Tag Archives: Colonial & 18th-Century Georgia

Haitian Monument, 2009, Savannah

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A bronze monument depicting Haitian soldiers, known as 'Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue', commemorating their service during the American Revolution, set in Franklin Square.
Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue, one of Savannah’s newest monuments, and one of its most significant acknowledgements of the city’s early Black history

The enthralling Haitian monument in Franklin Square, also known as “Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue”, is one of the most imposing in the city and one of the newest. It is the work of the late sculptor, James Mastin and commemorates the service of a regiment of Haitian soldiers who fought for the colonists during the American Revolution. It was installed in 2007 and the last statue added in 2009.

A granite monument in Franklin Square commemorating the Haitian soldiers known as 'Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue' who fought in the American Revolution, featuring sculptures of soldiers and inscriptions detailing their contributions.
A general view of the monument from the east

The octagonal base of the monument contains text on each panel:

(West face)
In its fourth year, the American Revolution had become an international conflict. Rebelling American Colonies and their French allies attempted to capture Savannah from the British in 1779. Haitian soldiers of African descent were part of the Allied forces. Following the battle, many of these Haitians were diverted to other military duties, returning to their homes years later, if at all. Several veterans of the campaign became leaders of the movement that made Haiti the second nation in the Western Hemisphere to throw off the yoke of European colonialism.

(Southwest face)
Although hundreds of other “Chasseurs Volontaires” remain anonymous today, a number of them are documented and listed below.
Pierre Astrel; Louis Jacques Beavais; Jean-Baptiste Mars Belley; Martial Besse; Guillaume Bleck; Pierre Cange; Jean- Baptiste Chavannes; Henri Christophe; Pierre Faubert; Laurent Férou; Jean-Louis Froumentaine; Barthélemy-Médor Icard; Gédéon Jourdan; Jean-Pierre Lambert; Jean-Baptiste Léveillé Christophe Mornet; Pierre Obas; Luc-Vincent Oliver; Pierre Pinchinat; Jean Piverger; Andre Riguad; Césaire Savary; Pierre Tessier; Jérome Thoby; Jean-Louis Villate

We Honor All Of Their Collective Sacrifices, Known And Unknown.

(South face)
Acknowledging the deeds of “Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue” at Savannah, American Secretary Of State Cordell Hull dedicated a commemorative plaque on April 25, 1944, at the Cathedral in Saint Marc, Haiti, with these words:
“Nous Payons Aujourd’hui Tribut Au Courage Et à L’Espirit des Volontaires Haitiens de 1779 Qui Risquèrent Leurs Vies Pour La Cause de La Liberté Dans Les Amériques.”
“Today we pay tribute to the courage and spirit of those Haitian Volunteers who in 1779, risked their lives in the cause of American Liberty.”

(Southeast face)
In the Battle of Savannah on October 9, 1779, “Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue,” our forefathers, fought alongside the American Army of General Benjamin Lincoln. Distinguishing themselves by their bravery, as part of the reserve, they provided cover during the retreat of American and French Allies, saving many lives by deterring a fierce counter attack of defending British troops.

(East face)
In the fall of 1779, over 500 “Chasseurs Volontaires” sailed from Saint Domingue, the modern island of Haiti. soldiers of African descent, “Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue,” left their families to participate in the Georgia Campaign, under French commander Charles Henri d’Estaing.

(Northeast face)
The drummer represents young Henri Christophe, who participated in the October 9, 1779 Battle of Savannah. Christophe later became a leader in the struggle for Haitian Independence from French colonial rule, ending in 1804. A commander of the Haitian army, he became King of Haiti, being among the first heads of state of African descent in the Western Hemisphere.

(North face)
The largest unit of soldiers of African descent who fought in the American Revolution was the brave “Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue” from Haiti. This regiment consisted of free men who volunteered for a campaign to capture Savannah from the British in 1779. Their sacrifice reminds us that men of African descent were also present on many other battlefields during the Revolution.

