USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 22 pt 2 > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
from the Magistrates and others. proceeded from no other Cause, than my adhering Strictly to the Establishm's. made by the Trustees, in the Issues out of their Store, and where I could not find any Establishmt. in pursuing the Orders given me by his Excellency the General. They expected not only Provisions &c for themselves & Families, even beyond the Allowances ap- pointed them, but that I should issue to other persons for their Acco. towards the discharge of their private Debts, Colt. Stephens joynd with them therein And upon my refusing to comply with Mr. Parker's Demands, by a verbal Order sent by One of his Servants, (I could never prevail with Col". Stephens of Mr. Parker to give me an order about any Issues in Writ- ing) I was threatned to be comitted to the Log- house; which had been put in Execution, if M. Gilbert had not refused to joyn in granting the Warrant agt. me, Alledging that as I was an Officer of the Trustees, they should first ac- quaint the General or the Trustees with my Misconduct - I shall not trouble you with any further Accot., but must Say That if his Excel- lency the General has not at that time, and upon many other Occasions interposed in my behalf I must have fled from Savannah, or had not been now alive to write this Letter.
Yours of March ye. 34. And of April ye 2ª. I reced. July ye 5th. : After the Generals de- parture form hence to ye Indian Nation, Colel. Stephens, Mr. Parker & Self, met pursuant to ye Comission and Instructions given Us, to ex-
Cause of oppositions met with.
Threatened to be com- mitted to the Loghouse.
238
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Vereist.
Accots. ex- amined.
amine and State the Accots. wherein I expected but little Success. But when it evidently ap- peared by the first Accompt we entred upon, wch was Mr. Montaguts (on the Examination of Mr. Pury upon Oath) what Contrivances Mr. Caus- ton had used to get Mony, thereby enhancing the Trustees Debts, Mr. Parker appeard very uneasy thereat, And for some days neglected attending the Affair, but Col". Stephens shewd the greatest readiness & Zeal in the measures Since taken to unravel the Secret Designs wch. have been carried on for Some Years past to defraud the Trustees.
Secret de- signs to de- fraud the Trustees.
We have examined and Stated the Certifyed Accots. wch. by Your Letter of April ye 2ª. are mentioned to remain unpaid. And find Several Errors &c. in each of them excepting that of Recompence Stanberry which we believe to be a just and fair Accompt - Mr. Robert Wil- liams's Demands we have deferred, our En- quiry into, untill his Brother, who is partner wth him and is lately arrived here from St. Christopher's produces Vouchers for some part of the Accot. And untill we can have ye. Affi- davits of Several persons taken about the Wes- tern Road, which by his Accot. Cost near 700€. to no purpose, and contrary to the Instructions given him by (the now) Gen11. Oglethorpe.
Cost of the Western Road.
The account of Paul Jennys.
The Accompt of Paul Jennys & Co. (which you Sent me ? Cap. Thomson, as also the re- port of the Comittee of Accots. thereon) We had examined, And you will find the Several Articles disallowed of by the Comittee to have
239
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
been objected to by us, in our Stating of Said Accot. as well as Some other Articles objected to, wherein there has been great Mistakes (if with any propriety of Speech they may be so called) M. Jennys has been desired to Send Some person with the Vouchers in order to settle & State his Accompt wth. the Trustees, but has not hitherto done it. In all the Accots. we have hitherto examined, we have found matters for objections, which shall a first Oportunity transmit to you in order to be com- municated to their Honours- excepting the following: Vizt. Recompen [sic] Stanberry, abovementiond David Provost, And Thomas Ware, whose Accompts as certified, we believe to be just
Whilest his Excellency remains withus, Our time is wholly taken up in other Affairs, which cannot be transacted in his absence - But shall after his departure, proceed in executing our Comission relating to ye Accots, tho can hope but little Assistance therein from ME. Christie, whose own Accot. with the Trustees will hardly bear an Enquiry into, without grate- ing Animadversions.
For my own part, Since I began the Enquiry into the State of the Accots. I have not been able to think of, or do any other Business, having little Assistance therein - M. Pye, (One of the Clerks) who attends us, is very faithfull and has conceald nothing which could give light into any Accot. he writes well, but is too heedless to be depended on. Adrian Loyer
Time occu- pied in con- ference with Gen. Ogle- thorpe.
Mr. Pye, a clerk.
