USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 10
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NAMES OF FIRST STREETS
It is a fact not to be aceounted for that Mr. Gordon did not, in what he called his "view" of the town, give the names of the streets. The names of those publie-spirited South Carolinians, Joseph Bryan, Mr St. Julian, Mr. Whitaker and Mrs. Ann Drayton, who so materially assisted the first settlers, were given to the streets which still bear their names, and one street was named for the Earl of Abercorn, who was a generous benefactor of the colony. Barnard street was named for Sir John Barnard who contributed liberally to the fund of the trustees. Jefferson street was then the western limit of Savannah, but apparently had no name given to it, but when the city grew beyond its west side, the city council by ordinance of January 12, 1791, declared that the street
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parallel to Montgomery (named in the same instrument) which street "is the one between the old limits and the present addition on the west common, shall be called Jefferson street." Within the limits shown on Peter Gordon's "view" were included what were probably at the time of their laying out ealled King, Prince, and Duke streets. Those names remained unchanged until the year 1803, when, by ordinanee of Febru- ary 21st, they were changed in the following words: "Whereas, the names or titles of King, Prince, and Duke are unknown to the consti- tution of Georgia, or the United States, and the permitting or suffering several streets in the city to be still called by those obnoxious names reflects highly on the police (sie) thereof :
"No. 517. (1.) The streets now called King street, Prince street, and Duke street, shall be, hereafter, called and known by the names following: That is to say, the street now called King street shall be called President street; the street ealled Prince street shall be called State street, and the street called Duke street shall be called Congress street."
THE TRUSTEES' GARDEN
Mr. Peter Gordon did not indicate the locality of the trustees' gar- den which was at that time perhaps just beginning to show the results of the care bestowed upon it from its first planting in the preceding year. It is hardly necessary to say much about this matter, considering the fact that it was not kept up many years, but, as it was deemed of great importance when laid out, and as it formed an important adjunct to the town as long as it was cultivated. the description of it by Secretary Moore, in his Voyage to Georgia in 1735 has been given in full in Chap- ter III.
CHAPTER VIII RELIGIOUS, MORAL AND INDUSTRIAL
PIONEER CHURCHES-OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND. UNPOPULAR COLONIAL DEPUTY-INTOXICATED WITH POWER AND PRIDE-ANTI-RUM AND ANTI-SLAVE LAWS-THE TRUSTEES AGAINST SLAVERY-WHITE- FIELD IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY.
The manifestly great importance of the actual settling of Savannah and the incidents connected with that matter, including the work done in improving the place and in making the soil as productive as possible, necessitated the use heretofore of considerable space, and henceforward the many incidents to follow in this history will be recited in a more con- densed form. Wherever it was possible, the facts have been given in the very words of the documents found in all cases-surely the best evidence to be had.
Apprehending trouble with the Spaniards on the southern frontier, Oglethorpe's first separation from his people occurred in January, 1734, when, early on the 23d, he departed, with Captain Ferguson and sixteen men, including two Indian guides, on a reconnoitering trip. Then it was that the sites for the future towns of Frederica and New Inverness (afterwards Darien) were chosen.
PIONEER CHURCHES
The first minister to the colony was, as we have seen, the Rev. Dr. Henry Herbert, who volunteered to act in that position, performing all necessary services without compensation. Religious services were held at first, according to the statement of Francis Moore, in a hut thirty-six feet long and twelve feet wide, made of split-boards, which was built for a courthouse at the time of the first landing.# On the return of Ogle- thorpe from his first visit to England in 1735, he "ordered a house to be erected in the upper square which might serve for a Courthouse and for divine service till a church could be built." The hut which was the first place of worship was on the northeast corner of Bay street lane and Ball street, and the second place mentioned was on the lot bounded by Bull. President, Whitaker and York streets, where the postoffice now stands; and the Colonial Dames have marked the spot with a bronze tablet recording the fact that there stood the courthouse built by Ogle-
* Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. I, p. 100.
