Samuel Eveleigh to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 11, 1734, Charles Town, C.O. 5/636, pp. 78-79, Egmont 14200, pp. 315-318, concerning his hopes for Georgia’s trade.

Sr

Inclosed you have Coppy of one of my last Letter’s wch I have transcribed, because I think it an Affair of very great Importance to Georgia.⁷⁶ I Still continue in my Resolution of makeing a Settlement there, by your Permission; I can’t tell whether I Shall goe my Self (if not) I Shall Send my Son and Daughter, which probably may be of more advantage to Georgia being both Young may have Children to Strengthen that Province. I am now constantly applying my thoughts how to promote Georgia. Whilst you were here I diver’s Times have thought of communicateing a Scheme to you, wch would be very profitable. And in confidence that you will not discover it to any other person to be concerned therein without me, I Shall make the Same know’n to you, and am willing to be concerned therein with you a thousand or fifteen hundred pounds Sterling, and by that mean’s may be introduced into this Country Several of the Drugg’s mentioned in my former Letter from the Streight’s.⁷⁷ The Act of Parliament made in the fifteenth Year of King Charles the Second’s Reign, Entituled an Act for the Encouragement of Trade Sec. 8the Sixth Say’s That no Commodity of the Growth, production or Manufactory of Europe Shall be imported into any of His Majties Plantation’s Asia Africa or America, but what Shall be first imported into England.

I examined Some Time Since Carcasses Book of Rates, and cannot find but we may bring directly to this Place from those parts in the Streights that lye in Asia & Africa any of their Commodity’s, as Striped Cotton’s, Burcketts, Silk’s, Rhubarb, Senna, Seammony, Wormseed, Coloquintida, Gauls, &ca. I can’t tell what Wines they make in those Country’s, but do believe some may be found very good and very cheap, wch would turn here and other parts in the West Indies to a very good Account.

I have been informed that Cypress makes very good Wine, wch Gordon Addition the 12th Page 245 Say’s is in Asia. I desire you’l consider of this Scheme and write me your Opinion thereon.

I have read (I think) in Suetomius,⁷⁸ That when the Roman’s made a new Colony, they endowed it with Several Immunity’s and Privileges, by which means they quickly grew to a formidable Body, and I hope the Trustees will follow their Example, and give what Encouragement they can to Trade. This will be a great Encouragement to me and other’s to Settle your Colony. Marseilles is grown of late a very populous and rich City, and is one of the Principal City’s in Europe for Trade. The King of France has made it A free Port, open to Vessells of all Nation’s and for any Good’s with out any Duty (Tobaccoe, Salt & Gunpowder Excepted which are prohibited). No Goods pay any duty there, except Goods from the Levant and Barbary wch pay only two per Cent and it is remarkable that the Port Charges of a Ship of an hundred Ton’s amounts to little more than Twenty Shillings Sterling.

The Burthen this Province lies under on Acct of Port Charges is very great and very pernicious to Trade. Here’s a Ship now in this Province from Rhoad Island of an hundred and fifty Ton’s, the Master Assures me That his Port Charge there (in and out) cost him three pounds this currency, wch is about twelve Shillings and Six pence Sterling.

Mr Hill loaded a Small Vessell wth four hundred barrell’s of Rice and the Port Charges cost ninety one pound’s ten Shilling’s, wch is about thirteen pounds Sterling.

I have a Scooner now, I propose to send to Jamaica, wch I shall order into Georgia and land there Some Shugar Melasses &ca. If your Store has occasion for any, Mr Causton may have what he pleases at the Price it is Sold at in Charles Town.

Thomas Brown a Trader amongst the Cattabah’s [Catawba’s] (formerly mentioned to you is now here, Wee have had some talk about moveing those Indian’s to the Okemulgah River, and he believes it may be done), haveing lived a long Time amongst, and being very well beloved by those Indian’s.

I desire you’l read the late Act passt Here and advise me whither he may not carry his Leather over to Kinyans Bluff for I am willing to bring that Trade to Georgia too.

The people of New England carry on a very valuable Trade from thence to No Carolina with Rum, Shugr Melasses and dry Goods, for wch they import Pitch, Tarr and Turpentine, wch help’s to load their Vessells for great Brittain, Beef and Pork in great plenty, wch they Sell to the Fishermen, Wheat Corn and pease for their own Use, Tallow and Myrtle Wax they make into Soap and Candles, wch they Ship off again to the West Indies. They likewise import Hides, Feather’s and Deer Skins. In Short, they have A very great Trade (and as I have been informed) there goes there every Year, about Sixty or Seventy Sail of Vessells from fifty to Eighty Ton’s.

Our Wise Assembly did Several Year’s Since pass a Law, by which they laid a Large Duty upon Pitch, Tarr, Beef and Pork, (So large) That it amounts to a Prohibition, for wee have not had a Vessell from No Carolina Since that Time. I am Satisfied wee have not had fifty Barrells from thence Since. I do design to carry on that Trade from Georgia, and hope to make it answer for the Advantage of that Place, In Proportion as it now does for the Advantage of New England. Nay! I think better; because No Carolina is a great deal nigher to Georgia than it is to Boston, and the Trade may be carried on in the Winter Season Which they cannot do in Boston. Sr I can’t tell how acceptable my long Letter’s may be to A Gentleman That has so great Affair’s of Importance on his Hands. I could Enlarge, but Shall at prsent Subscribe my Self.

Thomas Christie to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 14, 1734, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 91-94, Egmont 14200, pp. 319-326, concerning happenings and possibilities in Savannah.

Most Worthy Sir

My Last to you (dated ye 15th July Last) I hope came Safe to hand. My Ill State of health together wth the Multiplicity of business which is greatly increased on my hands hath prevented me from writing So often as I might have done & I hope it may be Excused.

Herewith you have the Journal of the Proceedings of our Court, Warrants & their Returns, Publick orders I issued out, the Copy of our Licences for Publick houses &c with the List of those who takes most pains in Cultivating their Lands.⁷⁹

I have often Spoke to Mr [Noble] Jones to Send you the Plan & keep a Journal of the Lands that he runs out wch I could never obtain. Indeed I dont wonder at it for I believe little has been runn’d out Since your departure till very Lately. The People have greatly Complain’d of Late for want of knowing the Bounds of their Lotts, for want of wch they have neglected Fencing So that most of the Crop that was Sowed last Summer have been Eat up by the Cows & horses. Another thing I must not forget to mention, The Corn & Seeds that was in the Storehouse when you went away was given to the people was Musty Damaged or Spoilt So that it never came up. And it was So Long & Late in the Year before they got fresh Seed that it baulked Some & others did not Sow it till it was too Late in ye year. I think if I had not represented this you might have been too Severe in blaming your Peoples Neglect. And indeed we have Some people who never were Masters of any Land and whose heads are turn’d no ways but to the Ale house and others are So Idle to think of nothing but Selling & running away. Notwithstanding all wch I have found means to keep up Lands & houses at a good price & people lately begin now to fence in & set a value upon em So that I hope to advise you of Some fine Improvements made this year. Its certain that people being baulked as I said before in the Cultivation of their Lands did mostly turn upon Building & Improving their Lotts in Town. So that there is few Town Lotts but what are built or are building. The Town is greatly Encreased So that Whereas at first I could hardly See any thing but Trees I can now Scarce see any Trees for Houses.

The People are going Some upon Planting Corn, Some on Silk, on Vineyard, Some on Pitch & Tarr. Others on Fruit Trees as Oranges Limes Olives Figgs & other Fruits & Cotton also, according to their own Genius & Inclination. But all those productions will be a Considerable time before they are brought to any Perfection and we Shall be always poor & needy till we are able to make Exports of our own. We dont want either Shipping or Provisions if we have but money to pay for them, for they pour in upon us from all Places. Those that Seemed ready at first to Starve us with bad Provissions are ready now to undo us with Superfluities.

This Place might easily be made a Mart between North America & England & England & the Antilles, & the Spanish West Indies, which might prove of a prodigious Advantage to this Place and I dare Say when once the Lighthouse is Finished this Trade will Entroduce it Self. But in the mean time it Seems to me nothing can keep us alive but the Building of a Church & other Publick Buildings, the Raising of our Fortifications, The Indian Trade & the Fresh Embarkations of money’d men.

We raise the Envy of the people of Carolina by whom we Suffer many Aspersions & false Reports altho we Serve them for a Bullwark against the Indians, a Curb to their Negroes, raise the price of their Markets & the Value of their Lands, & they get all our Money into the Bargain. They are Settling on the River May and all about us, & with the Advantage of their Negroes Report that we need not Sow any Corn or Rice for they will always under sell us. I could wish the Trustees would oblige all persons to whom they give any Grants, to Transport their Persons & Effects directly to this Port. And I hope on our Side we Shall in a little time find Loading back for the Ships that comes here without being obliged to go the Tedious Tour to Carolina.

I am fully persuaded that the Indian Trade & the Reserved Rents & Fines for Trust Lands will bring in the Trustees a Considerle Fund towards the Support of this Colony & to Defray its Charges. But I must Acquaint you that the People at Purisburg Thunderbolt & Fort Argyle have been all Indian Traders Since you have been gone. We have Smartly forbid our People & Settlements as Soon as we heard it & indeed tho they Seem to Like the Trade much they readily Submitted to our Orders. I dont Question but the Trustees will Endeavour to Regulate & Secure that Trade to themselves as Soon as possible.

[Joseph] Watson has behaved very Ill Since your departure and hath Committed Several Irregularities, has beat the Indians, presented a Gun at Mrs Musgroves, proved very dissaffected to the Colony & unfit for a Trader.

The Indian Ske offering one day to break open his Storehouse in order to kill him, Watson Escaped out backwards & they finding him gone in their Mad Freak fell upon Justice Musgrove Slave & Killed him. He is since gone up in ye Country full of Mallice.

The Indians are full of resentment against him and have Petitioned us that Mrs Musgrove may have the Trade for whose Sake they Settled here or at Least that Some other Persons be Join’d with her. Youll See the Proceedings of the Town Court and we have found it absolutely Necessary to order Mr Watson to Confine himself in his house in Town till we know the Trustee & your pleasure on that head.

I Likewise Send you herewith the Reception & talk of the Chaktaw by which youll See the Disposition of that Nation & how Easily a Trade may be Carried on with great Advantage between them & us. I could have Wish’d that Capt Mackoy might have been present that we might have had the Opportunity to have Introduced him. We writ to him to Charles Town on their Arrivl but did not Receive an Answer (till the Indians who were very Earnest to return back) were going away instead of coming. Then he writ word that the Governour was desirous that the Indians might come down to Charles Town, but we neither could Encourage it nor would the Indians consent to it. Cap Mackoey is Since gone up into the Country but has Left part of his Men behind to bring up Provisions. Mr Causton said he would fully Inform you of that matter, as also the Expedition of our Men to the Southward & the reason of Thomas Jones bringing a Writ of Ejectment for his Lot wch was possessed by Mr Robert Parker. That Gentlemen has been at a Vast Expence in Endeavouring to Errect a Saw Mill wch is not yet brought to work & is believed by Workmen will never answer. We are in great want of Boards by reason of so many Buildings that are on foot & Contracted for.

We have Finished the New Guard house, mounted four peices on New Large Carriages handsomely painted besides five peices fixt in a Platform & designed for a Salute, besides four others on ye old Carriages. I will in my Next Send you the Draft of it. We have likewise Paled all the Strand in and new built the Stairs down ye Bluff & paled it in, wch together wth the Chimneys being almost all Finished give a good Grace to the Place.

We have Cut a Path through Hutchinsons Island, fronting the Main Street by wch we can See the River on the other Side. We have likewise made a Path a Considrable way between the Town & Musgrove Cowpen.

Coll. Bull & Mr Bryan having Since your departure Examin’d ye Swamp between Hutchinson Island & Mr Bryan on the Road going to Purysburgh find that the Swamp is hard, without any appearance of overflowing, that it is not above two days ride from thence down to ye River opposite to Hutchinsons Island. So that the Road might with some Additional Contribution be brought down thither. The Cutting a Path between Purysburgh & Charles Town goes on & we have by a Subscription among our Selves Established a Messenger for one year between this place & Charles Town, wch will by that means Secure a Communication not Easily Cut off.

Christopher Ford the Surveyor has been to the Southward to discover the Coast & finds by ye great dept of the Sound & Barr with the Clearness of the Coast from Shoals he could bring any Men of Warr with Safety within a Mile and a half of Thunderbolt. I hope that in Case of a Warr the Trustees will Endeavour to have Some of his Majesties Ships Stationed here.

There is a way to go from this Town to the River Vernon without passing through any Swamps & as that River is Large & Deep and the Land very good it Seems a pass proper to be Secured by the first Settlers.

Mr [John] Vanderplank hath not yet been able to get up the People’s Cattell according to your Last Instructions. So they are by this time Almost turn’d wild and instead thereof Mr Causton now buys Beef of the Indians or Mrs Musgrove; So that we have little hopes of Seeing them any more.

Its true we have now Compleated a very Large Cowpen Contg near 45 Acres about a Mile from the Town on a Pine Barren but little or no Cattell to put in it.

The Publick Gardens have been hitherto of very little Use to the Town & Seems rather a Private property, & those people that have had the most need of it have had the Least Benefit.

Mr [Paul] Amatis arriv’d here the first of October last & has Sowed Some Thousand Mulberry Trees which comes up very well & those that were there before as well as the rest of the Trees that remain were Likewise prun’d & Flourish very well. Mr Amatis & Mr [Joseph] Fitzwalter have had Some Differences together concerning their Authority wch we have had Some Difficulty to Reconcile.

The People of Purysburgh have Sevll Italians there & Endeavr to be aforehand with us in the Silk Manufacture.

Coll. Pury with his people are all Safe Arrived before this Town the [blank] as likewise did Capn Yoakley who remain here Still but is almost ready to Depart. The two other Ships are Sailed for Lisbon these 14 days.

Mr [Samuel] Montagut & his wife are in good health. He hath built a Store house Adjoyning to your House & is Retailing his Goods for ready money himself.

We make here very good Bricks in which Manufacture they Seem every day to Improve.

I have introduced a Fishing Trade by which means we begin to be Supply’d with great Quantities of Fish, Variety of which as well as Fowls our Rivers abounds.

I have Set up a Brew house wch Seems to be the only way to bring the people off from Drinking Spirituous Liquors.

You have Inclosed an Account of the Death & Marriages of Severall People here as likewise those who Left any Wills or Substance behind them, all the rest dying Insolvent. The Trustees will be able to Send you the Orphans Accot in a very little time and as the Constables are made Administrator to the People in their Respective Wards for which they are to give Security to be Accountable to the Court. I have no Effects at all in my hands.

Mr [Lewis] Bowen⁸⁰ upon having raised his Frame and given Security had Leave to go to Charles Town where it is Computed he Carryed above £ 500 Currancy in order to buy Goods for this Place but Unfortunately died there about Septembr Last at the House of David Allen who Administred to £ 300 Currency little of wch I am afraid we shall be able to Recover, His Effectts here amounting to about £ 40 Stg.

Ambrose Vicary⁸¹ died the 2d April Last without a Will but believe he Left a Wife at Topsham in ye West of England. His Effects amount to about £ 38. 17.0 Stg. They have both of them made Improvements towards building their Lotts wch we have ordered to be built & Finished by those Workmen Indebted to the Estates as youll See by the Inclosed Petition.

Mr Lewis Bowen made no Will but by the Inclosed Copy of a Letter found in his Chest we do Suppose that he has made a Will in England.

The Unfortunate Mr Wise⁸² his Effects was Sold Except Papers & Manuscripts remaining in a Trunk in ye Store & those things mentioned to be Left with Your Honnour remain in the Store house till farther Orders. Ye Amount of his Effects Sold was about £ 20 Stg. No doubt great many were Stolen by that Villian that Murdered him wch we never could find out. The manner of his Murder was thus, wch you have no doubt been Acquainted wth. He Lay over in the Island a Considerable time in a very weak Condition and kept his Bed. He Used to Call for Some Water in the Morning to Wash himself and White Used to Assist him in Combing out his hairs in which he took a great deal of Pride & Used to lay his head Leaning out of the Bed to have it Easier done. Alice Riley by ye Direction & Influence of White brought a pail of Water wch She Set down by his Bed Side. White came in also pretending to Assist him in Combing his hairs. He Usually wore a handkerchief about his Neck, & while he was Leaning over the Bed Side, instead of Combing his hairs White took hold by that handkerchief which he twisted till he was almost Suffocated, Alice Riley at the Same time took hold of ye Pole of his head & plunged his Face into the Pail of Water & he being very weak it Soon Dispatched him. As to the rest I reffer to the Proceedings of the Court.

I am So Afflicted with the Rheumatism In my right Side & right Arm that I am not able to write & am obliged to have Mr Dobree to assist me, whose Capacity & Ability in Business makes him very Usefull to this Colony & I do Assure your Honnrs worthy of your Consideration of Some Publick Employment here.

I return your Honnr many thanks for Conferring on me the Honle Office of Recorder of the Town of Savannah but my present Indisposition renders me Incapable to Attend Public business. I most Earnestly Entreat Your Honnr would dispose of that Place to Some more able Person. I shall always rely on your Honnrs Favour and Protection.

P.S. Mr Evely [Eveleigh] desires Leave to Set up a Store a little above Old Savannah Town, a little this Side of the River as Likewise Licences for all his Traders. We Shall Endeavour not to Discourage him but cannot do any thing of our Selves without further Instructions which we beg may be dispatched as Soon as possible. He Offers to bring down all his Skins & Ship em off at this Place and as the People of Charles Town have Laid a Considerable Tax on the Indian Trade this will be the only time to push the thing on to Advantage for this Province.

Robert Potter⁸³ to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 16, 1734, Savannah, received Nov. 9, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 82-83, concerning his payment for his Irish transport servant.

Sir

Necessity forces me, to lett your Honour know, ye wrongs wch I suffer’d Since your departure, & all fathered, on your Honr or on, an order wch your Honour Sent to mr Coston [Causton] to yt purpose. I presume, you remember, when you gave me, Mary ochy,⁸⁴ ye transport Servt. You told me, I should have her, att first cost, & yt I should have, three years time for ye payment, So yt it would be, easy to me, to pay it, by litle, & litle, as I grew in Substance. I went off well Satisfied, & return’d your Honour thanks, not doubting, but yt your Honours word, would be perform’d Soon after. I went for her indenture, to Mr Coston who gave it me, but drew a bond paible in a twelmonth time, notwithstanding he was present, when your Honour was pleased to give, three year’s time, for ye payment of it. I objected against ye bond, but he told me it was your Honours order and yt he cold do no other. I willingly Signed it, not thinking I should have any more afterclaps; but in fouer months time, after passing ye bond Mr Coston Sent for me, and told me he had an order from your Honour to call in yt money & thretn’d me wth executions if I did not, imediately pay him, a case not to be parraleld might overcoming right. Tis certaine ye wicked & vile behavior of ye Servt ocation’d me to sell her. I could not endure her, in my house, wch was ye handle, mr Coston took hold of, to vindicate his caling in of yr mony. Mr Coston & Mr Cristy, ware both privy, to my Selling of her. Why did they not then demand ye money, no, but they left it three months in my hands, until ye most part of it was laid out, part in improving my lott, part in Supporting me in a desperate fit of Sickness. Then how to make up ye Sume, I knew not. I was in a very great Straite. I had no way left me, but to sell what litle linin I had, & Cocks, & hens turkies & gees, part of wch ware your honours bounty to me, & all Sold att an underrate and for halfe value. If ye greatest pollitick, in ye world studied my downfall they could not have hit., on a more redy method. And now to crown all, ye Store provisions are Stopt from me. I appeale to your Honour whether I was given to riot or drunkennees during your abode in ye Colony. No, tis evident I brought my five acre lott to yt perfection yt no man has yet don ye like. I have clear’d it & fence’d it & last march I planted three thousand hills of potatoes on wch, I Spent all my litle Substance, & Strenth, not doubting of a plentyfull harvest. But I was greatly disappointed; not accationd by ye badness of ye land; but by my neibours not clareing theire lots, joyntly with me, ye Squerrils distroyed all. Worthy Sir, when I came here, I insisted on ye promis yt ye Honourable Trustees made, id est: if ye lands did not produce Suffitient maintainence, ye first yeare: yt provisions should be continued, till Such time as it did. Now tis manfest, yt I used all ye mean’s & industry yt was in ye power of man, & all has fail’d: & if now, your Honour, & ye rest of ye Honourable trustees failes me, in theire promis, I Shall be of all men in this collony, ye most miserables. I don’t doubt but mr coston will do me yt justice, to certifie your Honours, of my industry & labours if he has not don it allredy. I ask pardon for troubling your Honour wth this two tedius an epistle of complaint, but, it is ye greatest necessity has press’d me to it, & it will be an act of ye greatest charrity to relieve me in it all wch I leave to your Honours charritable disposition.

Endorsed:

Sr

Mr Potter desires me to join wth him in his humble Request to you as above. And I really think that it will be adding to the many charitable & good Deeds you have already done, to consider his particular Case. His Son has left him, & the rest of his Family are uncapable of Assisting him but very little in ye Way of Clearing & Planting, tho’ their Dependence must be upon him. He has himself been long Sick & therefore not able to keep his Land wch he had cleared in proper Order. So that unless the Worthy Gentlemn the Trustees are so good as to grant him an Allowance from ye Store till his Lands are able to produce, he cannot possibly subsist. You are Sr your self a Witness to his Industry whilest we were so happy as to have you here. He had intirely cleared his 5 Acres, and fenced it, wch is more than any one else has done. But I am sure I need not urge a Matter your own Goodness will readily prompt you to, I am Sr

Yr most Obedt    

S. QUINCY    

Robert Potter to Viscount Percival, Dec. 17, 1734, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 84-85, concerning his need for help to live in Georgia and having cleared his garden lot.

My Lord

This goes to return your Lordship thanks, for ye many favours, your Lordship was pleased to bestow, on me, during my abode, in London, & perticularly ye bounty your Lordship was pleased to favour me with when I was coming of, & farther, to lett your Lordship know ye hardships, I now lie under, & like to be under, for ever, if not relived by your Lordship, & by ye rest of ye honorable trustees, for establishing this Collony. My Lord when I enterd att ye office, ye Honorable trustees were pleased to tell us, yt, if ye land wth our industry, did not produce sufficient, for our Support: yt provisions should be continued, untill it should. My Lord I appeale to James Oglethorpe Esqr. for a carracter during his abode here & now unto ye revernd minister of God, Samuel Quincy Mr Coston Mr west &c who can certifie yt I have used all ye industry yt was, or, could be, in ye power of one man, to cultivate, & improve my lott, wch I have brought to greate perfection, but not so as to afford me any reasonable maintainence as yet. My provisions are now stopt, att ye Store. I can no longer, improve my lot, it must turn to its old wild nature againe, &, I must turn porter in ye Streets to get bred for me, & my poor charge, if ye Honrble trustees, are not pleased to grant me a second year’s provisions.

My Lord I never was brought up, to any other calling but that of improving & cultivating ye land, wch, if, I am by necessity driven from it, to follow portering in ye streets I, & my charge, I shall be, of all families, ye most miserable. I will not tyre your your Lordship wth any more on this hed, but I leave all to your Lordships charritable consideration who has heretofore amply relived me in my greatest distress. And I doubt not, but your Lordship will att this time as redily assist, in procuring me a second years provision being my last request, & as great an act of charity as your Lordship can contribute to. This being granted I shall for ever pray & remaine, your Lordships most oblig’d, most, obedient & most Humble Servt to comand.

Endorsed:

My Lord

Mr Potter desires me to give my Testimony to what he has above written, wch I most readily do. I can assure your Lordship that he has applyd himself wth great Diligence to the Clearing of his Land, & behaved himself in every Respect like a Sober Man, and a good Christian; & I believe every one in the Colony if they were desired would be ready to give him such a Character.

He has clear’d, & fenced his Garden Lot, containing 5 Acres of good planting Land; but as he has no Assistance but Himself to go on wth the Work, & tho’ late Sickness has been disabled from keeping his Land in proper Order, & has a family of three Children to provide for. It is impossible for him to subsist, as he has now no Provisions from the Store, unless the Worthy Gentn the Trustees will be so good as to grant him some Allowance till his Land will be able to Produce. He has indeed been more industrious abt Cultivating his Lands than any Man in the Colony besides; for no one else, even they that have ye largest Assistances, have yet cleared their Five Acres. It will be an Addition to the many charitable & good Deeds Your Lordship has already done to ye Distress’d, to grant this Favour. And yt the Divine Being who never fails to Reward Virtuous Actions, may bountifully Reward your Lordship, is the hearty Prayer.

Saml Quincy

Savannah Decr 18. 1734.

Samuel Montaigut to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 17, 1734, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 86-87, Egmont 14200, pp. 327-329, concerning his business in Savannah and ideas for the development of the port. Translated from the French.

Sir,

I should consider myself wanting in appreciation, should I longer neglect to thank you for all the favors which you have shown me, and in particular that of having recommended me to Mr Causton. That last favor makes plain the respect and esteem that is here entertained for you, in that Mr Causton has received me with marks of distinction and has not ceased to render to me all the services that were in his power. Again, it is to you, Sir, that I owe all these things, and I render you therefor my very humble thanks. I should like all the days of my life to find occasions wherein I can give you evidences of my appreciation.

I have had built a little store by the side of your residence. There I have put some merchandise, and have commenced to sell to the satisfaction of the inhabitants of Savannah. I ask of you, Sir, the honor of your protection and that of the Gentlemen, the Honourable Trustees, for the continuance of the little business which I have here commenced conjointly with the Messrs Simond, who will not fail on their part to make apparent the advantages of a business very agreeable to the inhabitants of this place, by the modification of the price of the goods which they will send here, as they have found by those which I have brought. Since under your good pleasure and that of the Gentlemen, the Trustees, I intend to make here my principal residence, I pray you, Sir, to be so good as to give me a town lot before the Bay or Strand, wherever there are vacant ones, with the grant which I ask you to accord me with all the privileges and prerogatives of a member of the Corporation, and the 5 acres nearest the city possible, and the 45 acres which go with them. This would encourage me to make my residence at Savannah.

It appears that the Savannah River is one of the best in America.

Its bar is three fathoms of water at low tide, consequently of sufficient water for the largest vessels. Off its bar in this place there is only Yoakley bank, which could easily be deepened at small expense. Vessels anchor here at 5 fathoms of water, and in fresh water (which is marvelous). It is desirable that there should be cut here a descent at the Bluff and that a little wharf be constructed along the river, which would avoid a great distance for the discharge of vessels, and much expense which would necessarily raise the price of Merchandise. I take the liberty of expressing my opinion on this subject, as it appears to me. You can judge of it, Sir, much better than I.

I had intended to go up to Purysburgh on my other business. But your Birthday, which is to be celebrated here next Saturday, detains me, when I hope to have the honour of drinking to your health, together with all the inhabitants of this city, who love and honour you as their Father. Although I did not have the same honour of being brought into this country by you, I should resent that any one should question the esteem and consideration which I entertain for you.

Robert Parker to Robert Hucks, Dec. 24, 1734, Mill Bluff [on Savannah River], C.O. 5/637, pp. 4-6, Egmont 14200, pp. 335-339, telling of building a mill, Oglethorpe’s objections to him, mail to Georgia, and his inability to trade with Indians.

Sr.

As you are the Gentleman among the Trustees that Sr Robert Walpole was so kinde in so Affectionate a Manner to recommende me to makes me take the liberty now to address to you. As he was acquainted with my Former condition of Life induct him in so perticular a manner to recommende me. As I dont question but the Letter is yet regularly in the Office I could desire it might be once more read over, if any regarde will be payd to that great Mans Recommendation.

As I have formerly upon my own foundation as a Mercht Employed almost as many People as is in the Collony, I thought some little regarde or difference would have been shown so indeed it was while Mr Oglethorpe stayd. And I Exspehtd he would given some directions accordingly, but instead of that I have founde Worse usage yn any body ells. Mr Oglethorpe gave me a Lott for House &c wch I inclosd in built a Large Workshop Saw Pitts &c at a very great Exspence for my Workmen about the Mill, wch since has been regularly taken away by our Court to gratifie one that went up to the Indian Nation. So I am disposest without any Equivolent, so that the Publique is served at a Private Mans Exspence.

