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234 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
the purpose of acquainting himself more fully with its needs, fie, too,
was impressed with the central location of Hardwicke, on the Great
Ogeechee, with its importance as a strategic point, with its splendid com
mercial outlook; and he fully sympathized with the suggestion of Gov
ernor Reynolds that the seat o£ government be transferred to Hard
wicke; biit to accomplish this end he did not neglect the public buildings
of Savannah, as his predecessor had done, to the detriment of the latter
town. It was not until June 16, 1757, that Governor Ellis convened the
general assembly, and at this time, in a most felicitous message, he
deepened the good impression already made by him upon the colonists.
Throughout the entire administration of Governor Ellis there was not
the least legislative friction. At a conference with the Creek Indians
held in Savannah, on October 25, 1757, Governor Ellis cemented the
friendship of the nation in a treaty which was formally consummated
some two weeks later, both lower and upper Creeks participating.
On March 17, 1758, an act was approved by Governor Ellis dividing
the several districts of the province into parishes, providing for the
establishment .of religious worship according to the rites and ceremonies
of the Church of England and empowering church wardens and vestry
men in the respective parishes to assess rates for the repair of churches
and for the relief of the poor. These parishes—eight in number—were
as follows:
The Parish of Christ Church, which included the town and district of
Savannah, together with adjacent islands.
The Parish of St. Matthew, embracing the district of Ebenezer,
together with Abercorn and Goshen.
The Parish of St. George, which was created from the district of
Halifax, embracing an area of which the site of the present town of
Waynesboro was the center.
The Parish of St. Paul, which included the district of Augusta.
The Parish of St. Philip, embracing the town of Havdwicke and the
district of Ogeechee, together with Ossabaw Island.
The Parish of St. John, which included the Sunbury and Midway set
tlements, together with St. Catharine and Bermuda Islands.
The Parish of St. Andrew, which embraced the town and district of
Darien, south of the Altamaha, including Sapelo and adjacent islands.
The Parish of St. James, which embraced the town and district of
Frederica, including1 Great and Little St. Simon and adjacent islands.
In accordance with the provisions of an act dated March 25, 1765, the
newly acquired territory between the Altamaha and the St. Mary was
divided into four parishes, to wit:
The Parish of St. David, embracing a tract of land between the Alta
maha and the north branch of Turtle River.
The Parish of St. Patrick, embracing an area between the north
branch of Turtle River and the south branch of the Little Satilla.
The Parish of St. Thomas, extending from the south branch of the
Little Satilla to the south branch of the Great Satilla.
The Parish of St. Mary, which included an area between the south
branch of the Great Satilla and the south branch of the St. Mary,
together with the sea islands embraced within these limits.
In a letter addressed to the Board of Trade, bearing date of May 30,