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thorpe as well as the information that John Wesley preached in that building from May 6 to November 27, 1736. Doetor Herbert's term of service as reetor of the church of the colony did not last long, and we have no information as to the exact time or the cause of his leaving. We only know that he was succeeded probably before the expiration of a year, by the Rev. Samuel Quiney, who himself was succeeded in 1736 by the great John Wesley. From the time of Moore's voyage until the arrival of Mr. Wesley the affairs in the town apparently went on in a quiet way, as no matters of interest during that period have been found recorded anywhere.
OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND
The Salzburgers, on coming to Georgia, settled at a point south of what is now the thriving town of 'Springfield, in Effingham county, to which they gave the name Ebenezer, and Oglethorpe feeling the relief from the anxiety which his concern for that people had eaused, felt that it was a proper time to return to England and render in person an aecount of the progress made in a little more than a year. of experience as the steward of the trustees. We have seen how he carried out his plan of taking with him his friend Tomo-Chachi and others of the Indian tribe whose kind treatment had helped materially in the success- ful development of the settlement. To Mr. Thomas Causton lie com- mitted the care of the town and province, and that man, who was the storekeeper of the trustees as well as a bailiff of the court, was assured of the advice and counsel of Mr. James St. Julian, a South Carolina gentleman deeply interested in the Georgia people, and of Mr. Francis Scott who had east his lot with Oglethorpe's band and was a man of influence and integrity.
UNPOPULAR COLONIAL DEPUTY
In the allotment of lands Causton had drawn garden lot SE and farm lot 10 in Frederick tything G of Derby ward. To his suburban place he gave the name Oxstead, of which the three writers of "A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America," printed in 1741, said : "About three iniles southeast of Savannah, upon Augustine creek, lies Oxstead, the settlement of Mr. Thomas Causton, improven by many hands and at a great charge, where he now resides with a few servants." This place now bears the name Causton's Bluff.
Though left in charge of the colony during the absence of the leader, Causton was fully advised beforehand as to the duties he was to per- forni and what authority he should exercise. Notwithstanding this, he acted in such a way as to eanse great displeasure to the people and to be the subject of the special rancor of those men who have become known by the title of "malcontents," the authors of the work from which we have just quoted, and from which we again quote. They arraigned him in this language :
"Whilst we labored under those difficulties in supporting ourselves, onr eivil liberties received a more terrible shock ; for instead of such a Vol. 1-5
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free government as we had reason to expect. and of being judged by the laws of our mother country, a dictator (under the title of bailiff and store-keeper) was appointed and left by Mr. Oglethorpe, at his de- parture, which was in April, 1734. whose will and pleasure were the only laws in Georgia. In regard to this magistrate. the others were entirely nominal. and in a manner but ciphers. Sometimes he would ask in public their opinion. in order to have the pleasure of showing his power by contradicting them. He would often threaten juries, and especially when their verdicts did not agree with his inclination or humor, and in order the more fully to establish his absolute authority, the store and disposal of the provisions. money, and publie plaecs of trust, were committed to him; by which alteration in his state and circumstances he beeainc in a manner infatuated, being before that a person of no sub- stance or character. having eome over with Mr. Oglethorpe amongst the first forty, and left England upon account of something committed by him concerning his majesty's duties. However, he was fit enough for a great many purposes. being a person naturally proud, covetous, cunning and deceitful, and would bring his designs about by all possible ways and means.
INTOXICATED WITH POWER AND PRIDE
"As his power increased so did his pride, haughtiness and cruelty, insomueh that he caused eight free-holders with an officer to attend at the door of the court every day it sat, with their guns and bayonets, and they were commanded by his orders, to rest their fireloeks as soon as he appeared, which made people in some manner afraid to speak their minds, or juries to act as their consciences directed them. He was sel- dom or never uncovered on the bench, not even when an oath was admin- istrated ; and being perfeetly intoxicated with power and pride he threat- ened every person without distinction, rich and poor, strangers and in- habitants, who in the least opposed his arbitrary proceedings, or elaimed their just rights and privileges, with the stocks, whipping-post and log- house, and many times put those threatenings into execution, so that the Georgia stocks, whipping-post and log-house soon were famous in Caro- lina, and everywhere in America where the name of the province was heard of, and the very thought of coming to the colony beeame a terror to people's mind." There is much more of the same sort in the pamphlet from which we will make further quotations as we proceed with this nar- rative.
