What was unusual about the people who made up the population of st. augustine, florida, in the early 1800s? most people who settled in st. augustine in the early 1800s were cubans who were escaping from an autocratic government. seminole raiders and slaves who had joined their cause made up the majority of the population of st. augustine in the early 1800s. in the early 1800s, st. augustine was declared "indian territory" and was home to the seminole tribes who had been removed from their lands. many different ethnicities made up the population of st. augustine including spanish, free african americans, seminole indians, and europeans.