USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 23 > Part 25
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The want of servants and heavy quit rent.
405
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
gether such Materials, as I vainly hoped might have been of some Significance at that Season, in satisfying the Doubts of many, who were dis- posed to enter into a close Examination of the State of this Colony: & when I reflect on my own Neglect in not sending proper Duplicates next Occasion, I am at a Loss to find any better Excuse, than that 'twas so voluminous a Task, we were discouraged from attempting it, whilst my Clerks Hands were fully employ'd as well as mine, in Works absolutely needfull. I have now made a Shift to get part of that Packett transcribed ; which, I fear will be look'd on but of little more Value than old Almanacks : the Schedule that goes with 'em will shew what they were, what part of 'em are coppied, & what remains; with [sic] shall likewise be done with all Diligence, as farr as can be attain'd, by another Occasion.
The Georgia Packett Cap": MeClellan, being lately sail'd from Charles Town to Frederica; I shall not be wanting to get Enquiry made there after those Goods intended for the In- dians ; consign'd to me at Frederica as @ Bill of Lading; in like manner as I did for all those of various Uses, which were sent > Cap" Thom- son : the particulars of which Affair you'll find in my Journal of the 5th of October. What re- lates to the Lutheran Minister and that Family of Saltzburghers mention'd in your Letter, you will also find due Notice taken of, in those Papers: which if you will please to give me leave to refer to, will often save both of us the
Of little more value than old almanacks.
Goods intended for the Indians.
Relating to the Lutheran minister and a family of Saltz- burghers.
406
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
Mr. Jones's appear- ances con. cerning the accounts.
Trouble of writing & reading many Things twice, that perhaps may little need it, when past. By the same Papers you'll also find what Difficulties we have been put to, in Relation to our carrying on the publick Acco's. occasion'd by Mr. Jones's retiring to Frederica in Appear- ance not designing to concern himself farther about it; whilst M'. Spencers unhappy Sickness has put a Stop to reducing those Things into that Order so long expected, & yet laying in Arrear. From the Time of my sending those Monthly Acco's commencing the latter End of last Year (which I could never prevail to get done before) I hope all Rects & Issues of Cashr will appear clear from hence forward.
Guard duty an affair causing great un- easiness.
The growing practice of bartering for ex. change lots. change of lots.
Our Guard Duty is an Affair which gives me great Uneasiness of late by reason of so many of our usefull Hands being employ'd in the pub- lick Service under the General; who tho they may be properly look'd on as Freeholders of this Town resident within the Colony; yet their Duty on Guard being wholly neglected, it occas- ions a great Defect : & often puts us to the Ne- cessity of hiring perhaps 2 or 3 on a Night, to make up a competent Number for that Service; which we are to get Repayment for hereafter when we can come at 'em. Another Thing I minst take Notice of, highly necessary for the honble Trustees to be acquainted with; which is growing into a Practice; Namely, Bartering for Exchange of Lotts here in Town : some of which I conceive will be of no Detriment to any Body : but I cannot say so of all : & they have been told
407
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Vereist.
by me, that in any Case I do not conceive they can make a good Title to such Exchanges with- out Leave first obtain'd from the Trust: A List of such I was intending to send now, with my Remarks on each ; but I must be forced to deferr it 'till my next, together with some other Mat- ters needfull. Cap". Avery being just arrived; who acquaints me that large Packetts for me are following him that came Cap": Cross- thwaite & Rodgers, that M' Hopton sends by another Boat: which I foresee will require my immediate Attention: wherefore I must close this that has already been too long deferr'd, by means of so many Papers coppying which I now send. Only one Thing more I can't well avoid giving a short Hint of; which is the Apprehen- sions I am under least the Trust should be dis- appointed again in the Person whom they were pleas'd to appoint Register: a Station that I humbly conceive, requires a Man to fill, who has a little Skill & Knowledge, in such Work, farr different for a Parish Register: & upon which depends in a great Measure the Validity of all People's Titles to the Estates they hold, which must conduce very much to the Credit of the Colony. I will not take upon me to say, 'tis be- yond M' Dobells Capacity; whom I look on as an inoffensive Man, & may be usefull & service- able in many Ways besides : wherefore I would avoid giving a Rash Opinion of him as to this; little or no Progress being yet made by him : by my next Letters probably I may be enabled to form a more certain Judgment, which whenever
-
A hint as to Mr. Dobell's incapacity as register.
