Georgia Revolutionary War

British List of Traitors:

Before the British recaptured Savannah in December 1778, the Revolutionary government compiled a list of those they considered Loyalists and threats to their cause. The royalists, once back in control, wasted little time in countering with lists of their own.

The first is one compiled by Loyalist Thomas Flyming (Fleming) and notarized May 30, 1780. 23 of the 79 men (--denoted by *--) listed have biographies in the first volume of Men of Mark in Georgia. Ten on the list had been or became chief executives of the new state of Georgia. Two were among Georgia's three signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Georgia Department of Archives and History (Colonial Book DDD, page 260-B, affidavit):

Georgia.
Personally appeared before me- The Honorable Anthony Stokes, Esquire, his Majesty's Chief Justice of the Province aforesaid - Thomas Flyming, of Saint Matthew's Parish in the province aforesaid Esqr. who being duly Sworn Saith, that to his certain knowledge the following persons under written were all of them very active in Rebellion against His Majesty in this Province .

William Obryan, Nehemiah Wade, *John Houston, *John Adam Truetlin, *John Glenn, Richard Wylly, *Lachlan McIntosh, *George Walton, *William Stephens, *Joseph Habersham, *John Habersham, John McLuer, Raymond Demere, *John Milledge, *Joseph Clay, *Noble Wimberly Jones, Mordecai Shefftall, Levi Shefftall, (----) Delyon, a Jew; *Jonathan Bryan, Joseph Reynolds, John Spencer, *John Wereat, The Rev. John Holmes, *Edward Langworthy, Rudolph Stroager, *William Gibbons, Philip Minis, Edward Davis, *Samuel Elbert, Benjamin Lloyd, Robert Hamilton, Shefftall Shefftall, James Alexander, John Stirk, *Samuel Stirk, Henry Cuyler, *John Martin, Joseph Gibbons, Seth John Cuthbert, Matthew Griffin, William Holzendorff, Chas. Odingsell, Edward Howley, *Joseph Wood Senr., Joseph Wood Junrr., a Doctor Wood, Daniel Roberts, Lewis Cope, Charles Cope, William Leconte, Charles Francis Chevalier, Fowler Brisbane, Shem Butler, Thomas Stone, William Gibbons Junr., *Benjamin Andrews, *John Baker Senr., William Baker, John Hardy, John Braddock, Samuel Miller, Joseph Woodruff, Charles Spencer, Peter Tarling, John Winn, Samuel West, *Oliver Bowen, *Lyman Hall, Abraham Revor, A Capt. & A Major Howell, Samuel Spencer, James Goldwire, Robert Hudson Senr., Robert Hudson Junr., Samuel Hudson, Edward Hudson, John Green, a Burton Tavernkeeper.
Sworn before me . . . this 30th. day of May 1780 (Thos. Flyming A Stokes Jefferson County)

Seaborn Jones of the County of Scriven, Attorney at Law, being duly sworn maketh Oath and Saith that in the year 1774 & 1775, he was a clerk to the late Judge Walton, who in those years was a practitioner of law in the General Court of the then Province of Georgia. That during those years he, The deponent, became necessarily well acquainted with the honorable Anthony Stokes, the Chief Justice of the then province aforesaid, and whom he hath frequently seen write. That he hath examined the Signature of “AStokes” to the foregoing affidavit of Thomas Flyming, and Verily believes the same to be in the proper hand Writing of the said Anthony Stokes. Sworn to before me (Seaborn Jones 18th July 1806:) Josiah M. Sterett J. I Ct.

The restored royal assembly convened on May 9 for the first time since the British regained Savannah. Out of this session, which met until July 10, came two official list of traitors. The first is The Georgia Treason Act of 1780, (which is in the Joseph V. Bevan Papers, Peter Force Collection, Library of Congress, and is reproduced substantially in its entirety in Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the American Revolution). The list, which is not included here, contains 114 names, most of which are on the The Act is prefaced with:

. . . Whereas a most desperate and bloody Rebellion hath been levied and raised against his Majesty in this Province in which a Number of His Majesty's Subjects contrary to their Duty and Allegiance have been wickedly and traitorously engaged and amongst others the several persons herein after-named . . .

