The_Miami_Herald_Sat__Nov_4__1995_map knock em down key

Well, I am search of the history of Knock-em-down Key. It is slow going. What is my interest in this little island? In researching my upcoming book, The Crossings, I came across one small tid-bit about this key. My ancestors died of yellow fever there.

One theory on how the key got its name comes from Carol Billberry Felts, “My father used to point out a spit of mangroves near Indian Key that the family called that because back in the day when the sponges got the blight, they turned to harvesting bird feathers, and said the birds were so plentiful they would “knock em down” with sticks.” Sounds plausible to me.

I am search of the history of Knock-em-down Key. It is slow going. What is my interest in this little island? In researching my upcoming book, The Crossings, I came across one small tid-bit about this key. My ancestors died of yellow fever there.

Justin Everett & Jane Ann Hopkins

On May 11, 1865 Justin married Jane Ann Hopkins in Key West. Jane was 18 years old. A few months after her marriage to Justin, her parents, James Hopkins and Francis Elizabeth Harrod Hopkins contracted yellow fever and died on the same day, August 11, on Knockemdown Key. They left behind four children ranging from 12 years old to five. Jane Ann took into her own household her older siblings, Charles and Henrietta. She and Justin may have also taken in the younger boys, James and John. 

I found this video on YouTube and was hoping it would offer up some information about the history of the key. No such luck. But it was nice to get a visual walkthrough of the land (although they spend most of their time on the ‘ruins’ which seem to not be ruins but someone’s home). Still, I can imagine what the land looked like for the pioneers that lived there, so that was helpful.

#33 Exploring the Ruins of Little Knockemdown Key, TREASURED TIMES CRUISING.

I welcome any news from the Middle Keys regarding the history of this Key. Thank you in advance.

Peace, Karen