(Northwest face)
A Project of the Haitian American Historical Society, 2001- 2007:
Board of Directors
(List of 13 members)

A bronze statue of a Haitian drummer from the monument 'Les Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint Domingue', depicting him playing a drum in a military uniform with trees in the background.
The young drummer represents Henri Christophe, who participated in the Battle of Savannah and went on to become King of Haiti.

Savannah Historic District, National Historic Landmark

First African Baptist Church, 1859, Savannah

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Exterior view of the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, showcasing its historic architecture. It is one of the oldest Black congregations in North America.
Savannah First African Baptist Church was organized in 1773 and built this historic chapel in 1859. It is one of the oldest Black congregations in North America.

Though the claim to “oldest Black congregation in North America” is a source of debate, Savannah’s iconic First African Baptist Church is definitely among the oldest.

The following history, shared from their website, notes: “First African Baptist Church (FABC) was organized in 1773 under the leadership of Reverend George Leile. The 1773 organization date for the church makes it clear that FABC is older than the United States (1776).  In May of 1775 Rev. Leile was ordained as the pastor and December of 1777 the church was officially constituted as a body of organized believers.  Four converts Rev. Andrew Bryan, his wife, Hannah Bryan, Kate Hogg, and Hagar Simpson would form a part of the nucleus of First African Baptist Church’s early membership.”

“In 1782, rather than risk reenslavement, Pastor Leile left with the British when Savannah was evacuated and migrated to Jamaica.  He became the first American missionary, 30 years before Adoniram Judson left for Burma. He was also the first Baptist missionary in Jamaica.”

“Under the leadership of the 3rd Pastor Reverend Andrew C. Marshall, the congregation obtained the property where the present sanctuary stands. Reverend Marshall also organized the first black Sunday School in North America and changed the name of the church from “First Colored Baptist” to “First African Baptist”. The sanctuary was completed in 1859 under the direction of the 4th Pastor, Reverend William J. Campbell.”

“March Haynes, a deacon of the church, enlisted in the Civil War on the Union side and did valiant service. He was active in helping captive Africans to escape to the Union side, where they enjoyed freedom. Deacon Haynes was an unsung hero of the movement of freedom known popularly as the “Underground Railroad”.”

“First African Baptist Church has been a place of leadership and service since its inception. Reverend Emmanuel King Love, 6th Pastor, led the movement to establish Savannah State University, formerly known as Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth. Rev. Love also played a big role in the establishment of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA; Paine College in Augusta, GA.”

Tours of the Savannah First African Baptist Church are conducted six days per week and are quite popular with visitors.

Savannah Historic District, National Historic Landmark

Dan Tucker’s Grave, Elbert County

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Sign marking the trail leading to Dan Tucker’s grave

Elbert County has always promoted Dan Tucker’s gravesite to visitors based on the assumption that the Daniel Tucker buried here is the “Old Dan Tucker” of 19th-century American folklore. There is no academic or even incidental agreement on this assertion, but it’s a great story, and the public access trail to the historic Tucker Cemetery is one of the nicest walks around. And as a big fan of vernacular gravestones, I’d suggest a visit to others who appreciate this underappreciated art form. Kudos to Elbert County for maintaining it so nicely. It’s a low rise path surrounded for most of its short distance by wooded slopes descending into Richard B. Russell Lake. The small cemetery has several other markers, three of which are identified.

Path to Dan Tucker’s grave

Since the origins of the standard folk song “Old Dan Tucker” are unclear and may never be confirmed, there is no way of proving the identity of its namesake. Some credit the song to Dan Emmett, who popularized blackface minstrel shows and composed the song “Dixie”, but it has also been credited to J. R. Jenkins, and Henry Russell. Dan Emmett told his biographer that he wrote the song circa 1830-1821 when he was 15 years old. “Old Dan Tucker” was first published as sheet music in 1843. The earliest versions (there are many) employed Black Vernacular English, portrayed Dan Tucker as a drunken troublemaker, and breaks with many social conventions. He was a Black man in these iterations. At least four versions with different lyrics and identities for Tucker were published in the 19th century. Some suggest it’s based on a notorious sea captain and widely despised colonist named Daniel Tucker. This seems a bit far-fetched to me. More likely, as has been suggested, it’s derived from earlier minstrel tunes.

