Patrick Lennon was a Fenian - a member of an Irish revolutionary organization that advocated an independent Irish republic.
We know he was here on the shores of Lake Worth before 1888 as M.B. Lyman mentions in his memoirs that Patrick Lennon helped him secure lumber for his house. He was apparently a bachelor and liked adventure. By 1889, the Dade County courthouse was located in Miami even though there were more voters on Lake Worth. The north countians were tired of traveling all the way to Miami, usually on foot. They wanted the courthouse moved to Juno. County Representative James Wood Davidson petitioned for the county seat to be moved from Miami to Juno. A county election was held 19 February 1889 and the north county voters won, 107 to 80.
When it came time to transfer the county records from Miami, everyone was not in accord. The county clerk, A.F. Quimby, Commissioner J.W. Porter, and Allen Heyser, first judge of Dade County, were appointed to go to Miami for the records. As trouble was expected, three strong young men were to accompany them. Patrick Lennon and Ned Brown were two of the three.
The Miami group argued against the move all day and went home believing talk would continue in the morning, as the Lake Worth men had no boat.
Quimby secured a large Indian canoe. The records were loaded on in the dark, and Quimby, Porter and Lennon guided the canoe through the Everglades to the safety of the Fort Lauderdale House of Refuge. The other three walked the beach and met them there. The next day, Quimby stayed to guard the records while the others headed back to the shores of Lake Worth. Danny O’Neil returned in the sharpie, “Amy,” and got Quimby and the records safely to Juno.
A.M. Field, another pioneer, donated a square acre of land for the courthouse in Juno, which was built by C.C. Haight. Juno remained the county seat of Dade County until there were enough south county voters to have it moved back to Miami.
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