BISCAYNE NAT'L PARK, Fla. – Monday Oct. 13 is officially "Lancelot Jones" day. This one-time designation was successfully passed in the State Senate by U.S. Sen. Dwight Bullard.
Lancelot's father, Israel Jones, was most likely born a slave in the 1850's. Against all odds he migrated to South Florida and became a land owner, and toiled the small keys in Biscayne Bay to grow key limes and pineapples.
Israel had two sons he named King Arthur and Sir Lancelot. This, so they would always aspire to be honorable and noble.
Lancelot was born on a little boat in the bay and lived most of his life on Porgy Key. In the 1970's, instead of selling his father's land to private developers, he sold it more modestly to the national park.
Thanks to this contribution, the park expanded and the habitat has been preserved.
Lancelot passed away in 1997 at age 99.
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