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330 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
In 1784, John Houstoun was for the second time called to the execu
tive helm. It was during Governor Houstoun's administration that the
lands acquired from the Indians, under treaties made at Augusta, in
1783, were organized into two great counties: Washington and Frank
lin. At the close of the Revolution there were eight counties in Georgia,
all of which were created, as we have seen, by the Constitution of 1777.
These were: Chatham, Burke, Effingham, Richmond, Glynn, Camden,
Liberty and Wilkes. There were now in all ten counties.
Immigrants were invited to occupy these newly acquired lands.
One thousand acres was fixed as the limit for each family, under the sys
tem of distribution in vogue, all additional lands to be acquired by
purchase at the rate of three shillings per acre.'* Lands were distrib
uted at this time under what was known as the Head Rights system,
according to which method of conveyance each head of a family settling
in Georgia was granted 200 acres for himself, fifty acres for each child,
and fifty acres for each negro owned by him, not in excess of ten.
_ Moreover, he was allowed to select and survey a body of unoccupied land
to suit his own inclination.
Head Rights were first granted by the trustees, under royal authority
received from King George II of England. During the administration
of Governor Ellis there arose some dispute concerning titles to land
made by the Lord Proprietors of South Carolina, some of these titles
antedating Georgia's establishment. At one time, it will be remembered,
Georgia formed a part of South Carolina; and, when her charter was
surrendered back to the Crown in 1752, there was a disposition on the
part of South Carolina to extend her jurisdiction over a part of Geor
gia's domain, to the south and west of the Altamaha. Accordingly,
Governor Ellis caused an act to be passed by virtue of which all persons
holding any lands or tenements whatsoever within the said province of
Georgia, by and under grants from the trustees, or by and under grants
obtained since the surrender of Georgia's charter, were '' established and
confirmed in the possession of their several and respective lands and
tenements"; and such grants were "accordingly ratified and confirmed
and declared to be good and valid to all intents and purposes whatso
ever, against all persons claiming any estate or interest therein, by and
under the said Lord Proprietors of Carolina or by and under any former
grants obtained before the date of his majesty's charter to said trustees
for establishing the colony of Georgia, any act, law, or statute to the
contrary notwithstanding." t
There was passed at Savannah, on June 7, 1777, an act for the
opening of a land office, under which, as above stated, every white person
or head of a family was entitled to 200 acres of land for himself, besides
fifty acres for each child and fifty acres for each negro, not to exceed
ten in number. Later, the amount of land which one could acquire
under these Head Right grants was limited to 1,000 acres; but for a
stipulated sum he could increase his grant if he so desired. The grantee
was free to choose his Head Right from any unoccupied lands, but to
* "History of Georgia," E. P. Brooks, p. 143.
t Article by Philip Cook, secretary of state, on Head Bights and Land Grants
of Georgia, published in the "Joseph Habersham Collections," Vol. I, pp. SOS-
SOS.