Who was
Panther Key’s
John Gomez?
G
M
By Marcy Shortuse • Photos provided
While the tale of Gaspar is
fictional (on the whole)
Panther Key John Gomez was
actually a real person. The man who was
the first to spin the tale of Gaspar might
have very well been talking about a real
person, but over the years his stories
were stretched and twisted into something
else entirely.
Panther Key John was allegedly born in
Portugal in 1781, and died somewhere
between 1900 – at the age of 118 or119 –
to 1910, at the age of 122. He was once
known as the oldest man in the United
States, and was a self-proclaimed pirate
who sailed local waters with his brotherin
law and captain, Jose Gaspar. In an
obituary written by Marsha Allen Durrance,
John named the key where he lived
Panther Key because the Florida panthers
would swim to his island and kill his goats.
Gasparilla, Baker Caesar and Old King John, all sailed away to
be heard of no more.
Nearly two years later, the war on piracy was becoming
too severe, Jose and his crew agreed to divide their wealth,
which was then estimated at $30 million, to give up piracy
and live as honest men the rest of their lives. This was
decided upon and plans made accordingly.
In the spring of 1822 while getting together his treasure for
division, which at that time was hidden in six separate hiding
places, he sighted what appeared to be a large English
Merchantman just off Boca Grande Pass. It is said his greedy
eyes lit with pleasure at the thoughts of just one more victim
ere his piratical days were over. Closely following the
shoreline of the Gulf, he slipped into Charlotte Harbor
through what is known known as Little Gasparilla Pass, crept
around Gasparilla Island and gathered together his crew.
Great excitement reigned when the plan was unfolded. The
band of 80 men was divided into two parts, he commanding
35 men and La Fitte 35, while 10 were left in charge of the
camp.
At about 4 p.m. Gasparilla and his men dashed through
Boca Grande Pass for the English prize; fast overtaking the
fleeing ship the black flag was hoisted, and his men stood
ready with the grappling hooks, but suddenly the English flag
floated down and the Stars and Stripes pulled in place; in a
moment guns were uncovered on deck and Gasparilla,
realizing that he was in a trap, turned to flee. His boat
disabled by the shots from the war vessel and capture staring
him in the face, he wrapped a piece of anchor chain around
his waist and jumped in the sea. His age at his death was
about 65. His crew was hanged on the yard arms, except for
the cabin boy and the 10 men left in charge of the captives,
they have escaped to the mainland. Panther Key John was in
this gang. The cabin boy was carried to New Orleans where
he remained in prison 10 years.
La Fitte, watching the battle from afar, turned and fled, but
the next morning his boat was captured and sunk off the
mouth of the Manatee River. Whether he was captured at
this point is not known as so many conflicting stories arose
concerning him, still it is a positive fact that he was buried at
New Orleans.
For 30 years the craft of Gasparilla was visible from
Gasparilla Island, lying five miles off Boca Grande Pass, but the
sand has now completely covered the wreck.
The treasure of Gasparilla still lies unmoved. The bones of
the bold buccaneer with his pirate ship have vanished, but
legends from the fisherfolk say that sometimes in the dead of
night off Gasparilla Island, when the waves are singing a lullaby
to the weary and the wind is whispering soft messages
through the palmettos, the phantom fleets of the pirate crew
arise from their ocean resting place and pursue as
in days of old, the ghost ships of the merchantmen.