Mr Oglethorpe gave, if confirmed by the Trust, a Trust Lott marked K in the Draft of the Towne Plot in the Large Book, wch in a Letter that I desired might be delivered to him to reminde him upon his Arrivall, wch Letter Mr Brownfielde he had orders to lay before the Boarde. I should be glad to be confirmed in it and hopes the Termes will be made verey easey to me.

I had liberty before Witness from Mr Oglethorpe to Erect my Mill Worke either in the Salts or up the River where I pleas for my Own conveniency, where I have pitcht upon is remote from any Setlement the Nearest is two Milde by Land above Abercorne and 3 milde in a direht line from Purisburgh. I hope the Gentlemen will allow me a large scope of Land in Consideration of my Large Family of Eleven Children besides what I may Possibly have should my Wife be induct to Come over wch is her desire and as soone as I can make her a Suitable reception will be as agreable to me, and likewise in consideration of the Usefullness of my Undertaking, wch now I have the pleasure to tell you wch plese to informe the Gentlemen is at Worke. And I hope in a few daye to Cut Eight Hundred or a Thousand Foott of Timber a Day and when I make an addition hope more than to double it. After furnishing the Demand at Savanah and the other Settlements & Purisburg hope to ship off large quantiteys for the Suger Islands. Besides I expect to furnish London with Thousands of Foott for Floring of the finest Cleare stuff that ever was imported. One Branch of my business was the Norway trade so that I pretende to understand it as well as anybody. I expect in my grant a Liberty to have one or two Negro Servants for every 50 Achres, the charge of White Laborers being so extravigently Deare there is no such thing as bearing it. As also as I have Severell Children a Power as in England to make my Will to leave what it may Please God to Bless me with as I shall see fitt as an Incouridgment to the more Dutifull.

Mr Oglethorpe might probably speake about two hogsheads of Rum. He was tould by a Person that hapned to be in my House when I received the Letter they was sent up without my knowledge and Immediately went out and Acquainted Mr Cawston and Mr West of them before they came a Shore. One Hogshead I took for my Own Use and Workmen the other I sold to Musgroves Stores.

As to my bearing Armes while I had Sons they would not permitt it while they could do it for me. The Duty was never neglected. Another Objection Mr Oglethorpe had, wch was the Revrend Mr Dising coming up to Officiate for Mr Quinsey. I had a little acquaintance with him at Charles Towne and being destitute of a House to go to (the Saltzburgers having Mr Quinseys) he was at my House while he stayd in Towne but I knew nothing of his coming neyther had he any invitation from me further than taking him in for 3 Weeks while he stayd without the least thing allowed him from the Store not so much as a bottle of Wine. One thing I will say none of the Ministers behaved better nor gave more Satisfaction to the People than he did while he stayd. I have troubled you with these three things wch dwelt mightily upon Mr Oglethope before he went away that he wrote me an angry Letter from Charles Towne and did not therein use me well being inosent of either but as I have now represented them.

My Coming over into these perticular parts at first it was the good Opinion I had of the Lawable undertaking hoping it might be in my power likewise of doing a great deale of good Heare among the Persons sent over, but all that is now frustrated. Any other place would be as well for me. I have large offers made me from boath North & South Carolina if I am inclinable to moove, but if I am well used I confess I like my Pressent Scituation verey well. I was recommended to the Mr Heathcoats by Mr Trafford yr Relation. Plese to give my Humble Service and by them to Mr Trafford also to Mr Virnon, and if youll be so good to give my Duty to the Rt Hon Sr Robt Walpole and Sr Charles Turner my Relation youll much Oblidge me. If you can procure freight cheape, as no doubt you may, plese to sende me Twenty Hogsheads of your Best Beer. I will make a returne to your Satisfaction and if youll spare so much time to give me two or three Lines in answer by the first Ship to Charles Towne direhted for me at Mr Richard Hill Mercht youll exseedingly Oblidge me.

[P.S.] One thing I forgot to incert but it being so materiall it will be the ruin of all the Business in these parts if not carefully rectified. That is the care of Letters. None is wrote for England that can be hapned on but what are opened and often secreated as also letters from thence. I dont doubt but I have had severall served so myself and perhaps some with Bills wch cant yet learne. Letters from these parts should not long be detained in the Office if direhted thither but forwarded by the first Ship to Charles Towne to be sent hither with a Scedule of the Number and who they are direhted for with out upon coming to the store to be fixt upon the Dore that every one may demand yr own. Some Letters have been delivred dated 9 Months before wch is a prodigious Hindrance and would destroy all negotiation.

I have severell Indians that comes and vissitts me for the sake of Rice &c. They bring me yr Skins wch not to offende the pressent orders I am Oblidged to turne away and so they go and sell them at Purisburgh. It might be 40 or £ 50 Sterling in my way, and why should not I and the rest that Ventures ourselves among them make the Propper advantages. But see it go to Carolina. Plese to let me have your Opinion of this for my Own Satisfaction as well as others.

Youll think me Long & Troublesum. But being Christmas Eve, my People desired Leave to go out this morning to provide themselves a Dinner tho we have good Beeff Porke Cheese Flower &c. They are now come home and have brought 3½ Coople of Ducks 1 paire of Doves one Turkey and a fine Buck together with a fine young Pig. But the latter they had at Abercorne.

We are not altogether destitute of Provissions when we have time to seeke for it, Esspessialy Turkeys & Venison Ducks &c in plenty but very shy.

I have one thing to Crave that nothing from my Letters may be communicated to the Publique with my Name, unless upon absolute occasion and then shant disowne anything I have advanst. I have sent also a Copey of the Letter delivred to Mr Oglethorpe after his Arrivall, wch Mr Brownfielde advised his Master had ordered to be la yd before ye Board.

Samuel Eveleigh to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 30, 1734, South Carolina, C.O. 5/636, pp. 95-96, concerning conditions in South Carolina and Georgia.

Sr

My last to you was of the 27th Instant per Capt Goffe. Since wch Sevll thing’s have occur’d, which I think worthy of communicating.

I do believe (with defference to yr own Judgement) That it may be necessary for you to make a proper Application (as you Shall judge best) Either to the Commissioners of the Customs or to the Treasury to Abridge the Port Charges between this place & Georgia, That so wee may Trade from thence to this Place upon a better footing. I think to demand the full Port Charges here on so Contiguous A Colony is very Extravegant, when it’s very apparent a Voyage may be made by a proper Sloop in two Week’s Time. A Shugar Drogarr⁸⁵ in Jamaica may and does make four Voyages in Six Months Time and Some times more and pay’s but one Port Charges. The Reason that induces me to write you this, is, because here has been a Perriaugoe or two who have lately gone from hence to Georgia And the Goods on Board of One of them (being in an open Boat) have Suffered Two hundred pounds Damage by the Rain. Whereas had they been Shipt on Board A Small Deckt Sloop, it might have been prevented and more Expeditious.

I have lately recd a Letter from Mr William Jeffries, whereby I find that Strong Materials have been drawn up against the Govr [Robert Johnson] on Accot of the Affair of Mr Hazle; That the Govr is very innocent in that Affair, I am Satisfied you must be a competent Judge. If any body Suffered illegally in that Affair (According to the best of my judgment) it must be Mr Hazle. It’s true, I do believe Mr Jeffries is a very considerable Looser by him, and am very Sorry for it as much as any Man in England or in this Place. But! this I know, That Mr Whitaker and Mr Humes were both freed on the like Occasion, and both Said they could not prosecute, and I don’t believe there was A Lawyer in this Province would have done it (Except Mr Graham). Nor would he, had he not been encouraged by his Father the Chief Justice.

It’s matter of Astonishment to me, That he Should make this a matter of Complaint Against the Govr from whom he has recd so many Civility’s.

I have by this Opportunity again wrote Mr [William] Jeffries to Send me a Vessell to be in Georgia the latter End of May, and if ther’s anything that you think you Shall have Occasion for from thence for the Service of that Colony, Please to lett Mr Jeffries know it and I am Sure you and I shall not dissagree in the price, when they come there. I shall desire Mr Jeffries to write you on this Head.

There’s a Vessell now in this Harbour bound for Bristoll, that mount’s twelve Gun’s That I believe I Shall agree with on Condition that Mr Jeffries has not Supplyd himself before he gett’s Home. She Sails well and has everything necessary for A defence in Case of A Warr. I must again desire the favour that you’l Speak to yr friends of So Wales to procure what Servants and Passengers they can from thence, for I have made it my Observation Several Times Since I have been in America That the Welch are a Laborious, diligent, Sober and Industrious people (generaly Speaking) and I Shall use both Passengers and Servants so well that I doubt not but shall ingage them to write Home to their friends to Encourage great Number’s to come over. And dare believe, That you and the Trustees will in your Parts Use them in like civill manner.

I have by this Oppty of Capt Loyd Sent you a Small Cask of pottash, wch I recd this Day from Mr [Roger] Lacey, and have shewn it to Mr Hall’s Bror lately come in, Who does not very well approve thereof. However hope it may be of Some Use, Either to the Dyer’s or Soap Boiler’s.

He informes me That he understands the Method of makeing that Commodity, and I do propose He Shall make A Tryall if possible I can.

About this day Sevennights a Vessell that’s Since come in informs me, He Spoak with Capt [George] Dunbarr off of this Barr bound for Georgia, Where I hope hee’s arrived.

I am now writeing to Mr Samuel Lawford of Providence to know at what price hee’l deliver me Eight Hundred or a Thousand Bushell’s of Salt at Georgia.

I have lately been in Company with a N. England Master of A Vessell That has used the No Carolina Trade Twenty two Voyages. I have been very perticular in my Inquiry about A Trade thither, And find it will do very well from Georgia to that Place. And he believes ther’s not less than One hundred and forty Vessells from New England, Piscataway [New Jersey?] and other Northern Colony’s that enter in and clear out in one year. And he is of Opinion with me, That this and Georgia are Scituated much better for That Trade than New England is.

It gave me a great deal of Satisfaction when I was last at Georgia to hear of the Depth of Water there was in Was saw River up to Thunderbolt. I have been Speaking to Mr Midelton the Pilote to goe down at my Charge and resurvey it. But it’s So buissie a Time now, That he cannot do it. But I believe in May next, I may persuade him to it.

I am now Sending some Effects to Bermuda, and would have ordered for Some Negroe Carpenters from thence in return, If So I thought the Trustees would Admit thereof.

I have Spent a great many Thought’s on the Affair of Georgia and it would be of vast Satisfaction to me, Should I live to See A good Constitution Settled there, That the Government was Easie both in civil Society and Trade and upon Such A Basis as was not to be Altered. And Should take a Pride, If [I] could any Way Assist therein.

Mr [Joseph] Wardrope is now here, and tells me that they Enjoy at Present in Georgia A great Measure of Health.

John West to James Oglethorpe, Dec. 30, 1734, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 97, Egmont 14200, pp. 343-344, concerning conditions in Georgia.

Honnored Sr

I mack bould to trobell you with this with my heart full of grateytude & thankfullness for your Deesmesing [dismissing] me of Soo trobellsom & Chargobell a ofess [office].⁸⁶ I will ashowor [assure] your Honnor I have nott Spard my time nor Substance in keeping ye pease & Creaditt of ye Colloney & have indeaverd to beehave my Self in Such a manor that I have ye good will of a most all that have aney Knowleg of me. Ye pepell in genrell Semed att fust too be vearey oneasey att my Quetting ye bench, but I towld them itt was my own Deesior to tbe Descharged & now I beeleve they will be Vearey well satefied. The pepell in genorell are pushing forward thayor [their] beldings & Colteveatting [cultivating] thayor Lands & we was all in Genorell in gratt reegoiseing [recognizing] on your Honnors beath [birth] Day & Every one Seme to Expres a Deale Satesfackion in itt. Ye Enjion [Indians] arifed [arrived] heare all in good health & Expres a Deall of Satisfackion in the Exsepion in England⁸⁷ & now I Doutt nott butt we Shall be a Vearey Easey & Quiott [quiet] & a indosttross pepell & Shall answar ye Ends of your gratt [great] pains & kare that you have tacking for us. So I Concloud Hoping this will find your Honnor & all ye Honnorebell Trosttees in good health as I & all my famoley is att preasent. I thanck god My wife is brought to bead with a Sone on ye 28 of this Enstont [instant].

P. S. I should be vearey glad of Leve to Com for Englan for a Small time in ordor too Seatell Sum afayors & gett Sume of my Contorey men for Sarvents for me. I know them to be Sume of ye best in all Englan for Contorey worck. Theare is a gratt Deale more as I Could inform you of butt mr Costin & mr Crestey [Christy] both have towld me thay Shall right in Larg to you of all trancacons that have hapened heare. Ye pepell are all in genorell vearey healthey & well.

Robert Parker to the Trustees, undated, no place,⁸⁸ C.O. 5/637, pp. 1-2, Egmont 14200, pp. 331-334, complaining that people are to be taken off public provisions, too frequent courts, too savage punishments, and conduct of officials and free masons.

Gentlemen

As Benevolence Charity & the good of Mankind are the Motives You Act by, in so Laudable an undertaking as the Setling the Colony of Georgia, You’ll sooner forgive what the same Influence obliges me now to Informe you off. Should You differ from my Way of Thinking I offer no harme, should what ever I Advise be rejected.

Mr Oglethorpe that wth the thinking Part of Mankind will for Ever be had in a Gratefull Remembrance of the People here, that were Witnesses of His Generous Actions, Indefatigable Pains & Industry is now with us no more. We feel the Wants & I Dayly Hear the Cry of the Multitude, for being without a Worthy Head, which doubtless will be soone supply’d out of Your Laudable Body.

I am informed that Orders are come over to allow no more than a Years Provissions to those Passengers by Yoakly Dawbus [Henry Daubuz] & Wood.⁸⁹ Gentlemen I profess I have neither spoke about to those People, nor am I my self affected, nor no body knows of my Writing but I can’t help setting their Case before You in the light it appears to me. First severall of these & most of the first Fourty⁹⁰ that are alive have been Employ’d in the Publick Works. They have had no opportunity of getting their Lands in proper Order for Culture but at the same Time I must needs say the Land itself comes far short of the Praises bestow’d upon it, wch was the inducement that brought over the Honest People & must needs think they cant be made amends [but?] by receiving Yet one or two Years Provisions longer. They have had some of them seed out of the Stores both English & Carolina. I can’t Account how it hapned, but it produced nothing, or next to nothing. They have had the same a Second Time, wch did like the former. Some the Third Time, and they have had their Labour for their Pains or their Crops consum’d by Squirrells. Shoud such people as these be Cut off from Yr Provissions! God forbid.

I am sure when You was at so much Pains & Charge to send them hither You won’t suffer them to Perish, wch they must inevitably do if they are shut out of the Store. The Settlements at Abercorn & Skedeway, for Want of their Lands being run out, to know Where to clear & Plant, have had nothing to do but bemoan themselves so coud not Possably have any Provissions coming up. The former Place was but the last Week run out by the Surveyer, but whether Skedeway be yet done, I am a Stranger to, but have heard very lately great Complaints for want of its being allotted. Another thing that I think Pleads strongly for them is their so often attendance at Court. I have heard some reckon 10 Days out of 30. It must needs be, when the Recorder has told me, he has granted Thirty Warrants in a Day. When at Purrisbourgh (to its Praise be it spoken) only one Warrant has been served since its first setling. I have offer’d my self to take Pains, & endeavour to make up Differances but that Method is not approv’d off. I am sorrey there shoud be such a Spirit among Those People. The People from the out Settlements have been oblig’d to give their attendance frequently at the loss of 3 or 4 Days Worke at their own Expence & not so much as a Bed to lye on, the Publick Houses having none to Spare so are expos’d to the inclemency of the Weather. They Complain Heavily & wth too much Reason.

I am sorrey it’s not in my Power to Redress the severall grievances sprung up since the Departure of Mr Oglethorpe. I shall Point out to You wherein they Consist, & leave them to Your better Consideration to give Proper Orders for their amendment. I am at my Works up the Country have Time to Consider things, & I shoud think my Self inexcusable in being Silent & keeping You in Ignorance, when by Your Prudence things may be amended. What Thanks I shall get from those at Savannah, You may Imagine, but I think it my Duty to do what Good I can to those that Deserve it wch is a Sufficient Recompence to me.

(1) The too frequent Courts wch are a great hardship upon the People as I observe before, but especially to those of the out Settlements since they are so often adjourn’d. Those of Abercorn were Summon’d to attend the Court on Satturday Last. They went down on Friday to be ready, then the Court was adjourn’d in the Afternoon. While next Wednesday the Poor People the Tide not Serving were oblig’d to come away in the Night & so wth Hunger & Rowing return’d on Sunday Morning. They return next Wednesday & expect most of the Week to be Lost. Besides the loss of their Time are from their Familys at their own Expence wch they can Ill Afforde.

(2dly) The Punishments come next into Consideration, wch in a New Colony in my Humble Opinion ought to be used very tenderly & as seldom as Possable, but at Savannah they are frequent & Shocking, even to Disgust the Neighboring Provinces. I have seen a women Sit in the Stocks for 3 Hours when it Rain’d hard, (& the only Dairy Wife we have to Supply the Colony wth Butter) a Servant of Musgroves, & tho She interseaded for Her. She was taken out of the Stocks & Carried on Board a Sloop & Ducked. In Ducking Her they Bruis’d her so against the Vessell she was lame for 2 or 3 Months after. The Crime had Mr Oglethorpe been here, had not been taken Notice off.

One Poor Gentleman wth the Terrors & Frights of Whipping Stocks &c went Distracted in Town thro the Terror. He went away but Died before He reacht Port Royall. He was one that had been a Good Benefactor.

(3dly) There is such an alteration of People especially amongst them that have to do wth the Store, Mr Oglethorpe Himself would not know them. He has been Witness of their Poverty, but now no Sign remains, [they] never appear wth out their Ruffles, & their Houses are well Furnished wth Plenty of everything to Profuseness.

(41y) We have about 30 or 40 Free Masons they have a fine Supper every Satterday Night & often 2 or 3 in the Week besides. Where such an expence can be born I am at a Loss to know. One Night amongst other Disorders they went to the Guard, Cut the Capt down the Head & Disarm’d the rest carrying the arms away. When they came to Reflect on’t on the Morrow to make things up they Call’d a lodge at Night & admitted Goff the Capt a Free Mason, so I suppose the thing Dropt.

I might on to other perticulars but have allready said enough to fill you with Indignation at wt Passes at Savannah. If I have Time to Spare I can go up to Purrisbourg & Spend a Day or Two wth Mr [Hector de] Beaufin & other good Company agreably but Savannah is not a Place at Present I take Pleasure in. I Wrote to Mr Oglethorpe wch I Hope he Communicated to Your Honourable Board. I Hope I shall have the Honour of an Answer.

Arthur Johnston⁹¹ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 1, 1734/5, Savannah, received March 29, 1735, C.O. 5/636, p. 98, requests servants and offers to oversee land for Oglethorpe and Trustees.

Sr

I make use of this oppertunity to reminde you of ye Services you promised you would do me in England. I have Compleatly Improved my Town Lott & now Intend for ye Country had I ye Assistance of a few Servants. I have writ a Letter to ye Honble ye Board & begg you will be Assisting to me in getting my humble requests granted.

You were pleased to give me a grant for a farme of 200 Acres wch I was to hold by Lease so begg you will Confirm ye Same.

If yr Honr or any other ye Honble Trustees wants a House Built & Plantation Cleared, if Servants be sent to me I’ll perform it Effectually According to direction.

Arthur Johnston to the Trustees, Jan. 1, 1734/5, Savannah, received March 29, 1735, C.O. 5/636, p. 101, requesting servants so that he may farm his land.

Gent

‘Tis abt 16 Months since I first Came from Carolina to this Province, & at my Arival Mr Oglethorpe Imploy’d me in ye Publick Works. He afterwards granted me a Lott in Town, upon wch wth great Difficulty I have built a House, much Larger than is Comon & sunk a Well 35 foot together wth all other Necessary Improvements.

My five Acre Lott is of no service to me, being one Intire Swamp, nor am I capable of Improveing it for want of Servants. My 45 Acre Lott is farr distant from Town, and haveing no Assistance Can make little or no Improvement thereon, wch is Cause of great trouble to me, haveing been from my Youth a Planter.

‘Tis Impossible for a Town to Subsist without a Country, so would willingly (as my Genious lyes Chiefly in Tillage) Sell my House in Town,⁹² had I three or four Servts & apply my selfe thereto, & hope yr Honrs will grant me Such supply as may Inable me to prosecute my Intended purpose, & hope in 3 or 4 Years to be Capable of makeing such return as yr Honrs shall require.

‘Tis Impossible for me to mentain my family without Servants, & not being Able to purchase at present hope yr Honrs will grant my above request, & a sense thereof with former obligations shall never terminate but with ye Life.

George Symes⁹³ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 2, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 100, requesting a servant and complaining that he cannot get payment for his cures.

Honred Sr

I Disser [desire] a Small faver from youre honor. If you please to Send Me one Man Sarvant or a boyer it will be of a greate youce [use] to Me in My Agge. I have no more att preasent. But I Return you harty thanks for all favors. I am in good health att this time ixceapte My Rupter that will be on me whill in this world.

Sr. I though proper to aquinte that I have poade [paid] five pounde Starling towardes Belding [building] of My houes and fore pounde More thay Demand of Me More and I Cante Not gett aney Monny for all the Cores [cures] that I have don.

William Calloway⁹⁴ to Harman Verelst, Jan. 4, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 102, reporting his arrival in Georgia, and the commencement of his house.

Sr

I Make bold to aquaint you of our safe arivall & through Marcy all in Good health. I hope the Country Will prove as healthfull and plentyfull as it is pleasant. It Requires a Great Deale of industerry Which Shall Nott be Wanting in Mee. My Savant & Self are Bilding a Good hutt and Cutting Down Timber for My House. I find Carpenters Labor is Very Dear. Sr if you Would bee So Good as to Give my Duty to the Trustees and if thir Honors Would please to Order Mee Som Beer to Sell in my Hutt to the Workmen While the House is Buildin it Would Bee of verry Great Sarvis to Mee. I hope I Shall behave Myself so as allways bee Desarveing of their Honors faver & in Curidgment [encouragement].

Samuel Penseyre⁹⁵ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 7, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 104-105, concerning his marital problems and his lack of income for professional services.

Honorable Sir

I received ye Message, that yr Honor Desired Mr Henry Lloyd to Deliver to me, by words of Mouth, and tells me that ye Honor is very Angry with me to which I should be very Sorrow to incur yr Honors Displeasure, upon any accounts be whatever. Sir in few Lines I will acquaint you of ye whole truth of it, for why I did so, what I have done. Having been Maried to that woman about ten years, and Lived very happy for about Seven years, Butt She got acquainted with Some people that was Debauched in ye way of Drinking that Cursed Liquor Called Geneva [gin]. And when She once got in that way of Drinking She Could not Leave it off, and Generally Got Drunk almost every Day. And all that I Could do to hinder her of that abominable way of Drunkness still was in vaine to me to pretend any Such a thing. At Last my life began to be very Troublesome to me, and I was ashamed of her, both for her Drinking and Curssing and Swearing that I Could not bare it any Longer that I was, in a manner forced to go away from her, on purpose to find peace and Rest in my mind. After a while meeting with this woman Now at present in Georgia with me, Seeing her of Good Beheaviour, and Sober woman, apperceiving no ill Course in her, and by that mean wee Concluded both to go to Georgia. Where Sir I Can assure yr Honor, that She has Caried her Self as Sober and Cheast [chaste] as any woman in Georgia ever did, or ever will do. For I found that I had nothing but Contentions, and strife, and that I was in Capable of getting my Bread, or either to serve God, or men. Butt if yr Honor will have her to Come to me, I Shall Receive her, I Cannot say willingly receive her, by Reason I Know very well that She will never Keep her Self from Drinking, and when Shes Drunk She is also mad. Butt in Case that She Come I will send this present woman away, altho She has two fine Boys. Then I am Sensible that I Shall not be Capable of doing what I have been oblige to do, that is to take Care of ye Sick people in Savanah as I have done either to, for all the Honorable Trustees Servants and Mr Coston Servant, without any profit to me, but ye Contrary for I have been obliged to buy my one Medicines at Dear Rate, and never had any thing allowed to me for it. But More than that Mr Coston has tooke away frome me what yr Honor was please to allow me from Tybee, that was two Shillings a Day for taking Care of them. For he Sends Most every Body, when Sick, to me, and when I have done ye Cure he will not pay me. So I been Serve ever Since yr Honor has been Gone from us. As for Mr King Clark he has been uncapable of Doing any thing, by Reason of his been ill Most part of ye time that he has been in Georgia, but never the Least he has the profit, and I have the Labour for my paine.

As to my Lott at Tybee I Can no way improve it by Reason that I have Nothing but a Salt Marsh that is overflowd at every spring tide, and in Savanah I have no Lott. I hope yr Honor will take these in to Consideration, that I have not been ye Least useful person in Savanah Town Butt rather Most usefull of any one, that is of my imploy.

As Concerning my wife, and Reason afore said because I Left her, I thought in my self that I Should not offend God as much, as if I had remained with her and be fore ever contending and querrelling with her about her abominable way of Drunkness, which it is well Known about London. And More over She has been so tempted to Destroy her Self that She went to a Drugster and bought one ounce of Liquid Laudnum and took it on purpose or in order to Destroy her Self. Had I not then took Greate Deal Care of her to Give her a vomit, and other Necessary in that Case, She would been a Dead woman. Sir as to my part, it is well Known, that my Caracter, was never stained in any things be whatever, before this present time, nor did I ever Deserve it but always behaved my self like an Honest man.

As yr Honor has seen My Certificats in Georgia and do still Cary my self at present, both in Diligence and Good Behaviour that there is hardly any one in Georgia but what will speak well of me, and Respect me. I apperceive that there has been a Letter sent to my wife in my name, as to go to sand [?] which after one Captain pickering, after a present that was or Should been sent by me. But I assure your Honor that I never sent her any Such Letter nor do I Know any Such as Captain Pickring. As I have Soul to be Saved I write you no false things. Yr Honor is very sensible that no Body would Leave his native Country if they had not som Crosses or Misfortune to venter their lives in Crossing ye ocean, tho at present I like Georgia Extraordinary well, and Should be very happy was it not for this present purpose. For ye Collonie improves very well and Expect that it will be a plentyfull place in litle time. I thought I Should been happy in it and live a sober life, but my mind is very Much Disturb, tho’ there is no Body without falt, at willin farling that has Showed yr Honor a note of Hand for Seven and twenty Shillings. I have Left him two Receipt one for it Chollick, the other for the fever and Ague ye which they are worth above ten Guineas. I hope yr Honor will take this in to Conssideration.

Samuel Hill to John Pine,⁹⁶ Jan. 10, 1734/5, Clarendon in Jamaica, Egmont 14200, pp. 415-421, concerning his desire to move to Georgia.

Sir

I make no question but it may give you a small Surprize to see my name at the bottom of this Epistle, not having done my Self the pleasure of the same kind since my arrival here, but if the length of this can be any Compensation for that Omission, then I shall stand fair for your forgiveness. Having never any mention been made by my Sister of any Sickness, or Death, to have visited your family, I from thence have hope of your enjoying Still the same good health as when I left you. And if it would be any Satisfaction to you to know how it has fared with me since then in a Country so branded for Feavers, Belly-achs, and Mortality, I can (with Gratitude to our Common Preserver) acquaint you, that I have had as Continued a Share of health as I have been happy in at any time heretofore, except a little Giddiness in my head, from a fullness of Blood, by the lessening of which I have been relieved. But I keep to my accustomary Temperance, which is one of the best Preservatives in every Climate.

