Biographical Sketches of Colonials -U-V-
Upton, Thomas, born England, a member of the gentry class of Great Britain having Irish parents, settled in Frederica in November of 1737, on a land grant of 150 acres. For awhile, he was a resident of Jamaica, and brought five servants to Georgia, but they were all dead by 1739. The depravity of the situation reduced his plantation to ruins, and he decided to sell it to Oglethorpe for ten pounds. His subsequent land grant on Allkony Island (south of Skidoway Island) also failed when Indians destroyed his plantation in 1743.
Vanderplank, John, Seaman, born 1684, embarked November of 1732 for the Georgia Colony, arriving 1 February 1733. He was granted Lot No. 25 at Savannah. John Vanderplank, and others, arrived on the ship Volanti with Capt. Edmund Smyther at Gravesend, the second ship sent to Georgia by the Trustees, a vessel which exported pitch and tar. He wrote the Trustees in December of 1732 that they were about to embark for Georgia. John Vanderplank was a Naval Officer, appointed his position on August 20, 1735 by the Georgia Trustees. In September of 1735 he was made Searcher in the Town of Savannah. He was married to Mary, who did not arrive in the colony until October 21, 1734. The Last Will and Testament of Mary was dated in Savannah and mentioned the Rev. Mr. John Joachim Zubly to receive the remainder of her estate and her pretentions in the estate of John Vanderplank, her late husband. James Miller, tea cups, etc. Mentioned Daniel Demetre, John Farley. Goddaughters: Anne Whitfield, Rebecca Lee, Grace Polhill, Mrs. Wright, Mary Habersham, and Elizabeth Wright. John Vanderplank died 11 December 1737, and was buried like a soldier - like manner in the evening; forty men under arms attending him in the grave, firing three vollies and several minuteguns from the fort which was discharged during the time of the interment.
Vernon, Isaac. Isaac Vernon and Joseph Maddox were granted 131 acres on the waters of Upton Creek in Wrightsborough Township, which was later deeded by said Maddox and James Brown, Administrators of the Estate of Isaac Vernon, to said Hodgins. Bounded north by lands of the heirs of said Vernon, Deceased and heirs of George Beck, deceased, west by Williams, south by heirs of late Vernon and lands of Mercer Brown. Another deed dated dated 15 December 1796, Columbia County of William Smith to Camm Thomas, millwright and Quaker for 375 pounds, helps to clarify the holding of 237 acres on Maddock Creek. This was part of a tract of land originally granted to Joseph Maddock and Issc Vernon called the Old Mill tract, being part of a tract of 1604 acres known as the Horse Pens which was granted by Sir James Wright. When Maddock went bankrupt, the tract was purchased by James Habersham at a Marshal’s sale in Savannah in 1775. Then Habersham sold it to Jacob Bull, Sr., and Bull sold to William Smith. Land was bounded by Amos Embree, Mercer Brown and William Scott. Daniel Williams was the Executor of the Estate of James Vernon, who was the son and heir of Isaac Vernon, deceased, because on 8 March of 1791, James and Hester Habersham of Chatham County deeded to Daniel Williams, as executor, all the southern moiety of the Mill Tract in the vicinity of Wrightsborough, granted to Joseph Maddock and Isaac Vernon (purchased by Habersham at the bankruptcy sale). Isaac apparently had a son, Amos Vernon, who lived in North Carolina. (Deed between Amos Vernon to Stephen Hodgins, said Vernon being late from North Carolina, 127 acres adjoining lands of Isaac Vernon, Henry Williams and the Vernon estate, and being part of a 350-acre tract surveyed for Isaac Vernon, deceased. Another son was Isaac Vernon, Jr., who, along with his wife, Mary, sold 280 acres for $800.00 to John Wilson of Warren County, bounded by the land of Isaac Vernon, Sr., Deceased, all other saids vacant, being land originally granted to said Vernon 7 May 1769.