ANTI-RUM AND ANTI-SLAVE LAWS
Among the instructions given to Causton when he was elothed with authority to govern during Oglethorpe's absence was one specially relating to the aets recently adopted prohibiting the use of intoxicating drinks. Legislation on this subject had been forced upon the people by reason of the fact that in the month of August, 1733, several per -- sons residing in Savannah had died, as was then stated, from the use of rum, and, in response to a report to that effect by Mr. Oglethorpe.
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the common eonneil passed a resolution on the 21st of November "that the drinking of rum in Georgia be absolutely prohibited, and that all which shall be brought there be stored." As no such law existed in the neighboring colony of South Carolina, rum was freely imported there from both the West Indies and New England, and the traders of that colony who could get all they wanted supplied the trustees' store at Savannah with it. This law against the sale of rum Mr. Causton endeavored to enforce, and his aetion relative thereto was severely criticized by the malcontents. In their tirade against Causton, they asserted that by reason of the punishments alleged to have been in- flieted by him the people of South Carolina "who had, in private and publie donations. given in upwards of 1,300t sterling, seeing these things and how the publie money was thrown away, began to despise the colony, and out of regard to the welfare of their fellow ereatures, persuaded everybody they could from settling in it." They then de- elared his efforts to restrain the sending of rum from South Carolina into Georgia as an intentional "design further to exasperate the people of Carolina," adding that "he caused their boats to be searched, and whatever rnm was found therein was directly stored, in pursuanee of an det, as he alleged. entitled an act against the importation of rum into the colony of Georgia."
At the same time another aet was passed by the common conneil of the trustees which, later, became the snbjeet of much talk and excite- ment, but which. together with the resolution forbidding the importa- tion of rum, was some sixteen years later reseinded. It was "an act for rendering the province of Georgia more defensible by prohibiting the importation of black slaves or negroes into the same," the reason for its adoption being the fear of the trustees that by the aid of negro labor the people would relax their "habits of labour, industry, economy, and thrift by personal application." Objection to this measure was made by the maleontents in a petition to the trustees ealling their at- tention to the causes of what they called their "personal misfortunes" in these words: "The want of the use of negroes, with proper limitations; which if granted, would botli occasion great numbers of white people to come here, and also render us eapable to subsist ourselves, by raising provisions upon our lands, until we could make some produee fit for export, in some measure to balanee our importation. We are very sensible of the ineonveniences and mischiefs that have already and do daily arise from an unlimited use of negroes; but we are as sensible that these may be prevented by a due limitation, such as so many to each white man, or so many to such a quantity of land or in any manner which your Honour shall think most proper."
THE TRUSTEES AGAINST SLAVERY
This question of slavery was a matter of some concern to the trustees, and the advisability of changing the positive law on the subjeet was brought to their attention from time to time. On the 20th of June,. 1739, they declined to accede to the request of the magistrates, and other eitizens, in a letter addressed to the latter, in which, after acknowl-
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edging the receipt of a "representation signed by you, the magistrates and many of the inhabitants of Savannah on the 9th of December last, for altering the tennre of the lands, and introdueing negroes into the Province," they go on to say "they direet you to give the complainants this anwser from the Trustees: That they should deem themselves very unfit for the trust reposed in them by his Majesty on their behalf if they could be prevailed upon by such an irrational attempt to give up a constitution framed with the greatest caution for the preservation of liberty and property, and of which the laws against the use of slaves and for the entail of lands are the surest foundations."
Oglethorpe reported to the trustees that their decision had been received and promulgated, and that its effect was noticeable for the good it had accomplished, and they took from the magistrates who had signed the petition their commissions. At the same time the malcontents who had stirred up strife by their unruly behavior in many ways departed from Georgia. In their severe arraignment of the office-holders and others, whose conduct did not meet with their approval. those discontented persons magnified the little mistakes of those whom they despised, made assertions they could not prove, and showed a remarkable degree of spite, while, at the same time, they said some things which were true.