Last year (having before taken notice of an Advertisement of Reasons for Settling Georgia) I wrote to my Sister to send them to me, for from my first hearing of that intention, I possess’d my Self with very favourable Impressions of the Undertaking from the temperature of its Latitude the fertility of its Soil, and the abundant plenty of food wch. the Woods and the waters cant fail to yeild, being never ransacked by a great number of Inhabitants. Therefore perswaded my Self that it would very rationally answer the expectations of those who by their Industry are desirous of providing for their familys, or improving their fortunes, and might in few years become one of the most flourishing Colonys in our Western World, if the Settlers by their imprudence in defrauding, or ill treating the Neighbouring Indians (on one side) dont make them their Enemys (and which if they do they will never be safe till the others have an opportunity amply to take their Revenge). As on the other side, if our Government dont fail to give them all necessary Support and Protection against the Spaniards at St. Augustine, and the Savage Indians inhabiting Florida, whom they may be very apt to Spirit up against a Colony which they cannot but look on with umbrage for this being our nearest Settlement to the Gulph, thro which all their Wealth from their New World must pass. Nothing to me seems more plain, than that by a Squadron of our Men of War to intercept and take every Sail of their flota or Galeons, when they leave their Rendezvouz at the Havannah, without the fatal Circumstances that must unavoidably befall our blocking them up in their own Harbours. For here our Ships will lie in a Safe Port, without their Bottoms being eat out, our Sailors will retain their Healths and Vigour, by a plentifull Supply both of Fresh water and fresh Provisions, in a Salutary Clime. Our light Vessell too (while Cruising about for intelligence of their approach) will prove a Security to that part of the Continent against Pirates or Privateers, by which means it will be allways in the Power of England to prescribe Laws to Spain, by keeping in all their hopes of money from thence, and without this they will never be able to carry any thing on to our prejudice. If this then be the case (and to me it seems as undeniable as that twice 2 makes 4) I shall not be Surprised to hear that the Spaniards by all Attempts either of Power or Subtlety, leaves nothing untried to give us all possible molestation to make us uneasy in it. If he may not have Strength to root us out, when it appears so much his interest to Compass it, as it will be ours to be maintained at all points in our Possession of it. And altho for prudential Reasons it might not be judged necessary to publish this as one motive that might promote its Settlement, yet I cannot imagine that our Gentlemen at the Helm could possibly overlook an Advantage of so prodigious a nature. For if Gibraltar proves so uneasy a Thorn in the Spaniards Sides in Europe, This Georgia may be a Spear thro the very heart of him in America. On this acct. I read the other day in one of yr. News Papers that was transmitted hither, that Sr. Charles Wager had presented the Plan of a Fortification for it, and that her Majesty had approved on’t. This with great pleasure I perused, as likewise that the produce hitherto so well answers to Expectation, and the people go on so Successfully. One more advantage comes in mind as I am writing this, of our lying in wait for the Galeons as aforesaid, is, that the Northern Colonys would Supply the Fleet with Masts and Naval Stores, and any number of Seamen (should they be wanted) for so good an occasion, or Land men with small Arms for boarding, nothing giving greater Joy to them than the Gutting of a Galeon, and revenging the many injuries received by them.

But to come a little nearer to my first purpose, I am to acquaint you that for Some time I have had an Inclination of Changing this Torrid Clime for one more temperate, on the Northern Continent, and this Colony in particular having inclined me to move thither could I have a Considerable inducement thereto. I would readily Set about it, and the advantage of the first Inhabitants of a Country who risque their lives and health against Intestine Foes; or Sickness of the Country, (and all new Countrys are more or less so, till the land is cleared of its Woody Incumbrances and the Air finds a free and uninterrupted passage). Among other Encouragements [they] should have their Choice of Land, as for the Commodious Situation for their Dwelling, so in its fertility in Manuring.

Should I form a Satisfactory Encouragement determine to go thither I would carry a few hundred pounds along with me in Rum, Sugar, Molasses, or whatever else might be vendible there. And when Settled, I propose to trafick with my fellow Georgians for their Boards, Shingles, Staves, Ox-bows, Truss-hoops, Flower, Biskett, Wine &c, to Ship to Jamaica. Likewise I would provide them from London with tools for their Work, Cloathing for themselves, Furniture for their Houses, or other necessarys which they may have occasion for, and in Exchange take the in Silk, Pot-ashes &c that may be proper for an European Markett; as also with our friendly Indians for their Furrs and Hides &c.

Having thus far let you into my present Scheme, and recollecting that you by a frequenting that end of the Town where the Gentlemen who have the direction of the lower Orbs Inhabit, that there was a very good probability some of the Trustees for Georgia might be known to you in Person, or might by the means of others easily become so, and Negotiate the manner of my Settling there, on better terms than the Group of those who go thither, as I Shall put the Trustees to no Expence in fitting me out, or in the furniture for my house when arrived there, and yet these will cost me no very Small matter. If there are any Posts of Profit, or Credit unsupplyed, One of them might be of Service by my not only being looked on as of some Consequence among them, but also on a supposition that a better Dwelling house Lands, with more conveniences or Priviledges are anex’d to such, for keeping up a good Decorum among them. To such a Post I may have some Pretence from being a Man of worth, when brought into a Comparison with most of the present Inhabitants. If any Enquiry should be made with regard to my Person or Character, your Self or any other of my Friends I depend will not be wanting in giving me a true one, and that I am in no doubt of its being Satisfactory. By gaining an acquaintance with one of the Trustees Clerks, or other Officer in that Direction, you may possibly Come at a more Effectual or Expeditious method of dispatch, and by Chatting together over a Glass of Wine you may be let also into the Knowledge of Some things that may be of use for me to be acquainted with, any Small expence of this kind, or little feer I would readily Reimbuse you in, and will write to my Sister accordingly.

I am not unapprized that it may prove a very Forlorn uncomfortable life for want of suitable Conversation, which I have always been accostomed to, but that I must endeavour to supply with Books.

As to the Article of servants I should be glad to have some information (Negroes being with right Judgment prohibited) for I am both too Old for much Bodily Labour, and too unskill’d in the making a Bed or boiling the Pot.

I suppose in this Case of mine, the Trustees will give some Instrument in writing directed to the Governing Power for a ready admittance, and Recital likewise to what Possessions and Priviledges, otherwise no man would care to leave his present Settlement, for one that is uncertain, or that can give him any delays. Therefore shall expect somewhat of that kind to be sent me, or without such kind of assurance shall Continue as I am.

I imagine it needless to trouble you with any thing farther on this Subject. My Conclusive Request will be, to intreat you will be so good as to do this Friendly Office for me, and to give it all the dispatch that your own Affairs (and the nature of This) will admitt of, because, if it were possible I might set out before the Wintery, or windy weather should come on, wch. we look for in August, and to that end shall bring my Concerns here into as Close a Compass as may be, that they mayn’t be a Cause of delay herein.

Its no matter whether you let my Sister know whats on foot, till we see whats like to be the Issue. I should be glad of an Occasion to requite the favour I now ask; if any there either is, or may be, pray lay your Commands on.

Pray my due respects to all friends.

[P.S.] If my good Old Friend Mr. Phil. Overton has (or can make) an acquaintance with any of the Gentlemen concerned, I perswade my Self of his readiness to do me a Service, therefore may please to consult him in it, if necessary.

Pray let me hear from you as soon as possible if but a line or two, for much may be said in a few words. The Cover of your letter Directed To the Honble. Henry Dawkins Esqr. in Clarendon (Jamaica) and the enclosed For Saml. Hill. If there is any Plans lately taken of this particular Colony, & the Country contiguous only (for I have already 2 or 3 Maps of New America in General) with relation to the Situation of the Towns as intended, the Roads laid out, The Rivers Mouth with its forts &c, for its defence or any thing of this kind to give me a farther insight as the number of people already gone, and if healthy. Pray fold them up as a Packett and dispatch them by the first Ship directed as aforesaid.

I am not without thoughts of Planting a Vineyard, if our Young friendly Indians (or other Servts.) are to be hired, and I find the Soil and Climate indulgent to the Grape, both for Wine, and the Raison kind.

Isaac Chardon to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 10, 1734/5, Charles Town, received March 29, 1735, C.O. 5/636, p. 116, concerning various business affairs and arrivals in Georgia.

Sir

Since my last I’ve heard from Georgia that Captn [George] Dunbar’s Safely Arrived since the 27th last month where he is Discharging his passengers who are all in Health.

Capt Yoakley has got his seized by the port Royal Collectr who lived on board him thirty days, and until his Ship was almost Loaden and then Quarriling with the Capt, Seized his Vessel for the Liquors (remainder of Stores) which he daily drank Plenty of, all the while he remained on board. Mr [George] Saxby the Surveyor of his Majestys Customs hearing for certain that it proceeded from a drunking frolic has advised the said Collectr to make up this affair. But I doubt that he will not accept of good Advice. Mr [John] Vanderplank came down express and is returned to Georgia again on this very Affair since which I’ve heard nothing further.

I’ve this day drawn upon the Honble Trustees for £ 200 Sterlg payable unto Messrs Simonds which I hope will be duly Honour’d.

P.S. I’ve bot 1646 gall Molases at 9/6 per Gall £ 781.17. for the use of the Colony. This Commodity is very scarce that there is now no more to be had.

Isaac Chardon to the Trustees, Jan. 11, 1734/5, Charles Town, received March 29, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 118-120, sending accounts and informing them he has drawn upon them for payment.

Gentn

This is to Acquaint you of the Safe Arrival of Capt [George] Dunbar at Georgia Since the 27 of December Last where he Has Safely Landed all his passengers in good Health.

I Send you here inclosed your Accounts of the Supplys furnished to your Colony Since the 25 Septr (which is Agreeable to the Last Account Sent you) to this Day & which I hope will prove to your Satisfaction and have Drawn upon you for the ballance £ 258. 16. 9 Sterling in two Separate Drafts both payable unto Messrs Peter & J. C. Simond or order which I make no doubt but will meet with due honour. The first of those Drafts is of the 10 Instant for £ 200. Ster and the Second is of this days date for £ 58.16.9 Ster. You may Assure your Selves, Gentlemen that I Shall always Use my Utmost care and diligence for the Wellfare and Interest of your Colony and purchase all the Necessarys at the best and Cheapest rates possible.

Paul Amatis to the Trustees, Jan. 12, 1734/5, Charles Town, C.O. 5/636, p. 114, concerning the removal of the Trustees garden from Charles Town to Savannah. Translated from French.

Gentlemen

This being my first that I write to you in all truth to have the honour of assuring you of my very humble respects, and at the same time to inform you that I arrived in the city the 2nd of the current month, where, since the said time, I have done nothing but see to the removal of trees and plants from this garden to send them to Georgia. I am counting on setting out in three days to return to Savannah with two perioguas loaded with trees and plants. I should like with all my heart that you had the sight of them. It is very certain that one has never seen so beautiful a tree nursery as you will have in your garden in Georgia. I am certain of having there more than one hundred thousand trees and plants. And I will not quit the garden without the whole lot being transplanted and put in the best order possible. I shall commence to raise, or rather feed, the silk worms in three weeks, so that I can make a little trial in Georgia like that which I made here last year, and which I sent you by Captain Yoakley, being addressed to Mr Symond, for placing it in the very hands of Mr Oglethorpe in order that he might have the goodness to present it for himself to you other gentlemen. I hope that, when you shall have received the said little piece of silk, consisting of three qualities, ordinary, fine and superfine, in all nine pounds and ten ounces; I hope that you will find [it] to your satisfaction. I count on setting out for London at the end of the month of July next, not being able to remain longer here in the same situation as before, the more as Mr Oglethorpe has given me no order on Mr Isaac Chardon to pay all the expense that I have been obliged to incur for establishing your manufacture of superfine silk. I am obliged from today to cease and undertake nothing else for that which concerns the said erection of the factory. You will find here added a memorandum of the expense which I have been obliged to incur for the enterprise of the manufacture of superfine silk, and which I have paid out of my own money, or rather from that of a friend of mine who furnished it to me for the payment of interest to him, until you other gentlemen, the Trustees, have the kindness to send me a remittance for the said sum. Otherwise I shall be compelled to have all my little effects sold to satisfy my friend. I pray of you mercy to consider my condition and that which I have done for your new colony. I leave all to your generosity. I am only sorry that I can no longer make myself useful to the advancement of your colony, having at present my arms tied so that I can no longer make an advance of money. I doubt not that Mr Oglehtorpe will have the goodness to communicate to you my letter, which I have written to him by the means of Captain Yoakley, in order that you may be informed of all that I have done since his departure from this city. As also you should be well persuaded, Gentlemen, that one cannot have erected, or rather have manufactured any thing without money to pay the said expenses. I have entirely quit this garden, (except a quarter that I have yet to pay for), so that I may have more time to be able to put your garden in Georgia in good order during the whole time that I shall remain in Savannah. Gentlemen, have the goodness to inform yourselves by such persons as you shall judge proper, in what condition your garden will find itself; a nursery of trees and plants that you will there have before I depart from here for London. The more, Gentlemen, have the goodness to inform yourselves in what condition the garden was at the end of August, and in what condition it was at the beginning of January, so that you may see that, if I have spent money, my only purpose was solely that I might be able to put all things in good order so as to transplant 30,000 plants that I carry with me from this garden. I have no doubt that it depends entirely upon you other Gentlemen, the Trustees, to recompense me for the whole English nation for the enterprise that I have here carried on, that I might make a success of spinning the fine silks to the last stage of perfection so I hope that the whole English nation will derive from it great advantages in the course of time. Gentlemen, you ought therefore to be persuaded how generous I have been in your regard, never having been willing to accept anything for my wages except maintenance alone, until I have shown you evidences of my capacity. Therefore, Gentlemen, if you find me capable in my enterprise, I abandon myself entirely to your gracious generosity; I close awaiting always your orders.

Thomas Young⁹⁷ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 13, 1734/5, Georgia, C.O. 5/636, p. 124, concerning his duties in Georgia, his need of assistance, and his personal life.

Sr

I Have Mounted all the Cannon and I have the Town Besness in Looking after the Streets. Whereof I have No Servant at all to Look after My Bussness. And as for the House, Because you did Not Leeve it in Writing I am Not Implauyd [employed] About It Nor No Body Else At Present and for Working from ye Begining of the Colony. And So I Still Remaine for ye Good of the Coloney in Working. My Humble Duty to all the Lords and Gentlemen of the Trust, Hopeing that the Honble Board will Take It Into Consideration to Allow Me Something Quarterly, As What ye Honble Board Shall Think Proper. I Have Receve Nothing at all for all My Trouble and Care. My Grandson Thomas Egeton He is With Me. He Gives his Humble Duty to You Hopeing that ye Honble Board will Take it Into Consideration in Coting of the Stoff for his House Because I My Self am not Able to Do it my Self By Resene [reason] Because I am Maried to Mary Box the Widdow of Wm Box. There Is 2 Children of Hern as your Honours Pleasure Was to Setle Them at Abbercorne. Whereof I am Not Able to Bild a House for them There, Without Support from ye Honble trust. As for the Widdows I Was Willing to Obey Your Honours Orders in Bilding There Houses and Went Thourer [through?] With Them. And for Want of Assistant I am Behinde Hand of My Owne. To haveing No Moe at Present from your Humble Servant to Command tell Death.

Joseph Richardson to Hermon Verelst, Jan. 13, 1734/5, Chelsea, C.O. 5/636, p. 88, concerning arms, supplies, and swans for Georgia.

Sir,

Yrs directed to me in Lincolnshire shou’d not have been so long without an answer but my Servant having put the Arms & Accoutrements on Ship board without taking an Inventory I coud not get the Particulars till my Arrival in London when I had them all cleaned and delivered at the Office directed to you and am glad they were Acceptable to the Trustees being desirous of forwarding to the utmost of my Ability so good an undertaking. Mr Miller having inform’d me some Swans wou’d be agreeable I wrote to have some taken but it being rather past the Season cou’d only get a couple wch I expected woud have been in London on Saturday but suppose the Waggon is prevented getting to town by the Badness of the Ways. As soon as they arrive if Living I will send them to the Office. Their Food is only some Oats in a Tub of Water & if, as Sometimes happens, they prove Sullen & refuse Meat a Goose put to them will bring them to eat by Example. I reed the Books & return due Thanks.

[P.S.] I have a couple of Good Drums in the Country if of any Use to the Trustees I will order them up.

Henry Lloyd⁹⁸ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 14, 1734/5 Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 123, telling of his troubles and asking a licence to sell beer and wine.

Sr

I beg that your Honr will be so good as to grant me leave of a leisence [licence] for in a way of silling of beer & wine as you did propose for me to do at first. For ye Crosscutting of Timber there is now [no] call for it at all. And that makes my wife very onesey to think yt I brought or her finding none of that she was told by my brother & me in London so as she which [wish] herself back again so to contint her to be easay till I write to your Honr about my house being begon, when I came made her a great deal more easay. Wch being in good hopes your Honr will give me letters recommendation to all people to give me Creadit a lettel as well as ye reast of them. Tell [‘Til] such time you please to be so good as to send word I will strive to do ye very best I can, & ye very most a day starling [sterling?] that I & my man Can make is three shillings & that not Constant. So that I beg that your Honr will please to give me that greant [grant] as you have give the rest.

Adrian Loyer⁹⁹ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 15, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 126-127, thanking Oglethorpe for a lieutenancy in Capt. Patrick Mackay’s company of rangers.

Honourable Sir

May it please your honour To Receive my humble & hearty thanks for the great favour I Receiv’d here according to your orders. The Lieutenancy in Capt. Mackay’s independent Company being Vacant by the yielding up of the said Commission granted by your honour to Mr Robt Parker Junior some day in October last I was presented with it and the Commission deliver’d to me the 5th of November Ensuing by the said Capt Mackay who set out the 10th of the same Month for the Indians Creeks with 12 Men, leaving the Rest with me in Town wherein We are Waiting for his orders to follow him which I Expect Every day. I will do all my Endeavour by my Diligence & Courage to deserve your protection & that of all the Honourable Trustees, humbly desiring them and your honour to Ratify the said Commission & send one directec to me.

Give me leave, honourable Sir, to wish your honour an happy New Year & great many more and I pray to God Allmighty to Keep you in good health and Joy, desiring heartily with all your Children in the Colony to see your honour again in this place.

John Scott¹⁰⁰ to Alderman Candall, (London), Jan. 15, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 112, concerning his desire to be gunsmith in Georgia.

Hond Sr

This comes wt my humble duty to you & my Hearty prayers to God for yr Health & prosperity. I Humbly beg Leave to trouble you with This My Second Letter to Acquaint you of ye Great disapointment i have met with. For upon Furnessis Acquainting me of yr desiring Mr Gregory To gett a Good Gun Maker to come to Georgia under ye Honbl Trustees i Accordingly applied my Self from Mr Gregory to you & ye Honbl Trustees & they Thinking proper to Send me. And as i thought to be ye Gun Smith in ye Colinie and i belive they Know no Other waise [wise] but i am. I humbly beg The Favior of you to Stand my friend if it is possible that i May be Gun Smith to ye Colonie in which place i shall be Glad to do all ye Service i Can, Or otherwise that i may be Permited to gett bread at my Trade for my familie Elswhere. Not but i Shall Think my Self happy in Staying here Under the Honbl Trustees Care. I not pretending to be a Carpenter Nor a Sawyer, i am not able to be so that i must work at Other Labours for 1 Shilling Sixpence per day which is nott Sufficient to Support us. Ther fore i humbly beg yr Honrs intrest in my be half. I Conclude with my Harty Prayers to God Almighty for yor Wellfare.

[P. S.] Sr pray give my Humble Servess to Mr Gregory And his Man Jo. Furniss.

John Scott to the Trustees, Jan. 15, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 113, concerning his desire to be gunsmith in Georgia. Enclosed in Scott to Candall, Jan. 15, 1734/35.

Worthy Gentle Men this comes with my humble thanks to you all for ye great faviors i have received from you. It being my Second Letter Not having any Answer to ye first i humbly beg Leve to acquaint you of ye Great Sorrow i ly under being a Gun Maker & Coming from Yr Hons to act as Such in this Colinie. To my great Sorrow Esqr Oglethorp was on his departure from hence & i had not ye happiness to have any in Structions [instructions] from Yr Hons to him to Settle me Gun Maker. He advised me to go to work upon my Lot which i did wt all dilligenc & having got it fenced in & built a house 13 by 22 foot which is More then Some that was 6 Months before Me. I applied my Self to Mr Causton for Sume tools & work of my Trade but to my great Sorrow he had no Orders to let me have any but told me that Esqr Oglethorp had fixed a Sallery on Mr West ye Black Smith to do ye Indian Guns & that ye freholders must pay for Their guns to be Kept in order. Which work i’m unable to do because i have Nither Anvell iron Steell Coals Oyle Nor emery. And the black Smith cannot Mend them, So that our Arms are in a very bad order. And in Releivig 10 Men on Guard Every Night is Sildom a bove 5 Guns discharged, which if we should be attacked by any Enimie will be but a poor defence. This worthy Gentle men is ye True case, which I am desirous you Should Know before any Misfortuines do fall upon us which i hope The Great God of heaven will protect us from Honbl Gentle Men. I hope you will Consider that as Mr West hath as Much Black Smiths work as he and three Sart can do I humbly beg ye favour of you all to Lett me have yor Gun Work to do that i may be able to Support My family & to Carry on The work of my Lots. I and my family at this time are allmost Nacked & for want of your work i am denied any Thing out of the Store house to Cover our Nackedness which dubles [doubles] my Sorrow. Worthy Gentle Men i beg for Christ Jesusis Sake That you will be pleased to Consider This my distress and ye bad State of ye Colinies arms Which Might be the Loss of all our Lives & your great Labours. I humbly begg Some Lines of Comfort wt Speed from Yr Honrs.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Jan. 15, 1734/35, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 106-107, Egmont 14200, pp. 347-349, complaining of Causton’s treatment and telling what he has done by way of agriculture and trade for Georgia.

My Lords & Gentlemen

I take the Freedom to Inform your Honr Board of Some matters relating to this Province wch may not have been writ by any person from hence. But before I begin I beg Leave humbly to Represent the great Damage I Suffered & Still am like to Suffer by Mr Caustons Advertisement in the Carolina Gazette wherein it looks as my Design in coming here was with an Intent to defraud my Creditors. The Discredit & Ill Character of Persons thus Advertised is a Barbarous way of Murthering a Man in his Reputation the Loss of which is one of the greatest Loss a person can Suffer in this World. I Challenge all the World to prove that my Intent was to Cheat My Creditors & to this very day neither Mr Causton nor any others have been able to prove any thing like it against me. All the amends that is made me is that Your Honble Board has been writ to by the Magistracy in a more Favourable manner, but as to the Loss of My Reputation Publickly Exposed twill never be in Mr Caustons Power to make me amends.

I have been chosen Arbitrator in Servl Affairrs here & Some of the greatest Consequence. I am Generally Foreman of the Jury. The Body of Free Masons have Accepted me as a Brother. I have been Employed to Assit the Recorder & to his Satisfaction have performed what time would permit.

I am now Assisting Mr Causton in the Publick Store in Stating the Accounts in the manner he would have em & wch I find in a very Confuse manner Ex: troublesome & difficult to State & Adjust.

Was I So great a knave it would not be prudent to have any thing to do wth me, Especially if any Reflected on the Advertisement in ye Carolina Gazette wch Spreads through all America. These disapointments & Ill Usage at my first coming might have prevented me from Improving Lands here. Whereas I have quite the Reverse, Paled in the finest Garden of any in the Province & tho it is inferior to the Publick in Somethings it Surpasses in others (Tho It Consist but of Five Acres). By the help of an Old Servant of Mine a Gardner & Some Indented Servants and hired men I am now ready to take in Mulberry Trees & Vines &c. when Mr Amatis will please to Lett me have em.

Some few Olives & Limes Besides Cabages Onions Sallett & other Garden Seeds of wch this Collony is in great want & is very necesary to Eat wth Salt Meat wch is all we Eat here. And am Fencing a Cowpen of ten Acres fit to keep Cattle near the Town wch I design to Feed with Grains Young Canes &c. wch will be very Advantageous to the whole Town who Seldom or ever See the Cattle & therefore can have no Benefit of the Milk wch is Extreamly Scarce & Dear here.

As Soon as I can get men I will Employ 10 Acres more for ye Benefit of hoop Poles & Staves to Send to Charles Town. It is a great Uneasiness to me that None have the Industry & Courage here to make Something of their Timber wch might besides the Clearing their Lands provide em wth Sevl Necessaries from Carolina.

Our People are not to be brought over from Drinking Tea &c Punch by violence. I have in order to draw em off from it persuaded Mr Christie & another wth whom I am Concern’d to Brew good Small Beer for Ten Shills per Barl wch is as good as most I have tasted in London for that price. And for Tea I have planted a great deal of Sage wch grows very well here & wch will Save a great deal of money to Such as have little or none to Spare & indeed not Enough for the Necessaries of Life.

I have persuaded a Friend to Undertake a Trade to Savannah Town the Chief place for the Indian Trade & to bring down in return Skins & Such Provisions as are Cheaper than from Port Royal.

Finding the Messenger making his Journeys to Charles Town & back to Consist of 15 or 20 days I have hired a passage boat to go & back from Charles Town every week by wch means we may have an answer in Less than 7 days.

Although most people mind only their Private Advantage, My thoughts are Continually how to find Something for the Publick good, in doeing of wch I hope I Shall receive no discredit. I Refer what I Shall farther write to another Sheet & now beg Leave to subscribe my Self wth due Respect.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Jan. 15, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 108-109, Egmont 14200, pp. 351-354, concerning conditions in the colony, his bankruptcy, and his desire to enter into trade.

My Lords & Gentlemen

I beg Leave to Add to the Inclosed 4 pages That Mr Parkers Saw Mill near this Town (& Musgroves Cowpen) goes on Successfully & will fully make him amends for the great Charges he has been at in Errecting the Same. God grant the Like Success to all that under take Such Publick Affaires.

I Design by Capn [George] Dunbar to Consign Your Honl Board Some of this Country produce.

I am Sorry to find that we have no money here. People never were so short of money as they are now. They cant pay 5 Shillings without a Warrant & when one is granted they are obliged to make it up without payment. A Currency is very much wanted here. For at this time we may almost Say that all Payments are Stoped from one Freeholder to another, but if hogs or Fowls arrive here from Carolina they are generally bought up for ready money by wch means all the Cash is drain’d from hence by the Carolina Planters. A Small boat Load will generally Carry off about 2 or £ 300 Currancy from hence & take little or nothing at all from us.

I hope Your Honl Board will take our Case into Consideration & if a War break out Enable us to make a good Deffence in Case of an Attack.

As it is Likely we may have a Share in the Indian Trade, I beg your Honl Board will not forget me in That Employment & if possible to help & Assist my Family to Come over to me. The Charges &c I would readily pay here.

As to Religious Affairrs here I am Sorry to Observe that out of all the Inhabitants not above thirty most Commonly Assist at Divine Service & of Late Seldom or ever can we See there our Chief.¹⁰¹ Mr Gordons¹⁰² proceedings seem to please the People. His Courteous & good Nature are vertues which often gains the good Esteem & respect of all mankind & was at Church Sunday Last when another was Absent That for Some Reasons might have been there.

We have found Some Stones wch by the Owners are thought to be of great value & some thing Like Iron Oar upon the Surface of the Ground, but none here can resolve what it is nor have not time or Courage enough to Dig Low & deep to find out more.

I beg pardon for writing this Letter in a great hurry.

[P.S.] Butter is Sold here at 12d Stg per pound wch is an extravagt price for Salt Butter. I wish a Small Cargo would arrive from Irland.

Besides Logwood for our dyers I wish I could have Madder Seeds from England or Holland. Mr Causton is of Oppinion that it would do well in our Swamps here. I beg yt yor Honl Board would please to procure me Some of that Seed, to which please to Add any other Foreign Seeds that you might have fit for this Climate with which I will Endeavour to make the best Use I can. [I] Wish [I] Could get Ten or Twenty pounds of Clover Seeds and as much of Lucerne. Our Cattle wants greatly good Feeding, wch had they near the Town we Should not have em Run away to Such Remote places as cant be found which in case of a War would be of Evil Consequence to this Province.

Before I Conclude I beg Leave to Inform Your Honl Board that Provissions have been Stopt to the few Servants I have tho bought but about three Months & who never have had above Six Months Provissions all the time they have been in this Province. My own Provisions were Stopt after three or four Months till at Last Speaking to Some purpose to Mr Causton he was pleased to have the Same Continued till the 12 Months were Expired. My Servants Provisions are Still Stopd from them tho I can hardly find Money enough to keep ‘em.

As to my Effectts Seized here wrongfully without Law Court of Justice or Jury, I have tamely Submitted to every thing that has been required of me; but I find (as I thought at first) that My Creditors are not pleased with those who have had the Management of disposing the Goods receiving the Money & rendring Accounts. I could have paid in three Months whereas they’ll not be paid in Twelve & well for them If they are paid in that time. They Repent (& with a great deal of Reason) that ever they gave full power to Mr Causton to do what he did. Tho out of 12 persons that I ow’d in Charles Town not above two or three desir’d him to Use me as he did & I may Say that to this very day he has little Comfort for what he did, but I would rather think that he has remorse now of having Ruined an Inocent man.

Inocent I call my Self Since I came here with no other Intent than finding I could neither get Accounts nor Remittances for the great Quantities of Goods I had Sent here to Mr [Francis?] Lynch nor from Mr Harris whom I Sent Afterwards to call the Former to an Account. And Could any body blame me after Acquainting most of My Creditors in Charles Town & they persuading me to come here in order to Call those to reason whom no Letters could persuade So to do. Why might not I come here as well as any others? In Short, I am not willing to tire Your Honours Patience. Mr Recorder has writ without my Soliciting ye Same to Mr Oglethorp to Favour me with his Interest to your Honl Board for a Publick Employ. I desire no Honour or Title, only Some Place or other wherein I may be Usefull in the way of Trading, wch I am vain to think I understand as well as any without excepting one in this Province. Mr Causton asks often my Advice wch I always give him Bone Fidae. Tho when I think on ye harm he has done me I think I act the part of a Superior Soul than his who Lately told me that he had rather 40 or 50 Should Suffer than he, far from my Sentiments for the Publick Good for wch I would freely Sacrifice my private Interest! To Conclude, I wish he may appear in his Accounts to your Honl Board as Honest a Man as I am now Lookt upon by the people in this Town & Colony.

Joseph Fitzwalter¹⁰³ to James Oglethorpe [?], Jan. 16, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 110-111, Egmont 14200, pp. 355-358, telling of the improvements in the garden and conditions in the colony.

Honnered Sir

After My Most Humble Duty is presented to your Honnour and the Rest of the Honnourable Trust my Masters, Is to Acquaint Your Honnours That I have not been wanting of Doing what lay in my power for the Service of the Colony By Night or day even to very Risk of my Life which I have done three Times Since Your Honnour left the place. When I send my Journall by Captain [George] Dunbarr will Inform Your Honnour Farther. By Mr Caustons Desire I went with A Boat and four Servants to below Augustine Creek and Brought Mr [Peter] Gordon and Spouse with Indian King [Tomo-ChiChi] Queen and Chiefs with Mr [John] Musgrove and were Saluted with Thirteen peices of Cannon by Mr Caustons Order who Gladly Received them. And the Inhabitants of the Township Expressed them selves with a great Deal of Joy of their Safe Arrivall, and the Indians in Generall was glad to see us.

The Garden I have made great Improvements in. Most the Trees Stumps I have Root up, planted the front walk with Trees of Oranges Six foot Hight which will Bear fruit some This Year; and all in Generall Thrive. Some Oranges Trees this last Season Shott in the Nussary four Foot and the least Shott Two foot. I have a Thousand of them. Of Mulberry plants I have Eight Thousand. Some of them this last Season Shott fairly fifteen foot, and this Season will be capable of feeding Abundance of the Worms. The Olive Trees like the Soile and Situation. For I have Some of them Shott Six foot this Season. I have meet with Some Cotton Seeds from Guinea which from it I have Raised a Thousand plants, som of which have Shott Eight foot in highth and The Second Season will Come to its Bringing forth Fruits in Abundance so that I shall be Able to send a Large Quantity of Cotton to the Trustees Use. As for the Kitchen Garden Every thing thrive as well as ever in Europ. And As for Wheat, Barly, Rye, Oates, Tares,¹⁰⁴ Beans, pease, Rye grass, Clover, Traifoil, Sinque foil,¹⁰⁵ and Lucern Seeds, Never Seen finer than this Countery produce. Hemp and Flax will do as well here as in any part of Europe. Rice I have had, very good Indian Corn, and pease in great plenty. The last Seeds as Came Received Damage by the petiaugre Receiving Damage Coming Over the Sound.

Mr Amatis hath been hear and at Puries Burgh Since the Beging of September and is not for planting of any thing of Kitching Stuff att all in the Garden, which I always Aprehended was to be Carried on Both by Your Honnour and Trust and Likewise Botany. But Mr Amatiss is More for the Merchant than Any thing Else. For Severall Hoggshead of Rumm and wine, Barrels flower hath Landed and sold here to my Knowledge and have Takeen the Servants out of the garden both to Crane them Upp and to Carry himself and goods Severall times to Puries Burgh and was for Displacing me out of the Gerden, who had gone through the Heat Burden of All the Improvements in it. Mr Causton Out his wise Judgement would not Adhear to him.

Since [William] Wises Death I have had the Management the Servants over the land and was the Chief Instrument of Finding Out that Cruell and Barboruss Muder. The Vistoe [vista] from the Town to the other Side of the Island [Hutchinson’s] is Cutt Through and Looks Extream pleasant. The Road from the Town to the Westward of five Acre lotts Going to Musgroves Cow penn is made good. Mr [Peter] Gorden Brought word from your Honnour that the sd Wises Servants Should go to Mr [John] Vanderplanks Management to the Crane and what else he should put them to, which I Delivered to him the sd Servants.

I Thank God our Town is in very good Health and Increases Mightily, for that place which was Nothing But Pine Trees when We Came is become almost as Many Housses. And as Williams Burg which is the Metropoliss of Virginia we Exceed them in Number of Houses though been Settled Near a Hundred Years, Though not our Buildings Quite so Magnificent.¹⁰⁶ In a word I take it to be the promised Land, Its Lands Rich and Fertile, Its Trees Large and good for Building both for Land & Sea, Various Sorts of Gum and them as good as Comes from East Indies, Various Sorts of Druggs, flowring Shrubbs and plants of Various Kinds, Fruits wild of Different Species and very good, when Cultivated will be Much finer. Clays of Different Kindes both for the Moulder and potter, Mindes [mines] of Different Species, Stones of Various Colours and them Transparent. Fine Springs and Some of Them Minerall. Fine Rivers and them plenty who Affords us Multitudes of Fish and the Best in the world Salmon Trouts, Sturgeons of which I Caught one weighed Upwards of Three Hundred weight, Mullets Bass &c. Our woods Affords us great plenty of Dear and bear who Meat is extream good. Turkeys in great plenty, I have Shott Six of a Day and them very Large Some weighing Twenty Five pounds each. Wood Pidgeons Innumerable and of other Sorts of fowles Abundance to tedious to mention. Our Rivers afford Us abundant of Water fowles as for Geese, Ducks, Mallard, Teal, and Widgeons. I have been one of the Four that have Shott Thirteen Dozen in one Day.

Abundance of the Inhabitants have Cultivated their Lands and have had very great Cropps both in Town and Settlements. Cattle Thrive hear better than in Carolina. I hope in a Little Time to Make my Town lott be as good as Thirty pounds Sterling a Year.

I Should be very Much Obliged To Your Honnour and the Rest of the Honnerable Trustees To Order me the payment of my Salary that I Agreed with Your Honnour for and what ever Your Honnours thinks fitt for the Boy [John] Goddard my prentice. I have had of Mr Causton About Ten stg pound, and Mony I Could Convert to a good Use In Improving my Estate.

Sir I hope that the things that I sent by Captain Daubus Captain Wood and Capt Yoakley, Captain Fry, Arrived safe to ye Trustees hands. I Shall Always make it my Business every Opertunity to Send something of the produce of Georgia to their Honnours. This Season their was Not an Acorn [or] Walnutt Seen but as soon as their is Any I will Send some Bushells.

James Burnside¹⁰⁷ to the Trustees, Jan. 16, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 128, Egmont 14200, p. 371, requesting the permission to instruct the youth in Georgia.

Gent:

‘Tis above 12 Months since I arived in this Province and have done as much as in me Lay not so much for my Own but ye Service thereof in return for ye Great favours receed from ye Honrs. But haveing no Servts, not being Bread to Labour, nor haveing any Experience in Country Affairs, they not Agreeing wth my Genious, renders Life a Burthin to me and also deprives me of any hopes (by my Land) of makeing Provisions.

There has been no Instrucr of Youth here since Mr Waterland went to Carolina. ‘Tis a Business I had Eight Yers Experience in, 4 an Apprene & 4 a freeman. The People in Genl like my Performance. So begg yr Honrs will not only for my Benefitt but theirs Grant me ye priviledge of Practiseing in Town & in so doeing you will lay fresh obligations on ye Province in Genll but in a particular manner on [me].

N. B. I am Settled at Fort Argyle Near 100 Miles from Town by Watter at wch place I have Built a House & Clear’d Near two Acres of Land.

Elizabeth Stanley¹⁰⁸ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 16, 1734/5, [Savannah], C.O. 5/636, pp. 130-131, reporting on her activities as midwife and asking for a servant or servants.

Onored Sr

I hope you will exquis [excuse] me for giveing you this trubel, itt being ye frste time. And I Rely think My Salf in Dutey bond to aquainte you whou [how] My afars stand in Savana. I thank god I have Discharged My Duty both to ye onorabel trustes and ye peopel and Can Jastly make itt a pear yt all ye wemmen I have Led none have Don a mis, which ar fifte nin in number. Ye Resion why I intmet [intimate] this to you now is to intret ye faver of you to Crush ye noshion of all falls [false] protandrs [pretenders] in my way of pratis [practice]. For I have Jaste [just] Resion [reason] to thinke thay will sun [soon] gro [grow] to a grate head. We have had one gentel womman has atamted [attempted] itt, and ye 2d womman She Delivered She Died and Lifte her infant behind har [her]. It was Mrs Coke of Ogaetche. I Depand upon your goodness in Rackemnding [recommending] My Cas [case] to ye onorabel bord of trustetes yt sum publek mathord may be fond to Lett whate popel Coms over for ye futer [future] Know My name. You was so Cind befor you Lafte ye tone [town] to promas [promise] to Sand me 5 ponds Starling Which faver when you was gon was Deniged [denied] Me. Mr Stanley naver has niglected his Dutey Cance [since] he Cam to ye plas [place] and he humble hopes you will be So good as to gite his Sextons fees setled. We have naver had a Sarvent yett so if your onor Is so Kind as to a Loue [alot] me aney I shall estime itt as a grate faver and further more if your goodness wold extand so far in my behlf as to Lett me have a Copel [couple] of tradsmen of my one [own] frands [friends] procuring by your ships I will pay thar paseg in Savana in a years time after I Recve them. Your tander behaver amonkst us incoreges me to think you will Conseder my Cas with a fatherly Car and I in Dutey Bond Shall allways pray for your onors halth and hapeness.

William Calloway to Alderman [Robert ?] Kendle, Jan. 16, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 132, arrival reported and houses begun.

Sr

I Make Bold to Acquaint your Honor of our Safe Arrivall hear on ye 29 Decr and all in Good health Through Marcy, Which I hope your Honor & all your Good Famaly in Joy. I hope this Climent [climate] Will Agree With Me very Well. Wee have had Frost as Cold as in England Butt very Good Weather to Work in Which i Did as Soon as I Could Gett Tools Which I Mett With Sum Difecalty to do for Want of a Line or 2 from your honors and I have none Now butt What is Deliverd to the tithing So that I & my Sarvant Can have them butt now and then. But however I have Built me a very Large Good hutt 21 futt [feet] by 14 Do and 5 of us have agreed to build Our Houses to Gether. Sum to felling Sum to Sawing Others to Framing & Shingle Making, and Wee hope to have all our houses up in 4 or 5 Mounths att Farthest. As your Honors Ware pleasd to Grant Me A Lycance I hope You Will forther Bestow your favers on me by Ordoring me Sum Beer out of the Stores to Draw in My hutt Wile Our houses are Building, Which Will bee a very Great Sarvis to me. And I Will Take Care faithfully to pay for and to Do all that in me Lyes towards the peace and prosperity of the Colana [colony] Which Shall allways Bee the Industryes Care of Your Honors.

Thomas Causton to the Trustees, Jan. 16, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 255-257, Egmont 14200, pp. 359-368, continuing a general report on Georgia with special reference to the affair of Joseph Watson and the Indians.

May it please Your Honours,

It has been my greatest Concern, That I have not been able to discharge my Duty of writing as I ought. Neither have I any thing to plead for Excuse, but my constant application to all the necessary affairs of the Province here. And if it shall appear, that my Endeavours for the publick good have Succeeded and was necessary, I shall hope for your favour.

I shall Send by Cap. Dunbar my Cash Accounts to Xmas last; And a Transcript of the Register which I have hitherto kept. A Journall of the Stores is also near finished and will be sent. As I would use my utmost Endeavours punctually to execute the Trustees Comands, I found it necessary to hire Assistance in Matters of Account before their Orders for it came to my hands.

We have had thro’ out the whole Province the particular Blessings of God with regard to our healths, when our Neighbours of Carolina were generally afflicted with almost universal Sickness (for the most part Intermitting Fevers) of which many Died.

The Overseer to Mr [Paul] Jeny’s¹⁰⁹ Negro’s died here on the 13th of May and Mr Von Reck left us on the 20th. Mr Mugridg [Francis Mugridge] had Orders from Mr Jenys to take care of his Negros, and he went to Eben-Ezer. But having other business to mind, soon returned. And in this Case, I Strenuously urged the Care of them to Mr [Robert] Bunyan and Mr Clark Subject to the Ministers Advise. The Negros soon grew disatisfyed and one of them, Murdered one of his Fellow Negros, And Mr Jenys soon after sent for them away.

When Mr Von Reck went, Mr Boltsius went with him to Charles Town; and on his Return desired, That one Frederick Reinlander and Family, should Settle with the Saltzburghers (being of the same Comunion). He is accordingly with them; He has lived some time in Philadelphia & Carolina, and understands planting.

I went to that place [Ebenezer] on a Saterday Evening, and returned on the Sunday follg to See how the Work went forward and took Mr [Noble?] Jones with me.

I found that most of the Negro’s time had been Spent in making a Road to Abercorn, having, laid Seven Bridges. That they had fruitlessly planted on the most barren ground. I blamed Clark for not advising better, but he says they were obstinate.

Some ill designing people took an Oppertunity to make them uneasy, with their Scituation, and they much desired to be removed. I perswaded them, That tho’ the Land in the Town did not seem to answer the present purpose of planting, It would soon Enrich itself, and for their Imediate use, They might plant on any good Land they could find near them. They have got ready (by joint Labour) for this Season of planting above 20 Acres. Bunyan goes on with their buildings, and has finisht two of their Houses, besides one Double House. I pay him as he goes on, being first Surveyed by Mr Jones.

[Walter] Augustin found a Water passage to Eben-Eazer & conducted the Scout Boat within three Miles of the Town. The entrance Of that River is 16 Miles beyond Cornhouse Creek, and about 24 Miles from thence to Eben-Eazer. The good people were much rejoyced to See him here, But Augustine could not undertake to clear the way to the Town for the £ 50 Currency which Mr Oglethorpe was pleased to Order; So that I have paid him nothing on that Head.

Dr Zwifler¹¹⁰ was lost for twelve days, when I heard it, I sent some Indians to find him. They brought him safe home, and he is very well.

The people at Abercorn are in good health. Piercy Hill has [Barbara] Rivetts Lott, And She is removed to this Town. [George] La Fond married her Daughter, and he went to Charles Town to Serve the Governour and Died.

Widow [Mary] Box after her husbands death much desired to return to England, But I promised her some assistance here, and did her some little Kindnesses. In a little time she altered her Mind and married Mr [Thomas] Young the Wheelwright.

Mr [Thomas] Antrobus having buried his wife has married the Widow of Joseph Taylor. The rest of the people are also in good health. They planted last year abt ten Acres, of which Mr Hughs¹¹¹ had the greatest Share. He is indeed a Very Industrious man.

Mr [Will] Watkins sometime Since, askt my Opinion about an Agreemt in writing which he had made for the Lease of a Lott in Town. I told him, That indeed The people (for Improvement Sake) might Lease their Lands for Seven yars, But that Lycense for Leasing was not to be understood, to alter the Intentions of the Trustees With respect to the Settlements. For if the Outsettlers should, (under that pretence), remove from their place of Settlement, The remaining body would be thereby weakened and exposed to Danger.

Because I am mentioning Occurrences in this part of the Province, I must not Omitt Mentioning That Mr Robert Parker Senr has fixt his Mill about 8 miles up this Creek where is a Bluffe of about 12 feet high and plenty of Pine, and within 3 Miles of Abercorn by Land. When I knew it, I advised Mr [Noble] Jones to go and See it, who told him. That he must not meddle with the Timber without Lycense, And I suppose he has petitioned Your Honours for Such Lycense. I believe he has been at great Charges and is in Debt about it. It has begun to work, But whether it will Answer his Ends, is I find a question. He has make some Demands upon me, As appears by the Enclosed, Which I could not Comply with. And indeed, his Demands for Workmen’s provisions have been so very large, That I have been forct to Stop, Till Your Honours pleasure be known.

The Independant Company having been on the Store Acct for Six Months went for the Uchee Town about the tenth of November, But the Capt when he went from thence left his Lewtenant and eight of his Men behind him. I have perswaded them to work for their Victualls, and leave their pay untoucht, with which State they Seem well Satisfyed. I often told Mr [Patrick] Mackay That I had no Instructions to provide for his Company, And that he must Answer for it If not approv’d off. Robert Parker Jun having married the Widow [Elizabeth] Sale gave up his Commission and Mr Adrian Loyer is made Lieutenant.

Mr Thomas Jones with 19 Indians arrived here on the first of July, Some Creeks and Some Choctaws. The names as Enclosed. Upon their Arrival I ordered the people under Arms, and we Welcomed them to this place, in the best manner we could. And having provided them provisions, desired them to tarry about 14 days and we would give them a Talk. I dispatcht a Letter to Colonell [William] Bull, and another to Capt Mackay at Charles Town desireing their Company at the time appointed.

Colonell Bull came without receiving my Letter, and Mr Mackay sent the Enclosed Answer.¹¹² The Chactaws seemed exceeding well pleased with the presents a particular of which is for the most part sett down in the Enclosed List which was Setled by Collonell Bulls advise. There are much better pollisht than the Creeks, and The Chief man seemed to be endued with many Comendable qualifications.

Mr Paul Hamilton of Edisto with two other Gentlemen, arrived here and after a Stay of 2 Days returned. I endeavoured to Shew them the Respect due to a Benefactor. And at his Return home sent the Cattle by way of Present to the within mentioned, which favour we acknowledged in writing. I thought I could not better represent his Request to you, Than by sending his own Letter¹¹³ to which, If Your Honours will be pleased to direct an Answer I will carefully send it him.

Captain Tuscany the Beloved Indian died here about the later end of May and Captain Skee died the beginning of September.

[Joseph] Watson, the Trader, as soon as Mr Oglethorpe went hence, gave himself to drinking, and was so seldom Sober That it was hard to Guess if he was not Mad. He would be naked with the Indians, Drunk with them lye down with them, and sometimes pretended to Baptize them. He made Skee his Chief Companion, and he seemed to apprehend some Danger from him; Therefore wanted to make him his particular friend. They were drinking every day together in this mad way for about a Month. Skee got the Flux and went to the Cow-pen and died. When Skee was thus ill, Watson made publick Talk, That he had done Skee’s business, and that he would dy. This way of behaviour was generally lookt on as Drunken Talk. But when Skee was Dead, and the same Talk not only Continued but persisted in, I took an Opportunity one day in the Store to Reprove him, and tell him of the danger of such Speeches. I said, That if such Talk should come to the Indians Knowledge, it would be a Difficult matter to perswade them to the Contrary. He answered Skee was dead & he alive; and that they had both of them the like Distemper. I then went further, and told him perhaps (as misfortunes of the world were Various) he had lately turned his Thoughts on something which made too great an Impression on his Mind. At which the poor Man wept and did not choose to say any more.

Sometime before Skee’s Death, [Mary] Musgrove and Watson quarrelled and she would not be perswaded from bringing an Action against him for calling her Witch. The Cause was tryed August 13th and 6s. 8d for Damages given against him as you will See by the Recorders Report.

On the 24th another Action was tryed for an Assault whereby he was charged with Endeavouring to Shoot Mrs Musgrove. And it appeared very plain that he had Shott her, If she had not overpowered him in her own Defence, And took it from him and broke it. A Verdict went against him for five pounds Sterling Damages, and he was Ordered to be bound for his good Behaviour.

The Next day he was tryed on an Indictment prefered against him by the Grand jury for Beating Esteeche the Indian and Defrauding him of his Goods. Which upon Tryall appeared to be true, and he was found guilty, and ordered to pay 13s. 4d Sterl fine and make the Indians Satisfacion for their goods. On which Occasion I publickly reprimanded him; and gave him Cautions of the great Danger of Such proceedings. I then Spoke to the Indians and desired, That Esteeche would forgive Watson, and pass it by, for that he had now benn tryed, found Guilty and fined. He would be paid for his Goods, And Care should be taken That he would do so no more. You will see by Mr Recorder’s Report, That this was a Trifling Assault. However, It appeared afterwards very plain, That Esteeche, and all the Indians had reced so Strong a hatred against him That Esteeche said his Heart would never be Streight towards him.

Tallahummee Spake next, and Said “I Desire all the beloved men here present will take notice of what I say. We brought our wives and our Children here, and thought to have trade with Musgrove, That the Esquire promist it.

“That when he went he left his Talk with Mr Causton, that if any thing happened to them, it should be redressed. Sometime since, I was out Stripping of Bark, and Watson came and presented a Gun at me, I was going to arise, but considered of it.

“That we thought to be here and to be Civill, and kind to one another, but we find the Contrary by Watson, and I don’t know what to make of it.”

I askt them if they had any Complaints to make. He answered “We all desire That another man might trade with us, or that Musgrove may trade by herself.” There were present Tallahummee, Skee, Esteeche, Tallafoleeche, Whilustee, and Erowake who all joyned in that desire.

Mr Eveleigh, by a Letter acquainted me, That he heard Watson had differed with Musgrove; That he had reced no Skins since Mr Oglethorpe went. That there was a Considerable ballance due to him, That he had given James Muir a Letter of Attorney to Settle the Account, and demand the money, But had Subjected him to my Advise.

In pursuance of this, Muir applyed to Watson and Watson perswaded him to bring an Action against him for a jury to decide it. I could not approve of this till I knew how Eveleigh was prepared to make his Case good, Therefore chose to try other amicable methods. The Recorder and I went to Musgroves for this purpose and soon found That this Enquiry would be the Unraveling of all Watson’s behaviour. That under pretence of managing the Trade, he had bought and Sold without Musgroves knowledge, and was carrying the Trade into another Channell; which was contrary to the Agreement with Eveleigh, and the express words of the Articles between Musgrove and Watson.

I askt him to give me his objections to the Acct in writing, but he refused it. I acquainted Mr Eveleigh of the matter and desired That somebody might come to make good his Charge. I judged, That, As Watson’s Case seemed to be, In Respect of Eveleigh’s Demand, The Indians Complaint and Musgroves Uneasiness, It would be well, if he could be perswaded to withdraw from the Stores, Let his affairs be managed by another person to be approved of by both, and a perfect Inventory be taken. To this he consented; But having changed his mind, he went frequently away, and lockt up the Store. Mrs Musgrove one day found only the Servant there, and She turned him out of Doors & lockt it and took the Key herself with intent (no doubt) of keeping Sole possession. But he soon found means to regain it, and then for severall days refused to open the door to any one.

He was one day lockt in, when the Indians came to weigh there Skins. They found that Watson was in the Stores and would not open the Door, therefore they endeavoured to break it open.

Mrs Musgrove begged of him to Escape for if the Indians got in She feared that they would murder him. Accordingly Watson got out another way and came to Town. The Indians broke in, but finding Watson gone, their Anger was rather encreased, and Esteeche killed Musgrove’s Slave (Justice) that night.

This Murder justly alarmed us. And having advised with Mr [Thomas] Christie, Mr [John] West, Mr [John] Vanderplank and Mr [Noble?] Jones we concluded That Esteeche, wherever he was Seen, either in the Town or Settlements, should be immediately put away in the most gentle manner that could be. And he being then in Town Mr Vanderplank was ordered to Conduct him to the Indian Line. He has kept away from the Town ever Since.

Watson was much frighted at this proceeding. I told him twas absolutely necessary for him to secure his own person, But if he did not, I should be obliged to it for the publick Safety. I particularly advised him to withdraw out of the province for sometimes, perswading him that perhaps this affair might pass over Or at least that some Instructions from Your Honours might be had; and that he might not be hurt in his private property, advised him to Authorize somebody to manage for him. But by ill Advise, he soon seemed to forgett it, and took an Oppertunity to Report that I advised him to go out of the Colony, Only, that he might be plundered of what he had, And urged, we need not be afraid of Indians Since we had Sufficient Hostages in England.

As I have nothing so much at Heart as the publick Safety, my Duty to Your Honours obliged me to have a particular Watch upon him and his Associates, And at the same time, as much as I could forbear doing anything that might seem to Confirm the Report he had Spread. I therefore urged Mr [Samuel] Everleigh to finish his own Account (per Arbitration) and assist Mrs [or Mr.] Musgrove as to the partnership.

Mr Everleigh arrived here, and they Agreed That Mr [John] Fallowfield and Mr [Elisha] Dobree should be Arbitrators. When Watson found the Award would not please him, He raised Reflections on both the Arbitrators And I much doubt (to this time) if shall be able to get any Determination made in that manner. I waited these Determinations near three Months; But finding that he continued his Drunken humours, and that the publick danger rather encreased, for his own Report of Killing Skee I found had reached Tallahumme’s Ear, and there was nothing to hope for but the Imediate Confinement of Watson to Secure his Life.

A Charge was drawn up against him for Misdemeanors, which I chose to have found by a Grand jury; Upon this he was tryed November the 21st and found Guilty. In these words, —Guilty of publishing severall ungarded Expressions contained in the Charge, but believing him to be Lunatick, recomend him to the mercy of the Trustees. I hereupon Comitted him Close Prisoner to Such Lodgings as he should choose in the Town. He offered Bail, and I would have took it. (vizt Mr Quinsey) If the Security would have been bound, That he should not go out of the Town. Mr Recorder’s Report, Shews the Nature of the Charge; And your Honours Comands in this matter is much wanted.

Till now, I had maintained the publick peace, with some Ease, And tho’ somebody must be more or less a Sufferer by every Prosecution, Yet the Determinations of the Court have been allways obeyed with great Readiness. I shall use my Utmost Endeavours to have all necessary Order kept, Especially in every thing which regards the Indians. But an Opinion is now Started That it is very Cruell to Imprison any one for fear of an Indian; And our new Politicians think, It is more for the Interest of the province to Let an Angry Mad man go out of it (tho’ he were Inclined to Say all the Reproachfull things he could) Than gently to Confine him to his own House. As to this matter Mr [Peter] Gordon told me That he did not choose to Alter what had been adjudged in Court, But if he pleased he could Admitt him to Bail which I denied.

Captain Yoakley, having on a Sudden taken a Resolution to go for England am Obliged to Defer further Accounts to my next; which is allmost finisht and will come by Capt Dunbar who will Set out from Hence for London in five weeks. He will take all his Loading here, Mr [Roger] Lacey Mr [John] Vanderplank and Self, having hired some of the poor people at Parrishborough who were in a very low Condition. And we have got about 700 Barrells Pitch and Tarr for him, which we beg leave to Consign to your Honours as the first Export of the Growth of this Province.

Joseph Smith¹¹⁴ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 17, 1734/5, Thunderbolt, C.O. 5/636, p. 137, concerning his arrival in Georgia and building his house.

