Joseph Delespine (1789–1834) was a merchant and land owner in Florida in the 19th century.Francisca de Paula Petronita Fontanet; Joseph Delespine; Frances Jane Delespine; Christian Jacob Bernhard Boye", Florida Pioneer Biographies, summited by Laura Lee Berenson, Johanna Schuster Jones, Emily Johanna Perkins and Mary Pauline Schuster, Florida State Genealogical Society website, 10 March 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2025. The Spanish land grants in Florida he received were the subject of two cases at the Supreme Court of the United States."United States v. Delespine's Heirs, 37 U.S. 654 (1838)", Justia website. Retrieved 3 September 2025."United States v. Delespine, 40 U.S. 319 (1841)", Justia website. Retrieved 3 September 2025.Marks, Henry S. "A Forgotten Spanish Land Grant in South Florida", pages 53–54. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
On 8 April 1817, he petitioned for 50,000 acres of land on the west of Indian River and on 9 April 1817, José María Coppinger, the Governor of Spanish East Florida, granted him 43,000 acres."Council Removed Obstacle to New Motel Construction", Orlando Evening Star, Orlando, Florida, 85th year, number 259, 3 November 1961, Brevard Edition, page 1.
In 1821, Delespine purchased 8,000 acres (32 km2) at Hobe Sound, Florida, including Jupiter Island, for $1 per acre.Lund, Frank. "The Jupiter Island Story: A Short History", The Town of Jupiter Island Website. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
References
External links Confirmed Claims of Joseph Delespine, 151 page collection at the State Library and Archives of Florida (Florida Memory website)