General view of Tucker Cemetery

Elbert County’s Dan Tucker was Daniel Tucker (14 February 1740-7 April 1818), a Virginia native who served as a captain of the Amelia County Militia during the Revolutionary War. For his service, he was awarded a land grant on the Georgia frontier. He developed a successful plantation, Point Lookout, with an enslaved workforce, ran a ferry on the Savannah River, and served as a minister, particularly known, through oral tradition, “…to bring Christianity to those he enslaved.” He was a neighbor and good friend of Governor Stephen Heard.

Frances Tucker (25 April 1790-19 May 1818). The nice vernacular headstone, of local material, reads: Sacred to the memory of Frances Tucker W of Rev Eppes Tucker – Born April 25 1790 – dp this life May the 19 1818 -Age 28 years.

A 1957 Georgia Historical Marker, which is no longer standing, claimed this about Daniel Tucker: “…Esteemed by his fellow planters, he was loved by the Negroes who composed the many verses of the famous ditty, “Old Dan Tucker,” a favorite song at corn shuckings and other social gatherings.” There is no evidence whatsoever to support this claim, other than local tradition. While I never dismiss it outright, oral history is spotty at best. I mean no ill will in pointing this out, and I enjoyed my visit to Dan Tucker’s grave. I never gave it much thought when I first heard it on The Andy Griffith Show and Little House on the Prairie as a boy.

Decedent unknown. I’m working on translating the name but haven’t gotten it yet.

There are several unidentified stones in the cemetery, all relatives or in-laws of Daniel Tucker as best I can discern.

Frances Epps Tucker (4 April 1750-6 August 1823). The stone reads: In Memory of Frances Tucker W. O. Daniel Tucker-who was born April the 4th 1750-dp this life Aug the 6th 1823-Age 73 Yr. [The maker of this marker used a backward capital D for the letter R, and for the number 5 in the birthdate, quite an unusual characteristic.]

Daniel Tucker’s grave is also quite primitive.

Rev. Daniel Tucker (14 February 1740-7 April 1818)

A newer military-issued marker has been placed in recent years, and it’s a good thing, as these memorials are all fading fast.

Heard Cemetery, Circa 1800, Elbert County

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Entrance to Heard Cemetery

This historic cemetery near the lost plantation village of Heardmont is best known as the final resting place of Stephen Heard (1741-1815), who served briefly as governor of Georgia, from 1780-1781. It’s also referred to as the Stephen Heard Cemetery, Heardmont Cemetery (historic), and God’s Acre Cemetery. The earliest identified burial dates to 1800. It has been maintained by the Daughters of the American Revolution, though I’m not sure if that arrangement is still in place. It’s very well maintained. A granite marker near the entrance states: John W. McCalla, husband of Mary Allen McCalla, daughter of Singleton W. Allen*, deeded ten acres more or less, to the order of the “Daughters of the American Revolution” on November 24, 1903. The northeast corner, known as Heardmont Cemetery and church lot, to be reserved for burying purposes of the family members and relatives of Singleton W. Allen. *-Singleton Walthall Allen, Sr. (1793-1853), married Jane Lanier Heard, daughter of Stephen Heard.

A second generation Irish American from Hanover County, Virginia, Heard was the son of John Heard 1717-1788), and Bridgett Carroll (1719-1784). He set aside his schooling in the 1750s, and along with several of his brothers, joined George Washington’s Virginia regiment in the French and Indian War. He was promoted to captain by the future president and the men maintained a lifelong friendship.

This wall surrounds the entire cemetery.

He and his family came to Georgia in 1759, and in 1766 was the beneficiary of a 150-acre land grant for service rendered during the French and Indian War. Tensions remained high among the British settlers and the Creek and Cherokee peoples, and after both tribes signed the Treaty of Augusta in 1773, land north of the Little River was opened to settlement. To help protect new settlers from Native American incursions, Heard and his brother Barnard constructed Fort Heard, at present-day Washington, in 1774. Around the same time, Stephen and Barnard, along with their father, established another fort, known as Heard’s Fort, seven miles north of Fort Heard near Fishing Creek.