Honoured Sr

This is to let you know that we are Safly Arivd at georgeia. I am vary besey in Sawing Tember for my house witch I hope with Mr [Roger or James] Lacey halp will be finisht in two month time. We like the Place Exstrordnerey well. I beg you wod Be Pleasd to give us a twelf Month Provishon as others has or Els I Can Not tell how we Shall be able to Subsist. I shall be gin a Clearing My land as Soun as my Hous is up. I beg you wod not for get us.

Mr Lacey and his Spows Joyns with us in Duty to you.

Samuel Eveleigh to Benjamin Martyn, Jan. 17 [or Jan. 20] and Feb. 8, 1734/5, South Carolina, received April 2, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 133-134, Egmont 14200, pp. 383-385, 423-424, concerning the need for Negroes, a bounty on lumber, and a good government in Georgia.

Sr

Your kind favour of the 23d of October per Capt Dunbarr in due Time came Safe to my hands. I am very glad that any thing I have done for Georgia or Mr Oglethorpe is acceptable to the Trustees. I do assure you when first I heard of their Design of Settling Georgia, I thought it was So humane and might prove So beneficial to Great Brittain and this Place, That it gave me A great Satisfaction. And in Order to advance that Colony I have Spent a great many Thought’s, Some of which I have communicated to Mr Oglethorpe (wch probably you may have Seen) And Should be glad to hear they have been of any Service to That Colony.

There are two or three Things wch I think worthy of the Consideration of the Trustees. That they admit of Negroes comeing into that Province So it be but A Limitted Number. For without Negores you can’t have any produce there Sufficient to load vessells, and without that no Trade can be carry’d on there to Satisfaction.

It can’t be Supposed that the Trustees know the Circumstances of this Country so well as those who have lived Several Year’s in it. And wee are all here generally of Opinion That Georgia can never be A place of any great Consequence without Negroes.

There are Some few in this Province who have no great Affection for Georgia; And I have Seen them rejoyce in this very Article, That there are no Negroes to be allowed there.

I am very much against too great A Number of Negroes, and am of Opinion we have too many in this Province (as you may observe if you have read one of my Letters to Mr Oglethorpe on that Head). But then on the other hand there may be too few. The Golden Mein ought to be observed.

It would (in my Opinion) tend very much to the Advantage of Georgia If the Trustees would put the Government of that Place under A good Regulation.

I have Several Times heard That the fundamental Constitution drawn up by Mr Lock and Sent Hither by ye Lords Proprietor’s About forty Year’s Since, to be a very good One, and Should very much rejoyce Should I live to See A good Constitution of Government in that Place, And be very proud, Should I be in the least Accessary thereto.

In several of my Letters to Mr Oglethorpe, I have desired that he would gett A Bounty upon Lumber, wch would be of great Advantage to Georgia. And tho you may not be Able to get it for the Main in General, You may get it for that Province. Several Reason’s may be urged (Vizt) That it is A Young Colony, therefore ought to be Encouraged and Assisted (as was the Custome of the Romans), That it is A frontier both to the French & Spaniard’s (The former of wch is grown powerfull and formidable), That if the French Should take that Place and this, it would very much Endanger Sevll of this Majties No Colonys.

His Majty does not value the Charge of Materials in building his Men of Warr. And that live Oak Timber’s are allowed by all the Workemen of good Understanding that I have convers’d with to be preferable to any English Oak whatsoever.

The French (as I’me informed) had a Design of Settling Allatomeha River about fourteen Year’s Agoe wch was discovered by Mr Bladen whilst He was in France. Did the French & Spaniards know how valuable that Province is on Accot of the live Oak Timber they would have long Since Settled it, Which (probably) might have proved of very bad Consequence to Great Brittain.

There’s A great deal of Timber and Other Lumber imported into England (for building his Majties Ship’s of Warr and Merchant Men), from Hamburgh, Denzick &ca which is paid for Chiefly in Silver Gold or Bills of Exchange from Amsterdam, which if brought from America would be paid for in the Linnen or Woollen Manufactory, and Other European Goods. And this likewise would very much Increase our Navigation, and thereby raise Men to Man his Majties Ship’s.

I could wish you could prevail with Mr Oglethorpe Again to come over. (His prsence is certainly very Necessary.) That he may finish what He has So well begun.

There are Sevll Things reported in Town to have been transacted at Georgia wch I don’t like. I am very certain his Prsence is wanted. I begg the Favour that you’l Excuse the Liberty I have taken, And that you’ll make my best of Services Acceptable to the Trustees.

Febry ye 8th 1734

I Refer you to the foregoing as Copy of my Last, Since which Sevll other Reason’s have Occurr’d to me, which I shall communicate to you to move ye Parliamt to grant A Bounty on Lumber from Georgia. I would have ye Trustees or Such of them as are Members of Parliamt offer to the house that in Case they’l grant A proemium on Lumber, That they would make a Law That the Men and Women in Georgia their outward Apparell Should be all of the Brittish Woollen Manufactory, and No Silks Chints or Calicoes Should be there worne by Either Sex. And if the parliamt don’t agree hereto do believe Such a Law to be necessary, and that neither Silver of Gold Should be worn or Tea drank, for I do Assure you they are Somewhat Profuse in those particular’s.

I am confirmed by diver’s hand’s that Wassaw is a Noble Port capable of Receiving any Man of Warr that Usually come into any part of America and with the greatest Security. And in Case of A Warr with Spain an Extraordinary place for Our Men of Warr to Ride, in Order to intercept the Spanish plate Fleet, and for that Reason will be of vast Consequence to the Brittish Nation.

It’s very probably the Province of Georgia may in Time be of vast Consequence to the Brittish Nation. Nobody can as yett tell what Riches there may be in the Bowells of the Earth within that Colony, what Silver what Gold and other Metal’s, what Diamonds and Other preceous Stones may be therein. I Expect down from the Cherrokee Mountains Some Samples of Metalls in June next, which I have promised Mr Oglethorpe to Send him Home.

I was informed Some Year’s Since by a Creditable Person That the Richest Mines of Gold in New Mexico, lay in the Latitude of Thirty Six and Thirty Seven, right Opposite to California, but that the Indians that possessed that Country were Alway’s at Warr with the Spaniards, So that they gott but little of it. Now the Cherrokee Mountains being in the Same Latitude, It’s probably they may contain the Same ore.

The Province of Georgia ly’s very convenient for a Trade to the Havannah and St Augustine. And in Time it’s Probable there may from thence be carry’d on A very profitable Trade, and that there may be Introduced Large Qtys of the woollen and other English Manufactories and the Silver in Return thereof, will all Center in Great Britain.

I Submit what I have above Offered to yr better Judgmt.

P.S. Georgia can never be a place of any Consequence unless the Trustees consent to alter the Conditon’s of their grant’s, and make them agreeable to his Majtys Grants to the people.

Samuel Penseyre to the Trustees, Jan. 18, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 138-139, concerning his treatment of sick in Georgia and lack of compensation for it.

Honorable and Most worthy Gentlemen,

This is with Most Humble Submition unto the Honorable Board of Gentlemen Trustees for ye Colony of Georgia in America. I have been in this Colony the space of a year and Six months and Blessed by ye Almighty God, I have had my Health very well Especially in Savanah Town. But when I was at Tybee Last Summer, Likewise all ye Rest of Tybee people was like to die, as indeed one part of them is Dead upon that Account. I went to Savanah Town again, for to Live at Tybee it is almost impossible. As to my Lott at Tybee is Nothing but a Salt Marsh, which Marsh is over flowed at every spring tides, therefore it is impossible to make any improvement of it, and I have no Lott in Savannah Town. I may Say that I am quite Destitute of any Lott, as also of any abbitation Butt what I pay a yearly Rent for it. More over I have visited ye Sick ever Since I been here ye which it is no small trouble, and I have been obliged to Buy proper Medicines here. As much that Comes about three pounds starling, and never had No recompence for it, besides waiting upon all ye Servants belong to ye Honorable Trust, in Case of any accident happen, ye which it is very often, and Medicines besides, and yet no recompence. The same it is with me, for at any turn I am obliged to attend ye french people at High Gate, and Skidway. These things I would do with pleasure if I had some small Gratification for it. But it is quite ye Contrary, for ye Honorable James Oglethorp, Seeing my Diligence, and Good Service I did to ye Sick people, did settle two Shillings a Day upon me for my trouble, Especially for ye Tybee people ye which I was very Humble thankful for it. But Now Mr Causton has Deprived me of it ever Since Last October. So at this time I have nothing but My Labour, for my pains. As to Mr King Clarck has been So ill Most part of ye time that he has been here, that he has not been Capable of doing any thing, nor no Body else Besides my self. Therefore Most Honorable Gentlemen I hope you will take it into Consideration, for I have not been ye Least useful person in ye Collony, but reather ye Most useful of any that is of my function, as any person in ye Town Savanah Can justifie. For there is hardly any one person, in ye Town Savanah but what Respect me, and will speak well of me. I praise God Almighty for it. Honorable Gentlemen I Humbly beg pardon for ye Liberty I have taken in writing to So worthy Gentlemen. That is all.

P. S. I am at a Great Lost, for ye wont of a Copper Lambick on purpose to Distill Some Simple Herbs of this Countrys Groweth, for I am very Sure that it would be of Great Service for ye Sick people. I Should be very willing to pay for it, if I Could but have it, to Containe about four Gallons.

Hugh Frazer¹¹⁵ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 19, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 141, asking for cloth that he says Oglethorpe earlier promised him.

Honl Sir

I hope yo Honrs goodness will Excuse me for Giving you ye trouble of this wch is to put yor Honr in Mind of a formr promise. As yor Honr told me yt I Shd have £ 30 pounds in Vallue of Cloth & Drugetts & Duroys¹¹⁶ wch will Be of great Service to me & hope yor Honrs Have Not forgott. Wch goods if I had here would Be to me of great Service & will Return payment To you or yor Ordrs whom you please. Yor Honr Allways Used me as a father, wch makes me so bold as to write To you Know [now]. I Can’t make you amends for wt you have Done for me allready but I hope god Will. I could do Very Well here if I had a Stock in My Way of Business wch I have None to trust Two [to] but yor Honr wch I allways Recomended my prayers, for ye goodness you have Done for me. I Conclude Wishing yor Honr health.

Edward Jenkins¹¹⁷ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 20, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 142-143, Egmont 14200, pp. 377-378, telling of the capture of Richard White, the murderer of William Wise.

Sr

I did not think to have Given your Honour an account how [Richard] White was Taken that Murdered Mr [William] Wise¹¹⁸ My self but thought Mr Christe or Mr Causton had doon it, but I understand they have not. The truth of it is as follows.

Mr Henery Parker and his Brother william was at woork at my Lot to pay me for what woork I had doon for him. As we was woorking one of my men Sd yonder Goes a man very fast. I Looked & saw ye man & said I beleve its White that Brook out of Prison, If it is him Let us Go & take him. The two Parkers agreed not knowing where [whether] it was he or no, Left ye men at woork. All the wepons we had was two hooks & an ax we was at woork with. I desired one of them to be about 10 yards at my right hand & other at my Left keeping that distance without speeking a word. And as Soon as we Came to him I woud Cease [sieze] him & if he offered to reble they shoud kill him immediately. So we persued him tell we came into about twenty yards of him. At first sight of us [he] was much Surprised. I told him your Name is white its in vain to Attempt & immediatly I Cesed him. He fell on his nees & with many Blows on his Breast baged his Life. So I took him by one side of Coller & Mr Henery Parker by ye other & William walked behind. We heald him very fast for we had often heard that the sarvant bid defience two ten men to take him. As we was Leding him to Town, we asked him where he had been & where he was Going. He said he had been Looking for some house out of Town to Get some Provitions but find any one [none]. And he then was Looking after ye woman. He thought he Left her a little to ye right hand where we then was. As we was Leding him along he woud often beat his breast & bage his Life. We told him if we Let him Go he must perish In ye woods. He said he woud Joyfull to perish in ye woods rather then dye on the Gallows. We told him If any coud turn to his Safety it woud be if he knew of any other vilony that ye Irish Sarvants or any one els had been doon or was inventing. He then Ersnestly Declard before God that some of the Irish sarvants was at him to Contrive to breek open ye Store, & for fear of his speeking of it they had Taken away his Life. And if thair oaths must be Taken he did not doubt but thay woud sarve many others ye same. We Coud Get nothing more from him but Carryed him into Town. He was had immadiately to ye Gallows & Declared to ye last he was not Guilty of ye Murder, & by all apperance dyed a Roman. The woman was Hanged yesterday, & denyed ye Murder of wise & the most that She had to answer for was by her being so wicked to Confese a thing that She was not Guilty of by which She Imagined was the Death of White. She seme to be of ye same principle as white was.

Edward Jenkins to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 20, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 146-147, Egmont 14200, pp. 375-376, reporting as trustee of orphans in Georgia.

Sr

Mr Willibee¹¹⁹ our Fellow Trust of the orphants is Dead. The Majestrats have not as yet chosen another. Mr Causton seme to intimate that he will receve orders from ye Trustees before he Nominate another. We have Taken Care to Cloath ye children according to Your Honours order but we thought ye Cloaths was to be a Gift from ye Trustees. But Mr Causton says we must pay for it out of ye orphants affects. But shall not Consent to pay for it Before I hear from Your Honour or ye Bord. We have taken Care to make ye most of what ye Orphants have. We have Let Goddards¹²⁰ House & Land to Mr Christe for eighteen pounds pr Year. Mr Christe wants it for 10 years But I told him it was not in our power to Grant it without Consent from ye Trust, so we stay for ye finishing of ye Leese until we have an answer. Milliges¹²¹ House we have let to young Robert Parker who Marryed ye widdow Sale for fourteen pounds per year. Mr West have agreed that we shoud have Little Child¹²² under our Care & agrees to Give twelve pounds pr Year for ye Childs House. The Child Lives with Mrs Mercer which from ye Mothers Death have Taken a Great Deal of Care of.

We gain a Great Deal of Ill will by forcing People to pay for ye orphants Goods we sold. We are now Takeing out executions against all in General that have not pd. Poor Mrs Royle¹²³ is Dead & have Left two fine Boys under our Care but no affect to maintain them.

What Gives me the Greatest uneasiness Concerning the orphants is That thay are not Taken as Good Care of as I woud wish Altho we see ym often and is not Backward of telling any one yt abuses them. I am sorry I cant help but say the wimen Turn out but very Badly, which makes the orphants live miserable. Mr Amatis told me a fortnight ago of Takeing ye two Tondees Children¹²⁴ from him. He semed to be very unesy & Told me he was Going for London. I yesterday asked him where he depended on our Takeing ye Children. He sd he woud have me stay tell he Come Back from Charls Town. I know he have been very unesy of Late but can’t say for what. I wish there was some honest man Chosen for our Partner to take of some of our Trouble. Had I known of Mr Yooklys Going Directly from hear To London we would have sent the whole account of the orphants, but if I live propose to do it By Captain Dunbar.

Edward Jenkins to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 20, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 148-149, Egmont 14200, pp. 379-380, concerning Indian affairs and Joseph Watson.

Sr

I hope you will excuse me in Giving an account of one thing more relating to my Self. I beleve I was once an instrument of saving Mr Watsons Life, & Perhaps of a Great many others.

Mr Causton Mr West Mr Christe Mr Vanderplank Mr Jones & My Self meet at Mr Christees to Consult what method to take to find out the reason of the discontent the Indians semed to be under. We doubted it might turn to be of a dangerous Consequence So the Majestrats Picked upon me to Go to ye Indians with a Lingester which was Bartlets wife.

I went home & sent for Bartlets wife & Told her I would be her friend if She woud be Just In being Lingest for ye Indians to me. I Gave her a Bottle of Rum to Carry with her & charged her to say nothing tell [til] I came but drink with them. When I came She was with Husteche, which was ye Indian I wanted. The rest was Gone up ye river with Skins because Watson Shoud not have ym. So after I had Showed a Good deale of frienship to ye Indian I asked him how Mr Watson & he agreed. He Sd his hart & watsons was one, but it was easy to see to the Contrary. I told him he need not be affraid to discover his unesiness to me for he shoud have as much Justes doon him as any of our own People. He thought Some Minuets at Last Sd his hart Nor None of Indian was Straigt towards watson Nor Never woud, & that Watson Shoud have no more Skins from any of them, & that Watson Got Drunk with their Rum & then woud beat ym, & in a Great passion Showed me some signe of his Blows. I perswaded him to be easy & he Shoud see we woud vindicate their rights as much as our own. So at Last seemed to be well satisfied that he had discovered his mind. So I acquainted Mr Causton what I had Doon. He sent by Mrs Musgrave which in Great Measure abated their discontent. Thay Came into Court & discovered much to the same purpose what they did to me.

These letters are much to ye same purpose as I sent to Charles Town a fortnight ago in order to be Carried for London. I wish you may be able to make Sence of what I have write. I had not three hours warning of Yoaklys Going direct for London but thought he was to Go to Lisbon. In my Last Packet I sent My Good friend Mr Holland a Letter but fear I now hant [have not] time. I in that desired his intrest Concarning ye Licence, but I seme to be fully perswaded I nead No ones But Your Honours.

Paul Amatis to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 21, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 156-157, concerning the removal of plants from Charles Town to Savannah and the conditions in the latter. Translated from French.

Sir,

Since having written to you I have determined to stay yet some time here in order to see to the transplanting of all the mulberry trees in their good order, so that they may be ready to be transferred next year into the plantations of those gentlemen who shall have tilled their lands. There are yet many who have asked of me their share, that is to say, that which you have promised them by the agreement concerning their lands. I have promised them all the plants which I could furnish for their plantations. I hope that you will not consider it improper in that I have given you an account of the trees which I shall deliver in each particular case, so that I could give you an exact record of all the plants which I shall give outside of the bounds of your garden. I do not think I shall leave for London before the end of the month of July; hoping to have a response from you, Sir, and from the gentlemen the Trustees. If I am satisfied with regard to my expectations I could remain here yet for several years in order to put all things in good order so far as it shall be in my power. Mr [Isaac] Chardon has allowed several of my notes to go to protest which I have drawn on him, having written me himself that Messrs the Trustees had not satisfied and paid my notes. If this is so I don’t know what to think. I go tomorrow to Charles Town in order to wind up my accounts with the said Chardon. There are due me of my allowance about six months, there should not be any difficulty in paying my little notes; having written to him several times that I could not go to Charles Town until the end of the month of February. In that time I hope to finish the transplanting of all the trees which I have in the garden, but I must go principally to have my accounts passed with him so as to protect my remittances and sustain my credit. Sir, you can be well assured that I will not draw upon him for more than your new order. Thus, Sir, I hope that you will give attention to this matter, otherwise, I shall be obliged to depart immediately for London.

I await always your orders.

Patrick Houstoun, Patrick Tailfer, and Andrew Grant¹²⁵ to Peter Gordon, Jan. 21, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/637, pp. 14-15, Egmont 14200, pp. 387-388, complaining that they have had no help in Georgia and asking for some.

Sir

We take this opportunity of laying the following particulars before you. We, having obtan’d grants for Land, from the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia, & according to these Grants having engaged Servants & brought them at our own Epence into the Colony, Expected to have the same encouragement as other Settlers, such as provisions for ourselves & Servts for one Year, Tools for Building our Houses & for Clearing & cultivating the ground, Nails & other Necessary Iron-work, Arms & Ammunition &c. but when we arrived here, contrary to our Expectation, We could receive none of them. We had a very discouraging Character of this place given us at Charles Town, upon which account some of us came here to view it, & then Mr Causton told us, that he had orders not to give us any thing, but he would allow us Credit for Twelve Months provisions. Yet when we brought up our Servants & goods, it was with a great deal of Difficulty we could procure three month’s provisions And a few other things, & not even those without paying for them.

We beg the Favour you would join with us to represent those things to the Trustees, & we humbly presume, that being in all Fifty two in number, & all our Servants able Young men, except two or three Women, we were a considerable Addition of Strength to the Colony. And indeed we should have been much more in number, if it were not for the Loss we sustain’d by the Desertion of our Servants before we left North Britain, & at Portsmouth by a misfortune which befel our Ship, where we were obliged to lay her aground, so that several of our Servants had an opportunity of leaving us.

We beg leave to remark one thing more, that being settled at a great Distance from this Town to the Southward, it is a very great inconvenience for us to procure from time to time such things as we stand in need of, & likewise that our people have been very industrious in building a Fort, which we think is as capable to Defend us, in case of an Attack from an Enemy, as any we have yet seen in this Country. And altho it has been a considerable Hindrance to the Clearing of our Ground, yet we believe, that proportionable to the time of our Settling, there is as much ground Cleared as any where else in the Province. And indeed we thought it necessary to put ourselves in some posture of Defence in the first place.

We would willingly perswade ourselves, that the Honble Trustees upon knowing the preceeding circumstances, will grant us the same encouragement they do to any other person.

We hope you will be so good as to excuse this trouble.

John Graham¹²⁶ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 22, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 145, asking help to get well started in Georgia.

Righ Honered Sr

I make bold to Lett you know what I have done. I have emproved my toune Lote. I have bulded two houses one it. When I had fineshed thes I went to Improve my five ecker [acre] Lott some. I have but beinge Cutte ofe of ye favors of ye trost, I was obledged to leve my lott and take to Some other employe to Soport my famley and if ye honorable trostees had furder Continued a Suplie to ye endustros man we in a Short time wold a bene Capable to a done for our Selves and Could have said that we wer dwelers and free holders in ye place. But beeinge Cotte [cut] of [off] ye Store and havinge nether money nor Servants hes med us uncapble of Cleringe our lands. Your honor knows I am a tanner by trade which wold do vre well in this place. I Could fixe my Selfe in it if your honor wold asist me with a tanner Servant by trade and of honost Carreter. I will not give your honor aney furder troble of my wants but hops you will take it into Consideratiehon that I have not been a idler and grant me this favor I requist of you. I have had a letter from a brother of mine in london which hes wrot to me. He has a minde to Come here. He beeinge a laborios man I do belive he wold do vre well her and if your honor will grant him a lott in Savana towne I will ever be oblidged to you and I have wrote him to aplie himself to you. If I have expressed my Selfe in aney thinge unbecomminge I hope your honnor will parden me and we are daley hoppenge your returne here for we ar in grate want of you. Thes is all.

Thomas Causton to [James Oglethorpe ?], Jan. 22, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 152-153, concerning troubles with the collector at Port Royal and leases of town lots.

Sir

Altho I am in hopes, that my Behaviour in the Necessary Affairs of the Province, may in Some measure make an Excuse for my not writing (as I ought) I know there is nothing but your great goodness can allow it.

Capt Yoakley having taken & Sudden Resolution to go for London makes me desireous to Send as many particulars as I have ready; Intending to Send by Capt Dunbar, a more full account.

I used my utmost Endeavours to perswade Mr [Samuel] Montaigut to Load two Ships in this River; I could have got the Rice. But he Started so many Difficultys about his Orders for Lisbon, That with much perswasions I got Yoakley to Load here; and he went to Port Royall to Agree with the Colector there to Clear him pursuant to his Lycence for Lisbon.

It happened, that the Collector and the Captain over their Cups quarrelled, and the Collector took upon him to Search the Ship on Account of Some Brandy. I was privately informed of the matter, and askt Mr Montaigut about it; But the Captain and Mr Montaigut both declared t’was only a Drunken Frolick; and all was over and agreed. This prevented me from Letting the Collector know where he was, in the manner I would otherwise have done. But when the Captain had got his Loading, the Collector took the opportunity to go away with the Lycense; went to Charles Town for assistance to Seize the Ship. We wrote to His Excellency,¹²⁷ to Mr [James] Abercrombie Mr [Paul] Jenys and Mr [Isaac] Chardon on this Affair and sent them a true State of the Case.

The Governour answered our Request, and Ordered Mr [George] Saxby the Surveyor to write to the Collector as the Captain will more particularly inform you.

The Capt being thus disappointed by the Collector as to his Voyage for Lisbon is now bound for London. And the Captain is particularly lucky in being with in this Province. However, we have took his protest here, and not being able to gett the Collector to an Acomodation, He must answer, for what he has done in England if the Collector thinks it worth his while to follow him.

As my present time is very Short, and the Captain now waiting for my Letters I beg to Referr you to a Letter I now send to the Trustees for such Occurrences as I can at this time Transmitt.

Captain Dunbarr will Sail for London in five weeks from this place.

I Beg the favour to be resolved by your Advise in the following Cases.

1st…Can any of the Setlers take Leases of the Town Lotts and thereby claim the privilege of being absent from their Settlements.

2d…Can any of the Freeholders in the Province Let Leases to any jew whatsoever, If thereby an Improvement may be made.

3d…Can a jew who is a freeholder Let any part of his Lott whereby another jew may have the pretension of living here.

4 … Is it not necessary, That every Lease should express a Valuable Rent. And can a Freeholder take a fine, for any Term whatsoever, Tho’ a House or some other Imediate Improvement may be bargained for. And if this should be done, Is not the Heir Intitled to a Valuable Rent, at the time of the Letting Such Lease, and only Accountable for the Value of the Improvement.

If you would be pleased to favour me with your Advise in these Matters, I could the better Satisfye the Minds of some of the people. Because at present, Mr Christie and I Differ in Opinion about it.

I shall be dilligent for the future in pursuing your Directions and will never Lett fourteen days pass without a Letter.

In Gratitude for your many favours, I beg you will believe my Continuall Labours are Spent with pleasure in the Service of the Province. And having a just Scorn for all the Flattery and Vain Titles that our Neighbours are pleased to give me.

George Dunbar¹²⁸ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 23, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 150-151, 154-155, Egmont 14200, pp. 391— 394, reporting on his trip down the coast from Savannah.

Honble Sir

I wou’d have troubled you on my arraivall the 27th past with an account of the State of the passingers who (except Tuanahooy¹²⁹ and was than perfectly recovir’d) were well man woman & child. The Salsburgers particularly still chearfull and are a pyius Sobir laborius people. The Indians behavd with their accustomed modesty and I have reason to believe they as well as all the other passingers are satisfyed with their treatment while on board, but delay’d it till my return from the Suthern partes of this province, where on my arraivall there appear’d Som need of Sending. The State of affaires were that some time before a bodie of Spanish indians pas’d Ogetchy river and killed nine Outchies [Uchees] neigh Palachacalas.

A Briganteen off Tybie Sent hir boat on shore and got off Chetwin Fisard one of the pilots under pretence to come into the river and immediately Stood to Sea. And the master of a Bristoll Ship then in the river affirm’d that he hade Seen a Negro, one of the Men that caried off the pilots at the Havana.

The Scout boat was on hir crouze som weeks longer than ordiner and fear’d that She was fallin into bad hands.

Thus the affaires Stood when in obedience to the Trustees command and by the magistrats authority I Set out on the 8th Curt with elevin white men and four Indians. Mr Johns [Noble Jones?] as Constable [was] one of the number as was Mr [John?] Baillie who would not be ungon was by the Magistrats named constable for the expedition & to Succeed Mr Johns. And he me in the command of the men in case of axident [accidents].

