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John James Audubon –
Ornithologist, Hunter, Painter and Naturalist
Although John James Audubon was born in Haiti in
1785 and reportedly the illegitimate child of a
French sea captain and a Creole slave, he became one
of Americas most revered and treasured nature
artists despite his mysterious beginnings. His
father, Jean Audubon took him to Nantes, France
where he was educated in Paris, then traveled to the
United States in 1803 with a false passport to avoid
the Napoleonic Wars. After J.J. caught yellow fever
and was placed in a boarding house in Mill Grove,
Pennsylvania near Philadelphia, he began the study
of Natural history by conducting the first known
“bird banding”, while drawing and painting birds.
Marriage and business bankruptcy ensued. This
compelled him to pursue his nature study and
painting as he sailed down the Mississippi with his
gun and paint box, intent on finding and painting
all of the birds in North America. He eked out a
living, moving to New Orleans with his wife Lucy in
the early 1820’s, spending most of his time roaming
and painting in the woods. Although America wasn’t
ready for Audubon’s incredible works of art, the
British couldn’t get enough of images of backwoods
America and he was an instant success!
John James Audubon was lionized as “The American
Woodsman” and raised enough money to publish his
‘Birds of America’...often regarded as the greatest
picture book ever produced. King George IV was an
avid fan of Audubon, thus electing him a fellow of
London’s Royal Society, following in the footsteps
of Benjamin Franklin who was the first American
Fellow.
During these years, St. Augustine became one of the
abundant citrus capitals of the South. As the citrus
industry thrived, so did tourism. Word spread of
Florida’s expansive forests, exceptionally beautiful
wilderness and the crystal springs. It is reputed
that in 1834 Audubon came to St. Augustine, hearing
of the fabled natural wonders of the region. This
renowned wildlife artist explored the peninsula on
foot, including a walk that he took through a
prominent orange grove in America’s Oldest City on
the old wooden bridge that crossed the Maria Sanchez
Creek near King Street!
“My dog began to run briskly around, having met with
ground on which he had hunted before, and taking a
direct course, led us to the great causeway that
crosses the marshes at the back of the town. We
refreshed ourselves with the produce of the first
orange tree that we met with and in half an hour,
more arrived at our hotel” - John James
Audubon, 1834
We dedicate our wildlife quarters to the National
Audubon Society! |
