Chatham County GaArchives History .....Chapter III - History of Savannah 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 23, 2004, 4:33 pm p. 15 CHAPTER III FOUNDING IN DETAIL THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS—STAUNCH COL. WILLIAM BULL— MOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH—PROGRESS OF THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY—SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE—THE GRANTEES. We have followed the colonists from England to the shores of Georgia and to the spot which, in the succeeding pages, shall have our entire attention. On the evening of their arrival they set up "on the edge of the river" four large tents, one for each tything, where they spent the night. Their leader slept in his own tent, pitched under four pine trees, on the top of the bluff, and we are told that “this canvas was his abiding place for nearly a year. Subsequently he contented himself with hired lodgings in one of the houses of his people.”* The next day Oglethorpe assembled the people and publicly returned thanks to God for granting them a safe passage and asked His blessing upon their proposed work. In addition to what he said in his letter to the trustees, January 13, 1733, concerning the selection at Yamacraw bluff of the site for the town, in a letter to that body, dated February 20th, he further said: "I chose the Situation for the Town upon a high Ground forty foot perpendicular above High-water Mark. The Soil dry and sandy, the Water of the River fresh, Springs coining out from all Sides of the Hills. I pitched on this place not only for the pleasantness of its Situation, but because from the above-mentioned and other signs I thought it healthy, for it is sheltered from the Western and Southern winds (the worst in this country) by vast Woods and Pine-trees, many of which are one hundred, and few under seventy foot high. There is no Moss on the Trees, as in most parts of Carolina they are covered with it, and it hangs down two or three foot from them. The last and fullest consideration of the Healthfulness of the place was that an Indian nation, who knew the Nature of this Country, chose it for their Habitation. " THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS Before we take up the matter of the actual work of laying out the town, let us see just what outside assistance Oglethorpe received before _______________ * Jones' History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 122. -------------- p. 16 he began. That help came entirely from the good people of South Carolina. We have obtained some idea of the magnitude of this generous conduct on their part which must have lifted from the shoulders of the leader of the colonists no small part of the heavy burden with which he set out. Let us pause here, therefore, and go to the official records of South Carolina for a proper understanding of the conduct of that noble people. The assembly, through a committee, resolved, on the 26th of January, 1733, "That * * * we are unanimously of the opinion that all due countenance and encouragement ought to be given to the settling of the Colony of Georgia. "And for that end your committee apprehend it necessary that his Excellency [Gov. Robert Johnson] be desired to give orders and directions that Captain McPherson, together with fifteen of the rangers, do forthwith repair to the new settlement of Georgia, to cover and protect Mr. Oglethorpe, and those under his care, from any insult that may be offered them by the Indians, and that they continue and abide there till the new settlers have enforced themselves, and for such further time as his excellency may think necessary. "That the Lieutenant and four men of the Apalachicola Garrison be ordered to march to the fort on Cambahee, to join those of the rangers that remain; and that the commissary be ordered to find them with provision as usual. "That his Excellency will please to give directions that the scout-boat at Port Royal do attend the new settlers as often as his Excellency shall see occasion. "That a present be given Mr. Oglethorpe for the new settlers of Georgia forthwith, of an hundred head of breeding cattle and five bulls, as also twenty breeding cows and four boars, with twenty barrels of good and merchantable rice; the whole to be delivered at the charge of the public, at such place in Georgia as Mr. Oglethorpe shall appoint. "That periaguas be provided at the charge of the public to attend Mr. Oglethorpe at Port Royal, in order to carry the new settlers, arrived in the ship Anne, to Georgia, with their effects, and the artillery and ammunition now on board. "That Colonel Bull be desired to go to Georgia with the Hon. James Oglethorpe, Esq., to aid him with his best advices and assistance in settling the place." Previous to that time, that is to say on the 13th of January, Governor Johnson had published an advertisement in the South Carolina Gazette, calling on the people of his province to assist in the settling of the new colony, which advertisement closed in these words: "The piety and charity of so good an undertaking, I hope will be a sufficient inducement to every person to contribute something to a work so acceptable to God, as well as so advantageous to this [South Carolina] province;" and in communicating to Oglethorpe the action taken by the Carolina general assembly, Governor Johnson and his council sent him this letter: “Sir—We cannot omit the first opportunity of congratulating you on your safe arrival in the province, wishing you all imaginable success in your charitable and generous undertaking; in which we beg leave to assure you that any assistance we can give shall not be wanting in the promotion of the same. -------------- p. 17 "The General Assembly having come to the Resolution inclosed, we hope you will accept it as an instance of our sincere intentions to forward so good a work; and of our attachment to a