Georgia   Biographies Thomas Sumter

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com

http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Georgia Table of Contents:

THOMAS SUMTER

General Thomas Sumter was a Virginian by birth, and the
son of William Sumter, an Englishman.  About 1760, at the
age of twenty-five, the subject of this memoir removed to
South Carolina, and five years afterwards married Miss
Canty.  William and John, other brothers, settled in
North Carolina, whence their descendants removed to
Tennessee.  Few men were a greater terror to the Tories
and British during the war.  While Marion was called the
"Swamp Fox," Sumter was known as the "Game Cock."  He was
a Colonel in the Continental service, under General
Richardson, and went against the Cherokees.  General
Sumter rarely knew what sickness was.  The day befrore he
died, June, 1832, he rode as usual about twenty miles,
though he was nearly ninety-eifht years of age.  His
residence was many years in Sumter District, where he
ended his days.

His only son, having had eight others who did not reach
maturity, was Secretary of Legation to France under Mr.
Livingston.  He was also Minister to the Court of Spain,
when the King was compelled to flee to Brazil.  Here
young Sumter resided with his family many years, and here
three of his children were born.

Ref:  Sherwood, Adiel, A GAZETTEER OF THE STATE OF
GEORGIA, 1837, Printed by P. Force, Washington City, p.
305.

SUMTER COUNTY, GEORGIA

Laid out from Lee, in 1851.  Named after Major-General
Thomas Sumter, of Revolutionary distinction.   The Flint
River forms the eastern bundary of the county.

AMERICUS, the county site, is a pretty and thriivng town
on the waters of Muckalee Creek, distant 165 miles S. W.
of Milledgeville.  It was incorporated in 1832.

Among the early settlers were, Martin Mims, W. Mims,
Jacob Little, W. Brady, Edmund Nun, Jared Tomlinson,
Thos. Riggins, Isam West, John Mann, A. Wheeler, R.
Satler, W. Hubert, W. W. Barlow, E. Cottle, D. Justice,
W. Pincher, M. Murphy, W. B. Smith, M. J. Morgan.

Ref:  White, Rev. George, M. A., HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
OF GEORGIA, 18	54, Pudney & Russell, Publishers, New
York, pp. 641-642.  [Reprinted 1968, Heritage Papers,
Danielsville, GA]


Note: Adiel Sherwood, A GAZETTEER OF THE STATE OF
GEORGIA, Washington City, Printed by P. Force, 1837,  pp.
255-256. APPENDIX:  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES "The author
conceived that a short biographical sketch of the
individuals after whom the several counties were named,
would furnish an instructive and pleasing appendage to
his topographical work... Acquainted with the intimate
friends of some of the 'venerable dead,' he has been
furnished with sufficient materials to enlarge on their
character...
   There are in the State ninety counties (book printed in 1837, presently
in 2001, there are 159 counties)..."


========================
USGENWEB NOTICE:  In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be freely used
by non-commercial entities, as long as this message
remains on all copied material. These electronic pages
cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other
presentation. The submitter has given permission to the
USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE
access. ==============