Tomachetchie told me that If his presence was not so much wanted at home he’d go in person with a sufficient number of his men in their own canos and woud on yt occasion if he was Shour there were any disturbers of our pase [peace] then in the Province. But Helispaly Humpetchie and Stimaletchie insisted on going wt a Servant of Mr Musgrovs as interpriter and dureing our voyage behaved with outmost discretion & forwardness. The 8th we pased Thunderboalt where thes Gentilmen have clear’d and fenced So much land that without missfortouns prevent they’ll be able to Sell a considerable quantity of provisions. They have made very great advancis in their potash manufactory, have load off a Sloup wt pipe Staves since I’ve been hear, have three houses finish’d and tolerably well fortifyed. We left Skidway the 9th where they have made a much greater progress both in their houses and lands than I expected. They are very regular in their watch so that by night or day no boat can pass undiscovir’d, and have a battiry of three cariages guins and four Swivils in good ordir. Two mile South of this Seetilment the Scout boat lays when at home where they have a very commanding prospect & can put to Sea at any time of tide. We came at noun to rotin Possam were we hunted if we cou’d find any pople that cou’d not give Satisfying cause for their being there but found non. From this we pasd Ogetchy Sound to Bare Island where we encamp’d for that night without Seeing any thing extrordiner. The 10th we contenoured our voyage along the Island of Ossaba to Sappala wher we found fresh merks of fire but hunted as formerly wt the Same Success. The 11th we were at Sta Catarina where we found fire and hunted as formerly. The 12th we past Doboie Sound to St Symons without any thing remerkable. Nor here, tho we hunted carefully, did we See any marks of pople haveing been lately on the Island. The 13th we went to Jekel Island Searched it as in othir places with the Same Success and return’d to St Symons the same night where we left two of the Indians dureing our absence at their earnest request to hunt for dear, not haveing hitherto spent any time that way. The 14th we went to Fot King George and in the way landed on Barnwell bluff where we found Surveyors lines and in Mr John’s opinion hade been lately runout. From thence the 15th we went to Sapalo by a creek which runs off clos to where the Garrison was and formerly suppos’d to run only into the woods. But observing the tide of flode sent in that way to the River I resolved to attemp it and came in one tide from thence to Sappalo missing Doboie Sound which othirways is the work of three and is a Safe way for petiagos. On this Island we found all as we left it. The 16th we came to Sta Catarina where we were weathir bound till the 18th when we pasd Bare Island to All Honey. We hunted this Island wt our usewall [usual] Success without Seeing any merks of pople haveing been there lately. As we pas’d Rotin Possam we discovir’d a fire where we found Some of the Savanah Indian. They could give us no inteligence and we proceed’d the Same night to Skiduay where we hade the agreeable news that the Scout boat was return’d and hade made the extraordiner Stay on accot of building a cannoe. The 19th we arriv’d here & were likwise agreeabily inform’d that the pilote whom we thought caried away was return’d, the Ship haveing been drove off the coast and at last put into Charles town. I hade on my return Mr Chardons permition [permission] to load here and have contracted with Mr Causton for eight hundred barrels of Rice ptch or tar on freight for London. Ther’s likwise twenty hoggds Skins belonging to Mr Eavily. So that tho I go to morrow to Carolyna to purchas Some rice on freight or otherways I hope to be fully loaded wt the product of Georgia on my return. If Mr Simons affiaires will permit I think of Seeing the Salisburgers at their Seetilment, visit Abircorn, pass ovir land to Forte Argile, See the Scots Seetilment, & return by Skiduay again.

Mr Fosats boat was bought hear when I was gon to the Southard for the pople of Agustin. The Vessell which you may remember was launched when you was at Charlestown mounted wt eightin guns was likewise Sold to them. Torance that belong’d to the Scoutboat is there and we are told much in favour, tho Wallace and others takin at the Same time are confined. When I can give you a more parll account of the affaires of the town I’ll likewise trouble you.

I wou’d have Sent Seeds or plants to My Lord Islay per Captt Yoackly but his going to London is owing to a missfortunat axident here wt ye Collr of Port Royal being intended for Lisbon till yistirday and is to saile wt the first faire wind. At my return to London if you can imploie me to the least advantage to any of your friends in the way you Spoek of at London it will give me infinit joy Since I can nevir hope of returning in any othir way than by my wishes the many obligations I lay undir to you.

[P.S.] Toma Chetchie Tuanouie Helespalie & Humpetchie are wt me this morning and offtin in their passage and Since remember you. Tomochetchie desires me to acquaint you that your picture is gon to ye nation. Touanoies watch¹³⁰ is very much abous’d but I carie it to Charlestown and will have it mended. Pardon this Scribiling, Yoackly being just going.

Thomas Mouse¹³¹ to Oglethorpe, Jan. 23, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 158-159, Egmont 14200, pp. 395-396, concerning the settlement at Skidoway and his treatment by the tythingman.

Hond Sir

You being well acquainted with our Settlement at Skidoway, I have made bold to Informe your Honour of the Improvement belonging to my own Lott, which I call ye House Lott. It is pailed in, and I have two large hutts built thereon. One is Twenty four by Sixteen and is sett all round with large upright Loggs. The other is Twenty one by fourteen with Clapboards only, which I propose as a Store House with a Yard and Conveniencys for Breed, where I keep my Fowls, of which I have about thirty, besides what I have Sold which came Chiefley from the Fowle which your Honour was pleased to give me. But I have not had altogether such good Luck with my Sow. She has had two Litters of Piggs, the first Died being nine, and the last Litter five, only two Living, which are large thriving Piggs. The Cows & Calves which we had are all run into the woods, and cannot bring them up, having so few hands that pretend they cannot Spare time to Hunt for them & theirs.

I am now to informe your Honour that the Ground brings forth plenty of Callavances,¹³² Potatoes & Indian Corn, and will I dont doubt produce many other things which I intend to Try. I hope your Honour will not forget to send over some more Settlers for our Island, It being very hard for a Man (who has a Large Family) to watch continually every third or fourth Night, and for refusing one Night, I have been tied Neck & heels by Mr [William Johnson] Delmas our Tything Man. I am very sorry I should deserve to be Served in that manner but his being Tything Man over so few people as we are at present, he has more time to do Service for said place than he has, but must Submit to an officer in power. I am informed that It is in his power to Tye me Neck and heels when he pleases, wch I Submit to If deserved. But If a Man is to be Governed by an Officer, who will Reign Arbitrary, it is very hard to Submitt to. And if it is to [be] so, I most Humbly beg your Honr please to permitt me and my Family to proceed for England, alltho’ I like Skidoway better than any place I have seen in the Collony. I realy declare that I think it very hard to be used as a common Soldier as I like my Place of Settlement so well, and to leave the Same after I have taken so much pains for my Family’s sake is still more hard to me.

I take the freedome to acquaint Your Honour, that I do not mention out of Vanity, but I do Assure you I have made ye most Improvement on my Lott of any one, in ye Settlement. Am very unwilling to trouble your Honour with what Improvements others have made, not Doubting but you and the Honble Trustees will be informed therein as to our Land which is belonging to us is lately rund out ye 17th December.

I understand by Mr Causton that The Honble Trustees have thought Fitt, [to] Allow the People of Skidoway, another Years provisions for which Great favour, your Honours have mine and my Familyes Humble Thanks.

My Spouse is in Dayly Expectation of being brought to Bed, and is now in Savanna were she Intends to Lye in. She and my Family Joins with me in Humble thanks to your Honr and the Rest of the Honble Trustees, for all favours and am Honored.

Philip Miller to Harmon Verelst, Jan. 23, 1734/5, Chelsea, C.O. 5/636, p. 223, sending some madder roots for Georgia.

Sr

At present I have no seeds or plants which I can think will be of use to the Colony of Georgia, except some roots of Madder. I have therefore sent you a box filled with these roots which I am convinced will be well worth propagating since we pay more than 100000 £ per Ann for that Comodity to the Dutch and Brabanters.¹³³ There requires no other care of these roots in their passage, but to give them a little water once in 8 or ten days in dry weather. When they arrive the root should be taken out of the box an planted in rows two foot asunder and about ten inches distance in the rows, observing in Summer to keep them clear from weeds, which is all the culture they require.

There is a Gentleman of my acquaintance who is desirous of going over to Georgia, and will carry over some servants, he is a very undertaking person in Agriculture and should be glad to have some imployment under the Trustees; for which he does not desire any Salary, but thinks if he has any Trust, it will give him an oppertunity to make more experiments than he otherwise could do. The first leisure I will wait on you to consult you on this affair.

William Johnson Dalmas¹³⁴ to James Vernon, Jan. 24, 1734/5, Skidoway Island, C.O. 5/636, p. 160, commending Skidoway and asking for seeds, tools, etc.

Sr

Trusting in your Goodness for Pardon, I presume to take ye Liberty to adress My Self to you in representing My Case.

I am Situated upon one of ye Pleasantess Islands in America (as indeed all ye Country is Beautifull) and will with ye Smallest Industry answer all the ends proposed. But I am at present very much Straightened for want of Some Small Conveniency’s, as Poultery, Hoggs, Garden Seeds, Tools & other things Usefull in Husbandry.I most Humbly begg the favour of You, to represent to His Grace the Duke of Kent, ye Necessity there is for Such things; & as His Graces Intentions in recomending Me to You was for My Good, I do not in ye Least doubt of His Compliance in assisting Me in My Humble request.

John Musgrove¹³⁵ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 24, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 162-163, Egmont 14200, pp. 399-400, reporting his return to Georgia and telling of the Joseph Watson affair troubles.

Hond Sr

This wth my Duty & my wifes to yor Honr & the Rest of ye Honble Trustees & having this oppertunity I make bold to trouble yor Honr wth this to Accquaint you that we are all Safly Arrived & In good Health & I Bless god found my family all well. Tunoy [Toonahowi] has been ill but now he is upon ye Mending hand & I hope he will do very well & I hope this will find yor Honr & ye Honble Trustees in good Health as we are at this present. Mr [Joseph] Wattson who was my partner when I Came for England I do not Like nor Cannot Approve of his way of proceeding. For I find Since I Came home to Georgia by Mr Wattsons proceedings & Abusing of ye Indians. I have Lost my Servt man Justice & he one Day Locked ye Door & would not Lett the Indians In wth their Skins yt they Brought wth them yt they might have ym weigh’d. And they waited wth Abundance of patience till at Last their patience was quite Tier’d & very Much Vexed & broke Open ye door & was Resolved to be Revenged. And as Soon as my Wife heard yt ye Door was broke Open She Run to ye window & told Mr Wattson & Desired him to gett away or Else he would be Kill’d. And because they Could not find him Stechey Knocked my boy Justice on ye Head Directly & Kill’d him he having ye Misfortune of being in ye way. Mr Causton is & has been very good to ye Indians & they all praise & Value him. And all ye Rest of the Indians was Affraid they Should be blam’d upon ye Acct of the Murder, but Mr Causton was so very Good & pascified them all so yt they are very Easey & None to be blam’d but Stechey who Committed ye Murther & Mr Causton will write yor Honr ye whole Accot of it. The Loosing of my Man Justice who was so good a Servt to me is a Great Loss & Dissappoinmt to me In my Affairs. And Wattson being Continually Drunk I Cannot bring him to Acct for wt has been Sold out of ye Store Since ye Commencmt of ye partnership. Nor will he Acct wth Mr Eveleigh at any Rate wtever. He Makes his Braggs yt he Kill’d Capt Skey by Drinking of Rum, & If Capt Skeys Brother Should Know it Mr Wattson Runs ye Risque of his Life wch will bring a Scandall & trouble upon this Colony. But we all do our Endeavour to Keep it from him & for what I promis’d to ye Honble Trustees I will Use my Utmost Endeavour to perform to Keep peace Tranquility Love & Unity Amongst ym on Both Sides. And as for Mr Wattsons proceedings I am Obliged to Break partnership wth him wch I have done Already for my Own Security. And Mr Wattson he does Insist on partnership for four Years & yt it is as he Says According to Yor Honrs promise. Since he Behaves himself in ye Manner as he Does I think it not proper to be Concernd wth him any further. For If I am I believe it will be my Ruin, for ye Majestrates are Obliged to Keep him in Custody upon ye Acct of his Behavior. And by ye Loss of my boy Justice I am Obliged to be at home & planting Coming on I have Nobody to Assist me wch hinders me goeing up to ye Nation my Self. But ye King Tomo Chechey has Sent his Brother up in My Stead & Tomo Chechey has Sent for ye Upper Cricks & ye Lower to Come Down to him to Lett ym Know yt he is Safly Arriv’d & also to tell ym of ye Talk with his Majestey King George Said to him & ye Rest. I Remain wth my Duty & my Wifes to Yor Honr & ye Honble Trustees from Yor Humble most Obejt and Duty full Servt to Comd.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Jan. 27, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 164-165, Egmont 14200, pp. 403-405, concerning his garden, prices in Savannah, provisions available, and other topics.

My Lords & Gentlemen

I humbly beg your Pardon for the Freedom I have taken in opening my thoughts to Yor Honble Board. My Earnest desire for the good of the Colony has perhaps carried my Freedom too farr, but I hope youll easily overlook this, And Favour me with your Countenance & Protection.

I herewith send Some Letters wch I writ to Yor Honr Board Sometime Since, & wch I would now write over again & Digest em in Less Compass, but the Settling your Stores Accot taking almost my whole time & gives me no Small trouble through the Confused State they are in. And The Improvement of my Garden (5 Acres Lot) taking up the remainder of the time, I beg youll Excuse my Sending you such Imperfect Letters.

As to my Garden I have with all the Endeavours I possibly could make use off got Seeds from Sundry places & am now daily Expecting more from Augustine, Savannah Town, New York, Philadelphia, Lisbon & New England.

As we have no Fresh Beef nor Pork out of the Store, Eating so much Salt Meat Heats the Blood & causes the Scurvy. I have Sowed a Vast Quantity of Greens & have now fine Sallett, Peas & Cabage Plants &c almost Ready to Eat. Turneps from Carolina are Sold this day at 2s. 2d Sterling per Bushell. Good Cabages would readily Sell for 6d & 8d peice, but none good to be had at any rate. Few are come from New York but mostly Spoild. These are Trifles hardly worth mentioning but perhaps youll Not take it Ill to be In formed of Such Affairrs tho never so triffling.

While I thus Consult the health & the desire of the People I am Considering wch way I might Improve the Garden to Some proper Usefull future Benefit to my Self, & for that End I am now going to Sow the following Seeds Almonds, Currants, Raisins, Limes & Lemons & othr foreign Seeds. I have already put in Oranges, Cotton, Olives &c. I have Some Poppys wch grows up very fine. Some people tells me they are valuable in Physick for wch reason I shall take care to make the best of them.

I Design to Plant or Sow this week a Sort of Beans wch grows about 12 or 15 foot high & produce Extraordinary Large Beans of a wonderfull Size Scarce & hard to be met with.

I beg Leave to desire your Honr Board to Supply me with Physical Herbs & Plants of wch I will with the Blessing of God for my private Interest make the best Use I can & for my Character Supply othr Freeholders with the Produce.

I am Sorry that I have reason to Inform your Honble Board That the Workmen at Tybee are almost Continually Drunk & that the Light House is not like to be Quickly built. Of Course it must go on Slow Enough & no ways Answer the Cost of that Dear peice of Building.

The Freeholders of this Town are many of them Building on all the whole Front of their Town Lot wch if an Accidentall Fire should happen might occasion greatly to the Burning of whole Wards at once. For the Sake of the Town & the Stores Leather Bucketts would be very Usefull & might always be kept ready in the Store.

Mellasses from Charles Town have been Lately Sold here by Mr Houston at 2s. 6d per Gallon, And at the rate I See them in the London Invoice, it would Save Some Money to send em here. They are 1s. 6d per Gall at Charles Town.

Your Honle Board will I dare Say Encourage any thing that may Tend to the Welfare & Establishm of this Colony and make it a Province Renownd upon Earth as well as a Barrier to the English Settlement on the American Main. We doubt it not & we are now flattering our Selves that at this very time You are procuring us Some Publick Good from the Parliament.

Mr Musgrove is very Ill & Like to Die. I should gladly Accept of Some of his Trade were yor Honnr pleased to grant me Lycence for the Same.

I am told Mr Eveleigh of Charles Town Dessigns to Settle here wch I wish may prove true he being a Publick Spirit a good Nature & an Encourager of Industry.

I might write Some Refflection on Some of our Great Men here in Endeavouring to Engross all the Trade (tho it is not their business to Trade) & on their Absenting from Church, Especially one for Some Months past. But tis Dangerous to medle with Edge Tools or men in Power.

Mr [Peter] Gordon hath hitherto gained the Approbation of ye People. It were well if all Judges of Provinces & men in Power there to whom the Government of the people is committed would Endeavour to Copy after Our Late Kings & Queens in their Fatherly Endeavours more to gain the Love & Affection of the People than in Rigid Tyranical way of Government in Using their Subjects more like Slaves than Christians Freemen.

P. S. Had I but few Strong Servants I would Endeavour to send a Sloop Load of white Oak to Irland. Its plenty Eno here as is Live Oak.

I give twenty Shillings Sterling per Acre for the Lotts I have hired near the Town. Tho it is an Extravagant price I Chuse to pay it rather than to have others free from Rent further off. Mine being but about half Mile from the Town where I may easily go three time per day and do any other business.

All Sorts of Greens have been So Scarce here that for want of them Onions have been Sold for Eight pence Sterling per pound. But on the Arrival of the New York Sloip they are fallen to half the price. Mutton is not Sold for Less than Eight pence per pound & Seldom can get it. Fowls are the Cheapest Fresh Meat we have here.

James Horner¹³⁶ to [?], Jan. 27, 1734/5, Gravesend, C.O. 5/636, pp. 225-226, concerning the departure of the first Moravians for Georgia.

Sr

This afternoon ye 2 Brothers, went to ye Downs. I am in hopes they will make no Stay, but go away in ye morning. Ye owner has sent in some fresh meat, yt those yt are weak may have Sweet broath. As they have not only Suffered much at Sea, but also in their dirty Lodgings & through bad Weather, they require a little more Care & attention. I have done my best during these 5 days past, & left them now under good Care, with proper order & Regulation. They are divided into 18 Familys, and lodged So conveniently yt they may eat together. I have Set over them 4 Men as Overseers, to distribute among them their Victuals. And 4 Single Women are to wash for them to attend ye Sick, & to make broath for ye young Children. I have likewise taken care of ye 2 big bellied Women, & provided them with necessarys, & conveniency to be attended. Mr Spangenberg¹³⁷ was writing in German out of ye Charter Party what Victural they are to have every day, to be naild on ye Mast, that every one of ye Swissers¹³⁸ may read it. They are now well pleasd, Since they see yt they are neither to be starv’d, nor Sold, as Some malicious Persons endeavourd to pursuade them. My only fear was, as they are gathered together from so many different Places, yt they might not keep together when they come to Purisburg, & yt if the most useful hands Shoud leave them, many woud either perish, or be burthensome to themselves & to others, whereby ye King’s Design, & ye Trustees Care woud have been frustrated. I made it therefore my chief business, to reconcile their Minds, & to unite them in ye best manner; and they unanimously desird their Leaders to Subscribe in ye name of every one, a Paper which I presented unto them, wherein they bind themselves in ye Sum of 5 £ [?] to keep together & to have all things in Common, till they have built regular houses & Gardens, & divided them by Lots. To this purpose the working Tools I have bought for them, are calld ye Tools of ye Colony; and those yt have any of their own, are to give them in Common, till they are Settled. After which time every one is to have his own Tools again, and ye rest of ye publick Tools, will be Sold among those yt have none and ye price of them is to be applied to ye good of ye Colony.

There was among them a Grenadier, who had been for many years in ye Dutch Service, & fit to be very serviceable to ye Colony upon occasion, as also a Seafaring Man yt understands Navigation & Fishery. They had been above 3 Months in London, & because they would not go a begging in ye Streets, they pawned all their Cloaths to ye value of 9 £ wch I have paid for them, on condition that they shall refound yt Sum towards ye building of a publick School for ye Colony, wch they have willingly promised & hope to perform by their industry in a Short time. Two of them have as much money as their Passage comes to, & are willing to pay it as Soon as ye Trustees are pleas’d to accept of it, that it might be laid out for ye publick good.

I hope God will in his mercy bless them with a prosperous Success both at Sea & upon ye Land; I have given them ye best advice, & my hearty prayers go along with them. The poor Souls, when I took my Leave of them, told me in their Simplicity, yt if I were unprovided for, & woud but come with them, they woud be glad to maintain & be governd by me, Since they well perceived yt I had no other View than to make them easy here & happy hereafter.

Mr Spangenberg was unwilling to go into ye Great Cabine. He loves to be with his Nine friends, where they can be by themselves & undisturbed. They told me yt they were all & in all respects intirely pleas’d, & highly obliged to ye Trustees for their great Care & Kindness.

Governor Robert Johnson to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 28, 1734/5, Charles Town, C.O. 5/636, pp. 166-167, read April 14, 1735, concerning Georgia-South Carolina relations.

Sr

I have received your favour of the 28th of October last, and also the Copys of two Letters you wrote to me Some time ago, & I hope you have received my last. I am not at all Surprized that my Enemys should attempt to give you, and ye rest of the Trustees of Georgia an Ill Opinion of me. I am Sensible they are unwearied in their Endeavours to do me prejudice, but flatter my self you are too well convinced of my Sincere Intentions to forward that Settlement, and my desire to help towards the Prosperity of the Colony to give any Credit to such false and Malicious Reports. You have Sr been an Eye Witness of the Pains I have taken on that Account, and I can assure you my Sentiments neither are, or ever Shall alter in that case, but that I will always to the utmost of my Power endeavour to forward the same, being very Sensible that it is of great Moment to His Majtys Service and Interest, and ready on all Occasions to shew the Great Regard I have for you, and the Trustees Ingaged in so Laudable an Undertaking; and I beg you will assure them of the same, together with my Respects. I must further acquaint you that I have Spoke with Capt Beale and others about the New England People you mention in Your Letter, whom you say came into this Province with design to Settle in Georgia; they assure me they never heard of any such. Several persons have indeed come here from the Northern Brittish Colonys, but none that ever I heard of, purposing to go to Georgia, or was there any Application Made to me on that Head.

What I have Said before will I hope Induce you to believe and be assured, that I had no hand in the Affair of Mr Fitch,¹³⁹ which you mention. Far from that, I directed him to acquaint the Traders to the Creeks, that they should assist Mr Mackey, and Obey the Orders he should give them; I have writ to Fitch on that Subject, and as soon as he returns me an Answer, I shall forward it to you. I hope in the mean time I shall not be blamed for the Actions of a Wrong thinking Man, but as he has been removed about Seven Months ago from being Indian Commy, and Mr Drake a Member of the Lower House appointed in his room, he now can have no Interest with the Traders, and I have Instructed and Strictly Charged the New Commy to follow the Same Orders I gave Fitch on this Head.

The General Assembly have passed an Act laying a Duty of 6d Currency per Skin on the Indian Traders of this Province, and likewise an Addition of £ 50 Currency on Indian trading Licenses in Order to build a Fort, and maintain a Garrison at the Cherokees. I am told by Mr Eveleigh and others, that some of the said Traders design to move from this Province to Georgia and Cape Fear, in Order to Trade from thence.

I was Apply’d to by the Chief Magistrates of Georgia, on account of a Seizure made by the Collector of Port Royal, his name is Reeves, whom I believe you remember I Immediately consulted the Attorney General, and Mr [George] Saxby Surveyor of the Customs upon it, and they both endeavour’d to persuade him that the Seizure altho there might be some shew of Cause for him so to do, was So triffling, and so many proofs that it proceeded more from a Peake and Drunken frolick, than a real Intention to Secure His Majesty’s Rights, and tho Mr Saxby told him he would give him an Order for releasing the Ship, yet this wrong headed man refused Clearing her. I assure you Sr I did all in my Power, notwithstanding my Illness, and the Great Weekness I was then, and am Still Afflicted with to Serve Captain Yoakley in this Affair. And indeed the Attorney Genl and Mr Saxby assured me, that the Seizer might by the Laws refuse to Clear her, and that it was not even in the Power of the Commrs of the Customs in London to Oblige him to it. I make no doubt but the Magistrates of Georgia will transmit you an Account of those Proceedings, and that you will be of Opinion with me, the removeing so troublesom a person from his Office, would be of great Service both to this Province and Your Colony.

I hear of no Disposition in the Assembly to take the Rangers and Scout Boat away from the Service of Georgia. Such of the Members I have Spoke with, seem inclined to do that Colony all the Service they can, having a Gratefull Sence of the good Offices you have, and Still continue to do in the behalf of this Province, and if any Such thing Should be proposed, I assure you I will oppose all I can.

I am Extreamly obliged to you for the very handsom present you have been pleased to send to my Daughter, who returns you her grateful thanks; ‘Tho I am Sorry you Should put Your Self to the Trouble and Charge; but it is a further proof of your Goodness and friendship which I shall always have the greatest Regard for, and Endeavour to Merit, by doing every thing that may be Agreable to you, and so recommended.

My great Weakness renders me almost Incapable of Inditing my thoughts, and therefore hope you will overlook what mistakes you meet with in this Letter. I thank God I am Recovering.

James Abercromby¹⁴⁰ to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 28, 1734/5, [Charles Town ?], read April 4, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 168-169, concerning the seizure of Capt. Yoakley’s Ship.

Sir

His Excellency the Governor being still indisposed, cant by this Opportunity acquaint You of Mr Reev’s Collector of Port Royal having Seizd Capt Yoakleys Ship in the River before Savannah, for having Brandy and french liquors aboard. The Collector it seems, after he had made his Seizure Sufferd the Ship to be loadded, and told the Capt he would take off the Seizure. However when the Ship was ready to Sail, the Capt asked his Clearance which he refused, left her and came here, Applyd to the Governour for Assistance to bring her round. The Governour Desird I would give him my Oppinion before he would take any Step in the Affair, Which I gave him, Viz That the Ship now, and at the time of the Seizure made, was not in this Province consequently he could not by Virtue of his Commission exceed the Province by any Order, So as to bring her within it, that process might reach her. But Supposing her brought here, I was of Oppinion that nothing being imported into this Province contrary to the Laws of Trade, She was not within the Jurisdiction of our Courts. Yet the Directors at Georgia, finding the Ship Seizd by an Officer of this Province applyd here for relief which neither the Governour nor Mr Saxby the proper and head Officer of the Customs could grant, so as to Order him to clear the Ship, which he had Seizd, before Tryall. Since he insisted upon his Seizure, His Excellency finding he could not compel him to relinquish his Seizure, desird I would Sollicit the Matter with Mr Saxby, which I did, and after considering the matter, wrote the Collector in as strong terms as the nature of his Authority over him, would Allow, which had no Effect, So the Ship saild without Clearance.

This Case will I hope produce future Regulation as to the Custom House Officers, and determine whether their Authority goes beyond this Province or no. If theirs does in one respect, it must in every. And if they can Seize, and we not try Such Seizure, their power is in Vain, which the Collector has pretended to be good, and I to be bad.

If my Advice has hinderd the Ship from being brought here in Order for a tryal, by which means, I may come under the inspection of the Commissioners of the Customs. I have only to Say that I gave what I thought agreeable to Law, and the Nature of our Commissions. The Merits of the Seizure, was not before me. I gave it, that be that as it will, it was not cognizable there, but else where.

As I have the Honour, to be Council for the Trustees, in this Province its with pleasure, I see any Opportunity either by way of Advice or otherwise of discharging my Duty, where it does not interfere with my Duty to the Crown. And as I shall take no Step where they are concernd without informing You, I flatter myself with the Hopes of knowing whether they approve of my Conduct in this Affair, or no?

P.S. You have Made a Young Lady Verry happy by a later present Sent her by Mr Bull.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Jan. 29, 1734/5, Savannah, received April 2, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 170-171, concerning the need of Georgians for provisions from the Trustees’ store.

My Lords & Gentlemen

The Missery the Inhabitants of this Colony already feels Since their being Shutt out of the Store prevails on me, to pity them as a Neighbour & a Freeholder. They already offer their Houshold Goods for Sale to buy Bread. What may be the End of their Missery God only knows, for this is Certain, that theres no Cropp to be Expected before Michaelmass next, & few there are that Cultivate their Lands for that purpose.

What Currancy is Left here, is generally Carryd away by the Carolina Traders, who brings here Pork Fowles &c & always sells for ready Money.

Moneyed men would Contribute greatly to the Prosperity of this Province, without which I have but little hopes of this Place. We wish Ardently you would Encourage Such to Settle with us.

P.S. Many of our People here are talking of returning home. Had we but Sufficient Number of Servants might undertake the Lumber Trade provided we had Encouragemt to go with it to the West Indies & bring proper returns back. As for my part I design to be one of the Last that Shall Stay here & the first that shall Improve The Lands near ye Town & if possible carry on the Undertaking I have begun of hoop Poles & fine Timber to Charles Town.

I beg that you would be pleased to Assist My Family in coming over to me. Ye Cost thereof I will gladly Repay here as also for the Cost & passage of two good Servants hither. I beg you would please to procure them for me. I make ye best Improvemt of any & might make more had I more Servants. Its mellancholy for me to think that every Servants have had Twelve Months Provissions from the Store Except mine. The none can Less Afford to find em Provissions than I who have mine Still allowed, & I might have Expected that theirs would also have been Continued.