408
COLONIAL RECORDS
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
I do, shall be void of any Partiality: & I am sure I have conceived no Ill Will to M' Dobell.
I remain Sir Your very humble Servant (Signed) William Stephens
P. S: The two Petitions herewith sent being just now delivered me as I was about sealing up this Packett, I must beg Leave to referr what I have to say to 'em 'till my next; when I shall also deliver my Thoughts concerning the others whom I have above mention'd.
To
Mª. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
LETTER FROM JOSEPH AVERY TO THE TRUSTEES RECD 2 MARCH 1742.
Savannah in Georgia the 27th: of Ober 1742. Honble : Gentlemen
thank God I am safely Arrivd at this place, After a troublesome passage of Ten days from Charlestown distant from this about a hundred and forty Miles, Being no more Absent from it then Six Months from the time I went to Eng- land and returning back, this is thought as quick dispatch as has been to this part, Tis no little
409
CORRESPONDENCE
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
Surprize to me to find the Alteration that has been in this place since I left it, A great part of which was Occationed by the Invasion of the Spanyards, which by Gods providence and the bravery of the General and the Troops and peo- ple with him beat them off with shame and loss.
this Allarm caus'd all the people of this place Except the Men (some of them not behaveing as they Ought) to retire to plantations in the Woods as Ebenezer and others for their Secur- ity, some of them with the Men belonging to them never return'd (to this place) but went to Charlestown and other parts of Carolina where they was Invited, Most of those that did return have been sick and some of them dead, others of them gone to Garrison the Forts and lookouts, So that the Town of Savannah is much reduc'd as to the Number of people.
But in my comeing through Carolina and at Charlestown I saw several of those that have left the Colony at this time and before, Who upon hereing what has been done at London and knowing your Hon's: good Intentions are re- solv'd to return to the Province again and to Act with more prudence, They pretend to be much Inrag'd at Tho: Stephens who they say has betray'd them in Reflecting upon your Hon's: and the General in his Petition to the House of Commons, it being as they Conclu'd rather to sattisfie his own resentment and some few with him, then the Sence and desire of the people that Employ'd him: who's Instructions as they Add strictly injoyn'd him never to touch
The alter- ations in Savannah noticeable.
Spanish alarms cause of people retiring to plan- tations.
Population of Savan- nah much reduced.
Enraged at Thos. Stephens on account of reflec. tions cast in his petition.
409
CORRESPONDENCE
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
Surprize to me to find the Alteration that has been in this place since I left it, A great part of which was Occationed by the Invasion of the Spanyards, which by Gods providence and the bravery of the General and the Troops and peo- ple with him beat them off with shame and loss.
this Allarm caus'd all the people of this place Except the Men (some of them not behaveing as they Ought) to retire to plantations in the Woods as Ebenezer and others for their Secur- ity, some of them with the Men belonging to them never return'd (to this place) but went to Charlestown and other parts of Carolina where they was Invited, Most of those that did return have been sick and some of them dead, others of them gone to Garrison the Forts and lookouts, So that the Town of Savannah is much reduc'd as to the Number of people.
But in my comeing through Carolina and at Charlestown I saw several of those that have left the Colony at this time and before, Who upon hereing what has been done at London and knowing your Hon's: good Intentions are re- solv'd to return to the Province again and to Act with more prudence, They pretend to be much Inrag'd at Thos: Stephens who they say has betray'd them in Reflecting upon your Hon's: and the General in his Petition to the House of Commons, it being as they Conclu'd rather to sattisfie his own resentment and some few with him, then the Sence and desire of the people that Employ'd him: who's Instructions as they Add strictly injoyn'd him never to touch
The alter- ations in Savannah noticeable.
Spanish alarms cause of people retiring to plan- tations.
Population of Savan. nah much reduced.
Enraged at Thos. Stephens on account of reflec. tions cast in his petition.
410
COLONIAL RECORDS
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
upon Charactors or Transactions of the Colony but only to beg that they wou'd take pitty of them, and to redress them so far that they might have Grants which with Industry wou'd enable them to git their bread and to Improve the Land granted them, which by what was at present allow'd they was not able to do, And therefore they was Oblidg'd much Against their will to leave the Colony. What they alledge against Thos: Stephens they pretend they will make good to your Hon": how far they will be so good as their word I know not, but I am in some doubt about it, those of them that are dead perticularly Mathews who was troublesome and factiously inclin'd, is well out of the way, and if some more of them wou'd either reform or Else follow him it woud be no loss to the Colony.
