Family Tree Maker - Cemetarian

particular, however, the major concerns of the people of Savannah appear to be securing land, rum and
Negroes. In the charter residents of Georgia were tenants and not landowners; they blamed their
economic woes on the lack of slaves and their dry throats on a lack of rum and other hard liquor. To
quell the rebellion Oglethorpe banished the most vocal members to South Carolina. While this calmed
the immediate problem, trouble was fermenting inside and outside Georgia.
Late in 1739 The War of Jenkin's Ear broke out in the Western Hemisphere, mostly between English
Georgia and Spanish Florida (it fueled a much larger conflict, the War of Austrian Succession). While
the war was not continuous, over the next three years the General spent most of his time planning his
options against the Spanish. After successfully capturing Fort Picolata, Fort San Francisco de Pupo,
and Fort Mose (Moosa), Oglethorpe laid siege on the Spanish stronghold of St. Augustine (May-June,
1740). A contingent of Spanish regulars arrived from Havana and took back Fort Mose, killing 150
Georgians and forcing Oglethorpe to raise the siege.
For almost two years only minor skirmishes broke the unstable peace. Then, on June 28th, 1742 a fleet
of 36 boats appeared at the mouth of the Altamaha River. A week later the fleet began a move up the
river between Fort Frederica and Fort St. Simons forcing Oglethorpe to abandon the garrison at St.
Simons, which the Spanish occupied on July 6. The General was desperate for a victory; his rout at St.
Augustine and loss at Fort Mose had brought heavy criticism.
On July 7th a patrol of some 120 Spanish soldiers and Indians split into two groups were headed north
from Fort Saint Simon when they swept across a small group of colonial regulars. Although the
outnumbered regulars were quickly routed, the activity alerted Oglethorpe. He gathered every available
man and attacked at Gully Hole Creek, routing the advancing enemy and pursuing them south into a
marsh. The intruders also heard the activity and dispatched a large force in support of the earlier
patrols. At the point of contact the Spanish began to turn the Georgians when Oglethorpe rallied his
men and defeated a larger force at the Battle of Bloody Marsh.
By this time, however, James Oglethorpe's fate had been sealed. William Stephens, who had been sent to
the colony by the trustees to assist Oglethorpe was made the official head of the colony. Neither the
settlers or the trustees had been particularly happy with Oglethorpe's performance as an administrator.
He returned to England to face more battles, including an unfounded attack on both his character and
his actions while resident trustee.
Eventually, James Oglethorpe began a long and healthy retirement befriending Samuel Johnson,
Edmund Burke, and others who were supporters to varying degrees of American freedom. Before his
death the General enthusiastically greeted John Adams, ambassador to England from the newly formed
United States. He had lived to see his infant colony become a free and independent state. At the age of
88 the General died suddenly at Cranham Hall on June 30, 1785.
More About James Oglethorpe and Elizabeth Wrighte:
Marriage: September 15, 1744
99. George 8 Wrighte (Nathan (Lord Keeper) 7 , Ezekiel 6 , Robert 5 , John (of Wright's Bridge) 4 , John
(of Kelvedon) 3 , John (Rev) 2 , Henery 1 ) was born March 25, 1677 in Barwell, and died March 09,
1723/24. He married Mary Bedford January 16, 1699/00, daughter of Thomas Bedford. She died
Unknown.
More About George Wrighte:
Land Purchase: Gayhurst, and Stoke Golding, CO Bucks, England
Occupation: Clerk of the Crown
More About George Wrighte and Mary Bedford:
Marriage: January 16, 1699/00
Children of George Wrighte and Mary Bedford are:
132 i. Nathan 9 Wrighte, born 1703; died Unknown.
+ 133 ii. George Wrighte, born 1704; died 1766.
+ 134 iii. Mary Wrighte, born 1705; died Unknown.
135 iv. Elizabeth Wrighte, born 1706; died 1780. She married Nathan Wrighte; born 1707; died Unknown.
136 v. Thomas Wrighte, born 1708; died Unknown.
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