Robert Parker, Jr.,¹⁴¹ to [?], Ja. 30, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, p. 261, announcing his marriage to Elizabeth Sale and complaining about conditions in Georgia.

Sir

As Women in a New Colony are the Very Sinews of it Your Sister being left a Widow & Designing to leave this place, I thought I cou’d Not do my Self or the Setlement a greater Service than by laying an Embargoe Upon her by Way of Marriage, which I in few Months put in practice & have Now the Happiness of Calling you Brother.

I hope the Actions of my life will entitle me to your Esteem, as I Never did So I hope I never Shall do Anything to Merit yours or the Worlds Reproach.

My family is Such You Need Not be Ashamed of it. My Father was few Years Since a Very Eminent Merchant, but Misfortunes at Sea & Treachery at home proved his Ruin. He is Now in this place & has Erected a fine Saw Mill which will turn to good Acct.

As soon as I can Get any land (which I have been kept out of by the Indolence of our Publick Surveyor & by which am in a fair way of loosing £ st 150) I intend to go About Making Pot Ash the only likely thing to turn to Acct or to make a fortune off in these parts.

Mr Sale has by his last will & Testament made Your Sister Sole Executrix & thereby Given her whatever was, or should be his, & as per his Death the Letter of Attorney left in your hands for the Recovery of what his father left him per will becomes Void, I here Send you inclosed a Certificate of his Death, of our Marriage, Copy of his Will, & my letter of Attorney for Recovering the Same of Mr Douglass for my Use & Benefitt. And I hope Sir you’ll leave No Stone Unturn’d to See your Sister has justice done her, & you may be Assured what Services you may at any time do Us will be had in Gratefull Remembrance.

I have Wrote the Trust, wch as it is a letter of Complaints of Damages Sustain’d I Desire you wd be so kind as to Deliver it your Self, at the Georgia office, after having first perused it & Sealed it.

Wtever is given out in England in praise of this place is Generally false & people are much Deceived when they come here.

The pressing Occassion I am in at present may oblige me to Value my Self upon you for £ st 50 wch as you have Some Effects in Hand of Mr Sales Hope my Draft will Meet wth Due Honour.

I Desire You’d make my Humble Service acceptable to your Spouse & family & rest asured a Friendly Correspondence will at all times be Acceptable.

Dear Borth

Desire you to give my love to my Sister and All yr good Family & accept the same

yr Self from your Affect. Sister to Command

ELIZ PARKER.

William Jefferies to James Oglethorpe, Jan. 31, 1734/5, Bristol, C.O. 5/636, p. 89, concerning Samuel Eveleigh’s proposed move to Georgia and Eveleigh as a merchant.

Sir

I have now letters from my friend Mr Saml Eveleigh of So Carolina wth whom you are acquainted Signifying that Whereas ye Assembly of yt Colony had laid an additional heavy duty on Deer skins & a great Sum for Lycences to Indian Traders, itt has animated Said Gentn That he proposes to leave yt Colony & Settle at Georgia wsh he tels me has wrote you about & I suppose as I forwarded a letter lately to you yt might be to this Effect. And Should he proceed, or his Son & Daughter Sent first as he assures me he fully Intends if the Trustees of Georgia give him Some little Encouragement wch he has asked of them, I am confident he wil draw hither a very large Trade. And as I have been acquainted wth him more than Twenty years & concerned in business together during yt time I have all along found him not only a Generous but a fair Trader, a man yt has done as much good for ye Colony of Carolina as any one I knew there or am now acquainted with, and the different Schemes of Trade he has brought to yt Colony wil demonstrate what I say. Then for ye Indian Trade he has had very great Experience, no person having been more largely nor longer concerned in it there & consequently understands ye Nature of Indians as wel as anyone & can render yt Trade as profitable & safe to the Colony of Georgia as in ye power of anyone to project. And as he has a Capacity so he has ability to prosecute his Intentions & to convince me & any other persons that he is in Earnest (wch I am heartily Sorry for because I fear changing his Air &ca in an advanc’d age may be dangerous to his health). He has ordered me to Charter two Ships for him hence, one to be at Georgia in May & the other in October next, and the first is to touch at Milford first to take in Servants & Passengers about whe he desires me to write you & Desire to know if you hear of any Encouragement yt way & yt you would be so good as promote it as in your power for I do assure you the having this Merchant Settle there wil be of Signal Service to Georgia. For he is wel beloved in Carolina & wil draw others with him to be Settlers. I suppose ye little acquaintance I had wth you when in London about ye African Trade before ye Parliament may not be Sufficient for yor remembrance of me but if you wil give yor Self the trouble as to ask of Mr Scrope or Sr Abm Elton (who gave me some of ye Trustees proposalls to disperse wch I have done) they will Satisfie you so as (if time permit) to answer him.

Paul Amatis to James Oglethorpe [?], probably Jan. 1734/5, Savannah [?], C.O. 5/636, pp. 135-136, concerning silk culture, his control of the garden in Savannah, and the movement of plants there from Charles Town. Translated from the original French.

Sir,

I have learned with much pleasure of your happy arrival in London. I pray the Lord that he may be willing to preserve your health so that you may remember of those whom you have left in this colony where there are many who shed tears of joy at the mere pronunciation of your name.

I arrived in this city the 8th of last September with the whole Camuse family, and here I have had much trouble and chagrin before I was able to land them here. It is true that I brought them here by surprise, for I made them understand that I was taking them to Santee for the purpose of making there the cocoons. I gave the pass-word to the master of the periogue, and during the night we took the route for this place. That voyage alone has cost me sixty pieces of current money, but for the payment I am able to meet that article.

I resolved to make a collection of silk worms at Port Royal this next spring, for the reason that there were not enough leaves in the garden to nourish the quantity of silk worms that I shall have in a short time. I hope, moreover, to make some here, but though I should go to Port Royal or elsewhere to gather there the silk worms, yet I have resolved to come here to draw out the silk so as to encourage the people of this Colony.

I send you, by means of Captain Yokoly, all the silk that I have drawn off for the past year in three different quantities: to wit, ordinary, fine and superfine, with which I hope you will be satisfied, and I pray you also to cause people skilled and expert in the manufacture to come to see the said silk, and I have no doubt that they will find it in all its perfection, quality by quality. I would have sent you the silk sooner, if the occasion had presented itself in this new colony where I have waited for the present for this reason.

Let some one have this silk manufactured at the manufactory of Mr the Chevalier Lombes a Daryt [Darby?] Shire in order to put it in form, and then let them make, or have brought here, the work of the Count Galleany, Bruno, Riperty, Buffaty and Amatis very fine fabrics, in order to see if these surpass ours whether in fineness, quality and neatness as that which shall be worked in the country belonging to the English nation.

However, I hope that this year the silk will be more lustrous and not so smoky by reason of the precautions which I shall take. I reserve the rest to communicate to you by word of mouth, for I hope to depart at the beginning of the next month of July for London. I wait only to make the collection of cocoons this year and to have drawn off the silk here, so as to make plain to you that I am able to undertake the spinning of superfine silk, as I have promised you since the honour of your first acquaintance.

I hope that you will have the goodness to communicate my letter to Messrs the Trustees, so that they may be informed of all that has happened concerning my enterprise. It is very certain that if Messrs the Trustees should be willing to take my interest in their hands there will be no difficulty for them in according to me the recompense due my deserts. For the English nation in general ought to take this affair into consideration, since it is for the welfare and advantage of the public.

Remember also how generous I have been in this enterprise. Since I have spent nothing upon it except those expenses I have been obliged to pay out for my subsistence alone without having first wished to give you the marks of my skill; I hope that presently you will be completely satisfied in seeing results of my labours. I hope also [as soon as possible for] a mark of your gracious generosity and also that of the whole English nation.

Remember that we have found gold and silver mines in this country which are but small amusements for every one of both sexes, and the other such mines necessitate the employment of robust and vigorous men to work in the mountains and the desert countries to draw forth the gold and silver; but here, on the contrary, the great as the small are capable of entering into this enterprise.

I will send you my manuscript by Captain Dembar [Dunbar] that you may see all that has happened in order to come to the completion of this enterprise in this new colony and in what embarrassment I have found myself on many accounts. But with the aid of the Lord and the assistance of many others I have been able to succeed at it. I hope that the enterprise will be able to increase more and more, so that in time the English nation may be independent of foreign countries in regard to the raising of the silk worm and making fine textiles.

Sir, I am, obliged moreover, in spite of myself to say to you that I have found on my arrival here the garden in disorder, and that since your departure almost nothing has been done. For although you had left sufficient servants here with Mr Frichevater [Joseph Fitzwalter] in order to cultivate the garden; that is to say, to cut down the trees, tear up the stumps and burn the whole so as to be able to plant in good order all the plants and the trees that I have brought here for the establishment of the colony. But the bad management that has been shown here, in a few words, the pleasure of hunting, fishing and other pleasures, have employed the larger part of the servants. And ever since I have arrived in this city they are employing nearly all the servants that were meant for the garden to be going after window panes, making of prisons, running after society, and other things for the service of the public.

Well, for this reason I have been obliged to get other workmen to cultivate the garden so as not to lose the time for transplanting the said trees in their good order; almost a half of the garden will be transplanted with many thousands of mulberry trees and other plants; in this half of the said garden will be found not a single stump, root or tree formerly grown here. And if I had not dwelt here in this colony the garden would be still in disorder, but at present one can take pleasure in promenading in its beautiful walks. I expect to depart at an early day for Charles Town in order to load there a boat full of trees which I have raised there in order to transplant them to this garden. But for the principal plants I have resolved to keep them yet another year where they are until you have decided if Mr Frichevater ought to be the master of the garden, as he says he is, since he has insulted me two different times, and I have carried my complaints of these things to Mr Causton and other gentlemen. At present the said Frichevater conducts himself a little better in respect to me; but in spite of that I cannot bear that he make use of the half of the plants injured, ruined and given away without my consent.

Besides this he has several times forbidden the servants to obey my orders, and thus the said servants are doing everything for him every day, or hunting in the said garden despite my orders, where they have ruined more than three hundred plants. I have had them inspected by Mr Causton, Mr [Samuel] Montaigut and many other gentlemen of this colony. This is the sole reason that has prevented me from having the principal plants transferred into this garden for this year, for after having had the trouble of raising them, it is very distressing to me to lose them through the bad management of another person. You have only to inform yourself by means of persons whom you judge proper in this colony, which of the two has done his duty for the advantage of the colony. I can assure you, Sir, that I take no pleasure in this said garden unless I have an order from Messrs the Trustees to give me full power to be the chief in every thing that concerns the garden, and that the said servants be entirely under my directions, and that no one be able to take any of the fruits of the said garden in the future without my consent and to my generosity, which I hope will be for the public in general as I have always accustomed it to be in the past. I hope that there will be found here persons enough to give me that character.

It is very certain that it is through my work that the garden has been put here within less than a year in its regularity and beauty; for the plants, I have enough which are already quite valuable; for the garden, I am in position to have it well cultivated and hope in a few years to have it produce to the value of five hundred pounds sterling per year.

It is necessary to advise you that Mr [John] Vanderplanck has taken, by your orders I suppose, six servants for his own account, and that for the present there are of the rest only four good or bad ones, for the garden, and even they are often employed for the public. Therefore, Sir, you should not expect that the garden could be in good order under such conditions. I hope for the future that you will take your measure accordingly.

You should know that I am here as a passing stranger, since I am obliged to change my home from time to time, and have suffered here as a poor unfortunate this winter by reason of the great cold and frost which we have had here. I have emplored Mr Causton and the other gentlemen to have a little compassion for one of the first forty, by having a chimnay in some place in order to protect me from the cold; but they forget that they have one themselves and that near their good fires there is no cold. But all that they do against me that will finally work to their disadvantage. I go after tomorrow to Charles Town. Expecting that the good time will come I am always awaiting your orders.

Robert Parker, Jr. to the Trustees, Feb. 1, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 202-203, telling of having resigned his commission and the need to have his land surveyed so that he can support himself.

Gentlemen,

I was one of the No that came over in the Savannah, Lionell Wood Commander. We Sayld down the River Septemr 15th & Arriv’d Decr 16 following 1733. Mr Oglethorpe sent me up to the Pallachuckolas in Aprill where I continued till call’d down [by] Capt Mackay on the latter end of May & presented with a Commission from Mr Oglethorpe appointing me Lieutenant of the Independant Company. In Complyance wth it I went up to Josephs Town where I found the Soldiers employ’d in Hewing Sawg Clearing Land &c. The Capt went to Charles Town to Provide the Presants & Horses for the Indian Journey, but Complain’d afterwards of being Detain’d per the Ill Usage of the Charles Town Merchts.

Mr Wm Sale Died the 8th of July & 22d Do I came down from Josephs Town in a High Fever; but return’d again in a Weeks Time & ten days after return’d again to Town when my Life was Despair’d off. At wch Time most of the Soldiers fell Ill, wch some ascribe to their being over Work’d, tho I rather think it Proceeded from the Badness of their Provision being allow’d no Refeshments from the Store. Tis impossible to keep meat from being tainted here in Summer Time… Capt Mackay came up again Sept 16 when I was somewt recovred, but finding my State of Health wd not Permitt, & I was thereby rendered Incapable to Serve the Colony. I Desir’d Him to Provide Himself with another Lieutenant, but He being taken Ill Presently after, wen down to Port Royall nor did return thence till the midst of Octobr wn I Deliver’d up my Commissn & He went up to the Nation the latter end of Novr. In Sept I Married the Widow of Mr Sale, by wch I am become posses’d of your Honours Grant for 500 Acres of Land wth Six Stout Men Servants &c. After Her Husbands Death my Wife agreed wth Mr Causton to Deliver Her Goods into the Store at an Allowance of £ 25 per Ct, but wn I came to make up my Acct wth Him He refus’d a pr of Harness Plows & Iron Work to the Value of £ st 15, A Piece of Tapestry wth wch they Lin’d the Court House or Church, Valued by appraisers in London at £ st 8 she agreed to let them have at Four Guineas & now He’ll oblige me to take Two or none.

At the same Time he had these Effects in Hand he gave a Note I drew on Him for Paymt & wch he accepted) into the Constables hands wth an Execution on Body & Goods, wch had I been much in Debt in Town, would Inavitably have Destroy’d my Credit. This is an Irreparable Injury, tho no Novelty to put up wth in this Colony.

My Wife Order’d Mr [Noble] Jones (the Publick Surveyor appointed [by] Mr Oglethorpe) to Run out her Land in Augst Last wch He often Promis’d & as often Falsify’d his Word. Since our Marriage I have not left Importuning Him, but to no Purpose. My Land is not Yet run out nor do I know when it will & I am oblig’d to live in Town at a much Greater Expence than I Should do in London.

This Obliges me to let my Man out at Eighteen Pence per Day, whereas were I setled coud fairly make twice the Mony, if not more. For, if they are worth 18 or 2s per Day to any other Person, they are most undoubtedly worth 3 or 4 to me.

On the 30th of October I resign’d my Commission to Capt Mackay when I had been 6 Month in the Company & for being detain’d by Sickness for 3 Months Mr Causton [took] £ st 6 from my Pay wch was very hard seeing I had been at so great a Charge as £st 10 in my Illness occasion’d by the Dearness of every thing here. I bought a Horse for the Indian Journey wch cost me £st 7, wch was Drown’d Crossing Savannah River, before I saw him. Was my Land run out at this Time I might Possably get enough Clear’d Fenc’d & Planted to raise Provision for the Year ensuing wch would save me in my Pocket £st 54 or more Money. So that I am a looser this Year £ 73. 8.10 wch added together make £st 127.8.10, Poor Encouragent to leave England for Georgia. But that I hope Your Honours in Compassion will not Suffer me to loose so great a Sum of Money wch I can but Ill afford! These Gentlemen are what I most earnestly recommend to Your Honours Consideration not Doubting but a Suitable Redress will be made.

Walter Augustine¹⁴² to [?], Feb, 6, 1734/5, Westbrook in Georgia, C.O. 5/636, pp. 188-189, concerning his troubles with Sir Francis Bathurst.

Sir

Having Recd yours of Date ye 28 Octr with ye Request of ye Honble James Oglethorp Esqrs Orders and Directions for ye Boarding and Care of Sir Francis Bathurst¹⁴³ whome I waited upon ye 28th of Decembr following and Conducted to my Habitation on ye 3d of Janu and have Entertained him to this Date untill Sr Francis began to be a Litle unruly. And pleading his Interest and none of my Bisness to Serve Him but as he thought fit wee had Som words which were very High but Sr Francis finding I was too well Knowing with his Circumstancis was pleased to acknoledg his fault and all made Easy Till another Time. When one of his Daughters [Martha] was maryed to Mr Wm Baker Meat [mate] and Botswaine of ye Prince of Wales, he fell out with me on ye acct Charging me with his Ruin and I telling him I thought Shee was very well off. [He] Runs up to me and gave me a Hunch or two and a Slap in ye face, all wch I took very patiently as not willing to give Room to be Blamed But Sent for Mr Causton to Let Him Know my Abuse and upon my Resenting Such Usage forbad him my Habitation and now am a building him a place on his own Land but Still Retaine ye priviledge of giveing out his provisions which is nessesserary [illegible] would be very wastfull. But as I am in this Case Desired to be Carefull in all as may be to his Interest I shall I hope allways Discharge with Truth and Sincerity as much to Serve his the Honble Esqr Oglethorpe As ye Benfit of a good principle and ye Interest of Any New Setler in ye Province of Georgia. One of Sr Francis Servants be dead having ye Dropsy. There be about foure or five Acres Clered ground, and Sr Francis now begins to be very Carefull and Industrous. Only his Servants are very Intolernt, whom I have Ordered to Som Beter Maners.

Sr I beg youd be pleased to Remembr me as one of those Bound in Gratitude to be allways Redy to Service in Respects to ye Bounty of yr Honerble Master. I have a Long time Labourd under ye Likeness wch he Saw me in wch Term was untill June, and then found Ebenezer River for wch Recd. [For] though god be praised I am not in want but of ye oportunity to Let yr Master Know yt So farr I am Capable I shall allways Endeavour to Let him Know. I shall be Gratfull and So Conclude untill my Next with my Humble Respects and wife Hopeing youl Accept it.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Feb. 6, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 190-191, telling of a shortage of corn, problems with leases, and the desire of some for Negro slaves.

My Lords & Gentlemen

The want of Indian Corn here is so Extraordinary that most of those who had bought Hoggs for Breed are oblig’d to Kill them for want of Food proper for Such Creatures—the Same for Fowls.

Few of our Freeholders are for Improvemt & Chuse rather to Let their Lotts to others than Improve the Same themselves. Their Intent being to Lett their Houses & Lands for as much as they can & most of them Afterwards to Return back to England Expecting The Rent to be Remitted them for their Use. In my Humble Opinion If your Honl Board would give strict orders to Cancell all Leases made for more than one year it would induce the Freeholders to think Seriously of Improving Themselves Their own Lands. I have taken Sevl Lotts 5 Acres to Improve but I will not do much to Them whilst I hear Daily my Land Lords talk of Returning to England. If the Colony is deserted what Encouragement will there be to Improve here & Therefore I am Come to this Resolution besides my Lot to Improve none but Mr [Joseph] Hughs wch was Let to Mr [Thomas] Christie by Mr [John] West & for that Lot as it hath Cost me a great postpone Deal of trouble & money. I beg of Your Honr Board to grant me your Approbation of the Lease I have for Seven years. Tis the best Improved of any in the Colony & I Still go on in Improving the Same till Some unforeseen Accidt should Stop my Carreer. I have been Desired by the most Noted Freeholders here to Draw a Petition to Your Honle Board to be Signd by them. Tis with an Intent to Obtain Leave to have Negroes here Under Some Restrictions, but I dont know whether I might not Incurr your Displeasure in a Work of that Nature.

I Flatter my Self that my Freedom in writing your Honr Board will not be Displeasing perhaps none may write on the Same Subject.

[P.S.] We have had these two Nights Last past Frost an Inch thick.

P. S. I fear this Place will be Miserable Poor Quickly if no Embarkations arrive soon with English People.

Tis Melancholy for me to find that I have not had Twelve Months Provissions for my few Servants, and that I should be the only one Deprivd of such a Favour, is very dissagreable when none hath more Endeavourd to Improve Lands etc. & Contrive ways & means, for ye welfare of ye Colony than my Self.

John Martin Bolzius and Israel Christian Gronau to Henry Newman,¹⁴⁴ Feb. 6, 1734/5, Ebenezer, C.O. 5/636, pp. 192-193, Egmont 14200, pp. 407-409, concerning the arrival of the second transport of Salzburgers, and educational and religious conditions at Ebenezer.

Sr

Being assured, that you have kindly receiv’d that Letter, which we took the liberty to write to you, the 10th December last, we make now bold once again to trouble you in the midst of your weighty affairs by these humble Lines. Whereas you gave us in your last very obliging Letter, dated the 29th Octr Sufficient marks of the Continuance of your and other great Benefactors favour towards Us, and have Sent in the name of the Society Money, two travelling Beds, and other necessary things for our Relief, we Should be the most ungrateful persons of the world, if we did use these Benefits without Praising Almighty God, and the Praise worthy Generosity of our great Favourers. Tis our firm Resolution which is renew’d now by these new Testimonies of Divine Blessings, to employ all our Care in beseeching God continually to reward them thousand times for all Benefits bestowed hitherto upon Us and Our Flock, and to grant Us his Grace to be answerable to their desires and extraordinary Intentions. We take the pleasure to acquaint You, that the Saltzburghers under the Conduct of Mr [John] Vat have finish’d their Sea-Voyage,¹⁴⁵ So happy & in So Short a time that every One wonders at It. ‘Tis impossible to Express in Words all manner of Joy and Pleasures we have had in receiving them in Our Place Ebenezer. We appointed them quickly Several Houses and Huts builded already here, as well as possible we could. And they may live in these Houses and Huts of their Countrymen ‘till they have prepared some Acres to plant Corn, and other things next Spring. They told us with pleasure of mind, that by the Particular Care of their Benefactors, they have receiv’d at London as well as in the Ship a great many Kindnesses, and Benefits, and Confess themselves not only high oblig’d to them for the Said and many more Benefits promised for time to Come, but are also firmly resolv’d to make it their Business by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost to perform to the utmost of their power, all that Shall become true Christians to answer the Expectations of the Trustees and Society. Some of this good People are affected with some infirmities, which as we hope and wish in our Prayers will go off in Short time. One Man died at Purrysbourg, before he could be brought up to our Place of Abode. The Child that was Christen’d at Gravesend, died likewise a few days after their Arrival.

For the Young Man, that was Sent to our Service by the Providential Care and Goodness of the Society, we return our humble thanks, assuring his Soul’s and body’s welfare Shall be our Special Business, to make him through God’s Blessing Capable of being Serviceable both to God and Men.

We accept with thankfulness the Salaries, the Society are pleas’d to allow Us for the Support of our Bodies, moreover relying upon the blessings of God, Who Can, and as we hope, will by fatherly Affection and Care Supply all our wants. The Bill of Fifty Pounds has been accepted by Mr [Samuel] Montague, and the Spanish pieces of Eight together with the half-pence are Come to our hands. And we Could wish, that more half pence had been added in lieu of Silver, Copper money being extream usefull and Convenient in this Country. For the English Books, which the Society please to allow us by Mr [Samuel] Quincy, we return our humble Thanks. We know to take advantage of them, and pray for many more.

I am in hopes you will not take it amiss, in troubling You with an Account of the manner of the Saltzburgers Divine Worship. We are exceedingly Glad to perform by God’s direction Divine Offices among them. Their love to the Holy word of God is very great, and they Shew by words and by Deeds, that that was the Chief & only Reason of leaving their Native Country. They not only Come on Sunday three times to our Assemblies, but their Zeal to edifying of their Souls is So Ardent, that at their desire we have appointed in the Evening about half an hour’s time for Instructing them in Christian Duties, and putting up with them to Almighty God our Prayers in the Week days, after they are come from their daily Labours & Refreshments, So that they may not loose the least time for preparing their Ground. And they Convince Us by their Sober Behavious, that they make a very good use of the Gospel, they have heard, and endeavour to keep Strictly by Assistance of the Holy Ghost its Precepts. They at all times Remember the great many Benefits, they Constantly receive from their Generous Benefactors in England, particularly for having allow’d them Ministers preaching and Administring to them the holy word of God, and Holy Sacraments. And being Sensible of those great Blessings, they lift up their Hands and Hearts to God Almighty for the prosperity of their noble Benefactors.

Their Children being now 12 in Number, who Constantly come to School, give us great hopes of following the foot Steps of their pious parents. And in order that they may be very early instructed in the Principles of the Christian Religion and other Necessary Qualifications, we both teach them every Day, over and above what they are taught by Mr Orthmann [Christopher Ortman], who follows our directions Concerning them; wherein he employs at present his best Skill, and we hope, he will Continue So to do hereafter. Some of the Children begin to be in years fit for assisting their Parents, and upon that Account we use our utmost endeavours to promote their learning.

Lest we weary you with our Scribble, and for fear we Steal from you, that time, which you wholly employ for the Care of the publick, we Conclude protesting, that we beseech God, to prosper the noble designs of the Society, and hope surely, he will further mercifully grant a good Issue of all their praise worthy Enterprises, taken for Promoting Christian Knowledge. And So wishing you all Happiness imaginable, we take leave.

[P.S.] Mr Vat presents to the Gentlemen of the Society, his most humble Duty and Respect, not being as yet able to write to them, himself, by Reason of his Infirmities upon his Eyes.

John Martin Bolzius to James Oglethorpe, Feb. 7 and 10, 1734/5, Ebenezer, C.O. 5/636, pp. 196-197, Egmont 14200, pp. 411—412, giving general conditions at Ebenezer, complaining of the poorness of the soil, and expressing thanks that George B. Roth must leave Ebenezer.

Most Honoured Sir,

My Duty obliges me to render you my humble Submission and Respect by these Lines. I am not ignorant, your mighty Affairs gives you very little leisure to read them over. I did the same the 16 of Jul. & 12 of Dec. last, which Letters, I hope, are come to your Hands. Eleven people of our smal Company are died. Wherefore I am exceeding glad together with the Saltzburghs that you was pleased after your Generosity to send a new body of their persecuted Brethren under the Conduct of Mr [John] Vat, which came safely on shore the 30. of Dec. What Goodness & benefits they have received by your Order & the good of Mr Dumbar, you will hear from Mr Newman, to whom I gave a short Account of it.

Ebenezer, Febry 10th, 1734.

I must return you thousand Thanks for all your favours & concerns for myself & my Colleague as well as for our Flock, beseaching you to believe, we have such a sense of all your Favours, that we want words to expresss it sufficiently. What thanks & prayers the people put up daily to almighty & merciful God for you & other great Benefactors, I need not to tell you, since you are ascertain’d of the Salzburgers Godliness and tender Love to you. Be pleased to assure yourself the longer the more, that they fear and love God very earnestly and endeavour as far as lies in their power to till the ground according to the Intent and Will of their Benefactors.

However I cannot forbeare to mention after my humble Duty, that at present even so as formerly the English and other people, as often as they come to our place, talke very much from the Settlement of the Saltzburghers. They call our Land pine barren, where nothing else will grow but Indian peases & Potatoes. Hence it is, that the poor people are some times disheartened by such talkings, tho we do our utmost endeavour to incourage them by the holy Word of God. Some Acres about the River seeme to be good, but there are few, and some are covered newly by the high water of the river & swamps. Notwithstanding they have worked hitherto in the ground as much as possible they could for the great troubles they have till this time in fetching their provisions and other things from Savannah, which by modest computation is no less than 44 English miles by water. The people in some measure cleared the river Ebenezer in such manner, that, if the water is high, they can come up with a smal Boat to our Town. But if the water is low, they can come no further than within four miles of the Town to the landing place. And the currents of Savannah River from Abericorn Creek to the Mouth of Ebernezer River are so strong, that the people with a small boat carrying about one thousand pounds weight cannot perform the voyage down & up in less than 4 days time, being obliged to land at night in such places, where they can have no Accomodations for refreshing or rest in themselves unless they make small Huts and lie in upon the ground, which in Sumer-time weakened so much their bodys, that they very frequently fall sick especialy wanting proper Refreshments, and in the Winter and wet seasons they suffer very much by the cold and rainy nights. But the people is never out of patience.

