Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 07:14:02 -0700
From:  "Terry Sampson" <zei@worldnet.att.net>
To: GAJOHNSO-L@rootsweb.com
Message-ID: <001f01bede83$eb744420$c60d480c@default>
Subject: Part 1  . . . .

 

                 Galavanting Through Georgia [Counties]
 
       Here's my version of the evolution of "boundaries" in
the area of Georgia which interests us.  A word of warning:
keep your maps at hand, I get lost easily.
--Reference:  Georgia Counties:  Their Changing Boundaries
  (Compiled by Pat Bryant and Revised by Ingrid Shields, 1983.)
 
      In 1754, King George II commissioned John Reynolds as first
Captain-General and Governor-in Chief in and over the Royal
Province of Georgia.  Reynolds promptly ordered everyone register all land holdings with him in order that he might issue new titles in the King's name.  In August of 1756, Henry Ellis succeeded Reynolds as the second Royal Governor and ordered the division of Georgia into eight parishes:  Christ Church, St. Matthew, St. George, St. Paul, St. Philip, St. John, St. Andrew, and St. James.
 
      James Wright succeeded Ellis in 1760 and Georgia's southern boundary was extended
from the Altamaha to St. Marys River in 1763.  Four new parishes were created in this area:  St. David, St. Patrick, St. Thomas, and St. Mary.  A treaty with the Cherokee and Creek in
1773 gave Governor Wright additional land known as "The Ceded Lands."
 
      Georgia's first constitution, in 1777, created the
first eight counties out of the parishes:
 
    Wilkes County             from           The Ceded Lands
    Richmond                  from           St Paul Parish
    Burke                     from           St. George
    Effingham                 from           St. Philip above the 
                                        Canooche River and all of St. Matthew                                                   
    Chatham                   from          Canooche River and 
                                        all of Christ Church                                 
    Liberty                   from            Sts. John, Andrew, and James
    Glynn                     from            Sts. David and Patrick
   Camden                     from            Sts. Thomas and Mary.
 
   After the Revolution, Georgia acquired more land from the Creeks and Cherokee lying
between the Ogeechee and the Oconee River in the Treaty of 1783.  From this land, Georgia created Washington and Franklin Counties in 1784.  In 1786, Greene County was created out 
of the northern quarter of Washington County; and in December 1793, Montgomery County was created out of the southern third of Washington County's remainder.  The dividing line between Washington and Montgomery Counties was--as I understand it-- along the Uchee (or Yuchi) Path, so named for the Uchee Creek Indians who traveled it first or most.
 
    In an introduction to Emanuel County, Georgia's GAGenWeb Project tells us that the 
County Seat of Montgomery County was "at one time located within five miles of what is now Swainsboro" which is in present-day Emanuel County.
 
               . . . .
 
     In 1807, Laurens County was created out of Wilkinson County.  The following year,
the western half of Laurens was split off to make Pulaski County.   In 1811, both 
Washington and Montgomery Counties gave up some land to Laurens County. Then, in 
1812, portions of western Bulloch and eastern Montgomery County were spun off to form 
Emanuel County.  And finally, in 1858, portions of Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington 
Counties were taken to form Johnson County.
 
     One of the advantages of being familiar with the boundary changes involved is 
that we find ourselves looking at the roughly the same place in Georgia:  once in 
Washington County, then in Montgomery County,  approached by Laurens County, once
in Emanuel County, and finally,  probably in Johnson County.
 
     Returning to Mr. Davis'  history of Montgomery County, we read 
     "Another detriment to the settlement of original Montgomery County was the 
land frauds of the 1780s and 1790s.  In the popular mind, these frauds have been 
merged into one, although their circumstances were very different.  ...the Yazoo 
Land Fraud had nothing to do with the Pine Barren or Montgomery County Land Frauds 
of the same period.
 
     "Not only was the available land being taken over by a few individuals but 
grants were being signed for lands that did not exist...
     "Overall, 7,346,995 acres were granted in original Montgomery County ...despite 
the fact that the entire county consisted of only some 2,536,000 acres for 2,400 
square miles and almost all of that land had been granted before Montgomery County 
was created, when the area was still part of Washington County!
     "Almost none of the actual residents of original Montgomery County had anything 
to do with the land grant frauds.  however, they were not only associated with the 
scandal, through no fault of their own, but also had to defend their legitimate 
land titles against the speculators and the false land grants.  They petitioned the 
governor on September 1, 1794 not to sign the false and illegal grants: