History Camden County, Georgia

1 history

1.1 colonial period
1.2 american era
1.3 civil war , reconstruction
1.4 modern

history
the colonial period

the first recorded european visit today camden county captain jean ribault of france in 1562. ribault sent out french huguenots find suitable place settlement. ribault named rivers saw seine , some, known today st. marys , satilla rivers. ribault described area as, fairest, fruitfulest , pleasantest of world.

in 1565, spain became alarmed french settlements , sent out large force take on , settle area. during time, spaniards attempted convert native americans catholicism. @ least 2 missions operated on cumberland island, ministering timucuan people, had resided on island @ least 4 thousand years.

competing british , spanish claims territory between respective colonies of south carolina , florida source of international tension, , colony of georgia founded in 1733 in part protect british interests. spanish theoretically lost claim territory in 1742 after battle of bloody marsh (on st. simons island). however, settlement south of altamaha river (what glynn , camden counties) discouraged both british , spanish governments. 1 group of settlers led edmund gray sparked spanish military action after settling on satilla river in 1750s near present-day burnt fort, , subsequently disbanded royal governor john reynolds.

general oglethorpe @ cumberland island when tomochichi gave barrier island name. later, erected hunting lodge on cumberland named dungeness, predecessor of famous greene , carnegie dungeness mansions. founded fort st. andrews on north end of cumberland island strong battery, fort prince williams, on south end. fort prince williams commanded entrance st. marys river, had become ruin revolutionary war.

in 1763, spain, under treaty of peace great britain, ceded florida british. after this, boundaries of georgia extended altamaha (now southern boundary of mcintosh county) st. marys river (the current southern boundary of camden). in 1765, 4 parishes laid out between altamaha , st. marys rivers. these st. davids, st. patricks, st. james, , parishes of st. marys , st. thomas.

the american era

largely due security issues arising proximity powerful indian groups , british florida, georgia last colony join in war independence in 1775. in georgia constitution of 1777 st. thomas , st. marys parishes formed camden county, named charles pratt, 1st earl camden in england, supporter of american independence. camden county larger , included parts of present-day ware, brantley, , charlton counties, re-designated in nineteenth century.

also under 1777 state constitution, glynn county , camden county had limited , restricted representation in new patriotic georgia government due extreme state of alarm throughout war. between 1776 , 1778 camden county saw construction of numerous forts, 3 failed american campaigns against british @ st. augustine, , numerous depredations raiders of various allegiance. 1 of notorious of these raiders daniel mcgirth. significant loyalist faction existed in camden county, headed brothers of royal governor james wright, charles , german wright. built fort on st. marys river in 1775 protect lands , chattel during war after repeated attacks patriot banditti. wright s fort became rendezvous group of loyalists called florida rangers . 2 skirmishes fought loyalist , continental forces on wright s fort, , both times american troops failed rout loyalists area. finally, retreating british soldiers burned down in 1778. americans rebuilt when invaded east florida, , burned down prevent falling enemy hands. archaeological site rediscovered in 1975.

the primary economic enterprise of county rice planting, particularly along satilla river. sea island cotton grown on cumberland island, , short-staple cotton grown on mainland along sugar cane. various forest products including turpentine , timber produced, consumption in naval industry , west indies. camden county served hub of backcountry trade american settlers , various indian groups, , shipyard , shipping center centered around town of st. marys. land in camden county owned fewer 300 people throughout colonial , antebellum eras. of white population worked in trades or tenant farmers, while black residents slaves. until 1840s (and increasingly strict black codes), camden county had small population of free black workers, involved in day labor or maritime industry.

camden county site of many trading posts native americans, late eighteenth , nineteenth centuries consisted of people of creek nation. america s earliest years , after indian removal in 1830s, county site of significant conflict between settlers , indians, leading small series of local indian wars, , displacement of both indian , local american refugees. important step towards establishing boundaries in federal period came treaty of colerain signed on june 29, 1796 on st. marys between united states agents , creeks.

on january 15, 1815, british troops led sir george cockburn landed on cumberland island. goal attack fort @ point peter. overwhelmed small american forced , took ft. point peter easily. after skirmish, british soldiers occupied county through february. raided town of st. marys, many plantations , smaller settlements. although new orleans last major battle of war, skirmish @ point peter happened later, month after treaty of ghent had been signed. british occupation of camden county led liberation of estimated 1,485 slaves georgia , florida.

camden county on international border until adams–onís treaty of 1819 between united states , spain, making florida provinces american territory.

the civil war , reconstruction

at beginning of civil war, population 5,482 of 1,721 white. during war, many of county s civilians moved farther inland, particularly centerville , trader s hill on st. marys river in charlton county. inhabitant s fears realized when town of st. marys attacked united states navy. @ least 1 federal party carry off slaves met armed resistance on white oak creek off satilla river.

camden county organized 4 volunteer companies: camden chasseurs, st. marys volunteers guard, camden rifles, , camden county guards.

camden county land fell under sherman s special field order no. 15. dictated distribution of parcels of land freedmen. however, 1868 camden county s freedmen found dispossessed of land had lived , worked on since emancipation or earlier. confiscated lands returned former landowners. during first years of reconstruction, republican candidates , many local blacks able gain political victories. first democratic victory in county after war went ray tompkins. signaled return white political majority , end of reconstruction era concurrent statewide democratic victory in 1870.

modern

earlier plans railways in area dated 1830s, construction never begun. in 1893, florida central , peninsular railroad built savannah-jacksonville line through camden county. in 1923 county seat of camden county moved st. marys woodbine, reflection of shift water transportation railways. in 1927 u.s. route 17 constructed through woodbine , kingsland.

from 1917 1937 pogy plant producing oil procter & gamble , fertilizer southern fertilizer , chemical company 1 of major economic activities of area. layoffs pogy plant found relief when gilman paper company came county in 1939. company sold durango paper co. in 1999, , went out of business in 2002, resulting in 900 workers losing jobs.

in 1965, thiokol chemical launched 13-foot (4.0 m)-diameter, 3,000,000-pound-force (13,000 kn)-thrust rocket chemical plant in eastern part of county. on february 3, 1971, fire , explosion occurred @ plant, located 12 miles southeast of woodbine. industrial accident killed 29 workers , injured 50 others.

during world war ii, georgia state guard , local home guard held bases on cumberland island. island , surrounding waters patrolled united states coast guard. u.s. army began acquire land south of crooked river in 1954 build military ocean terminal ship ammunition in case of national emergency. in november 1976 area of kings bay selected submarine base. afterward, first navy personnel arrived in kings bay area , started preparations orderly transfer of property army navy. naval submarine base kings bay not occupies former army terminal land, several thousand additional acres. camden county s population grew enormously after military took interest in area, , during 1980s fourth fastest growing county in united states.

cumberland island national seashore established in 1970 protect , preserve natural , historic resources of island. crooked river state park established in 1985.

in 2012, camden county joint development authority began considering developing spaceport both horizontal , vertical spacecraft operations. options included moving st. marys airport atlantic coastal site had been used rocket launch in 1965. in 2013, authority contracted environmental impact statement completed on 200 acres (81 ha) of authority-owned land, part of larger 4,200 acres (1,700 ha) site, in order build commercial launch site. of september 2014, county investigating options purchase 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) of land landowners own land formerly occupied thiokol chemical , bayer cropscience @ harrietts bluff. if agreement reached landowners, 18-month-long environmental impact process begin on larger parcel of land. georgia state legislators offer tax incentives commercial development in project. if development proceed, earliest launch possible in 2018.

in june 2015, camden board decided formally advance spaceport camden project initiating faa environmental impact assessment of 4000+ acre facility.