Tag Archives: American Revolution in 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

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.

Nancy Hart Cabin, Elbert County

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Just past the group shelter as you approach the cabin, you’ll see this marker, noting the location of a spring on Nancy Hart’s property at Wahachee Creek. It was erected by the New Deal Works Progress Administration and the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1936, as part of ongoing work inside the Nancy Hart park.

Though to my knowledge she never made a flag, Nancy Hart (c.1735-1830) is the Georgia equivalent to Betsy Ross, in the sense that she’s the best known woman of the Revolutionary War era in the state. As a spy and combatant, she far exceeded the expectations of her gender at the time. She’s also the only woman to be the namesake of a county in Georgia; nearby Hart County was so named in 1853. The city of Hartwell, and Lake Hartwell also bear her name. At the outset of the Civil War, a group of wives of Confederate soldiers in LaGrange formed a militia group to protect the home front and called themselves the Nancy Harts.

Though details about her life are varied and sometimes in conflict, most historians believe Nancy Hart was born Nancy Ann Morgan in the Yadkin River Valley of North Carolina circa 1735. She was a cousin of Daniel Morgan, who commanded a successful American force at the Battle of Cowpens. She married Lieut. Benjamin Hart (1732-1802), himself a relative of Thomas Hart Benton and Henry Clay. Her family came to the Broad River Valley of Georgia in the early 1770s, just as tensions between Tories, English soldiers and other British sympathizers were coming to a head. As to her personal qualities, Clay Ouzts writes: “…Aunt Nancy,” as she was often called, was a tall, gangly woman who towered six feet in height. Like the frontier she inhabited, she was rough-hewn and rawboned, with red hair and a smallpox-scarred face. She was also cross-eyed. One early account pointed out that Hart had “no share of beauty—a fact she herself would have readily acknowledged, had she ever enjoyed an opportunity of looking into a mirror.” And, her “physical appearance was matched by a feisty personal demeanor characterized by a hotheaded temper, a fearless spirit, and a penchant for exacting vengeance upon those who offended her or harmed her family and friends. Local Indians soon began to refer to her as “Wahatche,” which may have meant war woman“.”

The greatest legend about Nancy Hart was that she killed six Tories who had come to her cabin looking for a patriot (Whig) leader whom she’d just help escape. Details of the event have emerged as fact and folklore, but the story goes that the Tories killed one of her turkeys, ordered her to prepare it and feed it to them, and became drunk on the wine she served. After killing two of them with their own weapons, she held the others captive while reinforcements were gathered. The survivors were then hung from a nearby tree. Some proof of this may have been uncovered, literally, when railroad crews unearthed six human skeletons near the site of the original cabin, in 1912.

A bronze plaque notes that this replica of Nancy Hart’s cabin was built by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1932, at the approximate site of the original and using some of the original bricks in the chimney.

After the war, Nancy became quite religious, later moved to Brunswick and upon Benjamin’s death in 1802, returned to her Broad River homesite, which had at some point flooded and washed away the cabin. After briefly residing in Athens with her son, John Hart, they settled near relatives in Henderson County, Kentucky, where Nancy spent the rest of her life.

I’m glad that such a fascinating character in Georgia history is remembered. There may be as many myths as truths in her story, but she certainly embodies the spirit of resistance that flowered in Georgia during the Revolutionary War.

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.

Revolutionary War Cemetery, Louisville

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This secluded cemetery, historically known as Old Capitol Cemetery, is located on the western edge of Louisville on US Highway 221. Notable as the final resting place of two of the best-known politicians of early Georgia (one considered such a scoundrel that newspapers of the period cheered his passing with sarcastic obituaries), it also contains cenotaphs for men who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, as well as early Louisville settlers.

Senator James Gunn (13 March 1753-30 July 1801) – Though the headstone notes his rank in the Georgia Militia, Gunn was, more importantly, one of Georgia’s first two United States Senators.

James Gunn came from Virginia to Savannah where he began practicing law. He was a captain of a volunteer brigade of dragoons in the Revolutionary War and was among General Anthony Wayne’s forces who helped drive the British from Savannah. He was made a brigadier general in the state militia after the Revolution. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1787 but did not serve. Along with William Few, he was one of Georgia’s first two U. S. Senators, elected as a Federalist in 1789. He attended Washington’s inauguration in New York City. Unfortunately, in 1794 Gunn was one of the primary figures in the Yazoo Land Fraud, having been an organizer of the Georgia Company which perpetrated the fraud. He delayed formal submission of the Georgia Company’s proposal to sell off western lands until after his reelection to the Senate. As soon as it became public, Gunn was the subject of outrage throughout the state but no formal charges were ever brought against him. Upon his death, just four months after his term in the Senate had ended, Gunn was ridiculed in obituaries around the state.  Gunn’s wife, Mary Jane Wright (6 December 1763-13 May 1796) of Savannah, committed suicide by drinking poison. She was buried at the family cemetery at Litchfield Plantation.

Though Gunn’s reputation is questionable, the damage to his gravestone is very unfortunate. It was carved by James Traquair, a Scottish immigrant who became a prominent stone cutter in Philadelphia. Traquair worked with America’s first professional architect, Benjamin Latrobe.

Roger Lawson Gamble (1787-20 December 1847) – Gamble grew up near Louisville and was admitted to the bar in 1815, having served as an officer in the War of 1812 and a member of the state house (1814-1815). He served as Georgia’s Attorney General from 1816-1822. He was elected as a Jacksonian to the 23rd Congress in 1832, serving one term. He was again elected, as a Whig, to the 27th Congress in 1841. He served as a judge of the Superior Court from 1845-1847. The crypt was carved by W. Glendinning, a stone mason active in Augusta in the mid-19th century. [Source 1859 Augusta City Directory].

John Gamble (1740- 1806) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War – I’m unable to confirm that John Gamble is a relative of Roger Lawson Gamble but assume there to be a connection. In 1772, John emigrated to Brunswick, Georgia, on the HMS Brittania.

Major Patrick Carr (? Ireland-1802) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War – Carr was present at the Battle of Kings Mountain.

Roger Lawson (17 May 1730 or 1731-6 August 1803) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War

Captain Chesley Bostwick (1744-2 January 1808) – 7th Continental Georgia Battalion, Revolutionary War

Nathan Bostwick (26 January 1746-9 May 1817) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War – Bostiwick was born in Suffolk County, Virginia. He may have been the brother of Chesley, but this is not presently confirmed.

Phillip Scott (?-21 October 1817) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War

Private William Walker, Sr. (17 December 1762-2 February 1818) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War – Walker was born in Buckingham County, Virginia.

Aaron Tomlinson (1748-12 April 1828) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War

Captain Ambrose Wright (1745-1805) – Georgia Troops, Revolutionary War

Mary Hubbel Savage Wright (28 December1825-23 June 1854) – Mary was the first wife of Confederate Major General Ambrose Ransom “Rans” Wright, who was possibly the son of Captain Ambrose Wright.  She was the daughter of Dr. William & Mary Savage, of Augusta. She died in childbirth, and her twins are buried within this enclosure, as well. Though Findagrave notes that this may only be a memorial and that Mary may actually be buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Augusta, this seems unlikely, as the text of the stone notes that her remains are here. Investigation into the matter is needed to confirm.

Thompson Markers – Various members of the Thompson family, representing three wars, are memorialized here. It is possible that these are cenotaphs and the exact whereabouts of the decedents within the cemetery is unknown.

John Thompson and William Thompson are both listed with birthdates of 1750 and death dates of 1826, and with notice of service in the Continental Line, Revolutionary War.

William Thompson (1790-1872) – Captain, Johnson’s Company, Georgia Militia, War of 1812

Judith Price Thompson (1798-1840) – Wife of Captain William Thompson

Seaborn Jones Thompson (1827-1866) – Company H, 63rd Georgia Infantry, CSA

Joseph Maybank Jones (7 May 1804-5 January 1831) – Jones, a native of Liberty County, died near Louisville on his way home from the legislature in Milledgeville and was buried here.

Family of Owen (9 March 1806-27 January 1877) & Bdelia (11 March 1811-15 September 1884) McDermott . Fourteen more family members are buried here.

Seth Pierce (1756-1841) Revoultionary War Veteran & Obediah Pierce (1805-1884) – Cenotaph. Obediah’s three children are memorialzed, as well. His sons, Obediah, Jr., and John W. were Confederate soldiers, who appear to have died in service. His daughter, Susan Pierce Stevens, was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Dawson, Georgia.

Major Charles Oddingsells House, 1797, Savannah

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Revolutionary War veteran Major Charles Oddingsells (1754-1810) came to Savannah as a young man, and he soon became a prominent planter and state legislator. He owned land all around Savannah but spent most of his time on Skidaway Island, where he died at the age of 56. He and wife Sarah Livingston Oddingsells had two children, neither of whom lived to adulthood.