240
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Thos. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Attentions made on accots by Mr. Loyer and Houston.
who had the chief direction of the Accompts, having been examind touching some Alterations by Erasemts, &c he had lately made in Several Accots, and could not pretend any excuse for so doing, is lately gone to Port Royal (The Magis- trates here published an Order, Since we had an Accot. of the Rupture with Spain. That no Boats or passengers therein, should go cut of ye. Colony without permission -) M. Loyer applied to M'. Parker for a permit who refused to grant it, telling him that he could not allow him to go out of ye. Colony untill the Comis- sion's had finished their Enquiry into ye Accots., he being the only person now left, that could · explain any difficulties that might arise therein, But Mr. Christie granted a permit to him -- James . Houston, an other of ye Clerks, is at Port Royal the Said Houston by Col1. Cochrans direction (as M'. Pye informs us) made Several Altera- tions in the Books of Accots. which Alterations are known to be of Houstons handwriting.
Mr. Parker, magistrate. showing good con- duct.
M. Henry Parker for two months past, ha [torn] Magistrate acted with great Steadiness and good Conduct. And has left off drinking to Excess- he is a Man endowd with good Natural Abilitys he found it to be in vain for him to expect an unlimited Credit from the Store as usual. And that his Attachmt to Mr. Causton could be of no Service to either of them.
--
I am very thankfull to their Honours, The Trustees that my Endeavours to Serve them is in any measure agreeble - And also for the
CORRESPONDENCE
241
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
Honour done me in the Comissions Sent hither ; I am conscious of my Incapacity to do them or their Interests in this Colony much Service in either - But still hope they will find some more fit person to Serve them however Shall endeavour to promote their Interest in this Colony with faithfullness whilst they shall judge me any way capable thereof.
I intend assoon as the General was gone for the Camp, to have writ to the Honble. the Trus- tees. And also to finish our Examination of those Acco's. we had gone through, for your perusal and the Accots. of ye Store to this time, which are ready, but have not time to take Copies thereof His Excellency required me to write to you by this Conveyance to Carolina- I have many things to add, but the Boat being ready to go off must conclude
I am with Respects ST. Your very humble Servt. Tho Jones. To M'. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) GENL. OGLETHORPE TO THE TRUSTEES. RECD 13 MARCH 1739.
Savannah 11th: October 1739.
Gentlemen
I have seen Captain Mackay, who arrived last Sunday. Captain Thomson and all on board is
Makes grat- ified ac- knowledg. ment to the Trustees for favor re- ceived.
242
COLONIAL RECORDS.
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
Action with the Span- iards expect- ed every hour.
safe. I have received your Letters, & have de- sired Mr. Jones and Colonel Stephens to send you very full Answers. As we every hour expect Action with the Spaniards, I have hardly time to write out the different necessary orders for the Indian Nation, the Rangers, the Garri- sons, the Boats, and Letters to Carolina, Vir- ginia, the Northern Colonies and Men of War. As the Safety and Lives of the People, and honour of the English Arms in these parts de- pend upon using the present Conjuncture, I hope you will excuse my not writing a long Letter. I shall use my utmost Endeavours to see your Orders executed. Some things, I be- lieve, you will think necessary to alter in them particularly the allowing an Alehouse at Tybee, which would be the Occasion of making Boat men drunk, and might be the Loss of many Boats and men, and would be attended with the same ill Consequences as the Ale house on ye. Carolina side hath been, which on the losing of several Boats and drowning 14 of my men I have applied to have Suppressed.
Application for the sup- pression of an ale house at Tybee.
Discontent of the Cher- okees and Creeks against peo- ple of Car- olina.
Upon this Rupture with Spain and the Dis- contents of the Cherokees and Creeks against the People of Carolina and their Traders, the greatest part of that Colony own that I am best able to manage the Indians, and the Lieutenant Governor hath wrote to me that it is necessary to send an Agent amongst the Cherokees, But this as they live in Georgia, he cannot do, there- fore I have sent up M. Eyres as Agent, and the Lieut. Governor Joyns in Suppressing of Rum.
CORRESPONDENCE
243
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
With respect to Colonel Stephens & Mr. Jones, they tell me that to give a full and satisfactory Answer to your last Letters, will require some time, but I have desired them to write to you in the mean time.
I am / Gentlemen
Your most Obedient
humble servant.
James Oglethorpe.
P. S.
I have read over the Estimates, but have not time to explain upon them till I have talked to the different Officers. Upon the first View I think there may be £20 a year saved upon each of the Pilots. There is no allowance of a Sur- veyor to the Southward, and there are some other Charges which I believe may be saved, and some other Articles which I believe when you hear, you will think necessary to add, parti- cularly Tything men in the Towns & a Corres- pondent Clerk or Intelligencer to be maintained in the Creeks and another in the Cherokee Nation. The honble : the Trustees.
