USA > Georgia > Colonial Records of the State of Georgia, Volume 23 > Part 4
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The Ger. man ser- vants in. dustrious and Ihave well.
The Trust" German Servants, in generall be- have well, and are industrious, (tho' I found them quite otherwise, for some time after I came in to the Colony, being then very Stub- born, & unwilling to work but when obliged thereto, and under One's Eye- They had (as they have since complained) been treated with great Severity on their first Arrival, (especially those with Mr. Bradley) and debarrd from the allowances of Provisions & Cloathing promised them by ye Trust.
Of those German Servants, Eight or Ten Families are more remarkably industrious. quiet & frugal, And have this last year pur- chased a good Stock of Cattle; Some having Six Cows-the least two; And each having a Gar- den where they raise some Corn, Pease, Pomp- ions, Potatoes, &c. which with the Milk of their Cows, is the chief part of their Food; They are
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CORRESPONDENCE
Thos. Jones to Harman Verelst.
at little Expence in Cloathing; But this exposes them to the Envy & hatred of Our Negroe- mongers, & such who seek the Exterpation of the Colony. As well as of the Drunken, Idle Sort among Us.
I am inform'd by Francis Harris & Willm. Russell (who are very conversant with them and can talk ye German tongue,) That they have lately joynd in a Letter writ & sent to their Friends & acquaintance in Germany, persuading them to come to Georgia where they may by their Industry live in greater plenty & more Comfortably than they can elswhere.
These Servants are very desirous That (when the Time of their Service is expired) they may have Lands alloted them within twelve or fifteen miles of Savannah, (where they may bring things by Land Carriage) in a Vieinage & that they may make one Comon Fence, (as the Peo- ple of Ebenezer have done,) and be assisting to one another.
Many of the other Germans, bound by In- denture to Serve Some of ye Freeholders in this Colony, have by their ill Usage, (of which there has been repeated Complaints) deserted their Masters' Service. The Carolina Temper, of procuring Slaves, and treating them with Bar- barity, seems to be very prevalent among us : I mention this the rather, That, if any Foreigners, or Others, Servants, should be sent over; The Honble. Trustees might give Such Orders therein, as would prevent this Inconveniency for the future
Negro- mongers envious of the German servants.
Letter sent by German servants to Germany persuading their friends to come to Georgia to live.
German servants anxious to have land allotted them near Savannah.
The treat- ment of slaves in Carolina.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Thos. Jones to Harman Verelst.
Christian Steinhevel. a servant very deserving.
I forgot to mention That Christian Steinhevel, (One of y" Trust's Servants) has the Direction of ye other Servants on Desbovery Farm- he has been very industrious & carefull,-has Planted thirty Acres, & cleard more for plant- ing ag' next Season, keeps the Fences in good repair; There's a prospect of as good a Crop, if not better, than has been seen in this Neigh- bourhood-I have promised to allow him Some- what : over & above what is paid him as a Ser- vant, for his Care & Pains, which I hope the Trustees will aprove of
I shall not add on this Subject at this time, -- But desire you would please to acquaint the Honte the Trustees, That tho' I fully purposed not to take any part of the Yearly Allowance Appointed me, as Overseer of ye Trust Ser- vants, untill 1 know their further Pleasure therein. But having lost near Fifty Pounds by endeavouring to Support & Save Some People in the Colony from Ruine, I was under a neces- sity of adventuring to take that Yearly allow- ance which, If not aproved of by their Honours, will endeavour to Repay As soon as I know their pleasure therein
I am
Sir
Your very humble Serv ..
Tho Jones
1" July. 1741
To Mr. Harman Verelst
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Jones to 3Ir. Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
LETTER FROM MR. JONES TO MR. VERELST
July 8th. 1741.
Sir.
You will receive this Conveyance, Sundry Accots, weh have been examind ? Col". Stephens and me; Mr. Parker was present when Some of them were examined, but Since he heard The News, communicated by the Manager in Lon- don, & had the Same confirmd by Rob' Williams, That there is a Change in ye Ministry in Eng- land, And that the Trustees have no more to do with the Affairs of the Colony-He seldom comes to Town, & when he does, keeps wth S- Richª Everard, Williams, Fallowfield &e but is not seen by Col" Stephens or my self.
When you have perused these Acco's. You will find how necessary it is, That the Honble Trus- tees should, by some other Means, or persons, have their Accots & Affairs in this Colony more regularly settled & managed, than they can by me- What thro' my Incapacity, And my Time being taken up either in dispatching such orders, as I receive from his Excelley. General Oglethorpe, Or in Other Matters, which Col' Stephens & self think necessary to be done for ye Service of the Trust. But what prevented my Sending now, a more distinct and regular Acco' of those Affairs, wh. I judge, incumbent on me, more especially, to take care of, Has
A change in the ministry and the affairs of the Colony no longer under the control of the Trus- tees. False news com- municated.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Verelst.
