This program is sponsored by the Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS). It homors descendants of Florida pioneers at both a state and county level.

Eligibility for award of a certificate is as follows:

1. Any person who shall provide documentary proof satisfactory to the committee, establishing a solid chain of evidence that he or she has an ancestor who settled in Florida (present boundaries) before the stae was admitted to the union, 3 March 1845.
2. Any person who shall provide documentary proof satisfactory to the committee, establishing a solid chain of evidence that he or she has an ancestor who settled in a county of Florida (present boundaries) before the county was formed.

If you are interested in participating in the program, you can get more information on it at: http://www.flsgs.org/. The documentation requirements are quite precise, but the FSGS provides a workbook to help a person through the process. There is a fee for the certificate and to file an application. Before it is all said and done, you will probably spend about $60. But regardless of the time and the cost, having the certificate and the formal recognition of your ancestor(s) as Florida Pioneers can be very gratifiying.

After a little bit of research on your own, if you are interested, let me know (pgsfla@yahoo.com; Subject: "Florida Pioneer Certification).