Person:John Rae (48)

Rae's Hall Plantation, once "one of the most public and best known places in Georgia," lies five miles northwestward from Savannah on a broad curve of the Savannah River. Although its river frontage is appreciably high, vast acreages receding southward from the river are lowlands and these have been developed to accommodate railroads, factories, and warehouses. The inland acreage, though subdivided for prospective purchasers, is for the most part unsettled and supports a heavy growth of oak, pine, and other flora indigenous to this section. On a high bluff overlooking the river, near the mouth of Pipemaker's Creek, is the site of the Indian Village New Yamacraw. Here, bounded on one side by the river and a broad belt of high trees and on the other side by flat, timeworn fields, are also the crumbling foundations of the old mansion house of Captain John Rae, builder of Rae's Hall.

" JOHN RAE migrated from Maghrenock, near Ballynahich in County Down, Nova Scotia, to South Carolina in 1729 or 1730. He applied for extensive land grants in Georgia because of his connections with the North of
Ireland, and was granted 50,000 acres on the Ogeechee River in Queensborough (now Burke Co.), 40 miles from Augusta, for his countrymen or friends. Two of his letters asking for settlers appeared in the "Belfast News Letter" in 1765. At this time, he was sending 100 pounds to educate the children of his dead brother and invited his countrymen to share in great fortune, guaranteeing the free use of cows and horses for five years.
His brother, Matthew Rea, financed the arrangements for the voyage, on the "Prince of Wales: to sail in 1765 from Belfast to Charleston with passengers, thence to Savannah. The ship sailed in February. Matthew Rea was a land promotor for America, and lived in the Village of Drumbo in County Down, and was either a small landowner or farmer. He had the means to undertake two tours of the surrounding countryside in furtherance of his emigration plans, acting as middleman in the emigration trade, and agent, working with his brother, John Rea, in Georgia to obtain emigrants to the Colony.

As far as this land business was concerned, John Rea was described as a scoundrel in a letter published in 1770 describing Georgia as "a woeful place...a poor hole...a cursed place...inhabited by a few Irish and some run-aways from all parts of America...that John Rea was more concerned with erecting a hedge between himself and the indians than with promoting the happiness of his settlers". As the ship "Waddell" sailed in November of 1773,
Mathew's activities on behalf of Georgia and his brother came to an end.

John Rae was a resident of Georgia in August of 1741, where he was appointed Conservator of the Peace ten years later. In 1752, he petitioned the Georgia Trustees for 300 acres on Argyle Island on the Savannah River and 100 acres on Pipemaker's Creek. In 1755, he was elected Representative to sit in the Assembly for Georgia at Augusta, and a lot was granted to him at Hardwick, in Chatham Co. In behalf of his settlement efforts, he petitioned for relief for building a Church at Augusta in 1756, and received it. In February of 1768, he petitioned for lands on the Ogeechee River to be reserved for three years, in hopes of getting Irish settlers there. He printed
ccopies of law and sent this to friends in Ireland, but the encouragement was much less than what was being given to South Carolina settlers, for in that State, free passage was provided, as well as other advantages. His friends wrote they would come to Georgia only if their passage was paid and they had use of lands free of expense and were exempted from taxes for ten years. The Georgia Trustees granted this wish to the Irish potentials, calling it "An Act for Encouraging Settlers to Come into the Province."

John Rea, however, was very active in His Majesty's affairs, trying to obtain settlers for the Augusta area. He was Commissioner at Augusta, Collector and Assessor, in charge of erecting forts, printed the laws, built churches, and was in charge of building barracks for the soldiers. John Rea lived on 200 acres on Stony Creek, three miles above Augusta, adjoining the lands of George Galphin, where he had a grist mill. In April of 1765, he petitioned for land originally surveyed for Isaac Barksdale to his widow, but the lands were passed in the name of John Rae, Jr. Other lands were 300 acres on Briar Creek, 200 acres in St. Paul's Parish (granted 1770 and 300 acres in St. George's Parish. He had a negro slave, Nero, who was convicted in 1772 of felony, for breaking open a store of rice and taking several barrels. Ten other slaves are found in the records, however there were probably a
good deal more slaves who cultivated his lands.

In 1771, John Rae was convicted of the manslaughter of Mrs. Ann Simpson, at Savannah, but was later pardoned. All his friends petitioned in his behalf, stating that he had been in the province for nearly forty years and had an unblemished character and had filled many offices of public trust. He has also been a Member of the
Georgia Assembly, which was a very highly respected position in the province.

John Rae was married to Miss Phoebe Johnson. He died in Richmond Co. in the year of 1784, leaving extensive real estate holdings in Augusta (Joseph Ray was appointed Administrator of the Estate). He was the first of his brothers to come to America, with Robert Rae coming about 1770. His brother, James Rae, never came, but
his son, James, Jr. did. He had a sister, Deborah Armstrong, who lived in Ireland in 1779. ..."

Rae, John, 800 acres St. George’s Parish’ 50 acres same Parish, October
1759

Rae, John, issued a license to trade among the Cusetas, Oakchoys opposite the fort, and Tuskegee including Coosaw old Town, and Coosawtee including Tombetaws close to the French Barracks, in 1761.

Rae and Mackintosh license to trade with Oakfuskees including Soogapooga’s Wichagoes and Illahatchee, 1761.