Necessary allowances for the Colony.
244
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
GENL. OGLETHORPE TO THE ACCOTANT. RECD. 7 MARC 1739
(Duplicate.) Savannah 19th: October 1739. Sir,
This is by way of Explanation of some Ac- counts that I send over to answer the Bills I have drawn upon you. The Trustees assured me that they would make good, the Expences laid out for them. I have been as frugal as I possibly could, as you will see by the Accounts. I thought to have bought Horses sufficient to have made the Journey to the Indian Nation & carried up the Goods, & for yt. purpose I drew upon you for £200 Sterling payable to M'. Jenys but being disappointed in purchasing Horses, was obliged to hire & was obliged to buy Goods in the Nation from the Traders to make Pres- ents to the Indians, and paid an advanced price, which was but half the price they sell them to the Indians for. I carried up as many as I could get Pack horses for, and upon those I saved the advanced price. I have sent the Bills at large, through in them there are mixt Articles, some relating to my self some to the Indians, but I have set off all that was to my own account. In the Articles of the Trustees there is £20 lent Mr. Kent, I've Sent a Letter from him to his Father, he is a young man of great worth & merit his Father was Member for Reading, has
Expenses pertaining to journey to the Indian Nation.
Mr. Kent, man of great worth and merit.
CORRESPONDENCE
245
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
a good Estate and is an Acquaintance of Mr. Hucks's. I hope he will Support his Son. If he sends him over £300 Sterling & £50 a year he will make a very happy man of him, for he has a very fine Tract of Land at Augusta, and the best notion of Improving of any man I know in the province. There is an article of £12- which was a Loan in Cattel to one Overstreet an in- dustrious man with a Wife and Six Children, who is settled at Augusta. The Inhabitants re- commended him to me, he having been afflicted with Sickness, and answered that by the milk of Six Cows the Wife would be able to maintain the ffamily. There is £5 given for Assistance to the Cattel hunters, Captain Cuthbert with ye Cattel hunters and that smal Assistance cut a path for horses, through the Woods which were before impassable, from Augusta to the Uchee Town above 60 miles on our side the River. The whole of this Account, with ye Presents amounts to £684 .. 10 .. 2 out of which £123 .. 9 .. 41% I discharged from the Trust to my own account, being the Expences of myself and family, so that their Charge is £561 .. 0 .. 91%. There is £ 200 in Mr. Jenys's hands which I drew for to pay for horses, which as I could not get horses at a reasonable price, I have made an advance out of that Money to some Butchers and Drovers who are Inhabitants of this Town, to slaughter here, & thereby enable them to fur- nish the Town & Shipping &cª. with Provisions, & to repay the Same to the Trust as they receive it, This became quite necessary by the Shutting
A path cut from Augusta to Uchee Town.
People en- couraged to sell pro- visions.
£
246
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
up the Trustees Store and is what their Letter hints at of Encouring People to sell Provisions.
Besides which there is £40 which I pay to Camuse the Silk Winder in account, he having a Demand upon ye. Trustees before my arrival and for Expences this year, which demand will be lessened by this £40, as will appear in the Ac- counts of the Commissioners for stating the Debts.
The next is £63 - paid to M'. Jones in order to Enable him to discharge the Debts due to the Garrison at Augusta, and would have been at a great Discount to the prejudice of the Trust's Credit because the poor people were not able to stay the sending them home to England.
Capt. Mack- pherson's de- mand on the Trust.
Captain Mackpherson has a very consider- able Demand upon the Trust, as appears by the Report of the Commissioners, he having made it appear that he was in the utmost Distress I advanced him £ 61 .. 4 .. 0, which lessens the debt due by ye Trust.
Mr. Jones having occasion for provisions &cª. from Cattell and Austin at Charles Town I ad- vanced him £ 50 for the Same for which he is to account to the Trust.
Molasses brought by Capt. Caleh Davis.
A Ship belonging to Captain Caleb Davis ar- rived here with Molasses, and as there was no probability that more would come up by reason of the War, Mr. Jones by my order bought the Cargo, which is to be issued by him to the people here for money, and as soon as he receives the Same, it will be so much towards the paying the
Debts due to the Garrison at Augusta.
