe period of time from 1880 to 1890. Every year a few fishermen stopped to interviewthe old fellowand listento his tales. He tolddifferent storiesatdifferenttimes. He loved to tell about his yearsas a pirate andhintthat he knewwherepirate treasure might befoundunder arockortherootsofa gumbo-limbo tree. For a dollar or two, he would even sell a crude chart showing where treasure might be found.

About 1890 a mannamed Sampson Brownwentto Panther Keyand offeredtobuildtheoldmanasturdyhousefromthetimbersofawrecked ship. What Brown wanted in return was a promise ofsquatters rights to the whole island. At this time Gomez was around 112 years old and Brownwasinhis50's. ThingsdidnotworkoutthewayBrownexpected, since he died at least eight years before Gomez did.

InJulyof1900 when, accordingtohisrecords, Gomezwas122years old, hewentoutinhis boatto fish. Apparently, hisfeetsomehowbecame entangled in the net for he was found by fishermen, drowned, entangled in the net by his drifting boat.

Gomezwasperhapsthefirstand mostcolorfulhermittolivenearthe Everglades in the Ten Thousand Islands, but he was certainly not the last. Many other people have since sought refuge in the tangled maze of tropical islands.

Arthur Darwin, hermit of Posseum Key