person who has at all times so generously used his endeavors to relieve the poor, and deliver them out of their distress; in which you have hitherto been so successful, that we are persuaded this undertaking cannot fail under your prudent conduct, which we most heartily wish for. “The rangers and scout-boats are ordered to attend you as soon as possible. Colonel Bull, a gentleman of this Board, and who we esteem most capable to assist you in the settling of your new colony, is desired TO deliver you this, and to accompany you, and render you the best services he is capable of; and is one whose integrity you may very much depend on. “We are, with the greatest respect and esteem, Sir, your most obedient humble servants, "ROBERT JOHNSON, THOMAS BROUGHTON, AL MIDDLETON, A. SKEENE, FRA. YOUNGE, JAMES KINLOCK, JOHN FENWICKE, THOMAS WARING, J. HAMMERTON." STANCH COL. WILLIAM BULL Farther than this, Governor Johnson, in a letter to Benjamin Martyn, secretary of the trustees of Georgia, dated February 12, 1733, said of Colonel Bull: "I have likewise prevailed on Colonel Bull, a member of the Council, and a gentleman of great probity and experience in the affairs of this Province, the nature of land, and the method of settling, and who is well acquainted with the manner of the Indians, to attend Mr. Oglethorpe to Georgia with our compliments, and to offer him advice and assistance; and, had not our assembly been sitting, I would have gone myself." Fortunate, indeed, was General Oglethorpe in having the aid and friendship of Col. William Bull in this most important business. All that was said of him by Governor Johnson, and others, was true. He promisedi his assistance, and that promise was more perfectly realized than the fondest hopes of the colonists had expected. Not only did he give his best service, but he added to it materially in providing the skilled labor of four of his servants of whom it was said that they were expert sawyers. Their part of the work was in preparing boards for the houses. As highly appreciated, however, as were the friendship and support of this man, whose name has been most prominently mentioned, there were others from Carolina whose services deserved and received the sincere gratitude and thanks of those who at this critical period stood in sore need of help. Oglethorpe wrote to the trustees: '' Mr. Whitaker has given us one hundred head of cattle. Mr. Bull, Mr. Barlow, Mr. St. Julian, and Mr. Woodward are to come up to assist us with some of their servants." In return for all the kindness received at the hands of these friends Oglethorpe named some of the streets of the town for such as gave and did the most. In the naming of the wards and tythings he remembered the trustees of the colony who, from the very beginning, -------------- p. 18 encouraged him in his great undertaking; but of this we shall say more later on. MOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH It seems proper just here to explain the method by which the town was divided into lots, and for this purpose we will again take the words of Francis Moore whose "Voyage to Georgia" is accurate. Continuing where we left off in Chapter II, he says: "The town of Savannah is built of Wood; all the Houses of the first forty Freeholders are of the same size with that Mr. Oglethorpe lives in, but there are great numbers built since, I believe one hundred or one hundred and fifty, many of these are much larger, some of two or three stories high, the Boards plained and painted. The Houses stand on large lotts, sixty foot in Front, by ninety foot in Depth; each lot has a fore and back street to it, the lotts are fenced in with split Poles; some few People have pallisades of turned wood before their Doors; but the generality have been wise enough not to throw away their Money which, in this Country, laid out in Husbandry, is capable of great improvements, though there are several People of good Substance in the town who came at their own Expense, and also several of those who came over on the charity, are in a very thriving way; but this is observed that the most substantial people are the most frugal, and make the least show, and live at the least Expense. There are some also who have made but little or bad use of the Benefit they received, idling away their time, whilst they had Provisions from the Publick store, or else working for hire, earning from two shillings, the price of a labourer, to four or five shillings, the price of a carpenter, per diem, and spending the money in Rum and Good Living, thereby neglecting to improve their Lands, so that when their time of Receiving their Provisions from the Publick ceased, they were in no Forwardness to maintain themselves out of their own Lands. As they chose to be hirelings when they might have improved for themselves, the consequence of that folly forces them now to work for their Daily Bread. These are generally discontented with the Country; and if they have run themselves in Debt, their creditors will n«t let them go away till they have paid. Considering the Number of People there are but very few of these. The industrious ones have throve beyond expectation; most of them that have been there three Years, and many others, have Houses in the Town which those that let have, for the worst £10 per annum, and the best let for £30. "Those who have cleared their five Acre Lotts have made a very great Profit out of them by greens, roots and corn. Several have improved the Cattle they had at first, and have now five or six Tame Cows; others, who to save the Trouble of Feeding them, let them go into the Woods, can rarely find them, and when brought up, one of them will not give half the quantity of Milk which another Cow fed near Home will give. "Their Houses are built at a pretty large Distance from one another for fear of fire; the Streets are very wide, and there are great squares -------------- p. 19 left at Proper Distances