Manuscript Collection: Georgia Colony Documents
Collection Overview
Collection summary derived from "Guidebook to Manuscripts", 1969: Most of these documents pertain to the founding and settling of the Colony of Georgia. There is a most interesting letter with an account of the sea voyage of the "Anne" with General James Oglethorpe and 120 settlers for Georgia, including homely facts about health, food and activities of the passengers and their leaders. Another paper tells of General Oglethorpe's handling of attempted mutiny at St. Andrews Fort. Also included is a draft Charter for Settling the Colony of Georgia, 1727. It is in the hand of a secretary with many corrections in the hand of Thomas Tower. In addition to the Colony of Georgia documents, there are other papers dealing with affairs during the late 18th and early 19th centuries of that state. Important item: Probably the single most important item in the collection is the "Journal of the Proceedings of the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in North America." A folio volume of 272 leaves, it is in the hand of John Perceval (1683-1748): 1st Earl of Egmont, the friend and partner of James Oglethorpe in the founding of Georgia and the first President of the Board of Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia. This important manuscript is from the Phillips Collection (Ms. #13081). There are two other volumes of this manuscript extending to May, 1744, now in the possession of the State of Georgia. A microfilm copy of the Gilcrease volume is in the Library of the University of Georgia.
Access Restrictions
Available by appointment only at the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR) with the exception of materials with donor restrictions. Contact Library staff in advance to inquire if materials exist pertaining to your research interests.
Use Restrictions
Please contact the Rights and Reproduction Department for information on publishing or reproducing materials included in these records. Permission will be granted by the Gilcrease Museum as the owner of the physical materials, and does not imply permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.
Provenance
The Gilcrease Foundation acquired these materials before 1964 and is housed in the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). The library currently receives most materials through community donation, board members, artists and the acquisition of manuscript collections.
Staff, interns, and volunteers of the Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive have contributed to the organization and maintenance of the files since the collection passed to the City of Tulsa in the 1950s.