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Background
The
earliest Europeans in North America, the Spanish, never established any
permanent settlements within the region that would become Georgia, as
they did in Florida and along the Gulf Coast. Their only attempt to do
so, during a naval expedition led by Lúcas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1526, lasted only six
weeks.
By the mid-1600s English settlers from South Carolina
made forays across the Savannah River and into northeast Georgia,
engaging first in a thriving slave trade of Indians and later in the
even more lucrative deerskin trade, which continued well beyond the
British colonization of Georgia.
In 1732, King George II issued Georgia’s first official
charter. Georgia’s Trustees held their organizational meeting and
elected John Percival, Earl of Egmont, as president. They decided that
the new colony’s first settlement would be located on the Savannah River
and would be named Savannah. James Oglethorpe and 114 colonists
subsequently departed England aboard the Anne.
The main
money-making crops in colonial Georgia were tobacco, indigo and rice,
all of which required intensive manual labour. Indentured servitude
became one of the solutions to the need for labourers. The poor of
England and other nations could arrange for passage to Georgia by
signing a contract of indenture to a master for a number of years,
usually four to seven. While some indentured servants received fair
treatment, others had cruel masters who demanded hard physical labour,
fed their servants insufficiently and beat them for any number of
infractions. As indentured servants, women experienced rape by their
masters or others. As punishment for becoming pregnant, their labour
terms were extended.
Early Douglas settlers
In about 1740, a number of 'malcontents'
signed a declaration complaining to the English government about the
conditions in the colony, among them a D. Douglas(1)
Robert Douglas, Sr. and Robert, Jr. migrated to
Georgia sometime between 1765 and 1769 from Halifax County North
Carolina, to seek new land opportunities then becoming available in St.
George's Parish (present-day Burke County). Robert first appears in
Georgia in 1770 as evidenced on a land grand request in St. George's
parish. The property in question was a 100 acre tract located next to
John Sharp. The property was granted on October 6, 1772. Notably,
Robert's sister, Elizabeth Douglas Ward, also resided near this
property. War, Robert Douglas, Sr.
and Robert Douglas, Jr. were joined by Edward Douglas, son of Robert,
Sr., and brother of Robert, Jr. in Burke County, Georgia. Edward had
remained in North Carolina during the Revolution, and later migrated to
Georgia to be with his family. Together, both Roberts and Edward
migrated to Montgomery County, Georgia, where Robert Douglas, Sr. and
Edward signed a petition to Georgia Governor Jerrid Arwen in 1797
For more on the above family,
see: The
Georgia Douglases
| abt 1740 |
Malcontents |
D. Douglas (x2) Probably one of these is David Douglas |
| 1743 |
Headright granted |
D. Douglas |
| 1751 |
First Assembly met in Savannah |
David Douglas |
| 1765-1772 |
Headrights granted in St
George's, Burke and Jefferson parshes |
Daniel Douglas |
| 1774 |
Public officers |
Jno. Douglas |
| |
Protesters |
R. Douglas & Jas. Douglas |
| |
Headrights granted in St John's,
Liberty and St David's parishes |
James Douglas & Andrew Douglas |
| |
Headrights granted in St
George's, Burke and Jefferson parshes |
Robert Douglas |
| 1776/1777 |
Headrights granted in St
Matthew's, Effingham and St Philip's parshes |
H. Douglas & Jas. Douglas |
| 1778? |
Legislature member for St. David's |
Sam'l Douglas |
| 1782 |
'denounced' |
Samuel Douglas, John Douglas & James Douglas |
| 1783-1784 |
Headrights granted in Wilkes County |
Geo. Douglas & Wm. Douglas |
| |
Headrights granted in Washington County |
Geo. Douglas, Wm. Douglas, Alex Douglas & Alex Douglas |
| 1785-1789 |
Headrights granted in St Paul's and
Richmond parishes |
David Douglas |
| 1787-1789 |
Headrights granted in St
George's, Burke and Jefferson parshes |
Fred Douglas, James Douglas & Ed Douglas |
| bef 1800 |
Received a land grant in Jefferson
County |
David Douglas (possibly from Northern Ireland) |
| abt 1812 |
Early settler in Emanuel County |
Wm. Douglas |
| ???? |
Soldiers of the Line |
Alex Douglas, Jno. Douglas & Geo. Douglas |
William A. Douglas (son of Thomas Douglass) died in Gordon
County, Georgia in 1844; his wife, Elizabeth Martin, born 1773, also
died in Gordon County, Georgia in December 1859.
