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American Revolution
In Coastal Georgia

 


Honoring Glynn County Patriots

 

On April 19, 2005, the Marshes of Glynn SAR Chapter conducted a Ceremony in the Christ Church, Frederica Churchyard to honor Coastal Georgia Revolutionary War Patriots: Cyrus Dart, Robert Grant, William Page and Samuel Wright. Assisting to conduct the service were the Georgia Society, Sons of the American Revolution and the Brunswick and Fort Frederica Chapters, Daughters of the American Revolution. 

The service, attended by over 200 people, incorporated elements of military reviews dating from the time of the Revolution including: formation of troops, presentation of colors, and musical salutes. Descendants read biographies of the Patriots which included a description of their military service.  Twenty-five members of the Georgia and Florida SAR Color Guards led a procession to the burial sites of the Patriots. They stood at attention while SAR bronze Markers were unveiled, flags and wreaths presented, and bagpipe salute performed followed by Taps. George Thurmond, Georgia SAR President, said that the Frederica Ceremony had the largest attendance of the seventy-three cemetery marker services previously conducted in Georgia.

William Page, Revolutionary War Teenager

William Page was born on January 2, 1764 at Page’s Point, Prince William Parish, South Carolina. His father, Thomas Page, sided with the Loyalists in the American rebellion. When he died in 1780, sixteen-year-old William joined Francis Marion to fight in the irregular combat in the South Carolina countryside. As a result, the Tories burned his house at Page’s Point. In 1781 he married Hannah Timmons. After the war, William Page moved to Georgia, and in 1804 purchased land on St. Simons Sound, which he named "Retreat." In total, the Retreat Plantation properties exceeded 2,000 acres; and on it he grew prized long-stable cotton. In 1808, he became a major in the 7th Battalion of the Glynn County Militia, a position he held the rest of his life. Major William Page died on January 12, 1827 at age 63.

Robert Grant, Revolutionary War Doctor

Robert Grant was born at Leith, Scotland on July 15, 1762. He received his medical training in Scotland, and in 1781, emigrated to Charleston, South Carolina. There he joined those fighting the King of England and served as a surgeon on the staff of Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox." In 1799 he married Sarah Foxworth. Robert Grant came to Georgia about 1808 and purchased land on the northern part of St. Simons Island, which he called "Oatlands." He accumulated almost two thousand acres at Elizafield on the south bank of the Altamaha River in Glynn County. The plantation’s products were rice and sugar cane. Robert Grant and William Page became the first wardens of Christ Church, Frederica when it was incorporated in 1808. Doctor Robert Grant died on September 17, 1843, at age 81.

Samuel Wright, Georgia Militia Officer

Samuel Wright was born in 1738 in England and served as an officer in the Georgia Militia during the Revolutionary War. He was a merchant and Vendue Master for the Port of Savannah at the time of his marriage in 1790 to Rebecca Bruce, the only child of James Bruce, a planter and resident of St. Simons Island. In 1791, they moved to Orange Grove Plantation, located on Dunbar Creek about two miles south of Frederica. Samuel Wright was elected Representative from Glynn County in 1791 and served in the Legislature as a Senator through 1798. He served as a Major in the Glynn County Militia Regiment, a Commissioner of Glynn Academy, Justice of Glynn Inferior Court and as a Commissioner for the Town of Frederica until his death in 1804, at age 66.

Cyrus Dart, Connecticut Continental Private

Cyrus Dart was born June 11, 1764 in Haddon, Connecticut. In 1782, he enlisted as a Private in the 1st Connecticut Regiment Continental Line and served for one year. After the Revolutionary War, he completed medical studies in Connecticut, and in 1792, moved to Glynn County where he operated a medical practice in the Town of Frederica. In 1796, Cyrus married Ann Harris, was appointed Surgeon in the U.S. Army, stationed at Coleraine in Camden County. In 1802, he resigned from the Army and was appointed Quarantine Officer for the Port of Brunswick and served in that position until his death on June 29, 1817. The untimely accident that took his life at age 53 was caused when his rowboat capsized as he and his son, Urbanus were enroute to inspect an incoming vessel.

Photos of the Service, including Descendants of the Honored Patriots

Ceremony at Burial Sites

William Page Marker

Descendants of Robert Grant and William Page

Descendants at Marker of Robert Grant

Samuel Wright Marker

Cyrus Dart Marker

Descendants of Cyrus Dart

Descendants of Cyrus Dart

Other Glynn County Patriots (ongoing research)

Captain John Cutler Braddock was born on October 3, 1743 in Beaufort, South Carolina and died in early 1794 on St. Simons Island, Georgia. He commanded the galley "Lee" in the Revolutionary War, one of the ships under the command of Colonel Samuel Elbert during the April 1778 incident at St. Simons Island near Frederica. John Braddock received two land grants in Georgia, one on St. Simons Island where he settled with his family. Many descendants have been documented but John Braddock’s burial location has not been determined.  

Thomas Cater was born on December 17, 1751 in St. George’s Parish, South Carolina. A book summarizes an Obituary in January 1800 that Thomas Cater died St. Simon’s Island without any date. The DAR Patriot Index and other books indicate that Thomas Cater died April 20, 1803 at Cater Hall in Beaufort, South Carolina. His Revolutionary War Activities include the following:  Lieutenant, Volunteer Co. of Beaufort, SC in 1776; Captain, Commanding Officer, Beaufort, SC. Volunteer Artillery; Supplied Provisions for a scouting party in February & March 1780; Representative of St. Pauls Parish in SC Commons House of General Assembly- January & February 1782.  

Benjamin Hart (1730-1802) Christopher Hillary (1755-1796)
Frederick Lamb (1765-1808) Robert Lithgow (1758-1802)
William McIntosh (1725-1801) William Manning (1763-1810)
George Purvis (1755-1805) John Thompkins (1745-1791)
Thomas Stone (1734-1806)  

If you want to know more or have information to share about these Patriots, please contact us.