for Markets and other Conveniences. Near the Riverside there is a Guard-house inclosed with Palisades a Foot Thick, where there are nineteen or twenty Cannons mounted, and a continual Guard kept by the Free-holders. This Town is governed by three Bailiffs, and has a Recorder, Register, and a Town Court which is holden every six weeks, where all Matters Civil and Criminal are decided by grand and petty juries as in England; but there are no Lawyers allowed to plead for hire, nor no Attornies to take money, but (as in old times in England) every man pleads his own cause. In case it should be an Orphan, or one that cannot speak for themselves, there are Persons of the best Substance in the Town appointed by the Trustees to take care of the Orphans, and to defend the Helpless, and that without Fee or Reward, it being a Service that such that is capable must perform in his turn. "They have some laws and customs peculiar to Georgia; one is that all Brandies and Distilled Liquors are prohibited under severe Penalties; another is that no Slavery is allowed, nor Negroes; a third, that all Persons who go among the Indians must give Security for their Good Behavior; because the Indians, if any Injury is done to them and they cannot kill the man who does it, expect satisfaction from the Government, which, if not procured, they break out into War by killing the first White Man they conveniently can. "No Victualler or Ale-house Keeper can give any Credit, so consequently can not recover any Debt. "The Free-holds are all entailed which has been very fortunate for the Place. If People could have sold, the greater part, before they knew the Value of their Lotts, would have parted with them for a trifling Condition, and there were not wanting Rich men who employed Agents to Monopolize the Whole Town; and if they had got Numbers of Lotts into their own Hands, the other Free-holders would have had no Benefit by letting their Houses, and hardly of Trade, since the Rich, by means of a large Capital, would underlet and undersell, and the Town must have been almost without inhabitants as Port Royal in Carolina is, by the best Lotts being got into a few Hands. "The mentioning the Laws and Customs leads me to take notice that Georgia is founded upon .Maxims different from those on which other Colonies have been begun. The Intention of that Colony was an Asylum to receive the Distressed. This was the charitable Design, and the governmental View besides that was with Numbers of Free White People, well settled, to strengthen the southern Part of the English Settlements on the Continent of America, of which this is the Frontier. It is necessary therefore not to permit Slaves in such a Country, for slaves starve the poor Labourer, for, if the Gentleman can have his Work done by a Slave who is a Carpenter or a Bricklayer, the Carpenters or Bricklayers of that Country must starve for want of Employment, and so of other trades. "In order to maintain many People it was proper that the Land should be divided into small Portions, and to prevent the uniting them by Marriage or Purchase. For every Time that two Lotts are united, the town loses a Family, and the Inconvenience of this shows, itself at Savan- -------------- p. 20 nah notwithstanding the Care of the Trustees to prevent it. They suffered the moiety of the Lotts to descend to the Widows during their Lives; those who remarried to Men who had Lotts of their own, by uniting two Lotts made one to be neglected; for the strength of Hands who could take care of one, was not sufficient to look and improve two. These uncleared Lotts are a nuisance to their neighbors. The Trees which grow upon them shade the Lotts, the Beasts take shelter in them, and for want of clearing the Brooks which pass thro' them, the Lands are often prejudiced by floods. To prevent all these inconveniences the first Regulation of the Trustees was a strict Agrarian Law, by which all the Lands near Towns should be divided, fifty Acres to each Free-holder. The quantity of Land by experience seems rather too much, since it is impossible that one poor Family can tend so much Land. If this Alottment is too much, how much more inconvenient would the uniting of two be? To prevent it, the Trustees grant the Lands in Tail Male, that on the expiring of a Male-line they may re-grant it to such Man, having no other Lott, as shall be married to the next Female Heir of the Deceased, as is of good Character. This manner of Dividing prevents also the Sale of Land, and the Rich thereby monopolizing the Country. "Each Free-holder has a Lott in Town Sixty foot by Ninety foot, besides which he has a Lott, beyond the Common, of Five Acres for a Garden. Every Ten Houses make a Tything, and to every Tything there is a mile Square, which is divided into twelve Lotts, besides Roads; each Freeholder of the Tything has a Lott or Farm of forty-five Acres there, and two Lotts are reserved by the trustees in order to defray the Charge of the Publick. The town is laid out for two hundred and forty Free-holds; the quantity of lands necessary for that number is twenty-four square miles; every forty houses in town make a ward to which four square miles in the country belong, each ward has a constable, and under him four tything men. Where the town-lands end, the villages begin; four villages make a ward without, which depends upon one of the wards within the town. The use of this is, in case of war should happen that the villages without may have places in the town, to bring their cattle and families into for refuge, and to that purpose there is a square left in every ward big enough for the out-wards to encamp in. There is ground also kept round about the town ungranted, in order for the fortifications whenever occasion shall require. Beyond the villages commence lotts of five hundred acres; these are granted upon terms of keeping ten servants, etc. Several gentlemen who have settled on such