Reasons for so long a stay at Frederica.
been, my being detain'd at Frederica for the Space of Four Months, unemploy'd. His Excel- leney's Ill State of Health for some time after I arriv'd at Frederica-The Store Acco's. at Frederica (which one Rob. Paterson had un- dertaken to have in readiness) not perfected. (nor, can I think, ever will by him)-Mr Francis Moore (who was the only person ar- quainted wth. the State of those Acco's) being under the General's Displeasure,- And his Excelly" time being Chiefly taken up with other Affairs, occasion'd this Disapointm.
Tho', I once had determin'd, in my own Mind. Protection asked of the Trustees against some who Mr. Jones. That I would not trouble the Honble Trustees with any Complaints of Hardships sufferd by, seek to ruin or Injuries done to my self, in their Service, Yet am now brot into a Necessity of applying- to their Honors for Protection, and Instruc- tions how to behave, and defend my self from the Attempts and Contrivances of Such who have publickly avowed and Seek my Ruine -----
In November last (being then at Frederica) M :. Tho : Hawkins demanded of me the Paymt of his Salary, and other Sums of Money, wch the Trustees ow'd him, to ye Am'. of £150- I told him, that I was yet unacquainted wth the State of the Acco" at Frederica, or the Demands any persons had on the Trust: But as I came there on purpose to settle those Acco's with his Ex- celleney-I could promise That whatever was deficient in Paym' to any, of the Allowance made them by the Trust', for the last Year, I would See them paid before I left Frederica-M.
Payment of salary te. manded of Mr. Hawk. ins and threats made.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Jones to Mr. Verelst.
Hawkins, angrily Said, That if I did not pay him his Demands, wth. Interest, for the time he had been kept from his Money; he would lay me by the Heels for it, as a Saucy Fellow. This passed in the open Street in the hearing of M. Davidson & others. I went directly to the Gen- eral and acquainted him therewith; His Ex- celles. asked me, What Report have you and the other Comission's. made to the Trust upon Dr. Hawkins's Accot. sent to you by M' Horton ?- adding, It plainly appears, That the Trust". have disallowed a great part of his Demands. which must be owing to your Report-What re- ply I made (under the surprize I was then in) I do not recollect,- I shall not relate the con- tinued Threatnings of M' Hawkins, and his Wife, of committing me to Prison, from whence I should not be discharged; untill I paid him his whole Debt, with Interest-But mention only what pass'd on ye 12th March ( the day before I left Frederica) Being that morning to wait on ye General, His Excellency told me, he had re- ceiv'd a Letter from Dr. Hawkins, And then gave me a paper, subscribed Thos Hawkins, (wh had not been folded) wherein, among many other quaint Invectives, He said, The Trustees had sent their Sola Bills unto me, in order to pay their Debts, which I kept for my Sola Ac- count-The same day receive the inclosed Let- ter from M. Hawkins- That Evening his Ex- celles. ordered me to Attend him, and then sent for M. Hawkins and asked him, What Sum of Money .did he demand of me. Hawkins an-
1
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Verelst.
swered That he demanded of me £54-(but I am not certain of the exact sum he then men- tioned) which The Trustees had not allowd him in his former Acco. together with the Sum of $75. allowd him by their Estimat for the Care of the Sick &e the last Year, And also his Salary for first magistrate from Midsumer last. The General then askd mne, What I said to these De- mands. I replyd that I was ready to pay every Sun of Money (in my power) orderd by the Trust, or that his Excelles. would order me to pay -- The General said, He would not give me any Such Order, but was of Opinion that I ought to pay Dr. Hawkins that Money, which, the Trustees had not allowd him, upon the Com- ission". report .- I reply'd That if M. Haw- kins had any Vouchers or other proof of his Debt w" we had not seen, I was well assured the Comissioners would readily amend their re- port, & willingly rectify any mistake that might have happened, But that I could not justify my Conduct to their Honors, The Trustees, in AApropriating their Mony towards the paym' of any Demands made, other than what they had directed, much less in paying such Demands which they had disallowed. In wch Opinion I was certain Col" Stephens concurr'd with me
AAHow. ances for the sick.
Moro sick. ness in the northern part . of Colony.