Savannah Historic District, National Historic Landmark

The Rock House, 1785, McDuffie County

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Also known as the Old Rock House, this treasure, built by Thomas Ansley (1737-1809) in the Quaker-settled Wrightsboro(ugh) Township, is the oldest stone house in Georgia and among the oldest well-documented structures in the state. Ansley was a native of Freehold, New Jersey, where stone houses were common and the abundance of material in this area near the Fall Line was certainly a factor. Ansley settled in Georgia in 1768 after a few years in North Carolina. He and his wife Rebecca Cox were part of a colony of 40 Quaker families who came to Georgia seeking religious tolerance. Though he didn’t bear arms in the American Revolution, Ansley served as a forager and drover for the Army.

When Ansley died in 1809 he left an estate with four houses and eight slaves. A thriving livestock operation also remained. Ansley was an ancestor of President Jimmy Carter, whose Revolutionary War-era novel The Hornet’s Nest takes place around Wrightsboro.

The house was occupied until 1950. Soon after, vandals ruined much of the interior woodwork and rock walls. This led to the creation of the Wrightsboro Quaker Community Foundation, which from what I can gather from online sources, is still the owner of the property.

Part of the joy of this house, to me, was the fact that it feels “right” as to the interior details but not forced, like many house museums. There is a gate around the property with a small opening, but people in the neighborhood keep a very close eye on this landmark. I encountered some while there and told them I was photographing. Online sources like Explore Georgia and McDuffie County Chamber note the address and that it’s a free attraction; however, I feel reassured to know that in such a remote location, there is neighborhood concern and diligence.

National Register of Historic Places

 

Christ Church, Frederica, 1884, St. Simons Island

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Founded in 1808, Christ Church did not build a permanent house of worship until 1820, due largely to economic troubles stemming from the War of 1812.  The first structure stood until the Civil War, when Union troops damaged it so badly that members were forced to meet in their homes until the present structure was built in 1884.

The interior of Christ Church is breathtaking. Shipbuilders built the new cruciform church to resemble an inverted ship’s hull, symbolic of the ship of faith  There are various stained glass windows throughout.

Christ Church Cemetery, Frederica

The church and graveyard are among the most visited and beloved places on St. Simons. It’s the final resting place of many Georgia pioneers and veterans of nearly every war dating from the American Revolution onward. The following photos are a general survey. I’ll be adding more specific burials at a later date.

Hazzard Mausoleum

The Hazzard family owned West Point and Pike’s Bluff plantations on St. Simons. This tabby mausoleum is one of the most interesting gravesites in Christ Church cemetery. The date A. D. 1813 is inscribed on a bronze marker at the foot of the mausoleum and is a bit mysterious. This history of the Hazzards was written by Carey C. Giudici: The Hazzard family was one of the Island’s most colorful families. Originally from South Carolina, Revolutionary War veteran Colonel William Hazzard moved to the area and purchased West Point in 1818. This plantation, just north of Frederica, became the home of Hazzard’s oldest son Colonel William Wigg Hazzard. Nine years later the younger son, Dr. Thomas Fuller Hazzard bought the Pike’s Bluff property that adjoined West Point to the north. The family now owned much of the north end of St. Simons Island. Very active in church activities, they also served as representatives to Georgia’s House of Representatives, enjoyed competing in their racing boats Shark and Comet, and frequently went hunting with their pack of deer hounds. Both were also noted writers; William Wigg Hazzard’s 1825 history of Glynn County is still in print. In 1838 a boundary dispute resulted in Dr. Thomas Hazzard shooting a young neighbor, John Armstrong Wylly. Tradition has it that although Dr. Hazzard was acquitted of any crime, the family was so ostracized by the other planter families that they built their own family chapel on West Point–which became known as “The Pink Chapel” because of the lichen-based discoloration on its tabby walls. Colonel Hazzard’s son, Captain William Miles Hazzard, commanded the local Confederate Army detachment during the Civil War. With nine troops and a slave named Henry, he burned the U.S. Navy headquarters on the occupied St. Simons.

Christ Church Frederica Cemetery Author Eugenia Price Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing Coastal Georgia USA 2015
Eugenia Price (22 June 1916 – 28 May 1996)

World-famous for her historical novels set on the Georgia coast in the early days of white settlement, Eugenia Price was largely responsible for the national attention Christ Church has received in the ensuing years. My mother has always been a big fan of her writing. From the Lighthouse trilogy and the Georgia trilogy to the Florida trilogy and the Savannah quartet, most of her books are still in print or readily available on the coast, especially on St. Simons.