USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 22 pt 2 > Part 6
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CORRESPONDENCE
83
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Bradley's house, wch. Cost at least 600 £. and tho' magnificent enough, is not tenable, nor will last two years without being Underpropt and other Reparations, as I am inform'd, Mr. Brad- ley is Still carrying on Additional Buildings; I have told some of the people, who Supply him with Materials for building, and Workmanship That ye Trustees have not given any Directions for Such Building, but he assures them the Con- trary and carries on the work- The other, are additional Buildings to the Store. The Carpen- ters Bill being but a few articles, have enclosed a Copy, with Some Remarks I have made thereon therefore shall only add-That when I first came to this Town, I intended to build a small Room, as an Addition to the Lodging I had taken, and talkd with Carpenters about the price of their Labour, they demanded four Shillings Diem, being what Mr. Causton had always given; I told them that what I agreed for I would pay them in Money, And should not oblige them to take it in Comodities. That I never would employ any Carpenter or other, that requird more for his Labour than the usual prices paid in London, where Labour was dearer than in any other part of the World I had ever Seen-they then offered to work for me, at two Shillings & Six pence a day.
I have not undertaken any thing of that Nature hitherto, not knowing how Soon I may remove hence (if with Aprobation of the Honble. Trustees) yet could I see any way wherein I should be Serviceable to their Interests, Or that
The con- struction of houses by Mr. Brad. ley.
84
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
my Endeavours might be of any Use for the Good of the Colony, I should chearfully spend the remainder of my Days here, being, I think, a very healthy Climate, and agreeing the best with my Constitution of any that I ever breathed in- There are Some things in the Behavior of the People very disagreeable & offensive to me-Vizt.
Sunday not observed.
The Profanation of the Lords Jay. When at Church, in the time of divine Service, can hear continual firing of Guns, by people that are Shooting at Some Game, Others carrying Bur- thens on Wheelbarrows by ye Church door.
The Uncomon Leudness practiced by many and gloried in-
Retail of rum and liquors.
The Negligence of Officers, in permitting Several in this Town to retail Rum & Strong Liquors, unlicensed, who have no other visible way of Livelyhood, where Servants resort, and are encouraged to rob their Masters - All which, I doubt not, when the Honble. Trustees shall be more fully apprized of, will be reme- died.
I need not Mention, Profane Swearing, and Drunkeness, which are not So comon here, as in Some other places, & few are notorious therein, besides Mr. Baileff Parker, who, I have Seen wallow in ye Mire. On Monday last in the Evening he went to Jenkins's (a Public house) where (for the Entertainment of the Company) he agreed for a Bowl of punch That Jenkins should be Magistrate, And he the Land-
Mr. Parker and Mr. Jenkins drunk and disorderly.
1
85
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
lord for that Night, they Stript themselves be- fore the Company and exchanged Cloaths; Parker called for the Liquor, but Jenkins ex- ercised his New Authority in a very despotic manner, not only by calling his host, Parker, Drunken Swab, and other oprobrious Names, but chastised him, & threw him down;
It is with no Small Concern of mind, that I trouble you with Such trivial (tho' melancholy) Accounts, but have nothing agreeable and pleas- ing from this part of the Colony to acquaint you with Yet do hope when his Excellency visits us, Affairs will take a better Turn.
The Stores are (by the Issues made towards paymt. of the Debts incurr'd) rugh drained of All, Necessary, Provisions - There's no Meat- kind of any Sort; nor Rice, & but a Small quan- tity of Biscuit, But having Some Flower yet remaining, I have of late bought Indian Meal (weh. I paid for) with which, and half Flower, I caused Bread to be made, which gives better Content than Biscuit, And comes at a much cheaper rate. The Meal cost five Shillings
There is a large Quantity of Indian Corn yet remaining, tho' none of it Sound and good, a great part damaged, all which I have remov'd into the Store, & hope to preserve from further damage, 6000 Bushells of Corn was bought last Summer at 2|4-2|8 & three shillings ? Bush", and put in large heaps into Several houses, in the Town, hired for that purpose, at a dear Rate, where it remained without ever being
Provisions low.