grants have succeeded very well, and have been of great service to the colony. Above the town is a parcel of land called Indian lands; these are those reserved by King Toma-chi-chi for his people. There is near the town to the east, a garden belonging to the trustees, consisting of ten acres; the situation is delightful, one-half of it is upon the top of a hill, the foot of which the river Savannah washes, and from it you see the woody islands in the sea. The remainder of the garden is the side and some plain low ground at the foot of the hill where several fine springs break out. In the garden is variety of soils; the top is sandy and dry, the sides of the hill are clay, and the bottom is a black rich garden mould, well watered. On the north part of the garden is left standing a grove of part of the old wood -------------- p. 21 as it was before the arrival of the colony there. The trees in the grove are mostly bay, sassafras, evergreen, oak, pellitory, hickory, American ash, and the laurel tulip. This last is looked upon as one of the most beautiful trees in the world; it grows straight bodied to forty or fifty foot high; the bark smooth and whiteish, the top spreads regular like an orange-tree in English gardens, only larger; the leaf is like that of common laurel, but bigger, and the under-side of a greenish brown. It blooms about the month of June; the flowers are white, fragrant like the orange, and perfume all the air around it; the flower is round, eight or ten inches diameter, thick like the orange-flower, and a little yellow near the heart; as the flowers drop, the fruit, which is a cone with red berries, succeeds them. There are also some bay-trees that have flowers like the laurel, only less. "The garden is laid out with cross-walks planted with orange trees, but the last winter a good deal of snow having fallen, had killed those upon the top of the hill down to their roots, but they being cut down sprouted again, as I saw when I returned to Savannah. In the squares between the walks were vast quantities of mulberry trees, this being a nursery for all the province, and every planter that desired it, has young trees given him gratis from this nursery. These white mulberry trees were planted in order to raise silk, for which purpose several Italians were brought at the trustees' expense from Piedmont by Mr. Amatis; they have fed worms and wound silk to as great perfection as any that ever came out of Italy; but the Italians falling out, one of them stole away the machines for winding, broke the coppers, and spoiled all the eggs which he could not steal and fled to South Carolina. The others, who continued faithful, had saved but a few eggs, when Mr. Oglethorpe arrived; therefore he forbade any silk should be wound, but that all the worms should be suffered to eat through their balls in order to have more eggs against next year. The Italian women are obliged to take English girls apprentices, whom they teach to wind and feed; and the men have taught our English gardeners to tend the mulberry trees, and our joyners have learned how to make the machines for winding. As the mulberry trees increase there will be a great quantity of silk made here. "Beside the mulberry-trees there are in some of the quarters in the coldest part of the garden, all kinds of fruit trees usual in England, such as apples, pears, etc. In another quarter are olives, figs, vines pomegranates and such fruits as are natural to the warmest parts of Europe. At the bottom of the hill, well-sheltered from the north wind, and in the warmest part of the garden, there was a collection of West-India plants and trees, some coffee, some cocoa-nuts, cotton, Palma-Christi, and several West India physical plants, some sent up by Mr. Eveliegh, a publick-spirited merchant at Charlestown, and some by Dr. Houstoun from the Spanish West Indies, where he was sent at the expence of a collection raised by that curious physician, Sir Hans Sloan, for to collect and send them to Georgia where the climate was capable-of making a garden which might contain all kinds of plants; to which design his grace the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Derby, the Lord Peters, and the Apothecary's Company contributed very gen- -------------- p. 22 erously, as did Sir Hans himself. The quarrels among the Italians proved fatal to most of these plants, and they were labouring to repair that loss when I was there, Mr. Miller being employed in the room of Dr. EJoustoun who died in Jamacia. We heard he had wrote an account of his having obtained the plant from whence the true Balsa-mum Gapivi is drawn; and that he was in hopes of getting that from whence the Jesuit's Bark is taken, he designing for that purpose to send to the Spanish West Indies. "There is a plant of bamboo cane brought from the East Indies, and sent over by Mr. Towers, which thrives well. There was also some tea seeds which came from the same place; but the latter, though great care was taken, did not grow. "There were no publick buildings in the town, besides a storehouse ; for the courts were held in a hut thirty-six foot long and twelve foot wide, made of split boards, and erected on Mr. Oglethorpe's first arrival in the colony. In this hut also divine service was performed, but upon his arrival this time, Mr. Oglethorpe ordered a house to be (erected in the upper square, which might serve for a court house and 'for divine service till a church could be built, and a workhouse over against it; for as yet there was no prison here." PROGRESS OF THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY The foregoing, although somewhat out of chronological order, is given for the purpose of showing how the colonists began to build the town. Progress in that matter will now receive our attention. The Carolinians took a very active part in the beginning. Colonel Bull, with four of his servants, spent a month on the spot, and had much to