W.C. Zimmerman-Citrus County's "Indiana Jones"?

W.C. Zimmerman – Citrus County’s “Indiana Jones”?

A National Celebrity

We remember Floral City’s W.C. Zimmerman as a Civil War soldier and long-time Clerk of Court for
Citrus County. He gained lasting fame as the resolute county official who refused to recognize the
vote that replaced Mannfield with Inverness as the county seat. While the Mannfield courthouse was
being dismantled for transport to Inverness, Zimmerman sat stiffly at his desk and would not yield
to the Inverness supporters. The crowd loaded the Clerk, still sitting in his chair, onto the
wagon and physically relocated him to the new courthouse.

Most Citrus County residents are probably unaware that a few short years later our
W.C. Zimmerman was destined for greater fame as the county’s first national sensation. In the days
before Instagram and Twitter, W.C. Zimmerman’s discoveries off the coast of Ft. Myers would go
“viral” in hundreds of newspapers across the United States.

A Shocking Discovery

According to newspaper accounts, W.C. Zimmerman was hunting with friends on the San Carlos Bay
islands off the coast of Ft. Myers FL. The date was February 14, 1897 and the temperature was a
seasonal 78 degrees. Zimmerman surveyed the landscape for game and noticed an interesting
depression in the distance. He asked the others in his party to help dig a small pit to determine
what caused the unusual feature. Zimmerman was reportedly a noted amateur archeologist and the
topography seemed curious to his eye. It didn’t take long for them to hit something hard – and
metallic – beneath the surface. They couldn’t believe their eyes when an ancient helmet, probably
dating back hundreds of years, was uncovered. Then they recoiled in horror when they saw that the
helmet contained a human skull.
The men regained their composure and resumed digging. In the matter of a few minutes, they had
uncovered four complete suits of armor – and found skeletons inside each one. More artifacts
awaited the group. Four swords from the Toledo (Spain) armory were next to the bodies and a few
old antique blunderbuss guns were strewn about the area.

More Discoveries Await

The group couldn’t stop digging. Who were these unfortunate souls? Where did they from and how
did they end up in such dire straits? The hunters didn’t have to wait long to gain more insight.

A large iron chest was unearthed next. The men opened the heavy box with anticipation. The gleam
of gold coins – Spanish doubloons – filled their eyes. A quick estimation totaled about $6,000
worth of currency ($197,000 in 2021 dollars). Was this a pirate’s cache?

A smaller chest was excavated next. This box yielded even greater treasure from an
historical viewpoint. There was a small gold stirrup with the name of the owner – Sebastian
Velasquez – dated 1490. A copper medallion dated 1497 embossed with the likeness of a famous explorer - Cristóbal Colón – was uncovered. Today we know him as Christopher Columbus.
Finally, a small rolled parchment paper was exposed. The handwriting was legible but was in an archaic Spanish text. Fortunately, W.C. Zimmerman was also an accomplished linguist and he carefully unrolled the scroll to see if he could decipher the message. He haltingly translated the letter. It directed Velasquez to proceed North from Cuba and explore the Gulf Coast of Florida. It was signed by Cristóbal Colón, Governor of Cuba.
Zimmerman surmised that the four fallen solders were part of Velasquez’s party. They were apparently stranded on the island and eventually succumbed to the elements. Sand and wind had covered their final resting place and kept them hidden for about 400 years.
The doubloons were divided among the members of the hunting party. Zimmerman indicated that he would donate the suits of armor, swords and most importantly, the Christopher Columbus artifacts, to a museum or great university.

The Story Goes Viral

News of their adventures reached reporters when the group returned to the docks at Ft. Myers. The national news wires picked up the story and it spread throughout the country. Newspapers in New York City, Boston and Chicago as well as hundreds of small newspapers across the USA told the tale. W.C. Zimmerman became America’s most famous County Clerk in 1897. The story continued to be recounted in big city newspapers for the next 25 years.

