Islenos on Dixiemania

During all of my research, I couldn’t help but ask myself time and again why so many Canarios had emigrated to Louisiana between 1778 and 1784. 2736 emigrants from the Canary Islands are officially recorded on the passenger lists of the ships, yet experts suggest a total of almost 4000 people. Today, there are approximately 40,000 Isleños, i.e. descendants of the Canarios, living in Louisiana (and some documents even claim that there are 70,000!).

It is a well known fact that a lot of them emigrated to Cuba, Uruguay, Mexico, Hispaniola and Venezuela (the last great wave of emigration to Venezuela took place between 1936 and 1945). But what made them go to Louisiana of all places?

See http://dixiemania.com/en/dixiemania/louisiana-los-islenos.html

State Land Office Online Documents

These maps are based upon surveys taken in 1828-1830. They can be used to locate the property of Isleno ancestors and the Acadians who arrived in 1785 and settled just south of the Valenzuela district in what is now the Plattenville and downstream area. For example, the Valenzuela settlement can be found in Township 11 S, Range 14 E, west of the Mississippi River.

These documents include U.S. and State historical land title information, including information related to: Land Grants; all severance documents of U.S. and State public lands - which lists the first private owner; all U.S. Official Township Survey plats and field notes; the U.S. and State Tract Books - which are an index of all the other documents mentioned; Section 16 School Lands; State Patents; and numerous related documents.

See: http://1webfn.doa.la.gov/slodocs/SLO/home.asp