Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

October 7

1763 King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763, which would affect Georgia's external and internal boundaries.

The Proclamation of 1763's impact on colonial boundaries is sometimes misunderstood. By 1763, the official boundaries of British colonies were set by treaties and royal charters, commissions, proclamations, and other documents issued by the king. British policy in America was to first establish a political claim for a particular region in light of rival European powers, and then to negotiate actual internal boundaries through treaties with the different Indian tribes living on the land. This meant there were two types of colonial boundaries: (1) official boundaries to be defended from rival claims by other European powers, and (2) internal boundaries negotiated with Indian inhabitants to determine where white settlement would be permitted.

The Proclamation of 1763 made changes to both types of boundaries. With respect to Georgia's official boundaries, the proclamation expanded Georgia's southern boundary by giving the colony all lands between the Altamaha and St. Marys rivers. Previously, the Altamaha had served as Georgia's southern boundary. On Feb. 10, 1763, in the Treaty of Paris ending the French and Indian War, Britain had relinquished its claims to any territory west of the Mississippi River. So, the impact of the Proclamation of 1763 was to set Georgia's official southern boundary as the St. Marys River from its mouth to the headwaters, then north to the Altamaha River, then north to the headwaters of that river, and then westward to the Mississippi River. Georgia's northern boundary was the Savannah River from its mouth to its headwaters, then westward to the Mississippi River. The proclamation created four new British colonies. Two of these – East Florida and West Florida – were located south of Georgia. Between the two Floridas and Georgia was a vast area of undesignated territory.

Georgia's Official Boundaries Set by the Proclamation of 1763

Three months after the Proclamation of 1763, on Jan. 20, 1764, King George III would redefine Georgia's boundaries giving Georgia all the territory that had been undesignated by his October 7 proclamation.

Georgia's Boundaries as Redefined, Jan. 20, 1764

Five months later, on June 6, 1764, King George III would again redefine Georgia's boundaries – this time by expanding West Florida's northern boundary. These would be Georgia's official boundaries through the end of the American Revolution.

Georgia's Boundaries as Redefined, June 6, 1764

The Proclamation of 1763 also affected the internal boundaries open to land grants and settlement in Georgia and most sister colonies. The document established the Eastern Continental Divide as the western-most boundary for granting land in Britain's Americans colonies. The Eastern Continental Divide is the roughly north-south line marking the ultimate headwaters of any river (including tributaries) that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. For most of the American colonies, the highest crest of the Appalachian Mountains marked the Eastern Continental Divide and served as the western limit for white settlement, with all lands to the west reserved to the Indians living there.

Proclamation Line of 1763 Setting Western Limit of Colonial Land Grants

However, the Appalachian Mountains only extend into the northern section of Georgia. From there, the Eastern Continental Divide travels southward through Georgia along a line east of the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Alapaha river basins to the head of the St. Marys River.

Proclamation Line of 1763 in Georgia

1862 Georgia-born Confederate general Allison Nelson died of typhoid fever near Old Austin in Lonoke County, Ark. See Mar. 11 entry for biographical information on Nelson.

1866 Famous Georgia educator Martha Berry was born in Rome, Georgia.

1888 Formal dedication ceremonies for Georgia Tech were held in DeGive's Opera House in Atlanta. Among the speakers were Gov. John B. Gordon and Henry Grady.

DeGive's Opera House, Corner of Marietta and Forsyth Streets

1891 The Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth opened in Savannah.The school had been authorized by an act of the Georgia General Assembly approved on Nov. 20, 1890, and operated on a temporarily basis in Athens in 1891. That fall, it moved to a permanent home in Savannah. In 1950, the school's name was changed to Savannah State College, and in 1996 to Savannah State University.

1897 Elijah Poole, son of former slaves, was born in Sandersville, Georgia. He would later move to Detroit and change his name to Elijah Muhammad and become the leader of a black separatist religion known as the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims). He died in Chicago on Feb. 25, 1975 at age 77.

1916 Georgia Tech's football team under coach John Heisman defeated Cumberland College by a school (and maybe collegiate) record of 222-0. Tech accumulated 978 rushing yards without throwing a single pass.

1918 Acting upon a recommendation from the U.S. Public Health Service, the Atlanta City Council declared all public gathering places closed for two months as a precautionary measure against the epidemic of Spanish influenza sweeping the nation.

Atlanta City Hall (tall building right of center) in Downtown Atlanta

This ban included schools, libraries, churches, and theaters.

Atlanta Theaters – Including the Bijou – Were Forced to Close

Street cars were directed to keep all windows open – except in rain. In a precautionary move, the University of Georgia announced it was indefinitely suspending classes.

