Who owned the land before the State of Florida purchased it?

The indians

I would guess the Seminoles

"Juan Ponce de León" Since the first European contact was made in 1513 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León – who named it Florida, informally La Florida ([la floˈɾiða] "land of flowers") upon landing there in the Easter season, Pascua Florida – Florida was a challenge for the European colonial powers before it gained statehood

Ellis Harvey can tell you