USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 22 pt 2 > Part 17
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WESTMINSTER. RECD. MARCH 1739.
Savannah 25 Nov: 1739.
S'.
Whilst I was earnestly providing materials for a Packett to the honourable Trustees, wherein I might in some measure perform w. I had in View for their better Information in Sundry matters; I recd. a packett ~ Express from the General in the South, wth. various Dis- patches, which he left to my Care to forward to Carolina: & well knowing of how great con- sequence his letters at all times may be sup- posed; I cannot miss the first opportunity of so doing; without regard to any convenience of my own in sending wt. I had to offer, in com- pany with it: but having my Journal ready, I would not omit putting that, at least, under cover; presuming some things in it may be judged worthy the consideration of the honour- able Board: & I shall give my self little rest, till I fulfill as I purposed, wth. all speed, what is to follow: wch. possibly may overtake this yet at Charles Town, or however be but little be- hind it. Then I shall take due Notice of the
273
CORRESPONDENCE
Copy of Affidavit of Wm. Smith.
several Directions I recª. in the letters of the 14th. & 16th. of July by Capt. Thomson the very next day after date of mine to you, weh was the 6th. of Oct". & wch. I hope you'll receive. Since that time we hear of no Ships yet arrived from England; but I hope we may shortly, now the Season is come that usually brings them; when I shall also wish for letters from my Son; 4 Months being near past since he went hence: & as he left me with assurance of returning, I have no reason to doubt it, nor your kind Coun- tenance & Aid in promoting it, whom in many instances I stand so much obliged to You'll look on what I now write to be in a hurry : my next shall not be so from
No ships from England heard of
Mr. Stephens son not heard from.
Dear ST.
Your very humble Servant
Will : Stephens.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) COPY OF WM. SMITH'S AFFIDAVIT RELATING TO WM. POPE'S PURCHSG THE KING'S STORES. SENT WITH LETTER FROM THEOPS. HETHERING- T N. 1 DECER. 1739. RECP. 20 MARCH 1739
Georgia Savanah ss.
William Smith Carpenter on board the Snow Defiance, Deposeth that being this day Ex- amin'd as an Evidence, concerning a Parcell of
William Smith. a . carpenter, examined as a witness.
274
COLONIAL RECORDS
Copy of Affidavit of Wm. Smith.
Nails brought by William Pope late Master of said snow, on board the said Vessell, whilst she lay at Port Royal, in march last, wch. Nails being charg'd to Capt". Davis by said Pope, of web. the , said Davis not knowing thereof, was the occa- sion of this Departments being call'd as an Evidence.
A parcel of the King's nails found in posses- sion of Wil- liam Pope.
And this Deponant further sayeth that he was Carpenter on board the said Snow. Defy- ance, at the time said Pope brot. on board the said Snow about March last a large parcell of severall Sorts of Nails upon weh. this Deponant preceiv'd a broad Arrow. under the head, and thereupon told the said Pope they were the Kings Nails, and ask'd him where he had them. The said Pope made Answer he knew they were the Kings Nails but they wou'd serve his pur- pose well enough. And farther said he got them on board the Transport Pink call'd the three Brothers, Capt". Yeomans commander then lying at the said Port -
William Smith.
Sworn this 21st. Octobr. 1739 - before me
Tho3. Christie.
The above is a true Copy of an Affidavit sworne before me the date above Men- tion'd
Thos. Christie
Record".
275
CORRESPONDENCE
Theops. Hetherington to the Trustees.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
LETTER FROM THEOPS. HETHERINGTON TO THE
HONOURABLE THE TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING COLLONY OF GEORGIA IN AMERICA AT THEIR OFFICE AT WESTMINSTER. LONDON
RECP. 20 MARCH 1739
Savanah Town in Georgia Decembr., 1st. 1739.
May it please your Hon's.
