THE JOHN MILLEDGES OF GEORGIA. > > The first John Milledge of Georgia was born in England, and came to America > with Oglethorpe. He became a man of affairs in the new colony, and held > several important trusts, civic and military. His commission as commander of > a troup of rangers, dated March 29, 1742, was signed by Jas. Oglethorpe. > > In 1768, while a member of the colonial assembly, he was one of a committee > to correspond with Benjamin Franklin, agent "to arrange the affairs of > Georgia with Great Britain." > > The Captain and his family had a pew in Christ Church, Savannah, "in > consideration of six pounds and ten shillings," receipted July 5, 1763. > > Milledgeville, the former capital of the State, was named in honor of Gov. > John Milledge. > > His son, Gov. John Milledge, was born in Savannah in 1757. He commenced the > study of law with the king's attorney. He was so engaged at the breaking out > of the Revolutionary War. When but eighteen years of age he was one of the > six who broke open the magazine at Savannah and took away a large quantity > of powder. Some of it was stored in Savannah, some sent to Beaufort, and a > part of it to Boston, where hostilities had commenced, and with it the > battle of Bunker Hill was fought. The royal Governor, Wright, offered a > reward of $150 for the capture of the raiders, but they, instead of inviting > arrest, waited a month and then captured the Governor in his own house, > wherein they confined him. In this he was a leading spirit. He was in > Savannah when it was taken by the British, but escaped. > > In January, 1780, he was appointed Attorney General. This was the beginning > of his civil career. He served in the Legislature, and was in Congress in > 1792 and '93, from 1795 to 1799, and in 1801 and 1802. He was immediately > elected to the United States Senate, where he served three years, the last > year as its President. In this year, 1809, being only 52 years old, he > resigned his seat and gave up public life. > > In April, 1802, he was one of three commissioners on the part of Georgia who > negotiated with three appointed by the President, a treaty by which Georgia > ceded the most of her western territory to the United States for $1,250,000 > and other considerations. Although confronted by three statesmen of the > highest national reputation, the Georgians made so satisfactory a settlement > of a bitterly contested question that they received by a unanimous vote the > thanks of the Legislature, Governor Milledge retired to his plantation on > the Sand Hills, near Augusta, where he died in 1818. > While Mr. Jefferson's epitaph on his tomb is inscribed the " Father of the > University of Virginia," Governor Milledge was the "Benefactor of the > University of Georgia." Governor Milledge bought and conveyed to the > University at Athens nearly 700 acres of land. Upon this land the college > buildings and a great part of Athens now stand. Its first commencement was > held in 1804. > > There hangs in the State Library, Atlanta, a handsome painting of this > eminent Georgian. It is the work of the late Miss Kate Elliott Milledge, the > only granddaughter of Governor Milledge. She was the daughter of the late > Col. John Milledge, and a sister to the present State Librarian, Capt. John > Milledge, who was a Confederate soldier, serving as First Lieutenant and > Captain in 1st Georgia regiment, and afterward Captain of artillery under > Gen. Lee. > > > > ==== GAMACON Mailing List ==== > I am a Southern Woman born with revolutionary blood in my veins. Freedom of speech and of thought are my birthright. Rose O'Neal Greenhow Heroine of the Confederacy > >