Dirt McGirtt: The Man Florida Loved to Hate
Dublin Core
Abstract
This historical novel is a fictionalized biography of one of the lesser-remembered characters in St. Augustine history, Daniel "Dirt" McGirtt. Several other St. Augustine personalities make an appearance as well, Mary Evans Fenwick Peavett Hudson (link to the historical novel about her), Governor Patrick Tonyn, Governor Vincente Zespedes, Francisco Xavier Sanchez, Chief Wakapuchasce, and more.
Son of a British Colonel, James McGirtt from Scotland, his sons Daniel and James give their allegiance to their new country and fight for independence from England. But all this changed when charged with horse-thieving in 1775, and McGirtt is christened "Dirt," beginning a life that may or may not be lawless. He and his brother settle in St. Augustine and switch sides in the war. He remains in Florida when it is returned to the Spanish. After the transfer, McGirtt uses his home on Maxton Island (now called Ortega southwest of downtown Jacksonville) as a base to raid Spanish settlers in St. Johns County.
Local locations visited or mentioned in the text include the Oldest House, the Governor's House (Governor's House Cultural Center and Museum), Matanzas Bay, and Fort St. Mark (Castillo de San Marcos).
List of references for writing this book located on pages 198-200.
Son of a British Colonel, James McGirtt from Scotland, his sons Daniel and James give their allegiance to their new country and fight for independence from England. But all this changed when charged with horse-thieving in 1775, and McGirtt is christened "Dirt," beginning a life that may or may not be lawless. He and his brother settle in St. Augustine and switch sides in the war. He remains in Florida when it is returned to the Spanish. After the transfer, McGirtt uses his home on Maxton Island (now called Ortega southwest of downtown Jacksonville) as a base to raid Spanish settlers in St. Johns County.
Local locations visited or mentioned in the text include the Oldest House, the Governor's House (Governor's House Cultural Center and Museum), Matanzas Bay, and Fort St. Mark (Castillo de San Marcos).
List of references for writing this book located on pages 198-200.
Identifier
SPECIAL PS3613 .M35 D5 2016
Access Rights
This item is part of Special Collections and is accessible by appointment-only.
Creator
Title
Dirt McGirtt: The Man Florida Loved to Hate
Publisher
Palm Coast, FL: Sons of Aaron Publishing
Date
Format
Paperback book
Language
English
Spanish
Spanish
Audience
Subject
Historical
Race Relations
Race Relations
Coverage
British Period
2nd Spanish Period
2nd Spanish Period
Accrual Method
Purchased
Has Version
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The County Public Library also collects St. Augustine Fiction. Please visit their website to see which branches have a copy of this title.
Bibliographic Citation
Makin, Robert G. Dirt McGirtt: The Man Florida Loved to Hate. Palm Coast, FL: Sons of Aaron Publishing, 2016.
Collection
Citation
Robert G. Makin, “Dirt McGirtt: The Man Florida Loved to Hate,” St. Augustine Fiction, accessed June 12, 2025, https://staugustinefiction.omeka.net/items/show/157.