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GEORGIA AND GEOEGIANS 81
But Oglethorpe refused to take any step which was prejudical to
these colonists. The irregularity of the expedition was admitted. There
was ample ground on which to justify the action of the trustees, so far
as it concerned a revoking of commissions; "but Oglethorpe was undoubt
edly right in according the Jews a home in Savannah. His firmness in
this matter created a temporary breach which the founder hoped to
heal on his return to England; but he' was fully prepared to take the
consequences.
Going back to the vessel which brought the Hebrew colonists to
Georgia, its roster included: Benjamin Sheftall, accompanied by his
wife, Perla Sheftall; Doctor Nunis, with his mother, Mrs. Nunis; two
other bearers of this name, Daniel and Moses; Shem Noah, a family
servant; Isaac Nunis Henneriques, with his wife, Mrs. Henneriques,
also a son Shem; Raphael Bornal and Mrs. Bornal, his wife; David
Olivera; Jacob Olivera; Mrs. Olivera, the latter's wife, two sons, Isaac
and David, and a daughter, Leah; Aaron Depevia; Benjamin Gideon;
Jacob Costa; David Lopez, with Mrs. Lopez, his wife; Mr. Veneral; Mr.
Molena; David Cohen and Mrs. Cohen, his wife, three daughters,
Abigail, Grace and Hannah, also .a son, Isaac; Abraham Minis and Mrs.
Minis, his wife, with two daughters, Leah and Esther; Simon Minis;
Jacob Yowell; and Abraham DeLyon. These colonists were in the main
Portugese and Spanish Jews, though a few were descendants of English
refugees from .Holland. Doctor Nunis, whose knowledge of medicine
proved to be of great value to the settlers, came from Portugal. The
Sheftalls were of Bavarian stock, but came from England. Some have
claimed that the first rutive Georgian was a Jew—Philip Minis, who
was born on the bluffs of Savannah, not long after the vessel dipped
anchor.
These Hebrew emigrants constituted an important asset. But dis
couraged in part by the attitude of the trustees and in part by the
adverse conditions which, at a later day, prevailed in the province, some
migrated to Charleston and some to Philadelphia; but others continued
to reside in Savannah, where descendants of the original Jewish settlers
are still to be found.
While the allotment of land to the colonists took place in Savannah
on July 7, 1733, it was not until several months thereafter that deeds
were executed formally conveying these tracts and parcels. On the
eve of the first embarkatio.^ it will be remembered a body of land con
taining 5,000 acres had been conveyed in trust to three colonists for
subsequent distribution. One of these grantees, Joseph Hughes, had
died in the meantime; but the other two, Thomas Christie and William
Calvert, finally executed a deed. The original instrument making this
transfer is still preserved in the office of the secretary of state and is a
document to which the greatest value attaches. But a new shipload
of emigrants having arrived in the province, these were likewise in-
eluded in the distribution made under the old deed. The vessel in
question was the Savannah, which left England on September 12, 1733,
bearing 132 passengers. It was not every colonist to whom land was
granted. As a rule only those who were able to bear arms were thus
favored. But there were some exceptions. In the following table will
be found the names of all who were granted land at this time. The