It is a new Testimonie of the tender Care of our Benefactors for our best, that by their order Rott¹⁴⁶ and his Wife was obliged to quit Ebenezer. There is no body in our Congregation that not must suffer several Importunities from them heretofore. This Order came just at this time to Mr Causton’s Hands, as the said Rott was willing according to his open Threatenings to kill treacherously two persons at Ebenezer, of which Wickedness Mr Causton was informed by my Letter to him. After the aforesaid good Order he is hindered to pursue his wicked Purpose. He was intented to go by Sea for Germany. But since his Voyage was stopped by my letter, that I must send to Mr Causton after my Duty & Mr Causton’s Desire, he shew’d together with his Wife a great indignation against me with a scornfull meen.

The Behaviour of the Saltzburghers towards God & Men gives us a great satisfaction, wherefore I hope, no body should me blame, for mine Eagerness to see many more such people in our Congregation. My Dear Colleague Mr [Israel] Gronau, Mr [Andreas] Zwiffler, and all Saltzburghers present you their most humble Respects and due Acknowledgment for all your Favours & Benefits. And so expectting your Commands to do, what may please you in all things.

Samuel Eveleigh to Benjamin Martyn, Feb. 8, 1734/5, South Carolina, Egmont 14200, pp. 223-225.

See Eveleigh to Martyn Jan. 17, 1734/5 to which this letter is addended as a postscript, above pp. 179-180.

John Vat to Henry Newman, Feb. 10, 1734/5, Ebenezer, C.O. 5/636, pp. 194-195, Egmont 14200, pp. 427-430, reporting the arrival of the second transport of Salzburgers, difficulties of transportation to Ebenezer and the poor soil there, and the desire to settle at Red Bluff on the Savannah River.

Honoured Sr

I don’t doubt but before this cometh to your hands, you’ll have heard of our Safe arrival in Georgia, and of our Landing at Savannah Town, which was on Saturday the 28th December last. I should before this time have given you an Account thereof; But, having got a great Cold in my Head and Eyes, ever since we cast the lead for Sounding at Sea, I could hardly read or write any thing; besides being obliged to attend the Loading and unloading our Baggage and Provisions for one quarter of a year. So that I must refer myself for further particulars to the Letters now to be written by the Revd Messrs Bolzius and Gronau, to James Ogglethorpe Esqr to James Vernon Esqr more particularly to the Revd Mr Ziegenhagen,¹⁴⁷ and to Yourself, the Substance whereof they have made me acquainted with. As being of the Same opinion with them relating to the Soil of this place, and the great Difficulties the people lie under in bringing up their provisions from Savannah Town, and other matters concerning the present settlement of the Saltzburgers.

On the 11th January, we left Savannah Town, and got on Board three Periawgoes, the Smallest of them with the Sick being Gone directly, for the landing Place at 4 Miles English distance, from this town, over Purrysbourg, and Ebenezer River. We came with the two larger Periawgoes the 12th to Abercorn; and the 13th of the same Month by land, being 12 or 14 miles, to this town of Ebenezer. At the Sight whereof We were Confirm’d of what every body (excepting Mr Causton, and Mr [Noble] Jones, the Land-Surveyor) had told us of the barrenness of this part of the province, being Chiefly Pine-Barren, a Sandy white Ground, not above one fifth, or at most, one Tenth part of tolerable Mould, Cane Land, or Swamps, which Swamps, Seeming to be good, are cover’d with black Mould, about one or two Inches deep, but under It appears a white Sand, like Salt. So that every one, who cometh hither, Saith, The People will never be able to get a livelihood in this place, be they never So Industrious and laborious. For, upon a Rainy day, the black Mould being wash’d off, nothing but white Sand is Seen in large places like paths, in a walk. So that the poor Saltzburgers were exceedingly struck down and dishearten’d and beg’d that according to the permission given them, by Mr Causton, for looking out for some good Ground, and for working it Jointly, ‘till He and Mr Jones Should Come to Sett out their Lotts, they might seek out Some Such Spott. At their return they reported to have Seen some good Spots of Ground near the Mouth of Ebenezer River and Savannah River. Upon this Mr Bolzius and myself went by Water the 24th of January, to the Red Bluff, and the Indian Hut, this last being about 9 miles distance by Land from this town, or in a Strait line 6. miles. And, Meeting in our passage thither on Ebenezer River, the small Periaugoe, loaden with part of our Baggage and provisions from Abecorn, I order’d it to go down, and to unload it’s Cargoe on the Indian Hut. And Coming thither, we found that there was on the North Side of that Indian Hut, up to the Red-Bluff, and along the South Side of Ebenezer River about two miles High Land, on the declivity whereof large Oak Trees and others, as also large Vines of 3. or 4. Inches diameter; but at the top or the highland mere Pine-barren; and Judged, that were the lotts there So order’d, that one Chain were given on the River Side, and three upwords, the people would have one Moitie [moiety] good Land, and the other moitie pine barren, with which the people would be exceedingly well pleas’d. The next day we went to Abercorn, and meeting there by Chance Mr [Thomas] Christie, the Recorder, we acquainted him with our Expedition. And he carried me in his Boat the 26th to Savannah Town, in order to See the powers given by the Trustees for Georgia, to Mr [Peter] Gordon, Mr [Thomas] Causton, Mr [Henry] Parker, and Mr Christie jointly, for Setting out 2500 Acres of Land for our Saltzburghers, those Writings giving them power to Sett out Such lands, where and in what manner they Should think fit. Mr Christie proposed my presenting a Petition to the Said four Gentlemen, but Mr Causton and Mr Parker were of opinion (Mr Gordon being absent) Mr Causton and Mr Jones Should go with me to view the Lands at Ebenezer and the Indian Hut, and Should make their report thereof to the other Gentlemen. Accordingly Mr Jones and Mr Causton came with me the 29th to Abercorn, and the 30th to Ebenezer Town. After dinner we designed to go by Land to the Indian Hut; but missing our way thither, we Came again to Abercorn the 31st. Mr Causton designing to return to Savannah town, I desired him to give me his directions for my acting with the people, Since he did not intend to go to the Indian Hut for want of a Knowing Guide. He told me, the people Should pitch upon Some Spot of ground near Ebenezer town, and clear it, and work it Jointly, till such time as the pleasure of the Trustees Should be known, for which purpose he would write to them. Then I proposed to him the permitting the New Settlers under my Care, to build a Hut on the Indian-Hut-Land, for working there Jointly; but he roundly refused complying with my request. I return’d that day to Ebenezer town; and Some days afterwards I heard Mr Causton and Mr Jones had been the 1st Instant in the Indian Hut, and were gone thence the 2d in the morning early. The 3d I went by Land to the Indian Hut, and Order’d Such Baggage &ca as was deposited there, to be brought up to the Landing place with the Small Periaugoe and the Small Boat. The former of which was some time, five days in going from Abercorn to the Landing Place; which might have been avoided if we had proper Carriages and Horses, to be Convey’d by Land about 12 or 14 miles. And this transport Could not be Compleated before the 5th though we have not as yet had all our provisions for one quarter of the Store House in Savannah Town. And the people are obliged to bring their baggage and Small Tools and Casks upon their backs from the Landing place; and the heavy Casks in the Small Boat by Water; which will require 8 or 10 days more provided the Water in the River Ebenezer doth not fall.

The Inhabitants of this Province generally Compute the distance 20 Miles from Savannah town to Abercorn Creek; thence 6 miles to Purrysbourg; 10 miles to the Indian Hut; 4 miles to the Red Bluff, or the Mouth of Ebenezer River; 7 miles to the landing Place and thence 12 miles to Ebenezer town. In all 59 miles by Water. The town of Abercorn lieth 2 miles from the River Savannah. Indeed our Saltzburgers with a Small Boat, go down from the Landing place to Savannah town in one day, but cannot come up in less than three days. And that Boat Cannot carry above one thousand pounds weight and 4 men. Neither can it Come hither from the landing in Summer or at low Waters, by reason of Some trees, Bushes and Sand in the River, by which the people must lose a great deal of time and labour. However were the Soil of this place tolerably good these difficulties might be overlook’d; but as it is the opinion of every Body, even Some of the best planters in this Country and the Province adjoining, It’s humbly hoped the Trustees for Georgia will take the low, dejected condition of these poor people into their Consideration, and grant them the favour of Removing hence to the Indian Hut, or the Red Bluff, or to Some other place higher on Savannah River, more likely of being thereby enabled to get a Livelihood. For Should they be obliged to remain here in this place, according to the promises made to them in Germany, the Society, or the Trustees of Georgia, will find themselves under a necessity of Subsisting of them with Provisions, as long as any of them Shall be living. And it’s to be fear’d many of them will die for Grief, no less than eleven having died of the first transport Since they came into this province: and two of the last transport, Vizt Sebastian Glantz the 13th January at Purrysbourg, and the Child born on board the prince of Wales, whilst the Ship was in the Thames, died here the 23d January last. And Some of the first and last transport are now Sick, but we are in hopes, by Mr [Andreas] Zwifler’s Care, Some of them will do well again, as Some others are recover’d of their Illness. And here I cannot but observe, that indeed 6 pounds of Salt Beef per week for a man, and 5 pounds for a Woman, and as much for two Children above two and under 12 Years of Age, is Sufficient; yet 2 lb of Rice, 2 lb of Flower, and 2 lb of Corn or pease, pr Week pr head, is not Sufficient, as not being hereby enabled to bake bread, which is the main Support of Health and Life. Neither is the Allowance of 4 lb of Cheese, and 2 lb of Butter per Quarter per head, Sufficient, if they actually had Garden Roots or Eatables.

It’s our humble opinion that should the Trustees for Georgia think fit, to Settle the people of the new and last transport on the land near the Indian Hut, the town to be built there might go by the name of Ebenezer and would not discourage other Saltzburghers in Germany to Come there and Settle; but as long as these remain here none are like to be invited either by the first or last Transport.

On the 6th of this Month, the Revd Mr Bolzius proposed, by a fine Speech to the People of the last transport, to work jointly on a piece of Land to be pitch’d upon near this town, though attended with many difficulties, some of Such as were present Seem’d to Come heartily into It; and such as are gone to Savannah town for Some Provisions, are to be Consulted at their return; and then We Shall pitch upon Some place for that purpose.

My next Shall give you an Account thereof, and of Such other Occurrences, as May happen.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Feb. 10 and 13, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 363, pp. 198-199, Egmont 14200, pp. 431-432, concerning food and agriculture, especially grape vines in Georgia.

My Lords and Gentlemen

Vines being the Quickest Growth & Produce of any Trees that can be planted in this province & the Produce of them being very Considerable I beg Leave in the Name of the Freeholders as well as my Self to desire That a Sufficient Quantity of Slipps &c of vines may be delivered us Against The next Season. Had I enough ready I would plant now at Least Ten Acres.

Mr [Paul] Amitis told me the other day That the Vines he had in Charles Town had not prov’d Successfull, So I find but Little good can be Expected from them. I have planted Some few Wild Vines at all Hazard.

The Quickest way to make this Province flourish is no doubt to rise a produce & Such as will Amount To Large Sums fit to be Exported. Vines when once produced will be a Settled Income to be depended on for our Selves & Posterity. The Land here is fit for it & The Summer full hot To Ripen The Fruit.

We are fully persuaded you neither Expect nor desire any Amends for what you do for us. And we hope That as you have began a good work you will go through the Same, And Compleat a Glorious Undertaking To make People happy who before were misserable, & might have Continued So, Had not your Honr Board Stretch’d out your hands, to pull us out of the Water when we were Sinking.

[P. S.] Although we are a poor Colony we have had of Late great many marriages & Balls till 2 or 3 in the Morning an Excess wch in my humble Oppinion deserves no Encouragement or Countenance from men in Power.

I continued to plant Cotton wch we call Annual Cotton from the Carolina Seed. Was I but Supply’d with proper Seeds & plants I doubt not but with the Blessing of God, I would Soon make a Fine Garden. I wish could get the Seeds of Sevill Oranges from Portugal, Lemons & olives. I am afraid cannot without your Assistance. Ships often arrive at Charles Town from thence. I have hired 14 acres near this Town vizt

1—5 Acres Lot Mr [Joseph] Hughs deceased of Mr Thomas Christie

1—5 Ditto Mr [John] West of Ditto

4 Acres Mr Jos. Stanley

The first Lot I have vastly Improvd the other Two I am now Improving, having Leeses for the three for Seven years. I most humbly beg the said Leases may be Allowed good by Your Honble Board & I wish it were for more than Seven years. I shall not desire as I know of any Such favour for any more Lotts. The next Improvemt I make Shall be on a 45 Acres Lot.

Feb. 13th

Considering Seriously the Health of this Colony & the many Diseases that Attends it, Especially the Scurvy, & Ill humours, occasioned by the Extream heat in the Summer, I am fully persuaded that Eating intirely Salt Provisions here, is certainly prodigiously hurtfull to our Healths, Especially at this time when we have no Greens or Roots to Eat with it. As for Rice, few eat it but Servants or the poorest People. I am therefore pushing forward my design to Serve the Whole Colony wth Cabages &c. I have now about 100,000 Plants wch wth the Utmost trouble & Industry I have at Last procured.

Cotton I will greatly go upon, but for Vines I must beg your Assistance against next Season. Tis certainly one of the best Presents you can make us, & I flatter my Self you will in this Article Quickly give orders to prepare the Same for us in time for coming here. I have always in View The Welfare & benefit of the Colony. This Induces me to be thus troublesome to Your Honle Board, wch I hope your Goodness will Excuse.

Isaac Chardon to the Trustees, Feb. 11, 1734/5, Charles Town, received April 3, 1735, C.O. 5/636, p. 205, concerning payments of bills of exchange for Georgia.

Gentlemen

My last to you with duplicates thereof was of the 11th January since which I have paid for the Colony of Georgia £ 1925. 8. 6 our currency for the following uses Vizt

And for which sum I have this day drawn upon you payable unto Messrs Peter & J. C. Simond or their order a sett of Bills for £ 275. 1. 2 Sterling which I hope will be punctually paid. You will find a Seperate Account of Mr Paul Amatis for £ 686.5 our money which I could not pay for want of proper & Sufficient Orders.

Elisha Dobree to the Trustees, Feb. 13, 1734/5, Savannah, C.O. 5/636, pp. 200-201, concerning the desire to build a sloop in Georgia, a recent fight in the town, and the store accounts.

My lords & Gentlemen

Severall of our most noted Freeholders & Some of the Scotts Gentlemen, are inclined to build a Sloop here. I have Offered them most of the Timber, & a place to build ye Same on Mr [John] Wright’s Lot, wch I have taken & is the best Situated for that purpose, being Just undr The Publick Garden, The Nearest to the Town by Water. We Flatter our Selves of yor Honle Board Encouragemt in this New Undertaking, being the first of that Kind & if Continued, may be Advantageous in an Extra manner to this Collony, as Navigation & the Building of Shipping has always been, wherever it has met wth Encouragement. This Sloop is to be about 70 Tons, little more, or Less. The Sails, & Cordage &c., we Shall want from England, & shall want a proper person to Furnish us wth ye same, & to See that all be right, & good. Your Favour in this our Undertaking will be of vast Advantage to us, but how & in what manner We humbly Submit to your Wisdom &c.

P.S. Last Night a Quarrell happend between Mr [Edward] Bush the Tythingman wth his Guard & Some Gentlemen who were dancing. Many blows where given. Dr. [Patrick] Tailfer had like to have had his Arm Cut off by Bush wth his Dagger. Capt [George] Dunbar and sevl others were Concerned. The Magistrates have heard the two parties but what has been decided I know not as yet. No doubt yr Hon Board Shall have an acct of the Same. The Intent of Dancing was to Introduce Acting of Plays. I am humbly of Oppinion we have Scenes of Poverty Eno in reality without Inventing ways to Divert our thoughts from business & the Care of providing food for our Families. As to what I mention concerning the Play I beg my Name be Concealed. I am no Enemy to the Gentlemen Concend tho I am to their Indiscretion & to their way of thinking—in Short we have too much of Publ. Entertainment. I wish Zeal was as warm against Prophaness & Imorality as tis the reverse.

P.S. I am told the Quarrell mentioned on the other side is to be Try’d in Court.

I am now hard at work in making up Mt Causton’s Accot of your Stores, there being no Regular Book kept & no proper Entrys made, its Extr Difficult. And was it not that you are Desirous to have em before your Honble Board I hardly would medle with ‘em. For after all my Extra trouble & Care I Shall hardly be paid above half of what I have had wth all Chearfullness paid me out of a private person Pocket for a much Easier work.

If I thought that it would be Acceptable to Your Honl Board I would write you weekly as Journal of the Occurrences here.

Robert Parker to Robert Hucks, Feb. 14, 1734/5, Mill Bluff, Georgia, C.O. 5/636, p. 502, concerning a draft drawn on the Trustees.

Sr

I hope youll be so good to lay this¹⁴⁸ before the Honr Gent of the Trust and that youll prevaile of yr acceptance for the Payment of my Draft of £ 40 St to the Bearer Mr Thos Atkinson and youll much Oblidge.

Robert Parker to the Trustees, Feb. 14, 1734/5, Mill Bluff, Georgia, C.O. 5/636, p. 208, concerning his need for financial assistance at his mill and need of some saws.

Gentlemen

When I first undertook to Erect a Saw mill Mr Oglethorpe was so good to promise the advance of any requesite Sum of moneys for that Purpose. I applyed to Mr [John] West the Smith Mr Fossett for a Carpenter and other Tradesmen who promised all of them they would undertake to performe yr Workes or parts to be payd in goods when the Workes was brought to perfection. The other Laboreres I expekted to found about the Prices as in England. I have had a great many Hundred Thousand Foott of Sawing dun for 2/6 per [thousand ?] and I have been hear Obliged to pay 7/ 7/6 to Nine Shillings per [thousand ?]. I wanted moneys for no other use and so desired to take of Mr Oglethorpe no more than would be sufficient as I thought I first requested £ 40 afterwards £ 40 more when he was in Charles Towne. He onely spared one £ 20. The Smith with the Rest of the Workmen instead of staying while the Mill was Perfected I was Oblidged to pay off pressently after the Works was finisht. I have had some remittances from England but that proved a little two Short. The Sawes in the store was two weeke I expekted as I Wrote to you Gentlemen by Mr Oglethorpe you would been so kinde to furnisht me with some strong Sawes from Mr White or Powell. If they had come by him in this time I could a remitted over to my Family £ 60 or £ 80 instead of wch I have been Oblidged to draw on my Friende Mr Tho Atkinson for forty Pound Sterling to Mr Rodelph Nutman or order wch I request youll be so good to direkt may be discharged for the Valve may at your pleasures order to be received on your Acct in goods hear wch shall be ready to your order having procured at last a fitt Saw of Coll Purce. A Sample of which Goods I do my Selfe the Honour to Sende, for your Approbation by Capt [George] Dunbar when he sailes. I have requested him to come up to my Workes for a more satisfactory Acct when he comes before you.

Francis Percy¹⁴⁹ to James Oglethorpe, Feb. 16, 1734/5, [Savannah ?]. C.O. 5/636, p. 204, requesting servants and announcing his marriage.

Honared Sr.

I Mak bold to trobil you with this news and I hope you will be my friend and pardon me for this offence. I beg you Dere Sr to send me a Sarvant by ye trust when you plese. For now I am mared [married] to ye Seckend Dater [Elizabeth] of Sr Fracis battas [Bathurst] and ye other is mared to ye boson of ye Ship and a very good ones man as can be and in very good Circumstance, and I wish I was but in as good for my wifes Sak. And Dere Sr Send me a Sarvant if you plese and if you plese to send for my unkil and talk with him in my behalfe. Pray Dere Sr dont for get me. My unkils name is beweare at ye 3 balls in russell Stret ner Comangarden,¹⁵⁰ and I have Sent to him for 3 more. And I bag you would grant me Sum more Land with my wife as St Francis told me I Should have. But as for my towne Lot I will keep that and am going to bild on it as fast as I Can, but I am at a gret Lost for want of Sarvants and I bag Dere Sr yould not forget me. And Sr if plese to give my duty to Mr halls ye Dockter and tell him of my happy stat of mattrymony and to morro I am going to enter my Selfe in to ye noble and onarabil Sosiaty of free masons by ye Carreckter I bare to brothers gardnars Mr brownciohm [Will Brownjohn] and fichwallter [Fitzwalter] and all ye hole Sosiaty was fond of my Coming. So Dere Sr dont forget to intersede for me.

Sir Francis Bathurst to James Oglethorpe, Feb. 17, 1734/5, West Bluff, Georgia, C.O. 5/636, p. 209, complaining of his treatment by Walter Augustine, announcing his daughters’ marriages, and asking for land for them.

Sr

We arrived here on ye 3d Janry 1734 having had a very pleasant passage, and enjoyed a good state of health all ye way, I am wonderfully delighted wth ye Country, altho I had but ill beginning by lossing of one of my Servants who dyed of a Dropsie in about a month after my Arrival, and i was ill stationed by being placed wth Augustin, for wch good sr I no ways blame you, for I much doubt whether you was acquainted wth ye Villains actions. He run me in Debt to ye store house £ 13. Is wch money I have paid and would have had £ 15 more of Mr Montacut [Samuel Montaigut] wthout my knowledg, but yt Gentln had more honesty than to let him have it. He kept me and my Famiely worse than ever I kept my Dogs in England, upon my complaint to his wife and him about it he threatened to beat my Teeth down my Throat, and to send me to ye Logg house at Savanna and told me I was not in England but in America. His whole Famiely being 7 in number lived alltogeather upon my stores wch I paid Mr Costin £ 13. 1s. for, as they now do I cannot gett them out of his possession. He done my Tooles and Goods £ 5. worth of hurt. He compelled us all to lye one night in ye woods, ye next day we removed to Captn Macoyes Bluff where we resided until I had got me up a pleasant Cottage. I owe ye villain nothing. He is looked upon as a great a knave as any in ye Colony and a man whose word will not go for a pair of shoes. And what to do to plant my lands and stocke them I knowe not, nor how to maintain my Famiely when these stores are out, untill I can hear from England. I wonderfully like my station now haveing erected my Cottage faceing ye Savanna as goes to Purisburg and do not in heart doubt of liveing happiely and well after one [or] 2 years, and hope my Freinds in England & Ld. Bathurst will quickly send me a servant over. My little son [Robert] takes a vast delight in working hard, and is out at labour wth my men by sun riseing untill sunsett, and I am proud to tell you I have cleared more wth my few hands as I am credible informed than others wth their great numbers have since ye Colony was first settled. I now am settled in house keeping, and we enjoy ourselves wth abundance of Satisfaction. My 2 Eldest Daughters are married ye one to Mr [William] Baker ye Bearer hereof who came wth us as Boats son of ye Ship from England and honest Skilfull man in managing of a Ship and a true pains taker, and a very good Husband. I hope you Sr & my honble good friend ye Lord Egmont will be pleased to get Mr [Peter or J. C.] Simmons to make him a master of one of his Ships yt comes hither, and will bestowe some lands upon him here and my Daughter who is come wth him to England to see what ye Honble Trustees will do for them. Ye other is married to one Mr [Francis] Peirce yt came over wth us from England and a person Bread up in a near Relations famiely of mine, lately one Sr Ricd Howe of Wishford. I hope you and ye rest of ye Honble Trustees will bestowe some Lands on her, She being resolved to abide here in ye Colony. I do not hear but ye Colony is in prfect good health, so wth my humble Duty to Lord Bathurst and all ye Honble Trustees I take leave.

Arthur Middleton¹⁵¹ to James Oglethorpe [?], Feb. 20, 1734/5, Charles Town, received April 3, 1735, C.O. 5/636, pp. 211-212, concerning Georgia defense and Middleton’s salary from England.

Sir

I have receiv’d the Honr of yours of the 28 of October last by the way of Georgia, and return you thanks for the favour you have done me in allowing me any Shear in your thoughts, which I know at this time are taken up with affairs of greater Moment, than any thing can be here to Occasion thinking of a privet Person, and therefore the favour is the greater to Me.

Our General Assembly are now Seting, and I beg Sr You will believe that I shall make it my Study to Promote what you desire. It is my Inclination as well as my Duty to do every thing to Promote that good Undertaking, And to the best of my Power I will do it. The Rangers and Scouts are yet in the Stations you left them, and I believe will continue for another Year.

As you are so good as to Offer me Your Service in England I am under no Pain to believe you will Pardon me in what I am going to desire. Every one knows that I was five years and an half in the Government here, and by his late Majestyes Instructions I was to have five Hundred Pounds a Year Sterling Paid me in England. I have Never receiv’d above two hundred and twenty or Thirty Pounds, as near as I can rember not having my Perspers [personal papers ?] by me, and for all the rest which is upwards of two Thousand Pounds, I can’t get it. My Friends have done their utmost, but I believe for want of a Superior Interest, I am Still kept out of it, and am a Sufferer, for the little Perquesites here did not near defray my Charges in the Government. I will not complain, but suffer in Silence.

What I beg of You Sr is, that you will be so good as to See one Mr John Exelston a relation of mine who lives in Grace Church Street London. He has a Power from me, and all my Acts and will let you in to the whol Affair, which is very Short. Sr If by Your Speaking to Some body in Power, I can’t say who, You gain me a little friendship in the Affairs, I shall be very much Oblig’d to you. I beg Sir you will not give your Self much trouble in it, for I had rather lay by the thoughts of It for ever, than be the Occasion of any Uneasiness to my Friend.

Isaac Chardon to the Trustees, Feb. 20, 1734/5, Charles Town, C.O. 5/636, p. 213, reporting his drawing on them for £ 200 Sterling.

Gentn

This is to advise yt that I have of this date made a Draft upon you in favour of Messrs Peter & J. C. Simond or Order for £ 200 Sterling to raise & Supply Cash to discharge Mr Thomas Caustons drafts upon me for the Provisions with which your Colony is Maintain’d as well as for those that I (purchase for the same use) my Self–

And for Several Orders of Caustons not yett come to Hand, therefore I hope you will be pleased to pay them According to the Specified wch is thirty days after Sight.

Tomo-Chi-Chi to the Trustees, Feb. 24, 1734/5, Savannah, read June 18, 1734, C.O. 5/363, p. 215, Egmont 14200, p. 435, announcing his return to Georgia, the murder of Justice, a new Savannah king, and presents for the Trustees.

Gentlemen

By the Return of Capt [George] Dunbar I take this Opportunity to Acquaint you that we Arrived Safe at Savannah on the 28th of December last. We have All had our health during the whole Voyage Except Tooanahoure [Toonahowi] whom we feard’d woul have Dyed & thro’ he is now much better yet is Very Waek and Infirm. We have Rec’d All our Goods & were Very kindly Used by the Capt which we Shall Endeavour to Return by our love as well to ye Captain as to All the white people who Now Are or Shall hereafter be known to Us.

I Purpose to go with the Capt to Tybee and there take my leave of him and Drink Your Honours healths.

When I Came home I found Some of My people had Misbehaved And that Istichee [or Esteechee] had kill’d Musgrove’s Slave, Justice. I have Talkt with Mr Causton about it and when the heads of the Nation Come down will determin what to do in the Matter. In the mean time I have Advised that Mr [Joseph] Watson sholld be Close kept.

After this Determination I shall Aquaint Your Honours More Perticularly of the Matter.

The Savannah Indians are Now with me & they have Now Chose Idaquo, to be there King (during the Minority of Pimiqua the late Kings Son). I desired Mr Causton to Receive him as Such & he waited with ye Rest of his Nation & have Deliver’d him Some Skins which they desire Your Honours to Accept as a token of there Gratitude & love. They are Sensbile that Your Honours have Much better things but as they are few in Number hope the few Skins will be Acceptable.

Idsquo with All his people Are Agreed to Joyn Me in building on Pipe Makers blough [bluff] and we Intend to live to Gether.

It will be a Great Pleasure to Me to Write to Your Honours on All Occasions with hopes that Your Honors Will Always believe Me with Great Truth.