The Heards were patriots (Whigs) and were part of a larger group of rebels that included Nancy Hart, Elijah Clarke, and John Dooly. Far from being embraced by their fellow settlers, these colonists were the target of British sympathizers, known as Tories. As the British occupied Georgia, the Tories committed widespread acts of violence, culminating for Stephen Heard in the loss of his wife, Jane Germany, and their adopted daughter. The Tories invaded the Heard property and forced the women outside and into the snow. They later died of exposure.

His resolve greater than ever, Stephen Heard participated in the Battle of Kettle Creek on 14 February 1779. The battle was a major setback for the British in northeast Georgia, as only 270 of a force of 600 survived, but Tories continued to create chaos in the area. During one such campaign, Heard was captured and taken as a prisoner to Fort Cornwallis in Augusta. Legend holds that he was saved by one of his slaves, Mammy Kate.

Heard was appointed governor by the executive council of the House of Assembly on 24 May 1780 and served just over a year, departing the office on 18 August 1781. Clay Ouzts writes: “During his term, the British, who had overrun most of the state, were in control of its principal cities, and the backcountry was in a state of anarchy. Heard’s Fort functioned temporarily as Georgia’s capitol, but raids by Tories and Indians forced Heard and the council to move about continually to avoid capture by the British.“

Elizabeth Darden Heard (October 1765-5 June 1848)

After the Revolutionary War, Heard was granted nearly 7000 acres. He built Heardmont about 30 miles north of Washington on land which became part of Elbert County in 1790. He married Elizabeth Darden (1765-1848), a great niece of George Washington according to Findagrave, and they had nine children. Heard was an early justice of Elbert County, a delegate at the state constitutional convention of 1795, and a member of the committee that laid out the county seat of Elberton in 1803. He died at Heardmont on 15 November 1815. Heard County is named for him.

Col. Stephen Heard (13 November 1741-15 November 1815) The memorial doesn’t mention his brief service as governor, but notes: He was a soldier and fought with the great Washington for the liberties of his country…

Mammy Kate and Daddy Jack: Forgotten Black Patriots

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There are no known contemporary images of a woman enslaved by Stephen Heard known simply as Mammy Kate, but early references described her as imposing, over 6 feet tall, very strong and fearless. She also declared herself to be the daughter of an African king. These firsthand accounts are part of an oral tradition among the descendants of Stephen Heard that have elevated Mammy Kate to near mythological status for her bravery in freeing Heard from his British captors at Augusta during the American Revolution.

On 14 February 1779, Heard was present at the Battle of Kettle Creek and was subsequently captured and imprisoned at Fort Cornwallis in Augusta. He would have been executed had he remained there. Hearing of his capture, Mammy Kate set out on his horse, Lightfoot, and after reaching Augusta, gained the trust of the British soldiers at Fort Cornwallis by doing their laundry, and therefore got close to Heard. The story goes that she convinced him to get into a basket and she carried him out on her head. This part may be apocryphal, but is central to the story. She did in fact get Stephen Heard safely back to Fort Heard, (present-day Washington, Georgia). Mammy Kate was given her freedom for this daring act, as well as a small plot of land and a four-room house. She continued to live at Heardmont alongside her husband, Daddy Jack, who remained enslaved and worked as Heard’s gardener. Ironically, Mammy Kate left her nine children to Stephen Heard’s children upon her death. It does raise questions as to the broader relationship dynamics at work but there is nothing to be found, even in genealogical resources that I’ve consulted.

Published accounts of this story emphasize that Mammy Kate lived in “freedom from care and want” and that she loved her “kind” master. It should be pointed out that, ultimately, African-Americans, even free African-Americans, didn’t have carefree lives or a sense of self determination at this time and such accounts should be taken at face value and within a broader context.

Daddy Jack (Heard)-Birth and death dates unknown, Heard Cemetery, Elbert County

Even less is known about Daddy Jack than Mammy Kate. I was unable to find any mention of their countries of origin in Africa or their children.