It is with some Reluctancy I send to the Hon- ourable Board on this occasion, nor wou'd I be thought any ways troublesome, tho' were to suffer the greatest Inconveniences. Your Hon". are very sensible, have never troubled you with, but one Letter since have been in this Collony, tho' have had great reason to lay be- fore you, many things weh. hath prov'd greatly detrimental. but not being well assur'd, how it might be reced, have hitherto declin'd it-the affair that I now lay before your Honours, I Immagining to be of some consequence, thought proper to transmit, that the Honourable Board might Inspect into. -
The Grand Jury Setting the 29th. Nov. last and appointing me their Foreman, the said Grand Jury having an affid. brought before 'em concerning one William Pope, who had pur- chas'd some Naval Stores belonging to his Majesty, suppos'd, from some person, that were entrusted with 'em, (viz.) a Quantity of Nails
Nails with the King's mark there- on purchas- ed by Wil- liam Pope.
276
COLONIAL RECORDS
Theops. Hetherington to the Trustees.
with the Kings Mark thereon, the said Grand Jury having examin'd two Witnesses (Vizt.) Calib Davis & William Smith, (being first Sworn) the latter having declar'd that the said Pope knew them to be Kings Stores, when re- ceiv'd, Calib Davis depos'd that the said Pope had endeavour'd to sell the said Nails to him, but he finding them to be the Kings Stores, wou'd not have any thing to do with 'em - The Majority of the Grand Jury being Seven, (the whole consisting in the number of thirteen) found cause to present the said Pope, and ac- cordingly he was presented for purchaseing and converting to his own use the aforementioned Naval Stores, the property of the King. the Grand Jury in the Interim having sent to Mr. Thomas Jones third Bailiffe for some of the Nails, to Examine, but was refus'd the Same. - The presentment having been brought into Court, and M. Christie (who still Acts as Re- corder) being Indispos'd, Mr. Jones supply'd his place, But not so much as read the present- ment to the Court, nor consulted the other Majestrat's therein, tho present, Bu[torn] Al- ledging that the Grand Jury had no power to present, unless twe[lve] of them had agreed, The Grand Jury having intended the present- m[ent] only to Inform the Court that such a thing was, tho' there was [no] Affidavit made a considerable time before, the Coppy of wych. have he [torn] enclos'd I thought proper to lay this before the Honourable Bo[ard] as well in duty to his Majesty as in Obedience to your Honour [torn]
Trial of William Pope.
CORRESPONDENCE
277
Theops. Hetherington to the Trustees.
Colonel William Stevens, Informd your Hon- ours were pleas'd to send to him, concerning a debt due from me to John Murcot in England. I do assure Your Hon". wou'd pay it with a great deal of pleasure were it in my power, it being very just, but have a considerable sume of Mony, due to me from the Collony on Account of Mr. Roger Lacy deceas'd, (I having married his Widow) but cannot receive a Shilling. I believe your Honours may have heard of the Services M. Lacey hath done for the Collony. by going as Agent to the Indian Nation twice, likewise settling a Town and building a Fort at Augusta Imploying Ten of his own Men for a great many Months - and before that his en- deavours at his own Settlement (Thunderbolt) were very considerable-first his Experiment on the pot Ash cost him a great deal of Mony, and afterwards building a large Fort, without any expence to the Collony, wch for a consider- able time was the Fronteer likewise clearing Sixty Acres of Land and building a very hand- some House thereon, the planting of weh. Land for two Seasons prov'd likewise detrimental. The greatest Crop he ever made being 130 bushells of Corn and 15 of peas, the Intrinsick Value of wch. being about 1s . 4d @ bushel. being sold in Carolina for 10d. this Corn cost him the Labour of eight able Men for above Six Months, so that it wou'd turn to no account but rather a very great loss. M. Lacy hath Expended above £500 in this Collony upon his Land, and other Experiments as mention'd before, nor did ever any Man take more pains in the province then
Money due on account of Mr. Roger Lacy, de- ceased.
Mr. Lacy the builder of forts at Augusta and Thunderbolt.
278
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Christie to the Trustees.
himself, considering he went entirely upon his own Substance, and I am very sorry to Ac- quaint your Hon". that his Successor is undone by it I hope the Honourable Board will pardon this trouble given, it being the first time, in any thing of this nature tho' have often thought it my duty to write, but was afraid of disoblig- ing, and beg leave to Subscribe my self Your Hon". most. Obedt. and most devoted humble Servt.
Theophis. Hetherington.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) MR. CHRISTIE TO THE TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLLONY OF GEORGIA IN AMERICA AT THEIR OFFICE AT WESTMINSTER LONDON. RECD 20 MARCH 1739. LONDON.
Savanah Town Georgia December 2ª. 1739.
My Lords and Gentlemen.
I return you thanks for the Honour you have done me, in Nominating me first Bailiffe in the room of Mr. Henry Parker. remov'd from that office as likewise for the Commission in Examin- ing the Publick Accounts, and Issueing the Cash, but it is with a great deal of concern I have seen few of your Ordrs. take place in this Collony, neither Mr. Jones nor M. Stevens have thought fit to consult me upon one or the other -
Mr. Henry Parker re- moved from office of First Bailiff.
CORRESPONDENCE
279
Mr. Christie to the Trustees.
I am at this time very Ill, and to point out to your Honours the reason for such their be- haviour I must beg leave to defer it to a few days longer, at weh. time I shall transmit to your Hon™s. a full and ample Account of such tran- sactions, as I am persuaded will surprise ye, M'. Fallowfield and Mr. Jones have been Sworne in Bailiffs according to your Hon". directions M. Fallowfield appears to be very agreeable to the peoples Inclinations. But Mr. Jones's be- haviour seems to be brutal and Arbitary that it appears shocking to the People an Instance of one part of his Irregular Practice have referr'd to M'. Theophilus Hetherington (then Foreman of the grand Jury) to represent to your Hon™s. wherein one Pope was presented for converting to his own use Naval Stores. the said Mr. Jones Acting very partially therein- I have not been admitted to take my place as first Bailiffe, but Mr. Parker is continued notwithstanding his be- ing dismiss'd by your Hon". I have now made up the records and Col: Stevens will Transmit ye a Letter from me wth. the records very soon. I have been a long time harrass'd wth. Sickness, beg your Hon"s. will excuse me till am able to enlarge & remain ye Hon's. most Obedt. Seryt.
Mr. Fallow- field and Mr. Jones, Bailiffs.
Tho. Christie.
280
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Wm. Hopton to Mr. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) LETTER FROM MR. WM. HOPTON TO THE ACCOTANT MR. HARMAN VERELST, TO THE TRUSTEES. RECD. 18 MARCH 1739.
Charles Town Decem'. ye 7th. 1739. ST.
This encrease of your trouble is to acknow- ledge Receipt of your fav". of ye 14th. Septem". with a Packet for Col. Stephens & a box for His Excellency General Oglethorpe both which I'll duly foward to Georgia @ first safe Conveyance that offers, Capt": Ayres did not arrive here with 'em 'till ye. 5tb. Inst.
I'm oblig'd to ye Trustees for ye. Honour. They do me in consigning their Parcels & Lres to me that come by way of Charles Town to be forwarded to Georgia, & entreat the favour of You to inform there Hon's. that the Trust they repose in me therein shall be duly & faithfully Executed.
Of the Lres I reced with Yors. to be and in Charles Town that for Mr. Anderson I imediate- ly deliver'd him, but those for Capt: Nevinson of the Hawke & Mr. Chetwynd Furzer Midship- man on board her, I now return you inclosed. They being I suppose { this time in England as she sail'd hence about ye middle of October.
The 3ª. Instant I reced & forwarded a Packet from His Excellency Gen1. Oglethorpe to The
Parcels and letters from the Trustees intrusted to Wm. Hop- ton.
.
281
CORRESPONDENCE
James Oglethorpe to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Honble. Trustees, & another from Col Stephens for your good self, @ ye Endeavour Alexa. Hope M. for London; The Gentleman that deliver'd 'em to me came express from His Excellency to our Lieutent. Govern". with an Accot. that two of the Men at Fort Amelia were kill'd, & a third carry'd away alive, suppos'd by Florida Indians, & that His Excellency was gone in pur- suit of 'em.
This Province is now in healthy & quiet State & not much afraid of ye. Spaniards. I am
1
+4
Sir Your most Humb Servant Wm. Hopton.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
JAMES OGLETHORPE TO MR. HARMAN VERELST.
Frederica 29th. Dec' : 1739.
Sir
I have received from Captain Thomson Sev- eral things, amounting in the whole to £686 .. 16 .. 4. of which great part is for the Service of the Trust. a great part of the Account it self is a voucher of its having been applied, as that to the Boats &cª. That to the Rangers is in part of an old Debt due by ye. Trustees to them. As many of these Articles as the Trustees think proper to charge to their account, I empower you to receive from them; the rest you will post to my
An attack by Fla. In- dians at Fort Amelia.
282
COLONIAL RECORDS
James Oglethorpe to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Account. I shall send you a farther Explana- tion of how these things are applied pursuant to the Trustees Orders. I have wrote at large to them by this occasion. M. Horton will ex- plain all Affairs here and can give a very clear light into them.
In Captain Thomsons former acco": of £110 which the Trust refused to pay; That which I took in order to give the Spaniards, in case we had had a Treaty with them, and which Pres- ents are a necessary Expence, and part of the Support of the Civil Government, as all matters of Negociations are, is not now necessary, be- cause we have no Friendship with them; so as the things are here I will receive them, and you may charge that £7 .. 1 .. 7 to me.
Credit given shopkeepers.
As for the Credit given to Shopkeepers, it is what the Trust always used to do, and what their Letters approve of, Setting up People in Business that they may sell at reasonable prices, and thereby take off the trouble from the Store. I therefore ordered Credit to be given to Philip and Anne Courtney, who were recom- mended by my Lord Egmont, and to
Credit a use- ful charity.
Abbot an old Widow Woman that came with the first people here. Abbot has paid 40. back, Courtney has paid some little on account, and the Trustees cannot think that to set up Shop- keepers in this Town is no Concern of the Publicks, but is a personal Affair of mine. It can be no personal Affair of mine, since, I have no benefit from it, it is the business of the Pub- liek to Support the Town and has been always
283
CORRESPONDENCE
James Oglethorpe to Mr. Harman Verelst.
judged a useful Charity to put poor people into an honest way of earning their Livelyhood by small Credits.
With respect to the £58 .. - delivered to M'. M'Intosh at Darien, it was to support ye Inhabi- tants of Darien with Cloathing, and delivered to the Trustees Store there, for which the Indi- viduals are indebted to the Trust, Part of it was paid in discharge of Service done to the Trustees in building, Part is still due and Some do pay and are ready to pay, which you may see by the Darien Accounts. I am perswaded that when the Trust considers this they will find that I have nothing to do with it, and more particu- larly, that some part of this very money has been paid for in Timber for building the Chap- pel.
The £6 .. 13 .. 6 charged to M'. Carteret was by him paid for by bill of Excha. which I sent 'nome to You. This is all that I can say upon that account, which I understand to be part of the Charge of the last Year, excepting that I would some what farther explain that the Goods for the Shopkeepers, were taken into the Trustees Store, and part issued to them, and part re- tained in order to be issued, as they made Pay- ments. And if they did not make paymts. then the Remainder was not issued to them, but issued to others, and the Same paid into the Trustees Account. By the payments arising from Debts due to the Trustees, the Debts con- tracted have been lessened, and several Build- ings and Publick Works have been paid for by
284
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
Labour in payment of debts.
