Raids by the English of the Province of Carolina and their native allies led to the abandonment of the La Chua ranch early in the 18th century.
María's father, Pedro de Posada, had been appointed tesorero real (royal treasurer) of Florida, but died in 1592 before he could assume the duties of the position.
[1][2] Juan's son, Francisco Menéndez Márquez, succeeded his father as royal treasurer-steward[a] of Spanish Florida, serving from 1628 until 1637, and again from 1639 until his death in 1649.
Bushnell calculates that 6,000 pesos would have purchased about 200 head of cattle, five horses, and two slaves to serve as ranch hands.
Francisco's family repaid about three-quarters of the missing funds, and was allowed to repay the balance over six years.
[d] The earliest possible date for the founding of the La Chua ranch is in the late 1640s, but the first mention of its existence was in 1675, and the name did appear in the records until 1682.
Couriers carrying this order found two workers from the La Chua ranch, a Spaniard and a Tabasco Mexican, on the road and killed them.
At the hacienda the Timucuas killed a Spanish soldier who had traveled with Juan from St. Augustine and two African slaves that belonged to the ranch.
They reached the La Chua hacienda at 2:00 AM and captured Tomás, his son-in-law Juan de Hita, and four servants.
The pirates demanded 150 head of cattle and money for a ransom, and began withdrawing to Anclote Key.
Three Timucua chiefs ambushed the pirates and freed Tomás and Juan de Hita before any ransom was paid.
By the first years of the 18th century, the depredations of the pirates, rustlers, and the English and their native allies had severely affected ranching in Spanish Florida.
A blockhouse was constructed at La Chua and soldiers were stationed there to help work the ranch and protect it from raiders.