Death of the minister. Mr. Orton.
I am sorry for the death of our Minister MI: Orton but M': Doble officiats in his place in reading prayers and Sermons, Our hopes is that we shall soon be Supplied with another.
Dutch and German servants settling a town and plan. tations at White Bluff.
As their [sic] are near Forty familys of Duch [sic] or German Servants allmost out of their time, that wants land Run out for them to settle a Town and Plantations contiguous. So White Bluff at the head of Vernon River is though a proper place for it, tis distant from this about Nine Miles, and being good land is desird by them. Therefore before I go upon the General Survey I purpose to run it out, by which means they may then go to Work and prepair the Land for the next years Crop as they incline, I shall endeavour to precure them Mulberry plants and
CORRESPONDENCE
411
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
Vine Cutings to plant upon the land as they clear it, that so all the time possible may be sav'd according to the Scheme I left with your Hon": the providing of which and the making Use of them has not been so carefully observ'd as it were to be wish'd, but I shall indeavour to mind it for the future.
As the Winter and Spring is the best time of Surveying, perticularly in the Woods, heads of Rivers &c :. for fear of snakes, with other reasons needless to trouble your Hon's: So as soon as I have settled the Duch Servants, then 'ill proceed with all Expedition to carry on the General Survey of the Province to the South with proper Remarks, The Summer will be Em- ploy'd in drawing Plans, Writing Journals of Improvements and Advance of the Colony to be kept here and returnd to your Hon's; it being the Office of Surveyor and Inspector, As drawn up and left by me, And as the Garden and Farm Lots of the Town of Savannah are not Run out as they ought, but remain in Confusion some of them being Pinebarron, and others of them Swamp and Overflow'd Marsh, and some of the people complain that they never had any Run out, and so they cannot know where they are, These and other discouragements as their being seperate and of a Triangular form with Road round them, And haveing a Square in the Mid- dle calld Trust lots, which hinders the free Circulation of Air and causes them to be sickley, they also require more fencing then twise the quantity of Land in an Oblong or Square form,
Mulberry plants and vine cuttings for the Dutch and German settlement.
The general survey of the Province to the south.
Garden and farm lots of the town of Savannah.
The division and running out of lots.
.
412
COLONIAL RECORDS
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
these and other Reasons are the cause that so few Lots are Improv'd, most of them haveing never had any thing done to them
And as they must be all Run over again, and where the Land is not good others must be Sub- stitute in its place which is the opinion of the President and Council as well as my self. Yet I shall not presume to do it without your Hon". approbation, and allowance to Run out those patches of ground calld Trustlots to make up what is wanting to the several Freeholders, And as the people very much desire to have their Lots run together and that they may be in Squares or long Squares rather then Triangles being more Commodious and less Expence in fencing, so what is yet to Run out I desire to know whither you will be pleasd to have them Run in that manner,
Great quantity of land hear Savannah Islands, etc.
And as their is a great quantity of Land near the Town of Savannah that are Islands and others, that are said to be reserv'd for the Trus- tees, So please to let me know whither it may be Run out as Vacant land to those that wants to settle in the Colony, or whither your Hon's: ineline to have them, or any part of them, re- serv'd for you to Improve and lease out, which may Certainly be done to Advantage, And also to such other lands upon the Southern Rivers that I shall think proper to set apart for that purpose,
if you incline to do so please to let me know it, that so I may turn my thoughts how it may be
413
CORRESPONDENCE
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
done to Advantage which I shall lay before you for your Approbation-
And as I hinted to your Hon's: before I left London, the Necessity and Advantage of have- ing a Town, Shipbuilding yards, and Settling with Plantations, the Extensive Country about that Excellent River Ogeche so since I came away, I have spent a good deal of time and thought upon that Subject, which when fully degested I shall lay before you for your appro- bation.
the ground Rent of the Town propos'd by my Scheme, will at least amount to a Thousd: pounnds St : a year without any Expence to sup- port it, and Yet the Inhabitants will be less burden'd then those of Savannah, There may as I observ'd before be a great quantity of Land kept, or rather Improv'd and let out to lease, without being any prejudice to the Settlers in that Country.
I have communicated to the people here, and to several others that wanted to know as I came through Carolina the manner how their Land is to be granted, Run out, and assertaind by Plot & Grant annex'd to them. This they all appear to approve of and are highly pleasd at it without any Objection, And they farther say that was Augusteen redust [sic] and the Terms granted that are proposd the Colony woud be worth liveing in, and woud in time become a florishing country,
Necessity of ship. building yards, etc.