That as to ye Sum of $75 allowd > Estimate, for the Care of the Sick-Food &c, I begd Leave to acquaint his Excell: That the Sum of £150 had, ? Estimate, been allowd for the Same pur- poses, in the Northern Part of ye Colony, Where notwithstanding we had more poor, and That
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Jones to Mr. Verelst.
Thirty One Sick Indians had been sent thither by his Excelley. (Some of whom died), & ve rest remaind a great while with us, before they re- covered-That they, as well as our own poor, had had due Attendance & care taken of them, Yet the whole Expence for the Year did not amount to One fourth part of the Sum alotted for that purpose- I therefore desired M. Hawkins would make out his Bill, wth An Accot. of the Persons Names, & how long, they had been under his care, that the same might be transmitted to ye Trusts. I proposed this Meth- od, being informd, that he had not administred One Dose of Physic to any poor person but re- fus'd, unless paid for, weh has been done by Con- tribution from the Inhabitants; Of wch. could have given Instances
One other Instance (out of many) I would at this time mention, is The Demands w-ch Mr. Duche & Will Ewen, as Attorneys to Patr. Tell- fair & Edwd Jenkins, (both withdrawn to ye Comon Asylum, & out of the reach of those they owe Many to in this Colony) make, and continue with great Clamour to demand my paymt, of those Sums of Money, wfh they have made Oath to be due to them, tho' therein foresworn; both having had Copies of their Accots before they went away, & the same allow'd by them to be just. Jenkin's's Debt to ye Trustees by ye Sª Accot. was £32 .. 6 .. 11-Telfair's Accot, (now sent you) had Credit in ye Store Books for £11 .. 12 .. 3-due to him, but he makes Oath at Charles Town that I am, on behalf of the Trust,
Other demands for money.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Jones to Mr. Verelst.
indebted to him ye Sum of £15 .. 35 .. 9ª Edwd Jenkins's Affidavit I obtained, and send enclos- ed a Copy: I have been threatned, that if they find me, or any Effects belongs. to me, within the province of South Carolina, they will oblige me to pay these Demands-wch I am induced to think would be done, by the following Instance of their judiciary proceedings lately against one Peter Mollier (lately become a Freeholder at Savannah, but had been an Inhabitant of Puris- burg, (a man accounted to be of good reputa- tion and Substance)-He sometime in January last bought of Henry Bourquin a Quantity of Rice to the amo' of £50. sterling, wh Bourquin had then at Savannah; about two Months ago, Bourquin came to Savannah for his Mony weh Mollier tendered him, in Trustees Sola Bills, Bourquin refused accepting ye Same for paym', and insisted to have his paym. in Carola. Cur- rency threatning that when Molier came to Pur- isburg he would have him sent to Charles Town Goal-Molier came to me (then at Col Steph- ens's) desiring my Advice in the Affair- I sent to Bourquin, who came to me, And asked him when & where this debt was contracted, he Said on ye Bluff at Savannah, where the Rice was also delivered- I told him that he was wrong to threaten to have a Person sent to Goal in Carolina for a Debt contracted here, when he knew, that by his applying to a Magistrate here, he might have had the Same legall Red- ress, as he could have had in Carolina for a Debt contracted here-Molier then entred unto
A threat made to send to goal in Carolina for debt incurred in Georgia.
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mary Vanderplank to the Trustees.
a Recognizance wth. Sureties before me-to ap- pear at the Court now holden, & answer &c. About a fortnight past Molier being at Puris- burg, an Officer came & by Virtue of a Writ (enclosed a Copy) seized his Effects, refused to take his Bond wth Sureties to Answer &c (en- closed a Copy). At length Molier was obliged to pay the whole Sum £400 wth. twelve pounds ten shilling sterling Costs to ye Officer-I need not make any Remarks on these proceedings- but will, if required, put them in a fuller light I conclude Sr./Your very humble Serv.
Tho. Jones.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.)
LETTER FROM MARY VANDERPLANK TO THE HON- OBLE THE TRUSTEES FOR GEORGIA AT THEIR OFFICE NEAR OLD PALACE YARD-WEST- MINSTER RECD 28 SEPTR. 1741
Black -
Wax Seal.
Hond Sirs
Your Kindness to my late Husband John Vanderplank deceased, and your generous un- deseerved Favours to me are still fresh upon my memory- I therefore take this occasion of offering to your Hon"s. my Dutifull Thanks. Give me leave in Particular to thank you for
Thanks given to the Trustees for kindness to John Vander- plank, de. ceased.
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mary Vanderplank to the Trustees.
Accounts very im- perfect.