86
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
turned, or taken any care of, till 28|h November, (I could not prevail on Mr. Causton to deliver it into my Care before that time, Saying that Willm. Ewen (his Servant), who had privately withdrawn from the Colony & gone to Carolina) had the Corn under his care, and that I must wait untill he came). The Corn had sweated, the Weavil was got into it And Some of the houses it had rained into, that, when opened, the Corn Seemed to be a Green Field, it had Sprouted, & was grown to a considerable heighth- I have issued the best Corn at Eighteen pence ? Bushell, (being the Price the people at Ebenezer Sell their new Corn at) tho' it is much cheaper in Carolina, as I am inform- ed. The damaged Corn at One Shilling Bush11.
Mr. Jones can find no one on whom he can depend as tran- scriber.
The Inventory of that, and the other Effects delivered into my Care, I shall Send over as- soon as the General arrives here, And hope soon to Send an Acco. of the Issues_ tho' am much Strait'ned in time being (at the best) but slow in Writing, as well as Aprehension and having no person to Assist me that I can confide in, so much as to transcribe what I have written. I have a Youth (Wm. Russel, One of ye Clerks) to assist me Sometimes, but is So attach'd to M. Causton, by his being Sent for to Oxtead,. & caress'd, that I dare not depend on him, having found him tardy-when examining the Day Books with me .-
Yesterday, M. Causton told me, that he had discovered Several Errors in his Cash Acct.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
and desired me to deliver him the Copy, which he gave me of that Accot. (wch. I refused) And told me he must have Will: Russell to write that Accot. over again, the which I consented to, he being but of little Service to me. -
If what I write is worthy of ye Regard of the honble. The Trustees, I doubt not, but you will acquaint them therewith,
I am
ST. Yor. very humble Servt. Tho Jones.
To M'. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
MR. JONES TO MR. HARMAN VERELST, ACCOTANT AT YEGEORGIA OFFICE WESTMINSTER, RECP BY CAPTN. YEOMAN 14 MAY 1739, READ MAY 23, 1739.
Savannah, February 23. 1738.
ST.
In mine of ye. 17|" I acquainted you that the Chactaw Indians were come to this place, & that I had on ye 13th. Instant Sent a Canoe, advising the General, then at the Camp at St. Simons, of their Arrival, I expected his Excellency here by the 19th, or to have received his Orders, but am hitherto disapointed.
Mr. Causton refused ac- cess to ac- counts.
General Oglethorpe not heard from.
88
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Uncontrol- able in- juries done the Trus- tees.
1
The Difficulties I daily meet with, render the Scitnation I am in, very uneasy to me, I cannot patiently acquiess wth the Injuries done to the honble. the Trustees, in the havock and Waste comitted on their Estate & Effects in this Colony which is now carried on without any Controul.
Live stock not account- able for.
Mr. Causton would give me no Accot. of the- Live Stock belonging to the Trustees, there- fore can only Report, What I had from others. Mr. Mercer tells me, That Ninety & Nine head of Cattle, bought of Mr. Clay in Carolina, were brought to this Town and, by Mr. Causton's Order, were delivered to the Care of Mr. Henry Parker, this last year, Those Cattle were turn'd out of the Penn, without being first marked w/b. the Trustees Brand, as had been accustomed, Of which Number there are not Forty now re- maining, (on Mr. Parker's Island or planta- tion, near Vernon River, whither they were then sent) but have either gone back to Caro- lina, or are destroyed. There are Several Steers and other Cattle belonging to the Trus- tees (under whose Care, I know not) that feed near Matthews (Musgrove's) Plantation, The Said Matthews is lately gone to live at the Forks, (being a great way in the Nation, on the Altamaha), he has some Cattle on his plan- tation here, which he has left to the Manage- ment of M. Robert Williams, as reported .- And has left one Critchley in his house at ye Plantation. Which Critchley, has kill'd Sev- eral Steers of late (belonging to the Trustees,
CORRESPONDENCE
89
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
as I am inform'd) and disposed of the Car- casses to People in this town, he has threatned to Shoot me, as I am told. I acquainted Col". Stephens wth. the affair, & designd to have gone with an officer yesterday to Matthew's in order to view the Hides, if not destroyed, but am advised to wait untill the General arrives, who is daily expected.
