▁Starting ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 8 0 s , ▁prior ▁to ▁any ▁formal ▁colon ization , ▁the ▁land ▁along ▁the ▁sh or eline ▁of ▁the ▁north ▁central ▁coast ▁of ▁Saint ▁John ▁was ▁occupied ▁for ▁dec ades ▁by ▁sett lers ▁of ▁diverse ▁national ities . ▁The ▁property ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁mar itime ▁activities ▁and ▁cot ton ▁production . ▁The ▁Dan ish ▁claimed ▁Saint ▁John ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 7 1 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁area ▁along ▁the ▁north ▁central ▁coast ▁from ▁C ane el ▁Bay ▁to ▁C inn am on ▁Bay ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁nine ▁private ▁land ▁own ers . ▁The ▁Dan ish ▁established ▁large ▁sugar c ane ▁plant ations ▁worked ▁by ▁slaves ▁brought ▁from ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Daniel ▁J ansen ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Adri ana ▁Del ic at ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁land ▁own ers ▁to ▁ac quire ▁a ▁formal ▁Dan ish ▁de ed ▁for ▁property ▁at ▁C inn am on ▁Bay . ▁ ▁Appro xim ate ▁to ▁J enson ' s ▁purchase ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 8 , ▁a ▁coast al ▁par cel ▁of ▁land ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁William ▁G andy ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 2 ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁bought ▁by ▁Peter ▁Dur lo o ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 8 . ▁Dur lo o ▁was ▁the ▁husband ▁of ▁Daniel ▁J ansen ' s ▁daughter , ▁Elizabeth . ▁Dur lo o ' s ▁newly ▁acquired ▁coast al ▁land ▁ab utt ed ▁J ensen ' s ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁In ▁ 1 7 1 9