The list was followed by:

. . . Shall be and they the said several Persons above named and each and every of them is and are hereby Attainted of High Treason and is and are declared to be subject to all the pains penalties and forfeitures by Law inflicted on Persons guilty of High Treason to all Intents Construction and purposes whatsoever as if they the several persons above named were and each and every of them was convicted and attainted of High Treason in a Court of Justice having jurisdiction therein according to the Law of the Land. . . . The Act runs for several more paragraphs in the same vein, including the warning that should any of those listed return to Georgia they will be punished by death. John has earned his way onto a list of traitors, his second, that includes men of all walks of life. Many are planters. Several are Jews whose families came over at their own expense shortly the arrival of Georgia's first wave of settlers. A wide range of trades are represented. Some are quite prominent. Others will become prominent, including eight who will serve as chief executives of the state of Georgia. Today, the Assembly enacts a second law dealing with “traitors.” The British Disqualifying Act, is of the same nature and intent as the first. It lists 151 individuals, including many who were on the previous two lists. Revolutionary Records of Georgia (Excerpts of “The British Disqualifying Act, 1780”): AN ACT To disqualify and render incapable the several persons herein named from holding or exercising any office of trust honour or Profit in the Province of Georgia for a Certain time and for Other purposes therein Mentioned. WHEREAS a most Audacious wicked and unprovoked Rebellion was lately raised and carried on against his Majesty in the province of Georgia, and several persons concerned therein, in a most violent, hostile and unlawful manner usurped the Government thereof, and erected themselves into a pretended independent State, where they exercised many Acts of Violence and Oppression, in contempt of his said Majesty and his Laws, and to the great distress and injury of his Loyal Subjects. And whereas the several persons herein after named were Active and concerned in the said unlawful proceedings or some of them. We therefore Pray your most sacred Majesty that it may be Enacted, and be it Enacted by his Excellency Sir James Wright Baronet Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief, in and over his Majesty's Province of Georgia by and with the advice and consent of the Honourable the Council and Commons House of Assembly of the said province in general Assembly Met, and by the Authority of the same, that immediately from and after the passing of this Act, and during the Continuance thereof, the same persons herein after named, that is to say, John Houstoun late of this Province Rebell Governor, John Adam Treutlen, late of the same Rebell Governor, Lachlan Mc Intosh late of the same, Rebel General, George Walton late of the same, member of the Rebel Congress, William Stephens, late of the same, Rebel Attorney General, John Mc Luer late of the same, Rebel Major, Joseph Clay late of the same , Rebel Paymaster General, Noble Wimberly Jones late of the same speaker of the Rebel Assembly, Mordecai Sheftall late of the same Chairman of the Rebel Parochial Committee, William O Bryan late of the same Rebel Treasurer, John Werriatt late of the same, Rebel Councellor, Edward Telfair late of the same Member of the Rebel Congress, Edward Davis, late of the same Member of the Rebel Assembly, Samuel Elbert late of the same a Rebel General, Seth John Cuthbert late of the same Rebel Major, William Holzendorf late of the same, Rebel counsellor, Richard Howley late of the same Rebel Governor, George Galphin Rebel Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Andrew Williamson Rebel General, John White late of this province Rebel Colonel, Nehemiah Wade late of the same Rebel Treasurer, John Twiggs late of the same Rebel Colonel, William Few late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Edward Langworthy late of the same Rebel Delegate, William Glasscock late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Robert Walton late of the same Rebel Commissioner of Forfeited Estates, Joseph Wood Junior late of the same Clerk to the Rebel Assembly, ——— Piggens late of the same Rebel Colonel, William Hornby late of the same, distiller, Pierce Butler late of the same Rebel Officer, Joseph Wood late of the same Member of the Rebel Congress, Reverend William Piercy late of the same Clerk, Thomas Savage late of the same Planter, Thomas Stone late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Benjamin Andrew late of the same President of the Rebel Council, John Baker, Senior late of the same Rebel Colonel, William Baker late of the same Rebel Officer, Francis Brown late of the same Planter, Nathan Brunson late of the same Member of the Rebel Congress, John Hardy late of the same Captain of a Rebel Galley, Joseph Oswald late of the same Planter, Thomas Morris late of the same Rebel Officer, Samuel Miller late of the same Rebel Assembly man, Thomas Maxwell late of the same, Planter, Joseph Woodruff late of the same Captain of a Rebel Galley, Josiah Powell late of the same Planter, Samuel Saltus late of the same a Committeeman, John Sandiford late of the same Planter, Peter Tarling late of the same Rebel Officer, Oliver Bowen late of the same Rebel