I receiv'd a Letter from the General on the 8th. Instant, wherein he wills me, to let tr. T.m. Bradley have out of the Store (inter Alia) 111b. of Meat ~ Diem. I accordingly on the 10th, issued to him 1091b. Beef, & Since, 601b. of Pork. About the Same time Mr. Bradley brought, into his Yard, two of the Trustees Steers (being ye largest in the Colony, as Said) Which Steers I had Sometime ago brought in, wth. design to have them broke for draught, but was then told, that they could not be broke, being Six Year Old. Mr. Bradley said he would break ye Steers for plowing on the Trustees Farm, which I did not oppose; I was told, the next day that he had mark'd ye Steers with his own Brand, & had Sent them into his Lot. And yesterday morning, I was inform'd, he had slaughter'd one of the Steers. About two hours after he sent his Servant to me, at ye Store, desiring I would let him have Some Meat, being out of Provisions. I told the Servant, That Mr. Bradley might be assured, I would find some way to Supply him with the provisions, which the General had ordered, before the fifteen days were expired, for which time Pro- visions had been given him.
A threat to kill by Critchley.
Provisions for Mr. Bradley.
Trustees' cattle slaughtered by Mr. Bradley.
90
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Harman Verelst.
It is generally reported that he has fre- quently killed, and disposed of the Trustees Cattle, besides those he calls his own but can- not come at any Certainty of ye facts.
Reproaches and insults.
The Reproaches and Insults I meet with do not much affect me, but cannot calmly endure to See the Trustees Effects (wth. which I am, in Some measure, entrusted) squandered away by a Sett of Idle and Luxurious people : I have, heretofore been entrusted with, and had the direction of much larger Concerns (tho' not of so public a Nature) for others; I always lookd upon the Interest of my Employer, as my own, And hope, shall always think and act accordingly .
I would not willingly offend the Honourable, The Trustees, (for whom, And their generous Designs in establishing this Colony, I had the greatest Esteem (even before they were my Masters) but must beg leave to Say, That un- less their Honours can find Some Expedient to put a Stop to the prevailing Iniquity, and Rapine, which at present prevail, I hope I shall be excused from the Engagements I am now under in their Service & that I may not be a Witness to the utter Ruin & overthrow of One of the most generous, benificent, & disinterested Designs that I ever knew undertaken.
Ruin and overthrow of the Colony.
I am
ST. Y Your very humble Servt.
Tho. Jones.
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CORRESPONDENCE
91
Jno. Crosse, Junior, to Genl. Oglethorpe.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
JOHN CROSSE JUNR. ESQR. TO GENL. OGLETHORPE.
Thencriffe Portorotava the 28th. Febry 1738.
Sir
Without having the honour of your acquaint- ance I take this freedom to let you know that I was informed a few days ago very accidentally by a person come lately from Georgia of your intention to provide that Colony with some Madera wines, and as this Island affords those of the same sort which are commonly called here Vidonias, likewise green mountain mam- seys much the same as mountain Malagas com- monly called here Batans, which several sorts by experience near these twenty years past I find to be equally well liked of late as Maderas over all our American Colonies, and doubt not may be the same at Georgia, wherein I am con- firmed the more by a late experiment (which was the first ever made) at Charles Town in South Carolina where a friend of mine M. Samuel Eveleigh by name had desired me to send him a hundred pipes which gave such sat- isfaction that I daily expect One vessell to load a hundred and fifty pipes and another fifty pipes and another fifty to sixty more for the same Province.
Said wines are not only every way equal in quality to those of Madera but cheaper in price, the latter being seldom or ever under fourty
Madera wines for the Colony.
Mr. Samuel Eveleigh.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Jno. Crosse, Junior, to Genl. Oglethorpe.
pcs of S/S but rather more and the former as seldom exceeding thirty at a regular medium, besides two other considerable advantages in favour of these wines here which are all pur- chased in exchange of British manufacture and provisions with an advance commonly of about twenty per Cent when reasonable in price and well bought at home whereas Maderas are usually purchased either with bills of Exchange or goods at prime cost without any advance thereupon, which several beneficial circum- stances in favour of these wines to the advan- tage of Great Britain it self and said New Colony I hope may preponderate equally with the laudable generous views of the Honble Trus- tees and your own to preferr these said wines to those of Madera when occasion offers, wherein besides complying with the obligation incumbent on me with regard to the Character which I have the honour to bear I shall with much pleasure exert my utmost efforts in this particular towards promoting the unexampled generous views of the Honb. Trustees to whom my Brother Mr. William Crosse will have the honour to deliver this in your absence, and to communicate whatever directions may be fur- ther necessary for prosecuting this matter to best advantage begging you will please to be referred to him in order to avoid protracting this to any greater prolixity.
Mr. William Crosse.
Brandies and mam- sey wines.
An Experiment likewise with some Brandies and proper mamsey wines may not perhaps be amiss. As a great true admirer of your won-
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CORRESPONDENCE
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
derfull indefatigable labour in your present Noble design I most Respectfully Salute you and Sincerely am
Sir Yor. most Obedt. humb. Servt.