Husband's creditors pressing for pay.
the allowance I have thro' your Bounty reciv'd in my Distress of Twelve pounds, .. [blotted] .. 4. a year for keeping a servant and Pray bear with me in what I am going to mention; my Late Husband was in his Life time often favoured with your orders, and he chearfuly obeyed them, in going out upon publie occasions, such as at- tending the Tybe People, and other Villages, at their first settlement, going by Land and water upon all alarmes, and overlooking Publice works, according to the orders he frequently re- ceved from Esq'. Oglethorpe, and afterwards from M' Causton on your Hon"s behalf, you wre pleased .more than once to take notice of, and reward my Husbands Services : I am therefore bound again to thank you-The attendance my Husband gave to the public Buisness occasioned his being much from home, so that his accounts he him self kept are very imperfect: This has more especially appeard since his accot. with ye Store came lately to be examined by your Comissioners, here, I am under great Difficul- ties therein, since it also appears that your Honor Store Books are by no means clear in stating of my said acco. I hope the Comission- ers will explain the same as far as they are able, and so I leave my self to your compassion in the whole affair, there being very little in my Power to say or do upon it, only suffer me to acquaint you with the following particulars
That my Husbands Creditors soon after his Death, began to press earnestly for the pay- ment of their severall Bills; M. Causton did
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mary Vanderplank to the Trustees.
assure them that there was profit sufficient from his share of the periager to pay all the Debts he owed, whereupon the Creditors were satis- fied for a time, But the Periager aeco was de- layed being settled, as it is to this day, the Creditors came and threatned to seize the feue goods that were left me; about this time Gen- eral Oglethorpe arrived last from England and he kindly promised to get the Creditors satis- fied, and so preserve my Goods, However it has so happned, that I am left to satisfy them my self, which in some measure I have from time to time done by the profits of my Garden stuff : milk and Poultry and by shareing them part of the allowance your Honours have bestowed upon me for the maintenance of a servant, after my late Husbands decease. I had some hopes of paying still more of his Debts by the Fees arising from the naval officers place which M' Peter Grant took care of for me, But it pleased General Oglethorpe soon after his arrival to appoint M. Fallowfield naval officer and to or- der that the Naval officers Fee should be divided into two parts and that one of them should be given to me under the Titel of Collector of the port of Savannah. But as yet it has not been done-
Creditors threaten to seize goods left.
Debts paid from profit on garden, milk and poultry.
Mr. Fallow- field ap- pointed naval officer.
I beg your Honours pardons Who am with all humility Your Honours Most obliged humble servant Mary Vanderplank.
Savanna
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
(From B. P. R. O., B. of T., Georgia, Vol. 22.) MR. STEPHENS'S LETTER TO MR. HARMAN VER- LEST ACCOMPTANT TO THE HONOURABLE THE TRUSTEES FOR ESTABLISHING THE COLONY OF GEORGIA AT THEIR OFFICE NEAR THE HOUSE OF LORDS WESTMINSTER -
24 June 1 1741 RECD 2 OCTOBER 1741
13 July
Red Wax Seal 1
Savannah 24 Jun : 1741.
In my last of the 13 May { Capt Long in the Eagle, I sent you Coppys of my preceding let- ter, my daily Journal to that day, &c; as I now do to the day of my closing this. Therein I also acknowledged your favour of the 9th Feb: and on the 22 May your former favour of 17 Dec ( Which I feared was lost) came to my hands, as noted in my Journal of that day; weh contained matters of such Importance y' I ought to pay the utmost regard to: but I fear least the hon- ourable Trustees set too great a value in bind- ing up those Journals of mine: Wherein, tho' I must still insist that nothing but strict truth will appear; yet I cannot but be apprehensive, too many ngatory things will be found inter-
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CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
spersed, wch will be of no longer significance than whilst they are recent. The last from you was of the 20 Feb, enclosing the Order of Coun- cill, touching the Form of Prayer to be used for the Royal Family; Which has been observd : and that letter I also recd on the 22 May; ac- quainting me withall, what Goods were sent to Mr. Bolzius; that are since delivered safely. Among all these, I find not a word said about the Packett sent hence the 20 Nov last; nor of any, since that which I wrote of the 6 Oct: wch leaves me in great pain ; fearing least any ad- vices sent me may have fallen into the Enemys hands; who of late have been very busy; where- of several particulars are noted in my Journal of the 10th. inst.
Upon receiving no advice from any body, when that Tub of Vine Cuttings came to my hands on the 6 May (as then noted) I was will- ing to imagine yt it was the Effect of my Sons care, for those reasons given (see how we received. Fathers are willing to impute any good we can to our Sons) but on my writing to M' Hopton to give me what Information he could in that affair; he has thoroughly unsolved the Mystery, by telling me now that they came from London in a Ship called the Winter; being sent by you to Messrs. Levi & Solomons, with a letter to them to deliver 'em to M'. Hopton, to be for- warded to me &c. how welcome they were, & what use was made of em, I have shewn before in my former Journal.
