Daniels explains the dire circumstances that led to the creation of Jonathan Dickinson's journal.

Dickinson shipwrecks in 1696 in Florida, midway on a journey between Jamaica and Philadelphia.

And in the 1690s, things were pretty difficult in Jamaica.

There's a fair amount of unrest and political uncertainty that was compounded by some natural disasters, particularly an earthquake in 1692 and a French invasion in 1694. so in the 1690s the family looked to kind of expand their interests economically and dickinson along with his other brother caleb left jamaica for two different locations caleb went to england and dickinson on his way shipwrecks in florida to philadelphia where they were trying to establish reciprocal trade relationships to support their plantations there on the island.

And having shipwrecked in Florida and ultimately surviving and making it to Philadelphia at the interest of the Society of Friends, they asked him to record the events that are published in our journal here.

While doing research at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Jason Daniels made the thrilling discovery of original material that was not included in the published version of Jonathan Dickinson's journal.

So I first came across Dickinson's journal as an undergraduate student.

And once I went into graduate school, I wanted to pursue understanding What happened on either side of the journal? What was his life like in Jamaica? And then what happened to him and everybody else after this harrowing experience? And Dickinson ultimately settles in Philadelphia and then dies there in 1722.