John Crosse Junior Consul.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 21.)
COPY OF LETTER FROM HUGH ANDERSON TO THE EARL OF EGMONT. MARCH 3, 1739.
My Lord
When a person presumes to take up your Sops: time So Valuable in public and private life by a long epistle it Should Carry allongst with it an appollagie either from its value or necessity, The first I have no title to, the Second I plead as my excuse.
M'La. I am no Politician and never entertain'd thoughts of medling with Other policies than those of Nature and Vegetables, But When Signall Misfortunes threaten a Society each Member is Oblidg'd to Contribute his Mite for the publick benefite: Such is the Melancholy Disposition of our affairs, which oblidge me to wave the following what inclination & Genius would dictate for those measures which pru- dence and Necessity for the present inforce, and to lay before your Sop'/: the present Citu- ation of your poor afflicted province of Georgia,
Not a politician.
The situa. tion of the afflicted Province of Georgia.
94
COLONIAL RECORDS
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
which has been So much the Object of your
Deplorable condition of Care and the exercise of Your Humanity. I the inhab- itants. no wise doubt but Informations from properer hands and more able Capacitys are laid before your Sop/: but as Truth and Sincerity Shall guide My pen I rest assured it may be Some Confirmation to have the Same Conveyd in Different Channells.
The Representation of this Division of the Province of Georgia which Contains the prin- cipall Causes of the grivances and present de- plorable Condition of the Inhabitants has I doubt not before this time been presented to the Honble board of Trustees. As the generall heads of it regard Culture and trade I Shall beg leave to lay before your Sop"/: my Senti- ments on both those points.
The Concurring Circumstances of his Maj- esty's and the Nations bounty and the Generous undertaking of the Honble Body of Trustees which could only flow from a disinterested View to the Happiness of Mankind, Were Incite- ments sufficient to engage Numbers of Persons of Spirit and Resolution To Risque their All upon the success of An Experiment So appar- ently well Concerted and Probable: and in the execution whereof the Adventures might War- rantably expect all Assistance of Wisdom, power and humanity.
Best con- certed schemes are but theories.
But the best Concerted Schemes are but Theories and can not arrive at Certainty untill put in Execution : According to the best of my knowledge and Capacity I shall endeavour to
CORRESPONDENCE
95
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
Show how far the Concerted Plan has Suc- ceeded; what now retards its further Success and threatens to Conclude: the hopes of the Nation, the joy of Friends and terror of our Adversarys in Confusion and Tragedy, Which no doubt your Hon"s. and the Nation will take the justest measures to prevent.
I repeat it My Lord That it was the Joy of Friends the envy of Neighbours and the terror of Enimys to See the Barrierr and Safeguard of British America Rise like an Exhalation under your forming hands, Beautifull towns built in the most healthfull and Advantageous Citnations Villages Cutt out and Cultivate Forts at the properest passes erected and guarded for the Safty of the Inhabitants, Our Navigable rivers Coverd with Vessells and made a New Azilum for Brittish Ships and Commerce in peace or war And the Outmost Isles and lines of our boundaries Fortifyd within Sight of our Adversarys. Such was lately the Cituation of Affairs Sufficient to Oblidge the French (After having in vain tried all the Arts of Peace and terrors of War to draw off from our interest or destroy our friendly Indians that border upon their Settle- ments,) to Send over numbers of regular Forces to reinforce their Garrisons, And the Spaniard to augment their forces at St. Augustine and erect new fortifications upon the Apallatche fields. But Ah how faln: how Chang'd; The Beautifull town of Savannah Decaying and Desolate The greater number of its inhabitants
Paints a graphic picture.
Harrassing conditions.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
Cultivated plantations deserted, villages, un. peopled, etc.
dispers'd in other parts of the world to Shun Misery and Famine, the Remainder Dispirited and in want of Common Necessarys of Life_ supported only with the Assurance of the justice of the Nation and Honour and Humanity of the Trustees. The Cultivate Plantations deserted and overgrowing with brush The Vil- lages Unpeopled, Manufactures given over, Credit lost And publick works mouldering to Destruction before they are finishd. My Ld: I may well apply here the Conclusion which the Trojan Hero draws from the review of the Tragedy of his Native Country quis talia fando temparel a lachrimis.
