A Spaniard named Juan Bermudez was the first European to discover this island in 1505. Little did he know that his name would be associated with a most notorious area of the world called "The Bermuda Triangle"! [Puerto Rico - Miami - Bermuda]
Bermuda was included in the third charter of the Virginia Company, 1612. [Called Somers Island in English documents.] It was after this that 60 English settlers were sent to colonize this small island. Indian and African slaves were transported by 1616 when the island became jointly administered by the Crown and the Company.
On May 17, 1639, an "Indenture" is recorded between a George Smith "citizen & grocer of London" and a David JONES "of Bermuda, planter". It seems that this David JONES was to "...plant oranges & lemon trees in convenient places and to keep tenements in repair." Just imagine, orange and lemon trees, 1639 Bermuda. I wonder if David ever needed to make lemonade out of his lemons.
References:
The European Discovery of America, by Samuel Morison, The Southern Voyages A.D. 1492-1616. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1974. pp. 499-502.
Bermuda Settlers of the 17th Century, by Julia E. Mercer, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, 1982. [deed found on p.104]
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