WHITEFIELD IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY
Once before the trustees had positively refused to yield to the de- mand for the employment of slaves in Georgia, and the fight was kept up so persistently that a modification of the law finally resulted, and slave labor was permitted. Among those who advocated the rescinding of the prohibitory measure, strange to say, was the Rev. George Whitefield who played a prominent part in Georgia's history in connection, principally, with the orphan home established by him, with the aid of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, at Bethesda, near Savannah. He believed that the bringing of slaves from Africa was demanded by the claims of humanity, and declared that it was greatly to their advantage to be permitted to toil in useful labor, and went so far as to say that it was an established fact that the colony could not prosper without the use of slave labor. His views were shared by the Hon. James Habersham who came to Georgia with him. These names are here mentioned somewhat out of the regular chronological order beeanse we are now on a subjeet in the discussion of which it becomes necessary to state their position. It must be borne in mind that this question was under discussion a long time before it was definitely settled and the parts taken in it by these two men was of such importance as to call for a statement of their view of the matter at this point; and we now quote from Mr. Whitefield who thus wrote to the trustees of Georgia from Gloucester, December 6, 1748: "I need not inform you how the Colony of Georgia has been declining, and at what great disadvantages I have maintained a large family in that wilderness. * Upwards of $5,000 have been expended in that under-
* Referring to the orphan home at Bethesda which will be presented to the reader's attention presently.
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taking; and yet very little proficiency has been made in the eultiva- tion of my traet of land; and that entirely owing to the necessity I lay under of making use of white hands. Had negroes been allowed, I should now have had a sufficient to support a great many orphans, without expending above half the sum that has been laid out. An un- willingness to let so good a design drop induced me, two years ago, to purchase a plantation in South Carolina, where negroes are allowed. This plantation has succeeded; and, though I have only eight working hands, in all probability there will be more raised in one year and with a quarter of the expense than has been produced at Bethesda for several years past. This confirms me in the opinion I have long enter- tained that Georgia never can be a flourishing provinee unless negroes are employed. My chief end in writing this is to inform you that I am as willing as ever to do all I ean for Georgia and the orphan house, if either a limited use of negroes is approved of, or some more indentured servants be sent from England. If not, I eannot promise to keep any large family or cultivate the plantation in any considerable manner."
Commenting on this letter, Whitefield's biographer, the Rev. Luke Tyerman, pointedly remarks: "From such a pen this is a strange production. Whitefield, with his large heart, urging the introduction of slavery into the province of Georgia and almost threatening to abandon his Orphan House unless his proposal be granted! White- field's honour is best cared for by saying as little about the incident as possible." But there were many others in Georgia who were strongly urging the trustees to reseind the act against the use of negroes. Among them, as first stated, was the HIon. James Habersham, founder of the family of that name in Georgia, who eame over with Whitefield in 1738, and whose intereourse with the celebrated preaeher was in- timate and of the most friendly nature for many years and until broken by death. Others, in close touch with the trustees, stood by these men, and in spite of the repeated failures they met with, stub- bornly contended the point until their demand was granted.
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CHAPTER IX
JOIIN AND CHARLES WESLEY
JOIIN WESLEY AND HIS LABORS-ABUSE OF WESLEY-NEW "SECRETARY OF THE TRUST"-WESLEY AND SOPHIA ( HOPKINS) WILLIAMSON-MR. WESLEY'S STATEMENT OF THE TROUBLE-THE TRUSTEES TREAT THE MATTER LIGHTLY-CHARLES WESLEY DEPARTS FOR ENGLAND-WHITE- FIELD SUCCEEDS JOHN WESLEY.
After a stay of some seven months in England, Tomo-chi-chi returned to Georgia, reaching Savannah on the 27th of December, 1734. Ogle- thorpe remained in England resuming his seat in parliament where he saw to the enactment of the laws concerning slavery and rum referred to in the preceding chapter. He secured for the colony a large number of emigrants to go with him on his return, and they, amounting to two hundred and twenty in all, left London on the 13th of October, 1735. The next day Oglethorpe, accompanied by the Rev. John Wesley, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, Rev. Charles Wesley, his brother, student of Christ's Church College, and Reverend Mr. Ingham, of Queen's, went by land to Gravesend. where they embarked on board the Symonds, commanded by Capt. Joseph Cornish. Besides this ship there was the London Merehant, Capt. John Thomas, which took on board such of the people as could not be accommodated on the Symonds.