Colony composed two setts of people.
of
This Colony is composed of two Setts of Peo- ple, those Who were Sent over by the Trustees and Supported by them or Others who from the probable View of Success ventured their pri- vate fortunes in the Adventure without being burthensome to the Publick, Both I Shall now view in the Same light, As either party have Spent their Publick Support or private stocks in prosecuting the intended plan in the first necessary and essentiall Article of Cultivation without Success, I do not Say that every person of the society has exerted himself this way But it Suffices for my Argument, that So many of each kind have with all dilligence, care and Application prosecute the Experiment, That now it appears from the repeated tryalls of Six, five, four, three, two and one Years, that the labours of the Industrious has sooner exhausted their Substance than Idleness could have done
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CORRESPONDENCE
97
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
"And that it is impossible for us in the present Cituation we are in by the produce of our im- provements to ballance the expenses of them for which I Shall Assign the following reasons. 1st. The Nature of the Soil.
It appears from a Simple view of the Surface of the Soil of this Province and all the Maritim Coasts of America that we are now possest of the Spoils of the Ocean which Certainly at Some time Cover'd all this part of the Continent, the Particles of Matter while in a State of fluidity by their Mixture with the Water Subsided ac- cording to their Specifick gravity and upon the Retiring of the Sea exhibits a levell surface of Sand, of which Consists the greater part of our farm land. The Rivers proceeding from the distant mountains in their naturall tendency to the Ocean where they mett with resistance bed- ded, and dilated their waters forming Swamps and Morasses untill their Swelling and proper gravity overpowering all resistance diggd out those Channells in which now they flow, And therfore the Second and lowest levell of this Country is equall to the Surface of the Rivers and Consists of Savannahs, Swamps, Morasses, and Cane and Cypress galls many of which af- foord the most Valuable Soil the Violent Cource of the Rivers having Carried off the Moveable Sand and discoverd the Clay and loamy Strata that lay underneath, and of Such generally are the Rice grownds.
The face of the earth Naturally Sowd with the Seeds By the hand of the Almighty, when
Nature of the soil on the Georgia coast.
Rice grounds.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
impregnate with the fertilizing dews and warmth of the Sun Would Soon be coverd with vegetable productions most Suitable to the Nature of the Soil Climate &c. And thus I present Your So'p | : with a Natural Landskip of this part of the Continent.
It might be expected that the Continuall fall- ing of the leaves from the trees might in So many Centuries have coverd the Naturall Soil with a fertile Crust of Rolled Manure, But such is the Absorbing Nature of the trees and plants who generally Spread their roots and fibers upon the surface or the exhaling heat of the Sun, or both, That hardly is the Sand tinged with a different Colour, and where it is upon the best high grownds which produce Oak and Hickery the mixture of black earth descends but a few inches. And where the Land is Pine-Bar- ren the Soil is much less improveable, Ineed Say no more to Convince your Sop | : that No Ex- traordinary returns can be expected, that the grownd stands in need of Continuall Supplys of dung and proper manures (which for the pres- ent we can not furnish, And that So thin a Soil by the powerfull influence of the Sun must be soon exhausted, I talk of improving by Sowing of Corn and other the first necessarys of life. As for other manufactures of Silk and wine, I shall afterwards express my Sentiments. Tho the Returns are small the necessary culture in- cludes a Continued Course of toilsome labour, and intollerable to the Constitution of British Servants, Such as Felling Cross-Cutting, log-
Soil not enriched by the fallen leaves.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Hugh Anderson to the Earl of Egmont.
ging Heaping Burning Splitting, Railing, How- ing planting Clearing, Reaping &c. And es- pecially when we reflect upon the Second rea- son Viz the
2ª. Heat and Climate.
It will easily be beleived that a removall from Brittain to So Southern a Latitude must very Sensibly affect the Constitution, and that the excess of heat in the Summer dissables the Servants from working in the Midle hours of the day, but to explain how the heat may occa- sion those many diseases that they are Subject to is the Province of a Phisician Only. this I know that it visibly affects the Barometer in a Surprising manner, Occasions a violent per- spiration and lanquor of the Animall Spirits and relaxes all the Sollids of the body.
Nothing more conduces to releive either per- sons or vegitables than a free Current of Air which as yet we enjoy in very few places, for their being no Concert or Methods taken for Cultivating Contiguous Plantations the many Small improvements made are Cutt out of a Surrounding forrest which Admitting no Ave- nues of Air the health of the inhabitants is im- paird and the hopes of the labourer diss- apointed.
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