Our Malcontents in these Parts seem much
Order of Council, touching the form of prayer to be used for the Royal Family.
A fear that some of correspond- ence may have fallen into the enemy's hands.
Informa. tion in regard to a tub of vine cuttings
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
Report given out that Parlia- ment had granted the use of negroes.
elated for some days past, on some Intelligence given out, that they have recd. lately, of the Par- liaments granting the Use of Negroes, & the Lands to be holden in Fee simple: whereof till I have some authentick account, I have only this to observe, to such as appear most delight- ed; that I admire they should be so sollicitous about holding of Lands, & cultivating them by . Negroes, which they have reported to be hard- ly worth any value in Georgia; & that all the good things I had wrote of it, relating to its product, were false.
Long ex- pected work of the Scotch Club, entitled "A true & his- torical nar- rative of Georgia, etc."
Whilst I am writing this, behold the long ex- pected Work of that Remnant of the Scotch Club, now at Charles Town, being newly pub- lishd, under the Title of a true & historical nar- rative of Georgia &c, is just come to my hands, sent me from M' Hopton, as will be found also noted in my Journal of this day; and where of farther notice may probably be taken, when I have a little more leisure that (sic) at present. It seems this Libell is not to be had in common; but only by such as subscribed towards its print- ing; among whom I had desired M' Hopton to make One: but I hope 'twill somehow be in his power to get another, & send to you; as I have wrote him to do, if possible.
.
Attached in credit and character.
You'll easily be perswaded to believe, the Sit- uation I am in at present to be very uneasy ; when I find my self so attackt in my Credit and Character, as I have been for a time past; ever since I sent those papers in Nov & Dec last; which is not to be forgiven by those people,
CORRESPONDENCE
71
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
whose practices I never could approve of; & whose Designs are now so manifest, that twould be wasting both time and paper, to say more of here. If the honourable Trust are pleased to set patient, under such audacious Ribaldry as they'll find in this Libell, void of all shame and Truth; then it may be thought becoming me to be passive too; whom the World owes little or no regard to, in comparison of those I serve: but I neither think they'll acquiesce tamely under such Insults, nor leave me unprotected, to the Mercy of a Wicked Crew, employd to worry my good name; which I must set at a very low value, if I did not esteem it more durable y" the little remains of Life yet left me. I make no doubt but M' Jones has his anxiety too, as well as others: but as tis a professed Maxim with him in all things, To take care of One, it may not be amiss at this time for once, to apply it to my self.
Some Passages will be found now in this Journal, which I conceive will appear sufficient to draw conclusions what farther may be ex- pected from a Band, whose Rage & Madness plainly means bringing all into confusion. My Son may now consider,-whether or not the base treatment his Father finds here, from his pre- cious Correspondents, be the Wages due, for all the pains he has been at, in promoting their Work. But least I should be thought under too much Impotence of mind, by such excursions ; I stopt short; and waiting daily in hopes of some Advices from the honourable Board, yt may re-
Audacious ribaldry, void of shame and truth.
Anxiety also felt on the part of Mr. Jones.
·
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COLONIAL RECORDS
Mr. Stephens to Mr. Verelst.
new my usual Vigour in their Service, Maugre (sic) the Infirmitys of oetat 70; I think I shall never shrink from the Support of Truth; nor give way to Democratick Insolence, however daring. Too many of these thoughts crowding at present ; I shall endeavour so to digest some of 'em, that I may, in my next Address to their Honours, probably make use of a Freedome not . unbecoming their Faithfull Servant: who must always remain S. with great sincerity
Yours
Will : Stephens.
Seeing it very likely, yt it may be yet some days, before I get the opportunity of sending this Packett by Capt Thomson; I shall add by peice meal wt occurrs to me, proper for you to know, before I close up all: Tho' the continu- ance of my Journal to that time, may in a great measure answer that End.
Savannah 13 July 1741.
You see Sr. by my Journal, what this space of time since the date of my former has produced, & how daringly we are attackd, in carrying on the Publick Service of the Trust; wherein, as to my own share in it, nothing however shall terrify me from a firm perseverance, in doing what I think my Duty: still hoping I shall some day or other be advised that the several peices of Intelligence I have sent hence, from the 20 Nov: inclus to this time, whereof I yet hear nothing from you, have escaped the Enemy, & come safe to hand: and if so, I make no doubt
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