The ground rent of the town.
The manner in which land is to be granted and run out.
414
COLONIAL RECORDS
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
Highlands of Seotland.
As the Highlands of Scotland at this Invasion of the Spanyards, have distinguish'd them selves very well in the defence of the Country, so I believe tis in my power, as I am informd by Letters from my Friends and relations in that Country to bring from thence at times a Con- siderable Number at least five hund : familys if your Hon": incline to Incourage them to come.
Improving and peopling the Colony.
I should be glad to know how you approve of the papers I left with you about Improveing and peopleing the Colony to it I have a Supple- ment to Add which as I apprehend will be Equally Usefull, which I shall send to your Hon's: when I know how far those meet with your approbation-
When you please to send my Commission and Instructions which is Necessary to make me as Usefull as I wou'd incline, I shall take care pointed to Observe them and all other Com- mands you honour me with. I am with the out- most respects
Your HonTs :
most Obed' : humble Servant Joseph Avery
To the Honble: Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia
415
CORRESPONDENCE
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
LETTER FROM JOSEPH AVERY TO MR. VERELST AT THE GEORGIA OFFICE IN QUEEN ANNIS SQUARE, WESTMINSTER, LONDON. RECD 2 MARCH 1742. PR THE MAGDALINE, CAPT PEACOCK. 2. D. G. Savannahı in Georgia the 27th: 8ber 1742.
RED 1 WAX SEAL
S' :
it has pleas'd God that I have had a most Ex- cellent and quick passage to America where I arrived the 16th: Inst : after a short passage of five Weeks,
my Arrival was much wanted to Run out and settle a Town for the Duch or German Servants which I am going to do at White Bluff upon upon [sic] Vernon River for about a hund" : Familys the land being very good. tis true their are not above Forty Familys the rest of the land will be redy for others when they come over I beleive they will be Industrious and do very well for them selves, but not for any other they haveing been very expensive to the Trustees, nor will any white Servants be of any proffit un- less they are well lookd after and redust [sic] to Rules in working like the black servants in Carolina, I suppose you'l allow my Sallary to Commence from the beginning of Sber I am
To run out and settle a town at White Bluff for the Dutch or German servants.
White servants very ex- pensive to the Trustees.
416
COLONIAL RECORDS
Joseph Avery to the Trustees.
The general survey to the south of the Province.
Surveyor and inspec- tor of the Colony.
shure it will be fully earn'd before Christmas day, not only in runing out the Duch servants town and Land, but also in continuing on the General Survey to the South of the Province, I shoud be glad you wou'd hasten over my Com- mission and Instructions, that so I may know how far I am to Act, and whither it will be agree- able to the duty of a Surveyor and Inspector of the Colony as drawn up by me and left w'. you when I came away, I know they are both wanted and will be equally Usefull, but without my power I cannot open my office and begin books and Enter and Record things in form, nor can I receive Claims Warrants for Runing land, or Give plots and Grants Annex'd without nor can I inspect the several plantations Improvem's: and others things wanted to be look'd into in the Colony and keep Journals their off as was propos'd without sufficient power so to do,
Cannot begin work without commission and in. structions.
I have of this date writ to the Trustees accord- ing to their order which please to see and let me know how far they approve of what is theirin proposd and Oblidge
S' : your most humble Servant
Joseph Avery.
P: S: I shall writ you more fully in my next.
417
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. John Terry to Mr. Harman Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
LETTER FROM MR. JOHN TERRY TO HARMAN VER- ELST 1 NOVEMBER 1742 RECD 3 JANRY 1742
Sir
In Closed you have the Coppy of my Last Letter of the 17th: of June Last, as Also the Duplicate of Sundry papers wch. I could Not Send Nor write Sooner, being I had waited for the Prize Sloops Departure 3 or 4 months, And finding that the day of her Going Never came I then Sent Such a Packet to a friend at Charles Town to forward it to England; weh. I hope he hath & that you rece the Same, of wch: I shall be glad to hear
I have Since rec". the hon'. of three or four Lines from you of the 27th. of march Last wth. 20 Coppys of the Honble. the Trustees Resolu- tions. And am very Sorry to hear that the peo- ple of this place Are Not yet quite Satisfyed wth. the Contents.