A 2011 article in the Athens-Banner Herald notes that Mammy Kate was the first Black woman in Georgia honored as a patriot by the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution. Daddy Jack was also afforded this honorific. Heard’s descendants, who have diligently worked to preserve family stories over the centuries, were happy to see the recognition for Mammy Kate and Daddy Jack.

Mammy Kate (Heard)- Birth and death dates unknown. Heard Cemetery, Elbert County

The very presence of two marble slabs bearing their names in the Heard Cemetery is proof that Mammy Kate and Daddy Jack were held in high esteem. Unfortunately, there are no birth or death dates on their memorials. They were likely installed at the same time, possibly years after their deaths. I can’t think of another enslaved man or woman who died before Emancipation that are honored in this way, though I imagine there could be a few in existence.

Usry House, 1795, Thomson

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I’ve found numerous prominent homes in scattered Georgia towns which are examples of architectural evolution, or put simply, houses that grew over time. The Usry House may be one of the best examples of this practical phenomenon, having originated as a one or two room cottage and expanded throughout the years to its present appearance. The suspended balcony is said to be one of the largest in Georgia.

Long before McDuffie County or Thomson existed, the land on which this house was built was part of Warren County. William Usry’s family moved to Georgia from Virginia and first appear in the Warren County Tax Digest in 1805. Per Jonathon Davila: [The house, now called The Usry-Davila House, was built in 1795. My husband and I are the current owners. The roof, walls and floor of the original 2 room cottage are still here, the large house was built around the original cottage. Even though my husband is a very distant relation to the Usrys, we are the first family to live in the house that wasn’t directly Usry. Hence, the name change]. Usry was a successful plantation owner and like all plantations of the time, its success was dependent on the labor of enslaved men, women, and children. After the war, the Usry family wisely looked beyond agriculture for income and created the Goodrich-Usry Railroad to move timber from their vast holdings along Little Briar Creek to nearby markets. They were successful entrepreneurs in various pursuits.

Members of the Usry family lived here and maintained its historical character for well over two centuries.

National Register of Historic Places

Smyrna Methodist Church, 1911, Wilkes County

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The amazing history of Smyrna begins in 1785, when Reverends John Newton and John Simpson of the South Carolina Presbytery began holding services in nearby homes at the request of Sir John Williston Talbot (1735-1798), who had come to Georgia to attend to the 50,000 acres granted him by King George III. The first church, built on this site in 1793, was a log structure and the Reverend John Springer, the first Presbyterian minister ordained in Georgia, was the first pastor and he remained here until 1801. Membership had declined to such a small number by 1820 that the Presbyterians transferred the building to the Methodists and moved to the Washington Presbyterian Church. Beginning in the 1840s, the Methodists and Presbyterians held joint camp meetings on the grounds, which went on for many years. The old log church served Smyrna Methodist until a frame structure replaced it in 1860. The present structure dates to 1911.

Historic Smyrna Cemetery

The land for this burying ground, and by extension the churchyard, were given by Sir John Talbot in 1788, and it is one of the most historic in the region. I’m sharing some of the highlights here, focusing on the early gravestones.

Talbot Enclosure

This enclosure of Georgia granite is the burial place of several members of the Talbot family and other early members of the congregation. Because it’s the burial place of Governor Matthew Talbot, I’m identifying it as the Talbot Enclosure, but many families, including Jones, Charlton, Martin, and Colley, are also present.

Matthew Talbot, the son of Sir John Talbot and the namesake of Talbotton and Talbot County, served as the 30th governor of Georgia, albeit for only two weeks [24 October 1819-5 November 1819]. After moving to Georgia from Virginia, he served as a clerk of the Superior Court in Elbert County [1790-1791] and represented Wilkes County in the Georgia General Assembly. He later moved to Oglethorpe County and represented them in the state Constitutional Conventions of 1795 and 1798. He served in the Georgia Senate in 1799, 1801-1803, and from 1808 until 1822. While serving a President of the Senate, he became the interim Governor of Georgia upon the death of Governor William Rabun in 1819. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1823, losing after a battle in the legislature that lasted three days before a selection could be made. This resulted in the legislature changing the system of electing governors by election by popular vote. In 1827 he once again was a gubernatorial candidate, but passed away before the election.