Because of the Flu, Classes at the University of Georgia Were Suspended

North of Atlanta, Camp Gordon officials on this day ordered soldiers to sleep under the stars.

Camp Gordon Soldiers Set Up Beds (left) Outside Their Barracks

By now, most soldiers and civilian employees were wearing gauze masks during the day.

Soldiers at All Georgia Military Bases Were Now Wearing Flu Masks

No one was allowed on base except close relatives, and soldiers were restricted from going to Atlanta without a special pass.

1940 In first-day-of-issue ceremonies in Savannah, the U.S. Post Office issued a 1-cent Eli Whitney commemorative stamp.

Savannah was chosen because of its nearness to Mulberry Grove plantation, where Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1792.

Georgia towns and cities incorporated by acts approved on Oct. 7:

1885 Gordon (Wilkinson County), Norwood (Warren County), Roopville (Carroll County), and Tallulah Falls (Rabun County)

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1738 Georgia was supposed to be a land of milk and honey, where colonists not only provided for themselves but sent silk, wine, and other goods back to England. However, the Trustees quickly found that Georgia colonists were continually in need of money and provisions, as indicated by this letter from James Oglethorpe to the Trustees about the critical situation at Frederica on St. Simons Island:

"1st. . . . In the enclosed is an account of the condition I found the Southern part of the colony in on my arrival, as also a petition from the people for support. The allegations of it are very true. The Storehouse at Savannah has supported this division of the province so ill that the people must have starved or abandoned the place had not Mr. [William] Horton [on Jekyll Island] give them his own cattle and corn to eat.

"2nd. . . . Our poor people lost their harvest by reason of their being called by the Spanish alarms from their hoeing. . . .

"3rd. We want beer here extremely. I brought over twenty tons of beer, which I issued to the soldiers and inhabitants at prime cost, which I believe will be gone before I can receive a supply. There are six barrels a day drawn and paid for in ready money. It would be very proper, therefore, if the Trustees' affairs would allow it, to send over a cargo of at least 50 or 60 tons strong beer and that of the same as I had from Mr. Hucks in Southwark. It will be a better remittance than even bills, since beer's being cheap is the only means to keep rum out of the colony. . .

"4th. Upon the necessity I have granted the petition so far as to continue to furnish the people upon credit with six pounds of breadkind and 2 pounds of meat per week, and 1 pint of molasses, viz. 2 pounds flour, 1/2 peck Indian corn. They had 4 pounds meat, but I have now reduced them to 2 pounds.

"5th. I shall when I come to Savannah strive to reduce all the Trustees' expenses as much as I can. . . . I have great difficulties to struggle with, as you may conceive, a great number of mouths to feed, empty magazines and no money. . . .

"Among other disappointments, the great droughts and the Spanish alarms last year hath rendered the best and most zealous part of the people incapable of supporting themselves this year.

"The Spaniards have tempted the Creek Indians with great presents to join against us, which they have refused. . . . I shall see them in a few days at Savannah. This will be a new expense, for there must be presents given to them.

"If we do not supply these expenses, the people cannot keep together here. I desire therefore an answer as soon as possible what I should do . . . ."

Source: Mills Lane (ed.), General Oglethorpe's Georgia: Colonial Letters, 1733-1743 (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1990), pp. 353-354.

1779 During the siege of Savannah, a French force unsuccessfully tried to take the city from the British. John Jones, an American fighting with the French, wrote to his wife of the unfortunate death of many of Savannah's residents due to French shelling of the city:

"This letter, my dear wife, will be handed you by Ismael, I expect. I am sorry 'tis not yet in my power to congratulate you on our safe arrival in Savannah. The enemy still continues very obstinate and a more cruel war could never exist than this. The poor women and children have suffered beyond description. A number of them in Savannah have already been put to death by our bombs and cannon. A deserter in this moment come out who gives an account that many of them were killed in their beds. Amongst others a poor woman with her infant in her arms were destroyed by a cannon ball. They have all got into cellars but even there they do not escape the fury of our bombs, several having been mangled in that supposed place of security. I pity General McIntosh his situation in particular, the whole of his family is there. We have burnt as yet only one house, but I expect this night the whole will be in flames, Count d'Estaing being determined that they shall now surrender. We keep up a most [constant?] cannonade and bombardment and this evening we shall carry on our approaches within pistol shot of the enemy's lines. We are hourly expecting that they will strike, though many with myself are of the opinion they will not until we compel them by storm. . . ."

Source: Mills Lane (ed.), Georgia: History written by Those who lived It (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1995), pp. 41-42.