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James Oglethorpe, 1696-1785
Largely through his investigations of Britain's penal system, philanthropist James Oglethorpe came to see his country's American empire as a place for England's prisoners to gain a fresh start in life. In 1732, he acted on that conviction, setting sail for America with some 130 debtors and unemployed workers to establish the new colony of Georgia. As governor, Oglethorpe lost no time in introducing measures to promote harmony within his settlement. His first acts included a ban on rum and a law guaranteeing equitable treatment of the region's native peoples. In 1743, he returned permanently to England, although he continued to act as governor until 1752, when the powers of his royal charter reverted back to the king. Thomas Burford's mezzotint depicts Georgia's governor in military dress and was meant to commemorate his armed attempts to keep Spanish authorities out of Florida.
Thomas Burford, before 1757 |