James C. Talbot (5 October 1799-11 July 1840)

James Creswell Talbot, who, according to his headstone, stood well as a Preacher, served the Smyrna congregation before his death.

Mary L. Talbot (5 July 1838-17 February 1849)

Mary was the daughter of Reverend James C. Talbot and Sarah A. Talbot.

Thomas Henry Jones (July ? 1816-10 March 1818)

Thomas Henry Jones was the son of Col. William Jones, a veteran of the War of 1812. No birth or death dates for Col. Jones have been located as of this writing.

Dr. Henry Augustus Jones (9 August 1821-15 December 1854)

I like the inscription on this early physician’s headstone: The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips. He walked with men in peace and equity.

Frances Charlton (7 March 1782-11 September 1857)

The headstone of Frances Charlton is a nice early Victorian example featuring weeping willow trees. It is signed by its maker, Glendinning of Augusta. It notes of Charlton: Lived a consistent member of the Methodist Church nearly half a century.

Owens Colley (9 April 1851-13 September 1851)

Owens Colley was the infant son of John Owens & Sarah E. Colley.

Pvt. Gannaway Martin (18 September 1740-26 August 1819)

Gannaway Martin served in General Elijah Clarke’s Regiment of Georgia Troops during the Revolutionary War.

This is another view of the Talbot Enclosure from the back side.

This is the corner of the enclosure at a point where it joins another smaller enclosure.

Behind the Talbot Enclosure is an equally old and historic section of the cemetery. I’m calling it the Barnett Family Plot, for the number of Barnetts interred here.

William W. Barnett (16 November 1747-25 October 1834)

William W. Barnett was a son of John Barnett, Jr., an Irish immigrant who was one of the earliest settlers of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. His sister, Mary, is believed to have been the first white child born in Mecklenburg County. Along with his father and his brother, William served in the Revolutionary War in the Snow Campaign and the Battle of Hanging Rock.

Jean Jack Barnett (1750-11 September 1811)

Jean Jack, a native of Pennsylvania, was the wife of William M. Barnett of Wilkes County.

Charity Barnett (1789 ?-26 September 1808)

Charity was the daughter of William W. & Jean Barnett. Her headstone is one of the earliest in the cemetery.

William J. Barnett (July 1813-22 September 1828)

Elizabeth Margaret Joyner Barnett (1799 ? -23 January 1822)

Elizabeth was the first wife of Samuel Jack Barnett (21 January 1775-14 January 1843). His second wife, Elizabeth Wingfield Willis Bennett (30 March 1791-11 June 1856), is buried nearby.

The three memorials that follow were just aesthetically interesting to me.

G. W. Florence (Birthdate unknown-1874)

The simple mausoleum of G. W. Florence features a ventilation pipe on its roof. This is likely due to the belief held by some Victorians that people were often buried alive and this would provide air to the “not-yet-departed”. Florence himself has proven a mystery, as I can’t locate anything about his life. Even his birthdate is missing from this memorial.

Augustus Stovall Tatom (12 January 1877-6 October 1913)

Augustus Stovall Tatom was the son of Wiley G. Tatom (1847-1916) & Georgia M. Tatom (1847-1930). The broken Corinthian column on the headstone is symbolic of a life cut short in the parlance of Victorian funerary art.

Elizabeth Cooper Meriwether (21 August 1840-24 Mary 1921)

Cornelia Elizabeth Cooper Meriwether was the wife of Thomas Molloy Meriwether (1821-1899). The ferns and tropical plants featured on her headstone may have a Victorian meaning, but I think they’re more representative of the Arts & Crafts aesthetic that was popular at the time.

Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1904, Aonia

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Ebenezer Baptist Church, one of the oldest congregations in Wilkes County, was established in 1787. In papers held by the University of Georgia, photographer Hubert Bond gave 1790 as the construction date of the church but a more recent source suggests 1904. It is possible that parts of the earlier structure were incorporated into this one, and, considering its Greek Revival style, it may have antebellum origins.

The church is the last remaining public landmark of the historic community of Aonia, which had a post office from 1843-1918.

Sibbiah Earl Blair – Revolutionary Soldier?, Brantley County

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Sibbiah Earl Blair (c.1745-1815)

Cemeteries often hold mysteries, and there’s a good one in the Whitaker Hill-Harrison Cemetery, the final resting place of a woman who is said to have been a veteran of the Revolutionary War, Sibbiah Earl Blair. Sibbiah [also referenced as Sabbiah in some sources] Earl was the daughter of John Earl, who came to Screven County, Georgia, from North Carolina in 1760. She married William Blair (c.1740-c.1780) of Queensborough [now Louisville] at Jerusalem Church at Ebenezer, Effingham County, on 26 October 1771. Blair migrated to the Georgia colony with his father, James Blair, from Northern Ireland, circa 1770, and served with the Liberty Boys of St. George’s Parish [now Burke, Jefferson, and part of Screven County] as a Revolutionary soldier. William and Sibbiah had five children, Jane, William, Henry, Mary, and Martha. William died before the end of the war, whether in service or of other causes is not evident. He is believed to be buried at Whitaker Hill-Harrison Cemetery, but there is no marker, and considering that he died at Queensborough, he may have been moved from that location at some point.

The Whitaker Hill-Harrison Cemetery is located on the historic Post Road at the Brantley-Glynn county line, in an area identified on maps today as Popwellville. This was located in Wayne County until 1920, when Brantley County was created. There are no Whitakers to be found in this cemetery, so I’m presuming Whitaker Hill was an early plantation or place name.

The Blairs’ daughter Jane is the connection to this cemetery and to this section of Georgia, as she married Robert Stafford (1765-1829), also a Revolutionary soldier. Stafford most likely came to this area through land granted him for Revolutionary service. Birth and death dates for Jane Blair Stafford have not been confirmed, but she died after 1838. Other than the marker related to Sibbiah Blair and the Stafford markers, all other known burials date to the 20th and 21st centuries. [Note: The marker for Robert Stafford seems to be missing from the cemetery; there’s a photograph of it on Findagrave, but I couldn’t locate it].

Another mystery remains for me. The grave markers for Sibbiah Earl Blair and Jane Blair Stafford were placed by the Brunswick Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in the early 20th century. For such a memorial, the DAR would have vetted the service records and genealogy. My presumption is that they concluded that Sibbiah Earl Blair assisted in the war effort in Screven County, after William’s death in 1780. Sibbiah must have moved to Wayne County to live with or near her daughter Jane.

Thanks to Cynthia Jennings for sharing some of the background information.

Williamsburg Landing, Wayne County

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Near this location on the Sansavilla Bluff* of the lower Altamaha River, circa 1737, it is believed that Coosaponakeesa operated a trading post in proximity to an early frontier garrison of Georgia Rangers known as Fort Mount Venture. Coosaponakeesa, known by her English name, Mary Musgrove (c. 1700-c.1763), was the most important woman in the early history of the colony, her assistance to General Oglethorpe integral to its very existence. Her English and Creek heritage uniquely positioned her for work as a translator and entrepreneur, bridging the gap between the Native American world and European settlers. Andrew K. Frank suggests…As Pocahontas was to the Jamestown colony and Sacagawea was to the Lewis and Clark expedition, so was Musgrove to the burgeoning Georgia colony.

“Angel” Tree at Williamsburg Landing

Native American history is an evolving field and new discoveries continue to alter and improve long-held narratives. While they may seem contradictory, I have linked various sources in this post, to show the changing scholarship. I encourage you to visit them for more information.

*-Sansavilla Bluff is a geographical feature which follows the south bank of the Altamaha from the Paradise Fishing Camp through the Sansavilla Wildlife Management Area to Altamaha Regional Park at Everett.