do in the matter of directing how the houses should be built. Mr. Whitaker and others gave one hundred head of cattle. Several weeks were spent by Mr. St. Julian in like manner as Colonel Bull. Mr. Joseph Bryan gave two months in the same way. Mrs. Ann Drayton gave the work of four men in sawing lumber, besides which Colonel Bull and Mr. Bryan furnished twenty servants to generally assist in any way that might be helpful. These generous friends were well remembered in having their names given to the streets running through the town—names which these streets still bear. The name Johnson was given the first square laid out, in honor of Gov. Robert Johnson who, in a special manner, made the task lighter to the company of pioneers, much lighter than they had any reason to expect. The street farther north was called Bay, next came Bryan, then St. Julian, all running east and west; and intersecting them were Bull, in the center, Drayton next on the east with Abercorn following in the same direction, while Whitaker was the only one lying west of Bull. One of the principal benefactors of the colony was the Right Honorable James, Earl of Abercorn, and he was complimented in the naming of one of the first streets, marking the then extreme eastern limit of Savannah. In the division o£ the town into wards and tythings Oglethorpe wisely determined to use in their designation the names of the trustees who, under the charter, managed the business affairs of the colony. -------------- p. 23 We have already quoted from the charter those portions of that instrument declaring the boundaries of the colony, etc., and how its affairs should be managed. For that purpose a corporation was formed and styled "The Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America," and the names of the persons composing that body, together with the places of their residence, are as follows: Lord Percival, Pall Mall; Lord Carpenter, Grosvernor Square, Edward Digby, Esq., Clarges street; James Oglethorpe, Esq., Old Palace Yard; George Heathcote, Esq., Soho Square; Thomas Towers, Esq., Middle Temple; Robert Moore, Esq., Duke street, York Buildings; Robert Hucks, Esq., Russell street, Bloomsbury; Rogers Holland, Esq., Essex street; William Sloper, Esq., St. James Place; Frances Eyles, Esq., Soho Square; John Laroche, Esq., Pall Mall; James Vernon, Esq., Grosvenor street; William Belitha, Esq., Kingston, Surrey; Stephen Hales, A. M. Teddington, Middlesex; John Burton, B. D., Oxford; Richard Bundy, A. M., Dean street, Soho; Arthur Bedford, A. M., Hab. Hosp., Noxton; Samuel Smith, A. M., Aldgate; Adam Anderson, Gent., Clerk-enwell Green; Thomas Coram, Gent., Goodman's Fields. Bishop William B. Stevens, in his History of Georgia, Vol. I, pp. 99-100, states that the division of towns into tithings and the appointment of tithing men was an old Saxon custom, and suggests that it was derived from the action of Moses as counseled by Jethro, his father-in-law, as recorded in the latter part of Exodus 18, and adds: "But in no instance was a town originally lined out as Savannah was into wards and tithings, with officers appropriate to their divisions." Let us add also that no town except Savannah was ever so laid out as to have at regular intervals grassy parks, or squares as they are called, which some one has aptly styled "breathing places" of the city. When the building of houses had proceeded to a considerable extent, and the divisions indicated through the lines on which they were erected, that is to say, on the 7th of July following the landing, a solemn ceremony was observed in the streets. At the command of Oglethorpe the people assembled early in the morning, and after being led in prayer they were, in the language of Col. Chas. C. Jones, Jr.,* "definitely advised of the precise plan of the village, taught the names which he proposed to bestow upon the square, streets, wards, and tithings, and participated in the assignment of town lots, gardens and farms." At that time four wards were named, and each ward was subdivided into four tithings. The names of the one square and the streets have already been mentioned. The wards and tithings were named as follows: “Percival Ward, so named in honor of John, Lord Pervical, the first Earl of Egmont, and president of the trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America; Heathcote Ward, so named in honor of George Heathcote, M. P., an alderman of London, and one of the most active and influential members of the board of trustees; Derby Ward, so-called in compliment to the Earl of Derby, who was one of the most generous patrons of the colonization; and Decker Ward, so named in honor of Sir Matthew Decker, whose benefactions to the charitable design had been conspicuous. The tithings embraced in Percival Ward were called, respectively, Moore, ___________ * History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 149. -------------- p. 24 Hucks, Holland and Sloper, in honor of Robert Moore, Robert Hucks, Roger Holland and William Sloper, members of parliament all, and influential trustees. Heathcote Ward was composed of Eyles, Laroche, Vernon and Belitha tithings, so named to perpetuate the pleasant memories of Sir Francis Eyles, Bart., one of the commissioners of the navy and a member of parliament, John Laroche, also a member of parliament, James Vernon, Esq., and William Belitha, all members of the trust. The four tithings constituting Derby Ward were Wilmington, Jekyll, Tyrconnel and Frederick, These were named in compliment to the Earl of Wilmington, Sir Joseph Jekyll, Master of the Rolls, who, with his lady, had contributed six hundred pounds in furtherance of the laudable design of the trustees, Lord John Tyrconnel, and Thomas Frederck, M. P., both members of the board of trustees. The tithings into which Decker Ward was divided were named Digby, Carpenter, Tower and Heatheote, in honor of Edward Digby, George, Lord Carpenter, Thomas Tower, M. P., and George Heatheote, M. P., trustees all."