Labour done in payment of those Debts, particu- larly the building of the Barracks, and these Goods stand in the same light as many others taken in and issued in that manner; therefore I think the Trustees cannot refuse paying Cap- tain Thomson for them, & they in the general Account will find that they have Credit from the persons to whom they are issued. Capt. Thomson will have a Declaration from M. M'Intosh and from Mr. White that these Goods have been received, and that the Trustees have Credit for the Same. I am
Sir Your very humble Servant James Oglethorpe.
M. Harman Verelst. -
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.) LETTER FROM GENL. OGLETHORPE TO THE TRUS- TEES, DATED DECR. 29, 1739. RECP. MAY 2, 1740
Frederica 29th. Decr. 1739.
Gentlemen
Mr. Horton's services in the Province in Gen. Ogle- thorpe's ab- sence.
I send this by Mr. Horton whom there is no need of recommending to you. You know his behaviour when he commanded the Southern Division of the Province in my Absence. I could not think of a way more likely to acquaint You with the whole Particulars of the Province,
CORRESPONDENCE
285
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
than by sending him home, who can explain every thing. I was in hopes to have sent you all the Accounts, but have been intolerably plagued by the backwardness of ye. Clerks. I have been obliged to imploy my own Secretary, Moore, in almost every thing, though writing for me is full one Man's work, and I can to this minute get nothing finished by the others, nor any other Account than that Cash Book which he kept. To give a general Idea of the Accounts, there is three distinct terms of time, one before my Arrival, which you have put into an excellent method by appointing Commissioners to state. Some debts due in that Term to persons who must have been ruined if not paid, I have paid, the Commissioners having acquainted me that they were justly due, and Mr. Jones hath prom- ised me to transmitt the Report, which if you approve of, you will pay what I have advanced, to Mr. Verelst on my Account.
The Second term of time is from my Arrival to the time of receiving Your Establishment, during which time I proceeded in the Dark, hav- ing only this general Rule to go by, not to make any expences as I could avoid, and at the same time not to neglect doing those things which were necessary for the preservation of the Colony, amongst them, the taking the German Servants which came over by Captain Thomson, and the lending their Passages to such persons as were desirous thereof & were capable of maintaining them, and keeping the rest for the Trust, I thought an absolute necessary measure
A general idea of the accounts.
286
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
for the Service of the Colony, since it not only increased it with so many able bodied indus- trious People, but it would have been a Cruelty to turn the poor People a starving into other Provinces, and have prevented the being able to procure more Germans & thereby augmenting His Majesty's Subjects, by the Accession of Foreign Protestants. I hope therefore that this Step will be approved of, and that You will order Captain Thomson to be paid the Passage of those Servants.
As I promised to You when I first arrived, I have maintained the Colony for the year, and think it will come within the £5,000 as I guessed at first. I drew upon Mr. Verelst who had Cash of mine, and mentioned in ye Letters of Advice generally, the Services for which those Bills were drawn. The proper Vouchers showing that the money was applied to the Publick Service according to the Trustees Maxims for Improving and Settling the Colony, shall be sent over as soon as ever I can get the Clerks to draw them out in order. But a journey in open Boats to Charles Town, a Journey by Land for several hundred miles, over many wide Rivers to the far Indian Nations, and the Preparations for Invad- ing the Spaniards and making Inroads upon them, have took up so much of my time that I have not been able to do the Business my self, nor can I prevail with others to do it for me. If I come back alive from this Expedition, I will labour at the Accounts and do not doubt to settle them & the Province upon a good foot of Oeco-
Gen. Ogle- thorpe's many ex- peditions.
CORRESPONDENCE
287
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
nomy. I hope you will make good to M'. Verelst those payments that I have made here upon the Trusts' accot. and thereby replace the money I drew from him.
