 Wylly-Cowper papers
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteBasil Cowper was a prominent citizen of Savannah in colonial Georgia. Known for his legal partnership with the Telfair family, he worked as a merchant and lawyer which brought him regularly into contact with the Royal Governor James Wright. Cowper was a known loyalist to the crown and left Georgia moving to London and, later, to Jamaica after the Revolutionary War. Sources: Deerskins and Duffels: The Creek Indian Trade with Anglo-America, 1685-1815 By Kathryn E. Holland Braund The Georgia historical quarterly, Volume 1 By Georgia Historical Society Letters of Robert MacKay to His Wife: By Walter Charlton Hartridge Alexander Wylly was an emigrant from Belfast to the colony of Georgia in 1748. He was a lawyer by profession, but also served as a member of the Colonial Assembly, from Halifax district in 1772, Speaker of the House of the Colonial Assembly in 1774, and Secretary to Governor Sir James Wright in 1774-1775 and onward. Source: http://www.glynngen.com/misc/memories1.htm Scope and ContentThe collection consists of two documents pertaining to the settlement of coastal Georgia. The crown land grant to Alexander Wylly gives him "two small islands of marsh situate and being in the river Savannah between Onslow Island and Argyle Island in the parish of Christ Church." It is signed by James Wright as governor, Charles Watson as secretary, and Henry Yonge as surveyor general; the document includes the plat drawn by deputy surveyor B. Romant, and is dated 1 December 1767. The second document is a loyal indenture on transfer of land between Richard and Mary Wylly and Basil Cowper of Savannah. This piece, legible but quite fragile, is dated 23 June 1775. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationWylly-Cowper papers, ms 1204. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||