Postscript – A Critical Analysis

The story of lost treasure and mysterious skeletons captured the country’s interest. Eventually public attention faded and moved on to other matters. The Spanish-American War and Tampa’s role as a troop staging area became more newsworthy. No one seemed to stop and ask, “Does this story make sense”?
Let’s examine the various pieces of the story to see if the article is consistent with documented historical facts:
• Christopher Columbus died in 1506, so all that transpired in this story must have occurred prior to that date.
• There’s no record of an explorer named Sebastian Velasquez, but there was a Spanish conquistador named Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. He was on board Columbus’ second voyage to the New World. It was Velázquez, not Columbus, who was the first Governor of Cuba.
• Velázquez was mostly concerned with solidifying the Spanish positions in Cuba and Mexico. His biography does not mention any excursions to Florida.
• The story seems to mimic the Florida West Coast expeditions of Ponce De Leon in the early
1500’s. De Leon landed somewhere near the San Carlos Bay Islands and was attacked by Native
Americans. He eventually perished from his wounds and his party scattered. Many returned to
Cuba. This journey occurred many years after the death of Christopher Columbus.
• The story mentions a chest of “doubloons”. The currency in use at the time of Columbus was
the Spanish Real. The doubloon, or double escudo, was not in general use until the 1530’s.
• There are stories of ancient artifacts remaining intact thousands of years later in a hot,
dry desert environment if they were properly sealed against the elements. Florida weather is
notoriously humid and hurricanes sometimes lash islands on the coast. The chances that iron chests
would not disintegrate into rust in such a salty, humid environment – and be able to protect
parchment documents for almost 400 years – are extremely low.
• The hunting party found the four skeletons encased in full armor. It is unlikely that such
attire would be comfortable for castaways on an island in view of Florida’s weather. Why would the
Spanish soldiers be wearing full suits of armor on an island?
• The “doubloons worth $6000” would have represented a significant windfall for the
members of the hunting party. Autographed letters signed by Christopher Columbus were selling for
about $4,000 in the latter part of the 1800’s (equivalent to $131,000 in 2021 value). When added
to the value of four suits of armor, four highly sought-after Toledo swords and a Columbus medal
dated 1497 – the worth of the discovery would be close to
$400,000 in 2021 dollars.
• Kathy Turner-Thompson, the Director of the Citrus County Courthouse Museum, conducted
extensive research into W.C. Zimmerman’s life in 1997. Her research documents include Zimmerman’s
soldier’s pension request paperwork, completed a few years before his death in 1907. At that
time, Zimmerman justified his pension request based on being nearly destitute - having few
assets other than some land holdings in Citrus County. There was no mention of doubloons or
Spanish suits of armor in his financial statements.
• A review of national newspapers in the 1898-1907 time period does not yield any
information about the disposition of the armor and other artifacts. There are no records of such
donations by Zimmerman or anyone else during that time.
• There’s no mention of W.C. Zimmerman being a “noted archeologist” or “fluent linguist” in
Hampton Dunn’s “Back Home” or newspaper articles of the time.
• What happened to the skeletons? Were they given a respectful re-burial?
• Would the Spanish government have laid claim to the artifacts, especially the “doubloons” and
letter from Columbus?

Conclusion

The newspaper reports contain many fascinating details, but the story seems to be an amalgam of
multiple different historical events. The claim that artifacts such as two iron boxes and a
parchment letter could survive 400 years in the harsh Florida environment seems unlikely. There is
a lack of follow-up regarding what happened to the artifacts after initial discovery. We
don’t know the identity of the other members of the hunting party who might be able to verify
this account.

Is there any truth to this story? We will probably never know. In the words of another famous
Zimmerman – the answer is blowing in the wind.

Want to hear more quirky stories from Citrus County’s past? Join us at the Old Courthouse Heritage
Museum in Inverness on Saturday, May 28, 2022, from 6:30-9:30pm for our first ever “Museum Date
Night: Masterpiece at the Museum.” Impress your date with a unique, interactive museum experience.
Learn about the history of hot air ballooning and the exciting tale of one ballooner’s exploits in
Citrus County, then paint your own hot air balloon with a guided acrylic painting activity led by
our talented museum staff. Each guest will go home with their own 11x14 masterpiece. All materials
provided to you! Call (352) 341-6428 for more details or visit www.cccourthouse.org.
By Kenneth Marotte Originally published on https://cccourthouse.org/blog