CORRESPONDENCE
247
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
Estimate of the Trustees. It amounts to £400. of which I have at present drawn for but £220. I have also drawn for £107 .. 9 .. 0. £100, and £20 payable to M'. Thomas Jones which money has been paid in discharge of the account of Indian Presents, and is part of the £684 .. 10 .. 0.
The Cherokee Indians, as will appear by the Affidavits sent over to England by Colonel Stephens, which I hope are arrived, were des- troyed by Rum and the Small Pox, carried up by Traders from Carolina, some of whom had been licenced at Charles Town, and some with- out any Licences but encouraged from thence. Above 1000 of the Indians died and the sickness raged so that they could not attend their Corn fields, They demanded Justice from all the English, threatned Revenge and sent to the French for Assistance. Their Deputies met me at Fort Augusta, I asked them if they were Georgia Traders that had sold the Rum, they said No, and I prevailed with them not only to be pacified with the English, but also to promise me the Assistance of a body of Men against ye Spaniards. When they told me of the starving Condition they would be in by their having lost their Corn harvest by the Sickness, I ordered as far as 15000 bushells of Corn to be bought at Augusta, & to be given to the Cherokee Nation if they came down to fetch the Same, to be divid- ed amongst all ye Towns where the Dearth of Corn was. Upon my acquainting the Chiefs of my having done this before they asked it, they said, that the Trustees treated them as Fathers
Cherokee Indians destroyed by rum and small pox.
Sick and starving In- dians furn- ished with corn by Gen. Oglethorpe.
248
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
The Indians called the Trustees the preservers of their Nation and the Carolina traders the destroyers of it.
do their Children, they did not give them Toys nor unwholsome liquor, but gave them Wisdom & Justice, and supplied their Wants when Mis- fortunes came upon them. They called them the Preservers of their Nation, as they did the Carolina Traders, the Destroyers of it. I have drawn for £107 .. 10 .. 0 to pay for this Corn, which stands in about 18 pence { Bushell de- livered at Augusta, and this is paid into the hands of Mr. Jones to answer that Demand
A premium to encourage planters.
There was a great Damp upon Planting and indeed upon every other thing when I came over, but things are now much mended, yet I was obliged to encourage the planting, and with much difficulty could I perswade any one near the Town to it, so was obliged to promise a bounty of two shillings per bushel upon Ind". Corn and pease, and one shilling for Potatoes, in the hopes of which some have planted & have large Crops. This Bounty extends only to the District of Savannah. The People of Ebenezer were contented with a less Premium, viz. 12 pence per bushel, and that only upon Corn and Pease. The Sum total I cannot yet tell, but I suppose a good deal of the Bounty will be paid by setting off some of the Debts due to the Store, those who are most necessitous I pay in Money. By the Regulation there can be no Fraud, for the Ground on which the Corn grew is to be viewed, as well as the Corn measured. I have drawn for £150. which is left in M. Jones's hands for this purpose.
I shall lend M. Burnside upon Cattel £ 40 in
CORRESPONDENCE
249
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Accotant.
order to enable him to buy the Same in Carolina, the Cattel will be in this Colony as Security, and Cattel may be very necessary in case Sup- plies should be Cut off, And for that and some other Expences which I have left with Mr. Jones to make. I have drawn for £ 80. If the Trustees do not think this Encouragement to be within their Intention, Continue that £80 upon my account.
A loan to Mr. Burnside to buy cattle in Carolina.
No increase in the ex- pences of the Colony.
You see by this that there is great part of the Amount of these Bills in the Colony to answer the Trustees Estimate, There is part of it to pay the Expences of the last year, and part to lessen the Debt before my arrival, so that there is no Increase of this Years Expences, nor nothing exceeding the Estimate. Therefore I hope the Trustees will pay you the Same and take them off from my account. I believe that it will be necessary to incourage the people in planting to give next year a Bounty of One Shil- ling per Bushel upon Corn, and I have promised four Shillings a pound for Silk Balls. I am
Sir, Your very humble servant James Oglethorpe.
Mr. Harman Verelst.
.
250
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
GENL. OGLETHORPE TO THE TRUSTEES. RECD 7 MARCH 1739 READ BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE. MARCH 22, 1739/40.
Savannahı in Georgia 20th. October 1739.
Gentlemen
The Order relating to Negroes is arrived and published, & hath had a very good Effect. The Resolution shown by the Trust hath in a great measure quelled the troublesome Spirit. The remainder of the Idle Walkers and Doctor Tailfer are preparing to leave the Colony, but several industrious people are settling. This Week above Eight Lotts have been taken up.
