Monday, September 21, 2015

Southern Colonies: Georgia

Founded by James Oglethorpe in 1732 and named for King George II, was designed to be a safe haven for debtors. Oglethorpe envisioned a colony free from alcohol and slavery with small farms rather than large landholdings. Colonists disagreed with Oglethorpe's vision. He brought 240 colonists to the site of modern-day Savannah to establish a proprietary colony. In 1652 Georgia became a crown colony.

Slavery was instituted in 1749, although it was opposed by Scottish settlers in the colony. Georgia settlement was primarily along the Savannah River. The western lands were part of the Cherokee Confederation.

Georgia was under British occupation from 1780 until the end of the Revolutionary War.

More:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia

Family connections: Enoch Gulley spent a couple of years farming on the Georgia/Tennessee border.

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