The Scots in Early Georgia

[KFCarter]

In another Georgia thread, Colonel MacLean asked an interesting question that I thought might sustain a thread of its own. It was:

"First Families of Georgia. (wink-wink) About what percentage of the First Families of Georgia were Scots? (Lowlanders and Highlanders)"

The Georgia Historical Society is headquartered here in Savannah and publishes an excellent quarterly. In the Summer 2007 issue, Paul Pressly authored an article about the impact of Scottish Merchants in the early colony that offers some insight, if not exact numbers, into Colonel MacLean's question.

For example: "Of the twenty-four firms or individuals who advertised in the Georgia Gazette of 1768 and merit the classification of "merchant," perhaps twelve came from Scotland. Of the three largest export firms in Savannah, all were in the hands of Scotsmen..."

There is another post in the "Savannah Games thread" that discusses the Highlanders that were brought to the colony by General Oglethorpe and who founded the town of Darien (now the seat of Macintosh county) and I'll repost that info in this thread.

For any of you rabble with Scottish roots in the state of Georgia, I thought it might be of interest to have a thread where you could share any stories about Scottish connections to the state's history.

[KFCarter]

And a note about the first Highlanders to come to Georgia:

(the whole article is at http://darientel.net/~aatrain/history.html)

"The Scots Highlanders Settle Darien

[size="2"]General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the new Georgia colony at Savannah on February 12, 1733. He soon realized the need for military outposts to the south to protect the main settlement at Savannah. The purpose of the Georgia colony was largely military at first (as well as philanthropic). Thus, Oglethorpe decided upon an outpost on the former site of Fort King George on the Altamaha and a more elaborate fortification on St. Simons Island, a short distance south of the Altamaha.

In October 1735, a band of Highland Scots recruited from the vicinity of Inverness, Scotland by Hugh Mackay and George Dunbar sailed from Inverness on the Prince of Wales . In early January 1736, they arrived at Savannah and, on Oglethorpe's orders, began making plans for settling at the mouth of the Altamaha.

On the 19th of January, after traveling down the inland waterway by boat, the Highlanders landed at Barnwell's Bluff on the site of Fort King George. There the Scots established the settlement they called Darien, in memory of the ill-fated expedition made by their countrymen to the Isthmus of Darien in Panama in 1697. There were 177 people in this hardy band of Scots, including women and children, and they were led by John McIntosh Mohr and Hugh Mackay.

The men were trained Highland warriors, among the world's finest fighting soldiers and especially selected by Oglethorpe for the purpose he had in mind. The Highlanders emplaced cannon on the earthworks of Fort King George; huts were built for the soldiers and those who had brought their families. A small kirk was built for the purpose of holding divine services. The Scots had brought their own minister, Rev. John McLeod of the Isle of Skye, recently ordained by the Prebyterian congregation in Georgia.

Captain Dunbar wrote to the Georgia Trustees: "The Scots have settled at Barnwell's Bluff on the Altamaha and desire their town shall be called Darien.

On February 22, 1736, Oglethorpe made his first visit to Darien. The occasion marked the first military parade of British troops to be held in Georgia. In their honor, Oglethorpe wore the Highland habit. As they marched in review before him, the Highlanders made an impressive sight in full regalia, with claymore, side arms and targes (shields).

In the summer of 1736, Oglethorpe again visited and on this occasion he laid out the town of Darien on a high bluff overlooking the river about one mile west of the Barnwell Bluff outpost. Here, Fort Darien was to be built; a town was surveyed and town squares laid out with commons on the east and north and acreage lots to the west of Fort King George.

Late in 1739, the District of Darien was laid out, comprising an area approximating that of present-day McIntosh County. For a time, the town of Darien was called New Inverness to distinguish it from the District. "

[Kilt_Noob]

KF Carter, thats pretty cool stuff! Where did you get that info?

[KFCarter]

KF Carter, thats pretty cool stuff! Where did you get that info?

The Darien info was on a website about Sapelo Island... I came across it in a google search. The other information came from a great article that appeared a year or so ago in the Georgia Historical Society Quarterly. That org. is headquartered here in Savannah. If you're interested in Georgia History, that place is the mother lode of information as well as archives of historical papers, letters, photographs, etc.

[macneighill]

KFCarter,
Considering my family is from Northern Georgia and, they're Scots-Irish . . this is a pretty cool bit o' history .

My GGG Grandfather was a very well known Blacksmith from Northern Georgia, in the mid to late 1800's owning a considerable amount of land. With a large bit of it being sold (several tracts) in the 1880's, to what eventually becomes known as the "Georgia Marble Company". There is even a town named after him, "Nelson, Georgia", its just a few miles north of Atlanta.

However, my direct ancestors were not amongst the first families in Georgia (although, some of our family had lived there for many years, they are not of my direct line). My GGG Grandfather was born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina in 1825. In the latter half of 1830, his parents moved to Northern Georgia (eventually settling in Cherokee County). It was in this general area that, my GGG Grandfather grew up and remained until his death in 1918.

Here is an interesting book for you. You can download it to your computer in pdf format and, read it at your leisure . . "History of the Colonization of the United States"

[KFCarter]

There is even a town named after him, "Nelson, Georgia", its just a few miles north of Atlanta.

I spent most of my childhood in Atlanta... Nelson sounds familiar but I can't place it on the map...what is it near?

Also, thanks for the link to that book... looks great.

Ken

[Colonel MacNeal]

The "wink" bit regarding first families of Georgia was a reference to His Majesty's Penal Colony. 'Thought most people, especially Georgians, would pick that up.

[Woodsheal]

Here is a Georgia-based "living history" group that portrays those Darien highlanders:
http://www.geocities.com/clanamcu/homepage.html

[KFCarter]

Here is a Georgia-based "living history" group that portrays those Darien highlanders:
http://www.geocities.com/clanamcu/homepage.html

I've seen them... a great group. I wonder if they'll be at the Savannah Games this year, their site doesn't mention it.

[KFCarter]

I completely missed the reference, sorry!

I have to say, I had forgotten about that description for Georgia. I grew up here and was taught the idea that Georgia was a penal colony but I think it would be hard to find a Georgia historian now who would take that as an accurate description. Yes, over the years a number of British convicts were sentenced to "transportation" to Georgia, but the original colonists were selected by the Trustees. Oglethorpe favored positioning the colony as an alternative to debtors prisons. So yes, many colonists were debtors, probably quite a few in, or on the verge of being in debtor's prison, but they were not viewed as criminals, but rather viewed by the Trustees as the "worthy poor" and the Trustees' motto was, "Not for ourselves, but for others." In fact, Georgia was alone among the British colonies in banning slavery, up until about 1750, I think. So, they were a motley group, but were recruited with some high ideals in mind, and with a goal of establishing themselves economically and providing a bulwark against Spanish incursions. They eventually succeeded on both counts with Scots playing a pivotal role.