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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 227
such an encouragement to private people to build there as will soon
make it fit for the seat of government to the universal benefit of the
province.''
Antedating the administration of Governor Reynolds a community
had been established in upper Georgia known as Brandon. Its founder
was a man by the name of Edmund Gray, a pretended Quaker. His
colony occupied a site not far from where the famous old Town of
Wrightsboro flourished in after years. But Gray was a dissolute char
acter and he gave Governor Reynolds no end of trouble. His settlement
was composed of men who were little better than himself. To quote an
authoritative account: "Brandon may be recognized as still maintaining
a feeble existence in the later village of Wrightsboro, although its original
features and peculiarities have encountered essential modifications. The
founder of Brandon was Edmund Gray, a pretending Quaker, who came
from Virginia with a number of followers. A man of strong will and
marked influence, he was nevertheless a pestilent fellow and, during the
administration of Gov. Reynolds, was compelled to abandon his little town.
He subsequently formed a settlement on the neutral lands lying between
the Altamaha and the St. Johns. Thither flocked criminals and debtors
anxious to escape the just demands of creditors." The Town of Bran-
dori was settled not later than 1754 and the land was probably obtained
by direct purchase from the Indians.
With the assistance of De Brahm, to whose pioneer work as an en
gineer, Georgia owes a lasting debt of gratitude, Governor Reynolds
spent much time in a systematic effort to strengthen the defenses of the
province. Cockspur Island, Savannah, Hardwicke, Frederica and
Augusta, all needed to be more securely garrisoned. Besides, the land
passages called for defensive safegiiards. To this end, plans and specifi
cations for strongholds at various places were submitted, with esti
mates as to the garrisons needed for each and the cost of constructing
same with negro labor; but little was done toward putting this general
scheme of defense into effect. The reasons for this will appear later. To
conciliate the Indians, Governor Reynolds by appointment made a visit
to Augxista, late in December, 1755, taking with him a number of pres
ents to be distributed. Here he spent ten days waiting for the Indians
to put in an appearance. Finally he returned to Savannah, leaving these
presents with his secretary, Dr. William Little, who delivered them to
the Indians, together also with an address from the governor and in
return received from the Indians cordial expressions of friendship.
While in Augusta, awaiting an interview with these Indian chiefs,
Governor Reynolds was hastily summoned to Savannah. On arriv
ing, he found that two vessels had anchored in the stream, with
400 French Catholics on board, from Nova Scotia, then called Acadie.
These gentle immigrants brought a letter to Governor Reynolds which
explained matters after a fashion; but it did not solve an exceedingly
difficult problem. The letter was from Lieutenant-Governor Lawrence, of
Nova Scotia, stating that under a resolution of his council he had for
warded these people to Georgia believing that in Oglethorpe's colony—
an asylum for unfortunates—such an outcast people would not be denied
a shelter. All provisions on board having been exhausted, starvation
confronted these refugees. Governor Reynolds was perplexed. The