Commodore, Lyman Hall late of the same Member of the Rebel Congress, Andrew Moore late of the same planter, Joshua Inman late of the same Planter, John Dooley late of the same Rebel Colonel, John Glen late of the same Rebel Chief Justice, Richard Wylly late of the same President of the Rebel Council, Adam Fowler Brisbane late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Shem Butler late of the same, Rebel Assemblyman, Joseph Habersham late of the same, Rebel Colonel, John Stirk late of the same, Rebel Colonel, Raymond Demmere late of the same Rebel Cloathier, General Charles Odingsell late of the same Rebel Captain, William Peacock late of the same Rebel Counsellor, John Braddock late of the same Captain of a Rebel Galley, Joseph Reynolds late of the same Bricklayer, Rodolph Strohager late of the same Butcher, Charles Cope late of the same Butcher, Lewis Cope late of the same Butcher, Hepworth Carter late of the same Rebel Captain, Stephen Johnston late of the same, Butcher, John McIntosh Junior late of the same Rebel Colonel, James Houstoun late of the same Surgeon, James Habersham late of the same Merchant, John Habersham late of the same Rebel Major, John Milledge Junior, late of the same Rebel Assemblyman, Levi Sheftal late of the same Butcher, Philip Jacob Cohen late of the same Shop Keeper, John Sutcliffe late of the same Shopkeeper, Jonathan Bryan late of the same Rebel Counsellor, John Spencer late of the same Rebel Officer, John Holmes late of the same Clerk, William Gibbons the elder late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Sheftall Sheftall, late of the same Rebel Officer, Philip Minis late of the same Shopkeeper, Coshman Pollock late of the same Shopkeeper, Robert Hamilton late of the same Attorney at Law, Benjamin Lloyd late of the same Rebel Officer, James Alexander late of the same Rebel Officer, John Jenkins late of the same Rebel Assemblyman, Samuel Stirk late of the same Rebel Secretary, Philip Densler late of the same, Yeoman, Henry Cuyler, late of the same Rebel Officer Joseph Gibbons late of the same Rebel Assemblyman, Ebenezer Smith Platt, late of the same shopkeeper, Matthew Griffin late of the same planter, Peter Deveaux late of the same Gentleman, Benjamin Odingsell late of the same Rebel Officer, John Gibbons late of the same Vendue Master, John Smith late of the same planter, William LeConte late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Charles Francis Chevalier late of the same Rebel Counsellor, Peter Chambers of Savannah Shopkeeper, Thomas Washington late of this Province, Rebel Officer, Elisha Maxwell late of the same, planter, Thomas Maxwell Junior late of the same Rebel Major, William Gibbons the younger late of the same Planter, William Davis late of the same Rebel Officer, John Graves late of the same Yeoman, Charles Kent late of the same Rebel Counsellor, John Bacon late of the same Marriner, Job Pray late of the same Marriner, Nathaniel Saxton late of the same tavernkeeper, Philip Low late of the same Rebel Officer, Samuel Spencer late of the same Marriner, John Winn Senior late of the same Planter, Devereaux Jarratt late of the same Rebel Assemblyman, Samuel West late of the same Gentleman, Josiah Dupont late of the same, Planter, James Pugh late of the same planter, Francis Pugh late of the same Planter, James Rae late of the same Planter, James Martin late of the same Planter, John Martin, late of the same Rebel Sheriff, Thomas Pace late of the same Rebel Officer, Benjamin Few late of the same Rebel Officer, Dionysious Wright late of the same Planter, Chesley Bostick late of the same Shopkeeper, Littleberry Bostick late of the same planter, Leonard Marbury late of the same Rebel Officer, John Sharp late of the same planter, James Harris late of the same Planter, Henry Jones late of the same Rebel Colonel, Hugh McGee late of the same Rebel Captain, John Wilson late of the same Gentleman, George Wych late of the same Rebel Officer, William Candler late of the same Rebel Officer, Zechariah Fenn late of the same Planter, William McIntosh late of the same Rebel Colonel, David Brydie late of the same Surgeon, Andrew McLean late of the same Merchant, Sir Patrick Houstoun late of the same Barronet, Macartin Campbell late of the same Merchant, James Gordon late of the same planter, John Kell late of the same Gentleman, John McLean late of the same planter, Josiah McLean late of the same Planter, John Snider late of the same Planter, John Elliott late of the same Rebel Officer, Thomas Elliott, late of the same Rebel Officer, Richard Swinny late of the same Yeoman, Hugh Middleton late of the same Rebel Officer; and also all and every Other person or persons who at any time or times before the Passing Of this Act, hath or have acted in the said Province of Georgia as Members of any council Assembly or Committee, or as a Commission of trade, or of forfeited Estates or who have held any Commission, or appointment under the said usurption, either in a Civil or Military Capacity . . . . . . Commons House of Assembly July 1st 1780. By Order of the House Samuel Farley Speaker. Assented to the first July 1780. James Wright. By order of the Upper House Lewis Johnston President.

---

End of Exhibit. The material presentation was edited for this format style. This webmaster is grateful to receive this data
from Mr.  Braddock.  To learn more about this historic period please read his book,  Wooden Ships - Iron Men