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John Watson Letter, 1818 August 17

 File — Box: 4250.001, Folder: 7

Letter from John Watson, Deputy Magistrate, Milledgeville, Baldwin County, Georgia, to Acting Governor William Rabun, Milledgeville, Georgia, August 17, 1818

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a letter by John Watson to William Rabun, president of the Georgia Senate and acting governor. Watson's letter is a protest to the governor regarding a matter concerning fifty-nine "African negroes." Watson had been given a writ of arrest for the Africans, but was prevented by force from taking them into his custody by "Dr. Charly Williamson and others, acting or claiming to act as the agent of the Executive of Georgia," who intended to "expose" the Africans to sale.

An addendum to the letter, signed by John C. Cash, states that the "foregoing" is in the handwriting of Georgia politician Thomas W. Cobb, who, it is stated, was in Milledgeville, Georgia, with US Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford at the time of the sale.

Dates

  • 1818 August 17

Creator

Language of Materials

From the Collection: Materials are in English. One item is in German.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.

Extent

From the Collection: 0.4 Linear Feet