There will be, this year, over and above your Establishment several Expences necessary for the preserving of the Colony. The small Garri- son of a Captain and ten men a Fort Augusta will be necessary to be continued, since we can- not weaken the Regiment by sending a Detach- ment to so great a Distance as 300 miles. The Regiment of Foot that is here, is not sufficient to make War in ye Woods by Land & overtake Indians or horsemen, therefore I have been obliged to call down our Indian Alles, they have very readily assisted me, but whilst they lose their hunting & Corn Season for our De- fence, we are forced to give them food, Arms, Ammunition & some Cloathing, which they wod. otherwise buy with Skins which they get by hunting. Their Leaders and Interpreters have certain allowances, I sent you over them for the Creek & Cherokees, those for the Chickesaws, Uchees, and Yamacraws have the same. Horse- men also I am obliged to raise & have order'd 60 Rangers, Their Establishm's. Mr. Horton has with him. The Settlements must all have been destroyed and the Communication between the Troops cut off, when ye Spaniards attacked Amelia, if I had not armed out Boats, which I did in the cheapest manner, taking no more men upon her than just enough to navigate them, and even saving this Expence upon some by imploy-
A garrison needed at Fort Augusta.
Indians called on for as- istance.
The preven- tion of the destruction of the settle- ments.
288
COLONIAL RECORDS
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
ing the Trust's Highland Seryts: whom M. M'Intosh and Mr. Mackay had taught to row; the rest of the men are Soldiers, to whom we only allow provs. during ye time they are on board. Thus the Colony Periagua is fitted out with 4 Guns, rows with 20 men, & carries 20 more, so that having 40 men she is able to en- gage a Spanish Launch, stands only in the wages of a Commander, a Patroon and Six men. the rest of the 40 being Soldiers, of whom only them that row have Provisions. By these boats I have drove the Spaniards out of the River St. Johns, can, when I will, land in Florida, as well as protect this Colony and Carolina, which with- out them would be entirely exposed, as by the sad accident at Amelia, when we had only two Boats in service too plainly appeared.
Spaniards driven out of the St. Johns River.
Forts ruined.
The Forts that I built were run to ruin, being mostly of earth, having no means to repair them, and having also orders not to fortify, Upon the Hostilities being committed, I thought I should be answerable for the blood of these people be- fore God and man if I had left them open to be surprized by Spanish Indians and murdered in the night and their houses burnt, and if I did not take all proper means for their Defence they being under my Charge. I therefore began to fortify Frederica and inclose the whole Town, in which there are some very good Houses. It is half an Hexagon, with two Bastions, and two half Bastions and Towers after Mensieur Vau- ban's method upon the point of each Bastion. The Walls are of Earth faced wth. Timber, 10
2º
CORRESPONDENCE
289
Genl. Oglethorpe to the Trustees.
foot high, in the lowest place and in the highest 13, and ye Timbers from 5 Inches to 12 Inches thick. There is a wet Ditch 10 foot wide, and so laid out that if We had an allowance for it I can by widening the Ditch double ye thickness of the Wall, and make a covered way. I hope in three months it will be entirely finished, and in that time not only to fortify here, but to repair the Forts on Amelia and Saint Andrews. The Ex- pence of these small above mentioned Works (weh. is all that I can now make, will not be great, Frederica will come within £500, St. Andrews £400 and Amelia £100. I made an Inroad into the Spanish Florida by the help of the Boats drove them to take Shelter in their Forts, & kept the field several days, parties of Indians killing their Cattel &cª: even to within a few miles of Augustine; but could not provoke them to fight. I am going to make another Inroad, and trust in God it will daunt them so that we shall have full time to fortify, and if the people of Carolina would assist Us heartily, we might take Augus- tine, to which these frequent Inroads may pave the way, for they dishearten their people, make us acquainted with the Countrey and encourage the Soldiers by living on the Enemy's Cattel and Provisions.
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