The Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America, or simply the Georgia Trustees, was organized by James Edward Oglethorpe and associates following Parliamentary investigations into prison conditions in Britain. The organization petitioned for a royal charter in July, 1731, which was signed by George II in April, 1732. After passing through government ministries, the charter reached the Trustees in June, 1732. Oglethorpe personally led the first group of colonist to the New World colony, departing England on November, 1732 and arriving at the site of present-day Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...

 on February 12, 1733 O.S. The founding of Georgia is celebrated on February 1, 1733 N.S., the date corresponding to the modern Gregorian calendar adopted after the establishment of the colony.

Background

Parliament established a committee to investigate prison conditions in February, 1729 and Oglethorpe was appointed chair. The work of the committee resulted in the release of prisoners onto the streets of London and other cities without prospect of employment. Oglethorpe conceived the idea of a colony as a means of productively employing such people. The plan for the colony quickly broadened in scope to encompass several philanthropic and strategic purposes.

Dr. Thomas Bray

Thomas Bray

The Reverend Dr Thomas Bray was an English clergyman, who spent time in Maryland as an Anglican representative.-Life:...

, a supporter of prison reform, invited Oglethorpe to use an organization he created some years earlier, known as the Associates of Dr. Bray, as the entity through which he might apply for a royal charter. Oglethorpe expanded with the group to include members of the prison committee and other social reformers. Dr. Bray died in February of 1730, and Oglethorpe became the driving force behind the organization, which would soon give birth to the Georgia Trustees.

Though Oglethorpe and others wanted debtors' prisoners to inhabit the new colony of Georgia, the Crown determined otherwise.
The Colony would become a military buffer for South Carolina against the Spanish and some Creek factions. Each of the new "Georgians" was chosen for their work skills, which would best contribute to the colony. The men were trained and made members of the militia for the defense of Georgia and South Carolina. Most of the 114 included wives, children and servants. Dr William Cox, appointed medical Doctor for the colony brought his wife Elizabeth, son, William, a young daughter and a male servant. In an early letter to the Trustees, Dr Cox said: "the greatest health hazard in Savannah is alligators in the streets". Unfortunately, Dr Cox was the first to die (59 days)from the real health hazard-consumption, for which he had treated many colonists immediately after arrival. Dr Cox was buried with "the highest military honors" by Oglethorpe. His family returned to England, but his son william, 11 years old stayed and apprenticed to help build Bethesda, America's oldest orphanage. Reference: www.georgiasfirstday.com Thomas D. Cox Historian.

Trustees Named in the Royal Charter, Effective June, 1732

Adam Anderson,
Arthur Bedford,
William Belitha,
Rev. Richard Bundy,
Rev. John Burton

John Burton (scholar)

John Burton, D.D. was an English clergyman and academic, a theological and classical scholar.-Life:Burton was born at Wembworthy, Devon, where his father Samuel Burton was rector. He was educated partly at Okehampton and Tiverton in his native county, and partly at Ely, where he was placed on his...

,
George Lord Carpenter

George Carpenter, 2nd Baron Carpenter

Lieutenant-Colonel George Carpenter, 2nd Baron Carpenter FRS was a British soldier and Member of Parliament.-Background:...

,
Thomas Coram,
Edward Digby,
Francis Eyles,
Stephen Hales

Stephen Hales

Stephen Hales, FRS was an English physiologist, chemist and inventor.Hales studied the role of air and water in the maintenance of both plant and animal life. He gave accurate accounts of the movements of water in plants, and demonstrated that plants absorb air...

,
George Heathcote

George Heathcote

George Heathcote was an eighteenth century English politician and philanthropist who was a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London.He was a nephew of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, Governor of the Bank of England...

,
Rogers Holland,
Robert Hucks,
John Laroche,
Robert More,
James Oglethorpe

James Oglethorpe

James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...

,
John Lord Viscount Percival,
William Sloper,
Rev. Samuel Smith,
Thomas Tower,
James Vernon

Trustees Appointed at the First Annual Meeting in March, 1733

Richard Chandler,
Anthony Ashley Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury

Anthony Ashley Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury

Anthony Ashley Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury , 4th Earl of Shaftesbury.The 4th Earl served as Lord Lieutenant of Dorset from 1734 until his death.-Family Legacy:...

,
James Lord D’Arcy,
James, Earl of Derby,
Thomas Frederick,
Sir John Gonson,
William Hanbury,
Sir William Heathcote,
Robert Kendall,
Henry L'Apostre,
James Lord Viscount Limerick,
John Page,
Sir Erasmus Phillipps,
Christopher Tower,
John Lord Viscount Tyrconnel,
George Tyrer,
John White

Trustees Appointed at Later Annual Meetings

1734:
Rev. Dr. Thomas Rundle,
William Talbot,
Richard Coope,
William Wollaston,
Robert Eyre,
Thomas Archer,
Robert Tracey,
Henry Archer,
Francis Wollaston

1737:
Sir Jacob Des Bouverie, since Lord Viscount Folkestone

1738:
Sir Henry Gough,
Sir Roger Burgoigne

1739:
Lord Sidney Beauclerk

1741:
Henry Bathurst,
Philip Percival (brother of Egmont),
John Frederick (brother of Thomas Frederick, deceased Trustee)

1742:
Alexander Hume Campbell,
Sir John Barrington,
Samuel Tuffnell,
Henry Calthrope

1743:
John Phillips,
Velters Carnwall,
John Wright

1745:
Rev. Dr. Thomas Wilson

1747:
Francis Cokayne,
Samuel Lloyd

1749:
2nd Earl of Egmont (John Percival),
Anthony Ewer,
Edward Hooper,
Sir John Cust,
Slingsby Bethell,
Stephen Theodore Janssen

1752:
Richard Cavendish

Employees and Officials of the Trustees

London:
Benjamin Martyn

Benjamin Martyn

Benjamin Martyn was an English writer and government official. He served as the only secretary for the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America from 1732 to 1752...

, Secretary;
Harman Verelst, Accountant

Savannah:
William Stephens, Secretary, later President of Savannah County and President of the Georgia colony.
Numerous others served in various positions for shorter periods.

Trustee Georgia

The Trustees governed the Georgia colony from its founding in 1733 until June 28, 1752 O.S., a period known as Trustee Georgia

Trustee Georgia

Trustee Georgia is the name of the period covering the first twenty years of Georgia history, from 1732–1752, because during that time the English Province of Georgia was governed by a Board of Trustees. England's King George II, for whom the colony was named, signed a charter establishing the...

.

Revival of the Georgia Trustees

The concept of the Georgia Trustees was reconstituted in 2009 by the Georgia Historical Society under the suggestion of the Executive Vice-President Laura Garcia-Culler. Each year during the Georgia Historical Society Gala, two new members of the Georgia Trustees are admitted as members by the Georgia Historical Society in conjunction with the Governor's Office. These new members are chosen for their dedication, commitment, and contributions to the State of Georgia.
2009:
Margeurite Neel Williams (Entrepreneur),
Bernard Marcus (Home Depot Founder)

2010:
Hank Aaron (Baseball Legend),
Ted Turner (CNN founder and Chairman of Turner Enterprises, Inc.)

2011:
Vincent J. Dooley (Legendary UGA Football Coach),
Samuel A. Nunn, Jr. (Former US Senator)