* Allotments of the portions of land in the town having been made, as we have seen, to the citizens on the 7th of July, let us look a little further into this business, and see what steps had been previously taken which led to this transaction. Among the powers granted to the trustees by the charter was that of appointing a common council. This council was composed of the Right Honorable Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury; the Right Honorable John, Viscount Percival; the Right Honorable John, Lord Viscount Tyrconnel; the Right Honorable James, Lord Viscount Limerick; the Right Honorable George, Lord Carpenter; the Honorable Edward Digby, Esq.; James Oglethorpe, Esq., George Heatheote, Esq., Thomas Tower, Esq.; Robert Moore, Esq., Robert Hucks, Esq., Roger Holland, Esq., William Sloper, Esq., Francis Eyler, Esq., John Laroche, Esq., James Vernon, Esq., Stephen Hales, A. M., Richard Chandler, Esq., Thomas Frederick, Esq., Henry L'Apostre, Esq., William Heatheote, Esq., John White, Esq., Robert Kendal, Esq., alderman, with Richard Bundy, D. D., with Benjamin Martyn, as secretary. The minutes of this body show that at a meeting held in the Palace Court, on the 26th of October, 1732, among other business attended to there was "Read a Lease and Release granting five thousand acres of land in Georgia in America to Thomas Christie, Joseph Hughes and William Calvert in trust," and on the 1st of November following "A Power to James Oglethorpe, Esq., to set out, limit and divide five thousand Acres of Land in Georgia in America was read, approv'd and order'd to pass the Seal. * * * Appointment to James Oglethorpe, Esq., to give Directions to Thomas Christie, Joseph Hughes and William Calvert concerning the division of Land in Georgia in America was read, approved and ordered to pass the Seals.” SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE This was the tract of land from which Savannah was settled, and from which the allotment was made July 7th, 1733. Accompanying the __________ * History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. I, pp. 149-150. -------------- p. 25 grant to these three persons named was a plan of Savannah which has been lost, but the deed is in the office of the secretary of state of Georgia. It is of such great importance that it is deemed worthy of a place here, and is as follows: “To all to whom these Presents shall come: We, Thomas Christie and William Calvert, send greeting. Whereas by Indentures of Lease and Release made between the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America on the one part; and us the said Thomas Christie and William Calvert and Joseph Hughes, deceased, on the other part, bearing date the twenty-fifth day of October, Anno Domini One Thousand seven hundred thirty and two, under the common seal of the said Trustees, they the said Trustees did for the considerations therein mentioned Grant and convey unto us the said Thomas Christie and William Calvert and the said Joseph Hughes, deceased, and to the Survivors of us and our Assigns, Five Thousand Acres of Land lying and being in the Province of Georgia in America, being part and parcel of the Land which his Majesty graciously granted to the said Trustees by his Letters Patent bearing date the Ninth day of June Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred thirty and two, to be set out in such parts of the said Province as should be thought convenient and proper by such Person as should be appointed by the Common Council for that purpose, under such limitations and in trust for such uses and purposes as are therein mentioned, as in and by the said Indentures, relation being to them had, may more fully appear; And Whereas the said Common Council did by deed under the Common Seal of the said Trustees, bearing Date the Twenty Sixth day of October Anno Domini One Thousand seven hundred thirty and two authorize and appoint James Oglethorpe Esquire, of Westbrook Place in the County of Surry, to set out and limit the said Five Thousand Acres in such part of the said Province as he should think most convenient; and Whereas the said James Oglethorpe hath set out and limited the said Five Thousand Acres in such a regular manner as is most convenient for the support of a Town and the Inhabitants thereof, and hath set out part of the said Five Thousand Acres for a Town called Savannah, with Lotts for Houses, and left a Common round the Town for convenience of Air; And, adjoining to the Commons, hath set out Garden Lotts of Five Acres each, and beyond such Garden Lotts hath set out Farms of Forty Four Acres, and One hundred forty and one Pole each, and hath drawn a Plan of the Town and Plot of the Garden Lots and Farms respectively, with proper Numbers, References, and Explanations for the more easy understanding thereof which Plan and Plot are hereunto annexed and set forth in Folio One and Folio Nine of this Book: “Now Know Ye, that we, the Said Thomas Christie and William Calvert pursuant to the said Deed, and in performance of the said Trust, do Grant and Enfeoff unto John Goddard one House Lot in Wilmington Tything in Derby Ward, expressed in the said Plan by Number One, containing Sixty feet in front and Ninety feet in depth, and one Garden Lot containing Five Acres, expressed on the said Plot by Number Eleven, lying South East from the Center of the said Town, and one Farm ex- -------------- p. 26 pressed in the said Plot by Number Five and Letter A in the said Ward and Tything, containing Forty Four Acres and One Hundred Forty and One Pole, making together Fifty Acres of Land: To Have and To Hold the said Fifty Acres of Land unto him the said John Goddard during the term of his natural life, and after his decease to the Heirs Male of his Body forever, Upon the Conditions and under the express Limitations hereinafter mentioned." Garden lots, farms and