I defrayed last years Expences as I mention- ed in my former, & thank You for the kind Paragraph in your Letter, that you will repay those Advances. I am not able yet to send home all the Accounts and Vouchers, but some I have, and explained them in a Letter to Mr. Verelst, and hope you will pay them.
The Estimate for the Establishment of this year is very short, the Provision for the Silk which is one of the most important Improve- ments in ye. Colony is far from being sufficient to Carry that on. There is no provision made for Magistrates or Constables at Augusta, nor for Tything men in this Town, nor for Agents in the Indian Countrey, nor for Tything men
Silk industry a very im- portant im- provement of the Colony.
Order relat- ing to Negroes, published.
251
CORRESPONDENCE
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
in the Out Villages of Hampstead, Highgate, Skidoway and Abercorn, therefore probably the Out Villages will quit their Ground, for want of Officers to preserve the peace.
There is also no provision for Tything men at Ebenezer.
The Darien hath been one of the Settlemts. where the people have been most industrious, as those at Savannah have been most idle. The Trustees have had several Servants there who under ye direction of Mr. Moore McIntosh, have not only earned their Bread, but have furnished the Trust with such Quantities of Sawed Stuff, as hath saved them a great Sum of Money. Those Servants cannot be put under the Direc- tion of any body at Frederica, nor any one that does not understand the Highland Language. The woods fit for Sawing are near Darien, and the Trustees engaged not to separate the High- landers. They are very usefull under their own Chiefs, and no where else. It is very necessary therefore to allow Mr. Mackintosh for the Over- seeing the Trusts Servants at the Darien. And indeed I do not think there is Occasion for an Overseer with any large Salary at Frederica, since there is very little work for Servants there, except about the Store. There are sev- eral other absolute necessary Expenses, but as I know that the Trustees cannot exceed a certain Sum, I shall not venture upon making them, though I believe the Colony will suffer for want of them. I am indeed of opinion that with the sum of £5,000 a year here would have done if no
People of Darien most industrious
Mr. Mack- intosh over- seer of the Trusts' serv- ants at Darien.
Amount for support of the Colony inadequate.
252
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
War had happened I could have distributed it in such a manner as to have supported the Colony, but I fear it cannot now be done, for the having given notice to the Magistrates and others that they are to have such large Salaries, they cannot now be reduced. There is no Pro- vision in the Estimate for encouraging the Vine- yards no bounty upon Corn, no Food to en- courage young Planters, nor no Provisions for Servants out of their times. There is £500 a year for all Contingences, I shall take all the Care to divide that in such a manner as to make it go the farthest I can, but fear it will nothing near answer the necessary Services.
There are two Articles without which we should be entirely destroyed, those I shall ven- ture upon, and I send you over notice of them that if you think they are not within the power of the Trust to apply money to, I should desire you would use your Interest in Parliament to procure a seperate Sum for that purpose in your Vote. The one is a Troop of Rangers, and Pay for those who head the Indians as Officers, without which we shall lye entirely open to the Insults of the Spanish Horse and Indians upon the Continent, for it is impossible for one Regi- ment of Foot to cover such a vast Frontier. I send you the Establishment of these Bodies of Men. There is also the Garrison at Augusta, the first party that I sent up there under Ensign Kitson was drowned, and I cannot spare any men from the Regiment to so far a post, now we have the Spaniards upon our backs, therefore I
Funds for a troop of rangers and officers over Indians.
Party of men sent to the Garrison at Augusta under En- sign Kitson, drowned.
CORRESPONDENCE
253
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
have kept up that Garrison with ten men. I have also kept one Agent or Intelligencer in the Creek, and one in the Cherokee Nation, with an appointment of £30 a year for themselves, and £24 for a Servant, and to find themselves food.
Colonel Stephens and Mr. Jones having ac- quainted me that M. Williamson was gone away to Charles Town & not like to return, and that therefore M. Christie could not leave the Recorders Office, & consequently not succeed Mr. Parker. They farther acquainted me that Mr. Parker now behaved well, had entirely left off drinking, and that they thought it would be most serviceable to the Colony to Continue him first Magistrate, I accordingly did till your farther Orders and I believe you will think it proper to continue him on. This Place is now very quiet & the whole Province wears a much better face than when I arrived. Georgia has been very healthy this year, the fatal Rum Fever of Charles Town hath not extended to us. & I believe 5 men have not died of the five Com- panies of my Regiment quartered in this Pro- vince. I am
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.