Georgia Revolutionary War Important People

AC SS

Who were the signers of the Declaration in 1776 ?

Button Gwinnett (1735 – 1777)¨ Born in England - acquired a larger land tract in 1765¨ Poor at farming, he was well spoken & respected¨ Long –standing rival of Lachlan McIntosh – military leader¨ Elected to Continental Congress, 1776¨ Returning to Georgia, he hoped to command the Georgia

Militia – but McIntosh was given the appointment¨ Succeeded Bulloch as President of the Council of Safety¨ Early 1777, was charged with malfeasance (misuse of

authority) for an aborted attempt to invade Florida. He was cleared of wrong-doing.

¨ Ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Georgia¨ His honor challenged by McIntosh, they met in a duel

outside of Savanna, May 16, 1777. Both were wounded. Gwinnett died 3 days later. He was 42.

Lyman Hall, M.D. (1724-1790)¨ Born-Connecticut. Studied Medicine at Yale¨ Moved to Charleston to set-up medical practice¨ Bought land in Georgia in 1760, established a Plantation¨ Returned to Charleston in 1774, a revolutionary partisan¨ Made an enemy of Georgia Governor James Wright¨ Elected to Continental Congress, 1775; Involved in

provisioning food and medicine for Revolutionary Armies¨ Returned to Georgia in 1777 due to state matters and his

longtime friend Button Gwinnett. ¨ Hall’s property burned. Accused of Treason, he fled to

Charleston / then Connecticut.¨ Returned in 1783; Delegate to Georgia House of Assembly¨ Served 1 yr. As Governor, then Judge. Returned to private

life – stayed involved with state agriculture

George Walton, Lawyer (1741-1804)¨ Born-Virginia.Moved to Savanna-1769; studied Law;

admitted 1774¨ Deeply involved in the Patriot Movement; became

Secretary of the Georgia Provincial Congress and made President of the Council of Safety. Elected to the Continental Congress-1776.

¨ Allied with General Lachlan McIntosh, he fought against Button Gwinnett for political dominance of the state

¨ 1778-Colonel in the Georgia Militia. ¨ Wounded in Battle. Captured. Released in 1779 through a

prisoner exchange.¨ Elected Governor for 2 months – dismissed from office for

alleged “criminal activities on others.”¨ Returned to Congress in Philadelphia in 1781-1783.

George Walton, Cont’d

¨ 1783 – was censured by the legislature for his involvement in the duel that caused Button Gwinnetts’ death

¨ Commissioned to treat with the Cherokee Nation in TN. ¨ Appointed Chief Justice of Georgia ¨ 1789 – served in the college of Electors and Elected

Governor. Changes in the Georgia Constitution that year caused Walton to step down in November.

¨ Immediately appointed a Superior Court Judge. ¨ 1795 – Sent to U.S. Senate to complete the unfulfilled term

of Sen. James Jackson (resigned). He was not reelected.¨ Retired to Farming. Died in Augusta in 1804 (age 64)

Heroes, Heroines, & Outsiders

Elijah Clarke Private Austin DabneyNancy Hart

Elijah Clarke (1742 – 1799)¨ Born in North Carolina – impoverished, illiterate frontiersman¨ Clarke’s name appears on a petition in support of the King in 1774¨ Joined the Rebels. As a Militia Captain, fought the Cherokees-1776¨ 1777-78 became a lieutenant colonel in the state minutemen¨ February 1779 – led the charge in a rebel victory at Kettle Creek¨ Escaped the British-1780, by crossing through Native lands,

continuing the fight as a partisan in the Carolinas. Led frontier guerillas in major battles. Attains rank of General.

¨ Survived battle wounds, smallpox, and mumps during the Revolution¨ The State of Georgia rewarded Clarke with a Plantation. Served in

the State Assembly & in the state Constitutional Convention of 1789¨ Clarke also rec’d thousands of acres of land (some questionably) &

participated in the Yazoo land fraud in the 1790’s¨ Disenchanted, Clarke tries to form a country-Trans-Oconee Republic

by seizing Creek land on the frontier¨ Discredited and almost bankrupt Elijah Clarke dies in Augusta.

“Aunt” Nancy Hart (1735-1830)¨ Born in North Carolina (some say as late as 1747)¨ Hart and Family made their way into Georgia in the early 1770’s¨ Hart was Cousin to Revolutionary General Daniel Morgan.

Husbands’ family later produced Sen. Thomas Hart Benton (Mo.),

& Kentucky Senator Henry Clay.¨ 6 ft. tall, gangly with red hair and a smallpox scarred face with a hot

temper, fearless spirit and a taste for vengeance on those who harmed her, her family and friends.

¨ Local Indians called her “Wahatche” / “War Woman.” She was a domineering wife and mother of 8 (6 boys / 2 girls). An expert herbalist, a skilled hunter and despite crossed eyes – an excellent shot

¨ Benjamin Hart served as a lieutenant in the Militia under Elijah Clarke, while Nancy was left alone to defend and care for the children for most of the Revolution.

¨ “Aunt Nancy” became a spy, disguising herself as a simple-minded man who wandered into Tory camps and garrisons to get information

“Aunt” Nancy Hart (1735-1830)¨ The most famous events took place at

the family cabin…Text Pg 159.¨ The Harts lived in the Broad River

area several years after the war¨ Nancy became devout Methodist¨ Late 1790’s, the Harts moved to

Brunswick, GA – Benjamin Hart died¨ 1803 John Hart took Nancy and his

family and moved to Henderson County in Tennessee. She is buried there.

¨ 1912 discovery makes legend into fact

Austin Dabney (1765 – 1830)¨ Born to slaves in North Carolina in the 1760s. Austin moved with

his master, Richard Aycock, to Wilkes Cty, Georgia in the 1770s. ¨ Aycock was conscripted & sent Dabney to join the Militia as a

substitute. He served as an artilleryman under Elijah Clarke. ¨ Dabney is believed to be the only black soldier to participate in the

Battle of Kettle Creek in 1779. ¨ Severely wounded in the thigh, Dabney was cared for by Giles

Harris, a white soldier. ¨ Leaving the service with a rank of Private, Dabney is granted 50

acres of land, is emancipated from his owner, a pension for his wounds at Kettle Creek, and in 1821, additional property.

¨ Dabney worked for the Harris Family for the rest of his life, supporting Giles’ son, William through Franklin College (UGA)

¨ He died in Zebulon and is buried in the Harris family plot