town lots in which the location by wards and tithings was indicated were granted in the same instrument, on the same conditions to the following: Walter Fox, John Grady, James Carwall, Eichard Cannon, Francis Cox, relict of William Cox, William Cox, Jr., George Sims, Joseph Fitzwalter, Mary Samms, relict of John Samms, Elizabeth Warren, relict of John Warren, William Warren, son of the said John Warren, Mary Overend, relict of Joshua Overend, Francis Mugridge, Robert Johnson, William Horn, John Penrose, Elizabeth Hughes, relict of Joseph Hughes, Mary Hodges, relict of Richard Hodges, Mary Hodges, Elizabeth Hodges, and Sarah Hodges—daughters of the said Richard Hodges—James Muir, Thomas Christie, Joseph Cooper, John West, James Wilson, Thomas Pratt, William Waterland, Elizabeth Bowling, relict of Timothy Bowling, Mary Bowling, daughter of the said Timothy Bowling, Elizabeth Millidge, relict of Thomas Millidge, Heirs Male of the said Thomas Millidge, William Little, Jane Parker, relict of Samuel Parker, Thomas Parker, son of the said Samuel Parker, Mary Magdalene Tibbeau, relict of Daniel Tibbeau, Heirs Male of the said Daniel Tibbeau, Hannah Close, relict of Henry Close, Ann Close, daughter of the said Henry Close, Joseph Stanley, Robert Clark, Peter Gordon, Thomas Causton, John Vanderplank, Thomas Young, Joseph Coles, Thomas Tebbitt, John Dearn, John Wright, Noble Jones, Ann. Hows, relict of Robert Hows, John Clark, William Gough, William MacKay, Thomas Ellis, Edward Johnson, Isaac Nunez Henriquez, William Hears, Moses le Desma, Paul Cheeswright, Samuel Nunez Ribiero, John Musgrove, Noble Wimberly Jones, Daniel Ribiero, Charles Philip Rogers, Moses Nunez Ribiero, Robert Gilbert, Edward Jenkins, Senior, Jacob Lopez d'Olivera, William Savory, Edward Jenkins, Junior, Isaac de Val, David Cohen del Monte, Benjamin Shaftell, Bearsley Gough, Robert Hows, Abraham Nunez, Monte Santo, John Millidge, Jacob Yowel, Samuel Parker, Junior, Abraham Minis, Jacob Lopez de Crasto, and David de Pas. Specifying the particular portion of land conveyed to each of the persons named, the deed continues and ends as follows: "yielding and paying for such Town Lott, Garden Lott, and Farm, containing together Fifty Acres as aforesaid, to the said Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America, and to their Successors, yearly and every year, the Rent or Sum of two Shillings of lawful Money of Great Britain, the same to be paid to such person or persons and at such place in the said Town of Savannah in the said Province of Georgia as by the Common Council (for the time being) of the said Trustees shall be appointed. The first Payment to be made on the first Day of the Eleventh year to be computed from the Day of the date of these Presents; provided always, and these Presents are upon these conditions that if it shall happen that the said yearly Rent, of Two Shill- -------------- p. 27 ings or any part thereof be unpaid by the space of Twelve Kalendar Months next after the day of Payment, on which the same ought to be paid as aforesaid, And if the said several persons or their respective Heirs above mentioned shall not within the space of Eighteen Kalendar Mouths from the date hereof erect one House of Brick or framed, square timber work, on their respective Town Lotts, containing at the least Twenty four feet in length, upon Sixteen in breadth, and eight feet in height, and abide, settle and continue in the said Province for and during the full term of three years to be computed from the date hereof, and if the said several Persons and each of them respectively shall not, within the space of ten years, to be likewise computed from the date hereof, clear and cultivate Ten Acres of the said Land hereinbefore to them respectively granted; And if the said several persons aforesaid shall not plant or cause to be planted, One Hundred plants of the White Mulberry Tree which are to be delivered unto them respectively by the said Trustees, so soon as the same of sufficient part thereof be cleared, and sufficiently fence and preserve the same from the bite of Cattle and instead of such Trees as shall happen to die or be destroyed shall not set other Trees of the same sort, And if any or either of the said several persons above mentioned who shall by virtue of these Presents, or of the Grant and Enfeoffment hereby made or intended to be made, now or at any time or times hereafter become possessed of the said Fifty Acres of Land, or any part or parcel thereof respectively, at any time or times alien, transfer, or convey the same or any part thereof for any term of years, or any estate or interest in the same, to any Person or Persons whatsoever without special leave and license of the said Common Council (for the time being) or of such Officer as the said Common Council shall from time to time authorize to Grant such license; And if the said Person or Persons or any other Person who shall by virtue of these Presents and the Grant in Tail Male hereby made from time to time become possessed of the said Fifty Acres of Land shall do or commit any Treason, Misprison of Treason, Insurrection, Rebellion, Counterfeiting the Money of Great Britain, or shall commit Murder, Felony, Homicide, Killing, Burglary, Rape of women, unlawful Conspiracy or Confederacy, and shall be thereof lawfully convicted; and if any of the said Person or Persons hereinbefore mentioned or any other Person or Persons who shall by virtue of these Presents and of the Grant thereby made, from time to time become possessed of any of the said Fifty Acres of Land shall at any time hire, keep, lodge, board, or employ within the limits of the said Province of Georgia any person or persons being Black or Blacks, Negro or Negroes, or any other Person or Persons being a Slave or Slaves, on any account whatsoever without the special leave and license of the said Common Council (for the time being) of the said Trustees, that