War of 1812 pensioners, extracted from Fold3 by
'Sunnydaze'
DOUGLASS, EDWARD – Pension # SO 30409 – Capt. R. S. Briscoe’s Co. DC
Militia - Rejected
Img 02 – Rejected Mau 26, 1876
Img 03 – Reside: Lawrence co, Miss PO box: Monticello, Lawrence co,
Miss. Claimant not on rolls, but Mathias JEFFERS is whom he said he was
a substitute for.
Img 12 – Pawanee co, Mississippi, 14th Feb. 1876, Edward Douglass, 78yrs
[1798], married Sarah H. MAYFIELD, Perrlington, Hancock co, Miss. 5th of
June 1824, Enlisted, Capt.. Briscoe’s co, 1st Regt of Washington DC, 18
Aug, 1814, honorably discharged DC, Dec 1814, Received Land Warrant No.
7835 for 120acres June 30, 1856, previously received 40 acres.
DOUGLAS, JAMES – SO 30315 – Capt. Wm. Cone’s co.. Georgia - rejected
Img 03 – Post Office: New Troy; La Fayette, Fla; Application filed: 29
Oct 1875; Rejected because no record of attendance rolls of Capt. Wm.
Cones
Img 06 – 1875 – 99yrs old [1776]
Img 17 – 18 Oct 1875; 99yrs; wife Hannah Douglas married in Camden co,
Georgia 8 Feb 1818
DOUGLASS, THOMAS – WO 13307, Susan H. Douglass – Capt. Jones Hendrick’s
co, GA mil - rejected
Img 07 – James Briden? Was a substitute for Thomas Douglas
Img 26 – Susan H. Douglass, resident of Cuthbert, Randolph co, Georgia,
widow of Thomas Douglas, filed 29 Apr 1875, Thomas died 9th August 1862
Img 31 – Col. E.L. Douglass, his uncle, Thomas, was born & raised in
Wilken co, GA, about 1784. Not sure if Thomas was in the war or hired a
substitute. Thomas moved to Randolph co near 40 yrs ago. He’s been dead
near 20yrs. Widow, Susan A, lives at their place, old lady of very good
reputation, was wealthy before the war.
Img 35 – Thomas Douglas & Susan H. PEARMAN married 25 November 1830,
Upson co, Georgia
Img 44-45 – Randolph co, Georgia, 22 July 1875, Susan H Douglass 80yrs
[1795], Cuthbert, Randolph co, Georgia, widow of Thomas. James B. SMITH
& Eugenius L. DOUGLASS of Cuthbert
DOUGLASS, WRIGHT – WO 4249 – SARAH Douglass – Capt. Owen’s Co, GA mil –
REJECTED
Soldier died 2 September 1869 (image 20)
Img 03 – 1871, reside Columbia co, Florida, Post Office, Lake City,
Columbia co, FL
Img 17 – 1872, Capt. Hardin, GA vols.
Img 20 – 1871, Lake City, Columbia co, she is 75yrs [1796] FL, Capt.
Owens co, Maj Hardin’s battalion, widow, Sarah HANCOCK, Married Wright 4
July 1814, in Tattnall, co GA.
Notes:
1. D. Douglas appears twice in
my copy of the transcription; father and son?. Elsewhere he is recorded
as David Douglas.
See also:
•
Douglas, Georgia
•
Douglas County, Georgia (Wikipedia)
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