M. Bosomworth who is the bearer of this Call'd Upon me About an hour Ago & told me that he had Just a little before recd. Orders from the Gen1. to Embark to Morrow Morning on board a New yorck vessell in order to go home from New yorck wth: Some Dispatches, so that I have but Little time to write you theese Lines
Sir you will See by the Inclos'd Letters the Improuvements I have done since I am in this
Twenty copies of the Trus- tees' reso. lutions.
418
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. John Terry to Mr. Harman Verelst.
The im- provements accom- plished while in Colony.
Draught on Mr. Stephens protested.
Country And I have Since Laid Out Upwards of forty Pounds stg in Short I have gone As farr As my Small Substance wou'd allow me Even to the Last shilling, And when I thought to recruit my Cash wth. my Sallery. How great was my Surprise when I found my Draught on Mr. Stephens was Protested And was Made Ac- quainted by a Letter from the sd. Gentleman that he had Orders from the Honble: the Trus- tees to pay No Sallery to the Southward, is it probable or possible for me Sir to beleive that the Honble Trustees have Sent me here wth. the promis of a Sallery, And that Soon after I Ar- rived here And have Spent all I had in my own & my Servant's Subsistance, in Clearing of Land, Building, & planting that Such worthy Lords & Gentlemen, wou'd give Orders that Such Sallery should Not be paid me, And that I Must Live or Rather Starve in a place where Nothing is to be had without the money in the hand, Such Sir is my present Condition, and what is worse, the Land I have Cleared in Order to plant Vine- vards this Next Spring, will Again be over run'd wth. permetoes and Brush before I am able to proceed in what I Intended I cant help saiying it is very hard, for I have allready sold many valuable things wch. I would Not have done if I had had my Sallery, & tho they Are but small still it would have innabled me to have done a great Deal in planting of vineyards, Now that my Cleared Land is fenced, my Dwelling house & out houses are Built weh. Are 4 in Number, therefore Sir I humbly Entreat you to Lay My
Land fenced, dwelling and out-houses bullt.
CORRESPONDENCE
419
Mr. John Terry to Mr. Harman Verelst.
Desolate Case before the board and move the honble. Trustees to do some thing for me in re- gard to what I mention in My first & in the In- closed Coppy
Likewise if you would be so Good to Acquaint them that we are here in very great want for Magistrates Gowns to hide our infirmity's for realy Nobody Ever wanted them more then we do here to Sett us off for realy we make a most shocking figure on the the [sic] Bench and as Little we are reguarded
I shall Not make here Any Mention of the attempt the Spaniards Made upon this Island being you have Err Now had a full Acc': of the whole, I must Notwithstands. Acquaint you that my house in my Plantation was in or Duering the battle Broke open & all there robbd Even my very Poultry, I was Not quite got in to it other ways I should have Lost all I had, but what I Lost has been been a Great Loss for me tho it do not I beleive Exceed £ : 10- to wch: I hope the honble. the Trustees will have Some Regard & Reimburse me that Triffle yr. Assis- tance therein will very much oblige me, if you desire a Catalogue of what I Lost and the value of the Same Upon Oath I shall Send it you. I have planted Some Prickly Pear tree on my Land in order to Make an Experiment on Scotchneal, but most of them have been De- stroied by the Cattles during the Invasion, but as the fruit is Not yet Ripe I can give you No Acct. of it I shall write to you in my next more at Large about it,
In great need of magistrates' gowns to hide in- firmities.
The attempt the Span. iards made upon Island.
House robbed during battle.
Prickly pear trees planted.
-
420
COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jno. A. Terry to the Earl of Egmont.
I conclud Sir in wishing you health & happi- ness being with due respects .
Sir Your most obedt. and most humble Servant John Terry
for harman Verelst Esq". frederica 1st. 9ber 1742
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.) LETTER FROM MR. JO. A. TERRY RECORDR OF FREDERICA TO THE RIGHT HONBLE THE EARL OF EGMONT AT HIS HOUSE IN PALL MALL, LONDON. 1 NovR. 1742 RECD 16 JANRY. 1742/3.
RED WAX SEAL
My Lord
I hope your Lordship will Excuse the Liberty I take in writing these Lines to your Lordship And in Troubling you with the Inclosed, wch. are the Coppys of what I Had the Hon'. to write to the Honble. Board the 17th. of June Last past As also that the Honble. Board will Excuse my Not having writ Sooner Being I waited Several months for the Prize Sloop who was taken In feb"" Last by one of our Guard Vesell, but find- ing her going for England So Uncertain, I then
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