then and from thenceforth in any or either of the aforesaid cases it shall be lawful to and for the said Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America and their successors into and upon the said Fifty Acres of Land hereby granted of such person so offending and upon any and every part thereof in the name of the whole to re-enter and the same to have again, retain, repossess and enjoy as if this present grant had never been made; And all and every such Person or Persons -------------- p. 28 so neglecting, or misbehaving him or themselves in any or either of the cases aforesaid, all other the occupyers and possessors of the said Fifty Acres of Land (to such person so misbehaving as aforesaid belonging) or any part or parcel thereof, thereout and from thence utterly to expel, put out and amove; And also upon the Entry in any of the cases before mentioned of such Officer or Officers who shall by the said Common .Council (for the time being) be for that purpose authorized and appointed, the Grant hereby made of the said Fifty Acres of Land unto such Person so misbehaving as aforesaid shall cease, determine, and become void. "In Witness Whereof the said Thomas Christie, and William Calvert have hereunto set their Hands and Seals this twenty-first day of December in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty and Three. "THOS. CHRISTIE [L. S.] "WM. CALVERT [L. S.]" THE GRANTEES The following list of grantees is a part of the deed, and it is added to the same at the end of it. It is a valuable document inasmuch as it not only gives the names of all the grantees, but it also shows the location of the land granted to each individual. PERCIVAL WARD GARDENS FARMS Moore Tything No 1 James Willoughby, Robert More, Robert Potter, Robert Hanks, Thomas Egerton, John Desborough, Lewis Bowen, John Kelly, John Lawrence, Thomas Cheuter, Hicks Tything, K John Millidge, 45E 10 Jacob Yowell, 65W 1 Samuel Parker, Jr., 32W 7 Abraham Minis, 51W 6 James Turner, 9 Thomas Atwell, 2 Hugh Frazier, 5 John Graham, 3 Samuel Marcer, 4 William Brownjohn, 8 Holland Tything, L Sloper Tything, M Henry Parker, 7 Thomas Gapen, Francis Delgrass, Jeremiah Papot, Peter Baillou, James Papot, HEATHCOTE WARD Eyles Tything, No. N LaRoche Tything, O Jacob Lopez de Crasto, 42W David de Pas, 27W Vernon Tything, P Belitha Tything, ------------- p. 29 DERBY WARD GAR- GAR- DENS FARMS DENS FARMS Wilmington Tything No. A Joseph Cooper, 27E 3 John Goddard, 33E 5 Tyrconnel Tything, C Walter Fox, 12E 4 John West, 13E 3 John Grady, 53E 8 James Wilson, 63E 3 James Carivall, 61E 6 Thomas Pratt, 57E 5 Richard Cannon, 62E 5 William Waterland, 22E 4 Francis, relict of Timothy Bowling, 4E 2 Dr. William Cox, 52E 7 Elizabeth, relict of George Sims, 41E 10 Thomas Millidge, 66E 6 Joseph Fitzwalter, 37E 9 Elizabeth, relict of Relict of John Samms, 7E 3 William Little, 60E 7 Elizabeth, relict of Samuel Parker, Sr., 49E 9 John Warren, 64E 2 Daniel Tibbeau, 39E 1 Jekyll Tything, B Henry Close, 6E 10 Mary, relict of Joshua Frederick Tything, D Overland, 51E 9 Joseph Stanley, 34E 6 Francis Mugridge, 37E 2 Robert Clark, 9E 3 Robert Johnson, 42E 6 Peter Gordon, 10E 7 William Horn, 59E 5 Thomas Causton, 8E 10 John Penrose, 30E 1 John Vanderplank, 5E 9 Joseph Hughes, 26E 4 Thomas Young, 38E 4 Mary, relict of Richard Joseph Coles, 65E 3 Hodges, 36E 10 Thomas Tibbit, 51E 8 James Muir, 48E 7 John Dearn, 24E 2 Thomas Christie, 3E 8 John Wright, IE 5 DECKER'S WARD Digby Tything, No. E Noble Wimberly Jones, 25E 8 Daniel Ribiero, 43W 2 John Clark, 34E 5 Charles Philip Rogers, 47E 10 William Gough, 36W 2 Moses Nunez Ribiero, 64W 4 William Mackay, 97W Robert Gilbert, 2E 1 Thomas Ellis, 35E 9 Edward Johnson, 36E 1 Tower Tything, G Isaac Nunez Edward Jenkins, Sr., 40W 2 Henriquez, 33W 7 Jacob Lopez d'Olivero, 30W 7 William Mears, 23E 6 William Savory, 33W 3 Moses le Desma, 41W 10 Edward Jenkins, Jr., 68W 9 Carpenter Tything, F Isaac de Val, 70W Noble Jones, 29E 6 Heathcote Tything, H Paul Cheeswright, 40E 5 David Cohen del Samuel Nunez Ribiero, 63W 3 Monte 61W 30 John Musgrove, 45E 9 Benjamin Shaftell, 72W 6 p. 30 GARDENS FARMS GARDENS Bearsley Gough, Abraham Nunez Monte Robert Hows, 23B 5 Santo 34W ______ Hows, 44E Peter Tondee After assigning the lots, and attending to the matters connected with that business, which occupied his attention until the time of the mid-day meal, Oglethorpe then entertained his people with a dinner supplied by himself which, from the accounts coming down to us, must have been all that a set of hungry people could wish for. The bill of fare included fresh beef, turkeys, venison, and seasonable vegetables, to which was added a quantity of English beer. The feast was followed by the formal establishment of a town court, or court of record, the grant for which was read and the officers appointed. The magistrates were Peter Gordon, 1st bailiff; Wm. Water-land, 2d bailiff; Thomas Causton, 3d bailiff; Thomas Christie, recorder; Joseph Fitzwalter, constable for Derby ward. The jury, which was the first empanelled in Georgia, consisted of Samuel Parker, foreman; Thomas Young, Joseph Cole, John Wright, John West, Timothy Bowling, John Milledge, Henry Close, Walter Fox, John Grady, James Carwell, and Richard Cannon. Before closing this chapter, it is proper to state that the deed of July 7, 1733, contains allotments to many persons who were not in Georgia at that date, including the one hundred and thirty-two persons who left England on the 12th of September, in the Savannah. As they had been previously accepted by the trustees for the Georgia Colony, lots were granted to them in anticipation of their joining Oglethorpe in Savannah. Additional Comments: From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA BY WILLIAM HARDEN VOLUME I ILLUSTRATED THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chatham/history/other/gms393chapteri.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 50.4 Kb