Just before this the Moravians, led by the Rev. Gottlieb Spangen- berg and assisted by Count Zinzendorf, arrived in Georgia and made their home on the Savannah river between the town and Ebenezer; and they were closely followed by the Scotch Highlanders, under the eare of their spiritual guide, the Rev. John MeLeod, who settled at a point about sixteen miles above St. Simon's Island up the Altamaha river which they called New Inverness. Here they lived, and they were a great help to Oglethorpe in the troubles with the Spanish in Florida, as well as to Georgia in her dark days covering the period of the American Revolution. Among these highlanders were the MeIntosh family and the Mackays. A road from their settlement to Savannah was laid ont by' Capt. Hngh Mackay, aided by Indian guides furnished by Tomo-chi-chi, which is still known as the Darien road. Darien being the present name of the first settlement known as New Inverness.
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JOHN WESLEY AND HIS LABORS .
John Wesley, in his journal on Thursday, February 19, 1736, says of his arrival: " My brother and I took boat, and passing by Savannah, went to pay our first visit in America to the poor heathens. But neither Tomo-Chachi nor Sinauky was at home. Coming back we waited upon Mr. Canston. the chief magistrate of Savannah. From him we went with Mr. Spangenberg to the German brethren. About eleven we returned to the boat, and came to our ship about four in the morning." Charles Wesley came to Georgia with a commission from the trustees as secretary of Indian affairs for the colony of Georgia, and was the private secretary to General Oglethorpe. While considering
UNITED STATES CUSTOM HOUSE, SAVANNAH This building stands on spot where John Wesley preached his first sermon in Georgia
the matter of providing for the spiritual care of the colonists and the conversion of the Indians, John Wesley was named to the trustees as a man well qualified for that work by Doetor Burton, president of Corpus Christi College as well as one of the Georgia trustees. Mr. Wesley was introduced to Oglethorpe by Doctor Burton, and the mis- sion was at once tendered to him but was promptly declined. He was finally persuaded to accept the position and the two brothers together engaged to aeeept serviee in the new colony. Of his first act in entering upon his duties John Wesley made this note in his journal under date Sunday the 7th of March. "I entered upon my ministry at Savannah by preaching on the epistle for the day, being the thirteenth of the first of Corinthians." In a postscript to a letter written to the trustees February 27, 1736, Oglethorpe mentioned the fact that " Mr. Wesleys' are gone up to Toina-chi-chi Mico, and live with Mr. Musgrove in his neighborhood six miles from Savannah where he has built a new town" and on the 16th of March following he said : "Mr. John Wesley
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is at Savannah and I have desired him to state ye case of ye Salzburgers. Mr. Charles Wesley and Mr. Ingham are working with me."
At this time there was some trouble among the Salzburgers. azs that fact is evidently alluded to in the quotation just given. On the same day Oglethorpe wrote a letter to Mr. Vat. from Frederica, which so clearly shows his ability to handle difficult matters and to &st impartially in every affair in life that it is here given in full as showing his determination to render justice at all times. "I have received the favor of yours and am very sorry to find there are any discontents among the Salzburgers. Mr. Von Reck complains much of you. as well as you of him, I have wrote to him upon the occasion and ser: him the heads of what you objected to him, that he may make his defence. I have also desired him to make good what he objects to you, and recom- mended to the Rev. Mr. John Wesley to state the matter how things have past at Ebenezer, that when I have seen things in a clear light. I may be able to determine them, which I would not do in a matter where such worthy people are concerned, till the truth appeared fully. least. I should by rash judgment injure any man's reputation or character." The trouble was that Mr. Von Reck and Mr. Bolzius preferred charges against Mr. Vat who had been "appointed secretary of the Salzburgers by the trustees and to him were the stores at Ebenezer entrusted," as said Oglethorpe in a letter to Von Reek the same day. and he added: "He is answerable for them, and till such time as by his behavior I am entitled to dismiss him, it is improper for me to take them from his eare nor can I determine any more in his than in your case without a hearing. Mr. Bolzius and you have both accused him, therefore, as I cannot come myself yet to Savannah I refer exam- ining into the matter to Mr. John Wesley who is there entirely unprej- udiced. I must again repeat the uneasiness I am under in not being able to assist them personally."
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